So, to set things right I began 2017 with a mega trip New jersey --> Miami --> The Bahamas --> Jamaica --> New Jersey :)
I seriously hope 2017 doesn't disappoint :)
What better way to start my first blog of 2017 than a write up about my experience in the Caribbean Paradise, Jamaica.
Flashback to childhood ;) As a kid I always used to be mesmerized by the Caribbean. When the Indian cricket team used to tour the West Indies, during the live coverage of the match star sports used to flash the pictures of the beautiful beaches and landscapes of West Indies.
Thus was born my liking towards the islands & I dreamt of visiting the Caribbean some day.
The Caribbean as it is usually referred to is a host of island nations situated in the southeast of Mainland USA and consisting of the Caribbean sea.
The Caribbean has some beautiful destinations like Bahamas, Jamaica, Cuba,Turks & Caicos, Aruba, St Lucia etc. ( Hope I get an opportunity to visit all the islands :) )
Tourists usually avail Cruise ships to hop from one island to another.
As part of this trip we planned to visit 2 island nations i.e., The Bahamas & Jamaica.
Jamaica is not just known for its pristine beaches, Rivers and beautiful landscapes but also for some famous celebs like Usain Bolt, Chris Gayle, Bob Marley.
As a matter of fact my trip to Jamaica coincided with Bob Marley's Birthday & I had the pleasure to witness many Reggae Music shows that were hosted in remembrance of Bob Marley.
There is a lot of negativity on the Internet about Jamaica. I even had second thoughts of visiting after reading various articles.
But all thanks to Wifey who said to brush aside the news and visit the place, that I got to witness this paradise.
After visiting Jamaica I realized one must not completely trust what is on the internet.
Jamaican's are some of the kindest people you will ever meet. They are very friendly and welcoming.
I did not face any issues walking on the streets or travelling with people or lazing around in the beach unlike what is mentioned on the internet.
So I strongly recommend people to ignore what is on the internet & visit this paradise atleast once in their lifetime.
There are many places to visit in Jamaica like Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios, Kingston etc.
We had very little time to spend in Jamaica as we were doing the 5 day cruise from Miami to Bahamas.
Hence we decided to just visit Montego bay & Negril in Jamaica. We stayed at the Royal Decameron resort in Montego Bay.
The resort is situated bang on the beach & has its own private beach.The views from the resort were spectacular.
It was an all inclusive stay hence the food & drinks were on the house.
You could drink and swim like a fish in the crystal clear waters all through the day ;)
Some Trivia before we proceed -
While in Jamaica I was approached by many street side salesman(friendly way ) to buy some 'Ganja'. Though I don't smoke and did not buy it ;) i was wondering
was Ganja legal in Jamaica & how on earth they call it Ganja and not Marijuana :/ since Ganja sounds so Indian :)
Hence the curiosity in me turned to Google & I stumbled upon the following facts
1) "Under British rule, more than 36,000 Indians came to Jamaica as unskilled labourers between 1845 and 1917, mostly from North India (Rajasthan, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh)"
2) "The Indian workers tended their own gardens after the work on the plantations was done to supplement their diet. They introduced tamarind to the island, in addition to cannabis and the chillum pipe."
3) "Jamaican lawmakers decriminalized the possession of up to two ounces of marijuana"
Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Jamaicans
Now I understand how the term 'Ganja' was introduced in Jamaica ;)
Montego Bay
Montego Bay is located in the northern side of Jamaica & has some of the pristine white sandy beaches.It also has the Hipstrip which is a popular shopping destination.
The waters are crystal clear & trust me you have visibility of 30 feet under water from the surface which made the glass boat ride & snorkeling a memorable
experience. The different types of Corals & the fishes made the snorkeling in those waters one of the best experiences of my life.
I have snorkeled in some of the best destinations like Seychelles, Ko Larn etc but Montego bay just blew my mind away & was a truly satisfying experience.
We spent 2 days exploring Montego Bay.
The Glass boat tour was another must do thing in Montego bay. Because the waters are so clear we could see a depth of 30 feet from the glass boat..
We also fed few fishes during the ride & witnessed some beautiful corals en route...
Few pictures of the glass boat ride ....
Crystal Clear water of Jamaica
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEJIwLma-U
Glass bottom boat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0Fk8WHWzl8
Dusk has its own charm in Montego Bay :)
Negril
Negril is around 1.5 hours drive from Montego Bay & hosts the 7 mile long white sandy beach and the famous Rick's Cafe.
For a moment I thought it was Chris Gayle ;)
Rick's Cafe is known for the cliff diving with the highest point being 30 feet. We witnessed a life guard jumping off the highest point of the cliff.
I also tasted the Jamaican Beer Red stripe which comes in a weird looking bottle.
The Reggae experience
As I had mentioned earlier, my trip to Jamaica coincided with Bob Marley's Birthday.
Bob Marley is an icon in Jamaica. Be it the resort or the radio or the shops or the street musician everyone has one thing in common, a Bob Marley Number which more often than not is "One Love".
Bob Marley numbers were played everywhere and the songs starts reverberating in you by the time you leave Jamaica :)
The resort that we stayed had Reggae nights in tribute to Bob Marley's Birthday. Apart from few Bob marley tracks I had never experienced Reggae music and did not have much knowledge about it.
After visiting Jamaica I must say I just fell in love with the Music & the people of Jamaica. Jamaicans always say "Ya Mann" and are very friendly and welcoming and they have an amazing charm that brings happiness in you. This trait of theirs reflects in their Music. Reggae Music brings in solace & warmth whenever you listen to it :)
Here are some Reggae shows I witnessed.
Reggae Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZkmc3mt1T4
With this I would like to conclude by saying " One love, one love.... Go to Jamaica mann & drink red stripe...One love, one love.... Go to Jamaica mann & have a good time..." :)
See you until next time :)
