Jamaica Part 11 - The Wrap Up

I guess this is it......the final bit of writing about the Jamaica trip. I really enjoyed it. Sure.........it would have been even better with a little less rain.............but it was all good.

Maybe I will be back there one day...........maybe not...........I just do not know. I would have never imagined even being there in the first place..............but this is special. You cannot imagine what this was like for me.........really. I have told you about the beauty that was there, the people, the sea............and even Halloween.

There is one last thing I have to say about it.

Here is where words are insufficient............I cannot find words to use to describe how I feel.............maybe a few personal favorite photographs here can enhance my words.

The light of my life.............my heart..........my soulmate. Without Supernurse, I would be incomplete. I just love it when she smiles...........and she is happy. That means everything to me.

Maybe I do not deserve to be so blessed and honored to have spent all of these years with her. We have weathered the storms that have ever come our way..........and made it through the challenges of raising a family. And here we are....it is 2007...........I am immensely grateful for her.

How could I NOT have loved every second of my vacation in Jamaica...............because

she.....was with......me.

So there you have it..........the one that makes every thing I do, worthwhile...........my babe, Supernurse.

I offer no apologies for getting all mushy..........

It is Friday........and we board Royal Caribbean's Grandeur Of The Seas this afternoon and head off again for a cruise back down to the Caribbean! I shall be back on the 27th.

I am the luckiest man in the world.

Jamaica Part 10 - The People

I have done my best to share with everyone my vacation experience in Jamaica. Of the over 800 photographs I managed to take, it was hard to come up with a select few for the blog........the result......you got to see a whole lot of pictures. This would not be complete if I did not show you the various people of Jamaica that made my stay an enjoyable one. Each of them were always smiling and helpful to me and Supernurse. While I cannot remember all of their names, and there is no possible way to show pictures of everyone I encountered, consider this blog entry a tribute to the fine people at the Sunset At The Palms Resort in Negril.

*******Picture Viewing Tip ********
To get a better look at each image via a full screen display, click on each image and details become more visible. The smaller images as you see them initially, are basicaly glorified thumbnail images. You can also save an image that you really like or want, by right clicking your mouse over the image and selecting "Save Image As".

If I had a dime for every "Hey Rasta Mon!" shouted in my direction.........I could afford to go back to Jamaica, when I get back from the cruise..........hehehehe.

A smile does all the talking here. She is content and happy doing what she does..........I just wish I was wealthy enough to buy up all of her carvings.

This is a cab driver and his vehicle. He was always parked on the side of Norman Manley Blvd., right outside the gate of the hotel. Always smiling and very friendly. He never once failed to say something to me whenever I walked past him on my way to the beach across the road.

This is one of the front desk people at the resort. I got her to pose for an "action photo"!

Hehehe.....I was on a roll.........I even got this member of the staff to give me the "action" shot.

The guy on the left intends to have a career in hotel management. He is a great guy and I know he will reach his goal one day soon. The guy on the right.......well.......that's our friend Captain Morgan........he is a great guy too.......hehehe.

This is Natalie.......what a bright and shining light she is at the resort. There seems to be nothing she cannot do...........work, sing, dance.....you name it...........If the Sunset At The Palms management happens to be reading this blog...."Give this woman a raise! She is your finest employee."

One of the entertainers that appeared at the resort. His name is "Rubber Man". He has multiple skills........one of which is being a contortionist.

There he is in action............my back hurts just looking at this guy.

........And "Rubber Man" also happens to be a fire eater/human flame thrower. ...........hey, a man's gotta make a few bucks.........I figure he can't sing.

They called this the "human crab" pose.

Serving up ham.......he doesn't smile much, but he does a great job with the food.

Another entertainment offering............a band. No fancy attire......no flashiness........just straightforward Jamaican music.............very talented guys............but what I found really interesting was the keyboard player..........he looks familiar.........verrrryy familiar. Who does he look like?

Maybe it is just me..............he looks exactly like Marvin Lewis, head coach of the Cinncinnati Bengals.........hehehehe.

Now go back up and take a gander at the drummer..........need a better look at him? He should be familiar...............

He is none other than the guitar player for the Negril Mento Band.........the band on the beach earlier that same day! He gets around.............it's all about the music. He is an excellent musician.

