Why do you visit Negril? For me it...

[Rob]

In the mid seventies it was fun, sun, food, naked women and good weed! it that has changed something is wrong. Those that came and fell in love with negril and went on to purchase properties have become everything that was not Negril. Rob supports the wishes of his clients as his job warrants. but negril was never anything but the former. Any sway from that theme is a lie!

Fred Stripe seemed to hit it right on the head George. And Captaind, who arrived in Negril prior to you proves Fred's statement. Captaind can blame your mid 70's crowd for changing Negril, but he doesnt because he knows better. Change happens. Time marches on...

There is nothing any more "wrong" with Negril now than there was when your mid 70's crowd came in and changed this small fishing village long before those who you choose to blame for changing Negril. Change is inevitable as Fred said, and you and your mid 70's crowd have to share the blame for that change as much as anyone else.

Here are some pics from the late 50's when they were shooting the Disney film 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.





I dont see any "naked women and good weed" around Kirk Douglas, an Oscar nominee and being No.17 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male screen legends in American film history. If there were always naked women around as you claim, I am sure Kirk have been surrounded by them! (grin)

In these pics from 1959, you dont see any establishments at all, not even huts. And certainly no people having fun in the sun or feasting on food. Just trees, sand and water (and Kirk). The things you mention didnt come until the hippies "discovered" Negril and inevitably changed Negril from a small fishing village into the resort town it is today.

When I conceived the idea of Negril.com in 1993 and created it in 1995, there was no email at all on the island. Absolutely none, not even in Kingston. There were no internet providers at all on the island and only 2 computers in Negril.

No one in Negril had seen the internet. Only a few had even seen a computer for that matter, so it would have been impossible for me to support the wishes of my clients when there werent any at all. I envisioned and created Negril.com because I knew one day the businesses in Negril would have to become part of the internet world.

By introducing them to the first computer most people saw and exposing them to the internet by spending a small fortune calling Miami on a very slow cellphone connection through TOJ (pre-Cable & Wireless days), it helped the local businesses (the vast majority Jamaican owned and operated) realize that this technology would one day play an important role in their business. And it has. There are now more places with free wifi in Negril than there are in Kingston per square kilometer.

So George, I understand that you feel a sense of loss for the way things used to be 40 years ago. As humans, we all feel that sense of nostalgia from time to time. But before calling something a lie, it is generally best to get the facts first...

[biggbxguy]

Negril is a much different place from 30 something years ago when I first got there..I was going to mo bay before that and when I first stepped foot in Negril it was a totally different experience from that. I fell in love instantly. Back then the beach road and west end was much less populated, it was not so comercialised as it is now this is what I enjoyed... now...with so many additions like Burger King,the water park all the AI hotels Negril has become more like a city and not a fishing village. These changes are ineveitable the world is growing and so is Negril. If you were to ask me do I like Negril better then or now I would say then without a doubt. BUT my love for Negril and all of Jamaica is without a doubt in my heart. The growing of Negril has done so many good things for the people who are born and raised there The Hospital project,proper sewage,better water all are there now because of tourisim. Negril is different now ..but as much as some of these changes have been done they are all for the better.

so to answer Robs question My answer is the people I know for years they have been part of my family and will always be. I will never stop visiting them or Negril for that matter.

P.S. Never trust anyone who does not love the Beach...

[Flipadelphia26]

My only experience of Negril is within the last 18 months. Granted, I will be making my 5th Journey in that time frame in two weeks. I enjoy seeing the pictures of how it was before the first hippies showed up. How it was when the hippies arrives and how it looked 10 years ago, and how it looks now. I certainly love it for what it is right now, and I think the progression of Negril into what it is today has provided both: foreigners with a place to visit on vacation, as well as locals a means of income.

You can look at just about any neighborhood in any place in the wold and reminisce the "good old days". The town I grew up in. About 50 miles from Philadelphia, and about 50 miles from Baltimore used to be a small town, where Amish Buggies used to clop down the main streets. Seldom did you see a car drive by. When you did, it was someone you knew.. Now I am 29 years old. I left for college 10 years ago. There's new housing developments all over the place. A wall-mart and adjoining shopping center. Several new business establishments etc. With that growth came a lot of traffic, and less Amish buggies clopping down the streets. But it also brought a nice face lift to the main street. It has drawn more local events. Just last week they had a 54 lap bicycle race that went through the neighborhood streets. There' also a brand new High School, that was badly needed, paid for by the influx new tax revenue due growth.

Change isn't always bad.

[STRIPER]

If I can quote Bruce Springsteen,"these are better days,babe"

[tfw73]

Negril is beautiful and special. We all love to be there, or we wouldn't be on this site

Having said that, all those things a few people bemoan- Burger King, Internet, hotels, electricity, etc. make life better for the Jamaican people who live there. They deserve the same conveniences that we all enjoy. The world has changed, IS changing. Who knows, humans may be complaining about how awesome Mars was before all the development lol.

[Muck]

...and 30 years from now people will be looking back and saying these were the "good ol' days".

[Rambo]

if your alive....THESE are the "good ol days"

[jcjcnj]

Why do you visit Negril? For me it... is a perfect island get away. I sure wish I had found Negril sooner, back in the hippie days, but back then I was lucky to get in the van with friends and go camping somewhere that was an easy drive away. We have traveled to many islands since those days. We avoided Jamaica for a number of reasons, not caring for the look of the beaches closer to the airport and not liking the idea of a 90 minute ride to Negril after the flight. Some of our trips way back when ran us up to $7,000. We found Swept Away on the internet, loved the look of the beach, heard the road had been improved (but still took the puddle jumper, that first trip) and had a great time for much less than other destinations. We loved our walks, the trees, the low profile buildings and realized all inclusive was not needed. We have looked into other places, Belize, Isla Mujeres, but in the end just keep heading back to Negril. We love the beach. We love that we don't have to get dressed up. We love that there is good, reasonable food and drink available at so many places. We love the people. The scenery. The varied landscape. The water. That the sun sets right in front of you. We are not so enamored with the idea of deserted. We like the low key hustle. Cliché as it might be, we love the vibe. We do a week at the Jersey shore each year as well. And then we sneak in trips to other places. Hong Kong two years ago, Italy last year. The reasonable prices in Negril, coupled with easy flights, at more reasonable prices than to other islands (although the airfare is creeping up) allow us to have our cake and eat it too, or something like that.......and I agree these are the good old days......

[St. Anthony's Kitchen]

My first trip to Jamaica was to Negril in the year 2000, I arrived ON my birthday and that was the best birthday I've had since I also met Rob then for the first time and thought, what a cool guy! To see that Rob is still here and doing an amazing job with Negril.com, among other tings, make me smile

Back then there wasn't a Soup Kitchen, nor any type of place to help serve the needy.... look at us now!!! We serve over 40 children breakfast Mon - Fri, help ensure they get to school, about 120 lunches daily every Mon - Fri; and we have a thrift shop where people can get good clothing/shoes at a very low cost

BIG UP St. Anthony's Kitchen and all those who made it happen!

[KCJazznBBQ]

I've not set foot in Jamaica (yet) but I am definitely intrigued by the cliffs. Something is pulling at me to be there and I don't know what, but everytime I see pics of the cliffs, I get a feeling that I can't put into words.........

I guess the slogan, "Once you go, you know" is true in my case.