Jamaica trip report part II
I have a habit of starting trip reports and never finishing them. (For that matter, I have a habit of starting fiction projects and never...but wait, that's not what this post is about. And I did submit a new piece today, so go me!) I'm attempting to remedy this by actually posting a second installment of my Jamaica Trip Report before another month rolls around!
The first part of the trip report is here: Jamaica Trip Report Part I
You can click on the images to view larger ones, and click again to view full-size. Most of the photos are actually stills from video footage I took with my flip camera. I didn't take as many pictures at Jake's, so to really see what the place is like, please visit their photo gallery here: Jake's Photo Gallery
January 4
Stephan on Rockhouse path
We enjoyed another great yoga class with Fanette, a leisurely breakfast (banana pancakes--yum!), another swim in the wonderful deep water below the cliffs, and then it was time to check out of the Rockhouse and drive to Treasure Beach.
Goodbye to our lovely view from our deck at the Rockhouse!
We left the hotels and restaurants behind for a scenic drive through rural Jamaica, heading through the town of Savanna-la-Mar, where we had once taken a wrong turn and ended up in the middle of a bustling street with pedestrians, bicyclists, cars, etc. This time, the GPS told us where to turn, and we got through the busy town with no problem. We were planning to stop for lunch in Black River, a town that is also very non-touristy except for the attraction of the river itself, with lots of boats that can take tourists on a "safari" to see crocodiles, birds, etc. We did that on our first trip to Jamaica and had a great time.
The trip had the usual Jamaican road hazards: potholes, goats, daredevil drivers, etc. Drivers in Jamaica tend to be fearless and go very fast, but they're also quite courteous and once you get used to the beeps and hand signals, you can see they're trying to make sure it's obvious what they're planning (a quick beep when passing you, for instance) and they're always looking out for other drivers on the road. (This is a definite contrast to many American drivers who seem to think they're alone on the road and drive accordingly, but I digress.)
The little cafe in Black River where we'd enjoyed fried chicken before had become a nightclub, so we had to look for another place for lunch. I can't recall the name of the place we stopped, but it was a true hole-in-the-wall. We parked near the market (I believe we were on Market St.) and went into a small place with an enclosed porch with three tables for eating, complete with red-checkered vinyl cloths, a window where you ordered your meal, and a cooler with lukewarm bottled sodas (we had to have a "Ting," a Jamaican grapefruit soda that is delicious.
We both ordered fried chicken. I'm not usually a big fan, but I've never had bad fried chicken in Jamaica. The chicken you eat may be the same one you saw running across the road the day before, so you know it's free range. In Jamaica, they fry it, then serve it in tangy-spicy brown sauce with peppers and carrots. This was served with "rice and peas" (the "peas" in this case are always red beans) and a mixture of vegetables. Across the street, the market was bustling with people selling vegetables, bedding, and all sorts of other items. I did see one other tourist couple walking around with a guide book, but everyone else seemed to be locals. I didn't take any pictures or video footage in Black River. I feel a little self-conscious videotaping folks just going about their normal life, and the streets were full of people doing just that.
Road in St. Elizabeth
After lunch, the GPS got on our bad side for the first time. Stephan loved the GPS so much when we were in Costa Rica that he bought one, naming it "Elvira." We didn't take Elvira to Jamaica because there were no official uploadable maps for Jamaica, and the "unofficial" ones were expensive and sounded like they might not be that great. Well, that is probably the same maps we got with the GPS we rented there, in retrospect. We started out calling this GPS Elvira, but she acquired a few other nicknames, some of them not repeatable.
When the GPS told us to turn to head to Treasure Beach, we did so. We eventually reached our destination, on a really horrible road. Now, the "good roads" are not really that great in this part of Jamaica, so the bad road was filled with potholes and extremely slow. In retrospect, looking at the map (and the map isn't really that great, but at least it's a reference), I saw the route we should have taken--to Pedro Cross and down--which was the same one we'd used before. Of course there are almost no signs on Jamaican roads so it's a bit of guesswork at best. We did get some ocean views and saw several small herds of goats doing their job to keep the road clear of foliage. All-in-all, we didn't really lose much time, but we knew not to take that road again!