There........this is a better view of the drummer. I am not kidding you on this one........both are indeed the same guy.

The resort offered up their staff to carry the show on talent night. ...........no.....this is NOT Wayne Brady.....hehehe....he is just one of the staff.

Rory, the bartender. Notice the "action" pose?

One day, a different trio of mento performers came along the beach. They found their way up under the roof of the beach bar and began performing for me.........and they were very good too........but one problem...........they are not supposed to be up on the resort property, they are only allowed to stroll along the beach. They were out of bounds........uh oh........I did not know this until after placed a five dollar bill in their donation box. No sooner than when the rumba player reached for the dough....as seen in the above picture...............

The security guard appeared and began a "conversation" with them. Mind you, these folks here were not aggressive at all, and this was a minor conflict. Fitzroy, the beach grill cook, came over to intervene.......he kept saying "No Fight!"........"Respect!". Fitzroy is a wonderful dude and quite a character. He is a charm. Always entertaining.......and today, a peacekeeper.

Fitzroy.............always singing while working the grill...........and when he wasn't singing, he was offering up his wit. He kept everyone smiling as they waited for him to prepare their food.

Fitzroy worked alone........a one man restaurant. You won't see that at home.........and you could tell that he takes pride in his work and enjoys doing it.

One thing about Fitzroy...........as it happens, aside from serving up Fresh Cajun Grilled Snapper, Cheeseburgers, and Jerk Chicken........he also serves up grilled cheese sandwiches. Ordering a grilled cheese sandwich from Fitzroy, you can see his eyes light up......this is where an adventure begins..........Fitzroy hands you a styrofoam plate and offers up tips on how to hold the plate properly............huh?.......what the heck for?.........well, as it happens, Fitzroy has plans for your order...........YOU have to catch it! He tells you about where the sandwich is gonna land, and gets you prepared for it.......and on the count of three.....he launches the grilled cheese sandwich over his shoulder and through the air towards you and your plate! Fitzroy has good aim, but most of the hungry ain't so good at catching flying grilled cheese sandwiches. If you miss..........he makes another one and after a little ridicule, sends it flying towards you for a second chance...............Fitzroy would say "Now don't miss this one....I am down to my last two slices of bread!".........and he would say that EVERY TIME.......hehehe. He made his job fun.....and he made waiting for food entertaining. He deserves a raise too!

Stay Tuned.........one more installment to go...........

Next Up: Jamaica Part 11 - The Wrap Up

Jamaica Part 9 - The Artist Hawks His Wares

It kills me that I cannot remember this young man's first name............it was either Anthony or Andrew...........I really need to start keeping a notepad with me when I go on vacation. I will just have to call him Mr. Thomas.

Mr. Thomas is a young artist who just happens to hawk his wares at times on the beach property of the Sunset At The Palms Resort in Negril, Jamaica. I had a couple of rather long conversations with this painter and found him to be very smart, sincere, and determined. I shared some sales tips with him.......and he acknowledged that he has found much of what I said to be true. In Jamaica, the residents try to take advantage of every opportunity to make a few bucks............and if you have some talent, I can see where they actually HAVE an advantage over other native Jamaicans. Mr. Thomas should be making alot of money............but from what I could see on the days that I saw him, what ittle money he made came from weaving a few hats from palm fronds for a few of the tourists.

Hmmmmm....there are starving artists everywhere...........well, at least Mr. Anthony appears to be well kept and eating well. He doesn't quite fit in with those guys over at the Office Of Nature. In fact, he doesn't even set up shop over there........and instead, he displays the fruits of his talent right there on the resort property. I bet the guys over at the Office Of Nature are envious of his prime location.

A gallery on the beach.........I have never seen that on a beach before...........well......except for maybe those huge "gallery" shops on the boardwalk in Ocean City, MD. I never could understand the connection between the beach and those shops in O.C..............but seeing this particular set-up.......I CAN understand this one being on the beach in Jamaica. Ordinarily, one would not equate paintings on any beach.......but this is Jamaica. You gotta put your stuff in front of their faces.........this is strictly impulse sales. But paintings?

I told Mr. Johnson that his work is extremely colorful......an obvious reflection of his Jamaican life. You can see these colors everywhere here........on the houses......the clothing........you name it.

