Simply Portland...Utterly Devine

[*vi*]

Annotto Bay
Free Point
Palmetto
Buff Bay
Orange Bay
Hope Bay
St. Margaret Bay
Bound Brook

The towns I long to get a glimpse of as we ride through are approaching.

I post a lot of pictures of the roadway to give a visual of the ease of the ride to Portland. The road is smooth and level the entire way. A little curvy at some parts, but no pot holes or gullies. You come to really appreciate a trip like that when you don’t have to listen to the driver moaning and groaning about the “bad, bad roads dem” “di roads dem mash up bad” “oy” every six yards. Oh and that thunderous “grunt” when a wheel drops hard into a hole they didn’t swerve in time to avoid. BOY that just goes all through me!

A WONDERFUL ride and a delight to the eyes gazing at the abundance of fauna and vegetation flourishing on either side.



and the scene is always changing as you zip through the small towns.

[*vi*]

“A little music.”



It was around here when that ever annoying sound became noticeable to me.

tskst
tskst
tskst
tskst
tskst



Irie FM. The volume is up jussst enough for all the songs to sound like the tapping on cymbals in the distance to the reggae beat.

[*vi*]

I almost forget about the surprise.
Surprise???

Driver starts fumbling with the square, white envelopes nestled over his visor. Ahhhh CD’s!

“I know you don’t have a liking for Irie FM, so I picked up a very nice CD de odda day when I go into town.”
“NICE! Whatcha get???”
“You will know soon. I know you will like it. It’s a very good CD.”

I sit patiently waiting for that first clear note.

Driver slips the cd in, the player spits the cd out. Driver slips the cd in, the player spits the cd out. Driver slips the cd in, the player spits the cd out.

I began to wonder if this was a sign.

After a dozen or so more tries the player surrenders and accepts the cd.

[*vi*]

...On a warm summer's evenin' on a train bound for nowhere,
I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep.
So we took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness
'Til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak....

“Kenny Rogers??!!!” (21 Number ones)
“ahhh you are too good!!! Yes, Kenny Rogers. The country tunes artiste. This song is the Gambler.”

...He said, "Son, I've made my life out of readin' people's faces,
And knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.
So if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces.
For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice..."

“ The entire CD is Kenny Rogers’ tunes??”

“Kenny Rogers and friends. Some songs on the CD he is singing with other people. Yep, I knew you would like it.”
“How??? I mean what gave you the idea I am a CW fan?”
“You told me you have country songs on you little music machine.”
“Song. I have only one. Out of over a thousand tracks on my player, I only have ONE country western tune.”

Driver: Silence

Me: Silence

Kenny: You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

[SPARKLE1010]

Beautiful.. so lush and green.... ha ha ha you have me crackin up here....Not CW definately not Vi... I can just imagine your face when the song started..

[*vi*]

The CD wasn’t bad…well it was better than IRIE FM. As a side plug, Busy Signal did a really good cover of The Gambler on the Reggae Gone Country cd. I’m a Busy fan…a fan of his more mellow songs.

[*vi*]

Beautiful.. so lush and green....

Pictures don't do it just Sparkle. It's time for you to get to see with your own eyes just how beautiful Portland is.

[*vi*]

MANGOS!!!

I must have mangos. It’s mango season so they were plentiful and cheap. I only wanted two, but they are sold in bags of five or six. He came back to the car with a dozen.

“I won’t be able to eat a dozen mangos. Some will go bad before I get to eat them and that will be a waste.”
“Yes, you will finish them. I know you will.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I see you eat THREE mangos one time pon de beach. Remember the next time when you did eat TWO mangos one after de odda. You eat them plenty suh you will run out in less than six days time.”
“Shut up and give me the bags.”



lol he’s right…I do LOVE me some fresh mangos and these smell divine. The sweet tropical-floral scent coming from the bags had my mouth watering the rest of the ride.

[*vi*]

PORT ANTONIO!!!! I’M HOME!!!!

[sammyb]

sigh........you know I didn't have any mangoes while there, wish I could have had just ONE from you bag.....carry on please