The destination this time was Jake's, another place we had visited on our first trip to Jamaica but ended up skipping last time. The south coast is rather remote and last time we focused more on the north. Jake's is a great, laid-back place. Though it's owned by the Island Outpost chain, it's still run by the family that built it, and serves as much as a community center for the Treasure Beach area as a hotel. Like the Rockhouse, the hot water is all solar-heated, the pool uses salt water cycled to and from the ocean, and they make a commitment to support the local economy. When we stayed in the area before, we met some great local folks who are just as likely to be relaxing by the pool as tourists, as well as meeting interesting travelers from the U.S. and Europe.
The Beach at Jake's
The last times we were there, we brought books for the locals schools that we were told by the owner, Jason, were much appreciated. This time, alas, we hadn't remembered to bring books for the children. The owners are a big part of BREDS: The Treasure Beach Foundation, which does a lot for the local community.
We were so glad to finally see the rusted-out old car that serves as a signpost for Jake's. Our room wasn't quite ready yet, but we strolled the grounds, glad to see it was much like we remembered, and enjoyed a glass of melon juice. Once we were all checked into our cute little room, Abalone 2, we drove down to Pedro Cross (about the closest thing around to a real town, with a gas station, grocery, a couple bars/restaurants, a drug store, and a Doctor's office) for a few groceries and some more sunscreen.
Abalone 2
Jake's bartender, Dougie, is legendary. He's been there forever and can tell some great hurricane stories. He also makes the best rum punch anywhere, though he won't say what's in it. When we went to the bar, he wasn't there. "Where's Dougie?" we asked, hoping he was ok. Fortunately, we had just happened to arrive on his day off. The rum punch was still excellent, though later when we did see Dougie, he implied that the next day we'd have the "real thing." Apparently, he doesn't even really trust his staff to make it as well as he does! The punch is pale yellow and not overly sweet. My guess is it's made with Jamaican lime juice. The Jamaican limes are tiny, probably the same as or similar to key limes, and delicious.
The sunsets over the pool at Jake's little cove are just as gorgeous as in Negril. I love seeing the sun melt into the ocean. The beaches are small pockets with rocks and undertow, so it's not as great an area for swimming. Mostly, it's a great area to chill out, take long walks, boat trips, meet interesting people, and a base for seeing some of the less over-hyped attractions of the island.
Sunset at Jake's
Dinner, overlooking the pool and ocean, was delicious. Jake's has an excellent restaurant and I've never had a bad meal there. We both had jerk crab--minced and out of the shells, deliciously seasoned, and served with a spicy chutney. This came with rice mixed with callaloo and mixed vegetables: zucchini, carrots, etc. We also had a glass of red wine.
Later we walked down to Jack Sprat beach just past Jake's and climbed around on a buttonwood tree by the light of the moon.
In Jamaica, the waxing moon is a Cheshire Cat grinning--a smile in the sky! The stars are so bright without the competition of many lights from the ground. I found my old buddy Orion, the one I can always spot, and many others I'm less sure about.
Next up, the trip to YS Falls, the Appleton Rum distillery, and one really mean pothole!
The first part of the trip report is here: Jamaica Trip Report Part I
You can click on the images to view larger ones, and click again to view full-size. Most of the photos are actually stills from video footage I took with my flip camera. I didn't take as many pictures at Jake's, so to really see what the place is like, please visit their photo gallery here: Jake's Photo Gallery
January 4
Stephan on Rockhouse path
We enjoyed another great yoga class with Fanette, a leisurely breakfast (banana pancakes--yum!), another swim in the wonderful deep water below the cliffs, and then it was time to check out of the Rockhouse and drive to Treasure Beach.
Goodbye to our lovely view from our deck at the Rockhouse!
We left the hotels and restaurants behind for a scenic drive through rural Jamaica, heading through the town of Savanna-la-Mar, where we had once taken a wrong turn and ended up in the middle of a bustling street with pedestrians, bicyclists, cars, etc. This time, the GPS told us where to turn, and we got through the busy town with no problem. We were planning to stop for lunch in Black River, a town that is also very non-touristy except for the attraction of the river itself, with lots of boats that can take tourists on a "safari" to see crocodiles, birds, etc. We did that on our first trip to Jamaica and had a great time.