Supernurse was right.......she said the black and white paintings were the best..........I agreed. Mr. Thomas asked me why that is........he said he had noticed that people seem to be more interested in those. I explained that in the United States, while we love color, we also tend to lean in the direction of being color-coordinated. Black and white paintings always fit perfectly in any room regardless of the colors surrounding them. He nodded in agreement. He told me that it was good news for him because he can paint the black and white ones quicker than the multi-colored ones. Less cleaning of brushes...........less time spent painting......more time selling.

His style is very distinct. My eyes became glued to his work. I had to take a picture of everything. Not to copy them later........but to remember them and see them again. I, of course, told him that I would dedicate an entry on my blog, to him and his paintings. His eyes lit up........and I could see his dreams right then and there. Deep down inside of every artist, no matter what kind of art they might be adept at..........there is only one desire............to share their work with others. They want people to hear them.......see them.........taste them. Even if there isn't much money involved.

A style within a style......on this one.

Most of the paintings were pretty sizable. He told me that the smaller ones the tourists like the most........he did not understand why that was. I explained to him that the average person would not realize that they could get the larger paintings back home with them on the plane........they seem to large to tote around. He said that he takes them off their wood supports and rolls them up. I told him that not everybody has that in their heads when they see them on the beach. That explains why they are attracted to the smaller ones...........they KNOW they can take them home with them.

We also spoke about some political matters and the war. A security guard had joined the conversation. They only know about the United States via what they have seen in movies and on television. I explained that if I came to an opinion of Jamaica solely based upon tv news or movies......I might have never come there. They both nodded. I did find their perspectives interesting though. They both indicated that they understood the tactics being used by the terrorists and the radicals that are in the way of success in Iraq. They are doing exactly what some of the people of Jamaica would do against any armies that try to seize control. They both said....."no military can fight no military". They are correct. Unless we have another army to fight.......we can never win. Their perspective regarding the economy was interesting. I had to explain to them that the middle class is being squeezed out of the picture in the USA......just as there is no middle class in Jamaica or any other third world nation. They seemed a bit surprised upon hearing that. They had no idea about the heavy taxation we have in the US. They both stated that back in the 80s, there were droves of Americans coming to Jamaica, and that lately it seems to have come down to a trickle. I told them that less people can afford to come. The average Jamaican that I spoke to on the beach spoke as if they thought I was wealthy. They thought that any American that was on that beach was rich. Compared to them?.........I can see why they think that way. But in reality?........well.......you should see the looks on their faces when I tell them what it costs us for electricity every month......car payments, insurance, rent...food, medicine......etc. Now we have a whole new ball game, RastaMan!

It's kinda weird, isn't it?

Me.....standing on the beach in Jamaica, talking politics, art, and economics and war.....with a painter and a security guard.............go figure.

One thing about Jamaicans.........they are in no hurry for anything. "Soon Come"..........yeah, right!

You gotta love these paintings though. I felt bad for Mr. Thomas because the rain never abided by the "soon come" way of Jamaica. The rain came quick.......and it kept on coming. Mr. Thomas says that his stuff holds up pretty well in the weather and he tries to be under the trees. When it gets too bad, he packs it up for another day.

Nice....ain't it?

This particular one caught my eye.........take a look at it carefully and see if you see what it is that is "special"about this one........................okay.....did you see them? Look at the part of the sky that is blue........do you see that set of eyes staring back at you?

Okay......okay.....I know that those are birds.........hehehe.

I should have bought that one................but hey.........I might could paint that my own self one day.

I told Mr. Thomas that he shall be known "world-wide" now. And just maybe.......someone might see this blog and come for a visit to see him.

Almost the same painting as one of those earlier above here on this page........but there is a difference.

I appreciate eye-catching artwork.

The world in the mind of an artist.........it's his world............and he wants to share it with everyone.............and I am helping him get his world seen. I love how that works :)

The paintings were so much a part of the scenery that day. They never once took away from the beauty of their surroundings..............they, in fact, added a little bit of their own beauty to the bigger picture.

Jamaican life by a Jamaican artist.

He sold a few!.....Good going Mr. Thomas!

I don't know how this story ends.....except that we both packed it all up for another day. He.....packed up his paintings..........Me?.......I packed my bags and headed home soon thereafter.

Stay Tuned.......I still have a little bit more to come.

Next Up: Jamaica Part 10