Sista Jan Visits and Eats a Fish Eye
This is from a guest blogger – Sista Jan. It’s all about her first visit to Jamaica and Villa Jewel on the Rocks Resort.
My first visit to Jamaica (and out of North America) was August/Sept 2014
00:05 Red-eye from Western Canada to Toronto Airport 5:45ish (which was under renovations – where are the departure gates ? ) 9:30ish to 1:30ish Montego Bay. I will always remember the decent to MB and the beautiful clear blue sea. (What I remember is her hands gripping the seat in front of us and Sista Jan gritting through her teeth asking me why the plane has to turn so sharply, can’t it just land straight without turning?!)
I will always remember walking out of the terminal and into a wall of “heat”. I was with Baba & Papa Poo. Their friend Waba met us at the airport and we travelled the “mountain highway” to Brighton. A truly beautiful drive – the lush vegetation, travelling on the left side of the road (Yikes!!), honking the horn to warn oncoming motorists (Double Yikes!!!!), colorful residences, orchards – I was already in love with the countryside. There is also the “ocean highway” (different trip).
We arrived at our destination and there was the “sea” – so blue – so beautiful. We stayed at a resort close to the Villa Jewel Property. My first trip to the Property (the lot had been semi-cleared) was overwhelming. The sound of the sea crashing against the rocks and the sea spray – peace and serenity! You honestly have to experience the sound and spray – no video can truly capture it.
It was Papa Poo’s and Mumpy’s birthday and a celebration was planned on the Property. What an amazing introduction to the neighborhood. There were at least 60 people at this celebration. Open air cooking over a fire-pit – a delicious soup, chicken, fresh fish, rice and pumpkin and a birthday cake. Someone set up a “sound system”. Families from infants to grandparents and all ages in between. Introductions were made – the warmth and love of the local people moved me beyond anything I had ever encountered. I am now known as Miss Janet.
The sense of family and community took me back to my youth. As the young children were playing amongst the guests, someone, whether it be an adult or teenager would pick up a child and feed them from their plate and the child would wiggle down, keep on playing and go on to the next person. I did not hear one child cry or any conflict amongst the children. A couple boys (age 8 – 11) climbed a sea grape tree to pick sea grapes for me to try. They created a cone of a leaf and filled it with sea grapes.
One of the locals convinced me to eat a “fish eye” of the whole fish on my plate. “Claimed” it was some kind of tradition. Easy to swallow! (I remember convincing her that it was a necessary ritual and she fell for it.)
The night continued with visiting, singing and dancing.
A trip to Brighton is not complete without a visit to the Blue Hole built into the mountain. Spent a few afternoons soaking leisurely in their pool.
My departure was very sad – it was like leaving part of my family behind.
I should also mention the time Papa Poo and I stopped at Sista Jan’s house for coffee before we were to fly out on the red eye to Toronto then Jamaica. We were enjoying a lively conversation, copious amounts of good coffee – she does have good coffee – and we were watching the time. She lives on the north side of the city and the airport is on the far south side of the city. It seemed so late and yet it was only 9 pm on the clock above her kitchen table – the one she did not reset and was still on Daylights Savings Time ! It was actually 10 and we still had an hour drive to the airport and check in! We almost flew to the airport. Full disclosure – Papa Poo ran red lights – when there were no vehicles coming and he was also speeding. We made it to the airport just as our flight counter was closing and we begged them to let us in and blamed it all on Sista Jan. It wasn’t like Daylight Savings had just changed the day prior – but two and a half weeks before. We didn’t miss our flight but we still do not trust the clocks in her house.
Stay connected for part two of Sista Jan’s story.
‘I smile because you are my sister, I laugh because there is nothing you can do about it.’
Life is better with sisters
Baba
BRING YOUR SISTERS AND ENJOY AN AUTHENTIC JAMAICAN VACATION – BOOK NOW!