The trip had the usual Jamaican road hazards: potholes, goats, daredevil drivers, etc. Drivers in Jamaica tend to be fearless and go very fast, but they're also quite courteous and once you get used to the beeps and hand signals, you can see they're trying to make sure it's obvious what they're planning (a quick beep when passing you, for instance) and they're always looking out for other drivers on the road. (This is a definite contrast to many American drivers who seem to think they're alone on the road and drive accordingly, but I digress.)
The little cafe in Black River where we'd enjoyed fried chicken before had become a nightclub, so we had to look for another place for lunch. I can't recall the name of the place we stopped, but it was a true hole-in-the-wall. We parked near the market (I believe we were on Market St.) and went into a small place with an enclosed porch with three tables for eating, complete with red-checkered vinyl cloths, a window where you ordered your meal, and a cooler with lukewarm bottled sodas (we had to have a "Ting," a Jamaican grapefruit soda that is delicious.
We both ordered fried chicken. I'm not usually a big fan, but I've never had bad fried chicken in Jamaica. The chicken you eat may be the same one you saw running across the road the day before, so you know it's free range. In Jamaica, they fry it, then serve it in tangy-spicy brown sauce with peppers and carrots. This was served with "rice and peas" (the "peas" in this case are always red beans) and a mixture of vegetables. Across the street, the market was bustling with people selling vegetables, bedding, and all sorts of other items. I did see one other tourist couple walking around with a guide book, but everyone else seemed to be locals. I didn't take any pictures or video footage in Black River. I feel a little self-conscious videotaping folks just going about their normal life, and the streets were full of people doing just that.
Road in St. Elizabeth
After lunch, the GPS got on our bad side for the first time. Stephan loved the GPS so much when we were in Costa Rica that he bought one, naming it "Elvira." We didn't take Elvira to Jamaica because there were no official uploadable maps for Jamaica, and the "unofficial" ones were expensive and sounded like they might not be that great. Well, that is probably the same maps we got with the GPS we rented there, in retrospect. We started out calling this GPS Elvira, but she acquired a few other nicknames, some of them not repeatable.
When the GPS told us to turn to head to Treasure Beach, we did so. We eventually reached our destination, on a really horrible road. Now, the "good roads" are not really that great in this part of Jamaica, so the bad road was filled with potholes and extremely slow. In retrospect, looking at the map (and the map isn't really that great, but at least it's a reference), I saw the route we should have taken--to Pedro Cross and down--which was the same one we'd used before. Of course there are almost no signs on Jamaican roads so it's a bit of guesswork at best. We did get some ocean views and saw several small herds of goats doing their job to keep the road clear of foliage. All-in-all, we didn't really lose much time, but we knew not to take that road again!
The destination this time was Jake's, another place we had visited on our first trip to Jamaica but ended up skipping last time. The south coast is rather remote and last time we focused more on the north. Jake's is a great, laid-back place. Though it's owned by the Island Outpost chain, it's still run by the family that built it, and serves as much as a community center for the Treasure Beach area as a hotel. Like the Rockhouse, the hot water is all solar-heated, the pool uses salt water cycled to and from the ocean, and they make a commitment to support the local economy. When we stayed in the area before, we met some great local folks who are just as likely to be relaxing by the pool as tourists, as well as meeting interesting travelers from the U.S. and Europe.
The Beach at Jake's
The last times we were there, we brought books for the locals schools that we were told by the owner, Jason, were much appreciated. This time, alas, we hadn't remembered to bring books for the children. The owners are a big part of BREDS: The Treasure Beach Foundation, which does a lot for the local community.
We were so glad to finally see the rusted-out old car that serves as a signpost for Jake's. Our room wasn't quite ready yet, but we strolled the grounds, glad to see it was much like we remembered, and enjoyed a glass of melon juice. Once we were all checked into our cute little room, Abalone 2, we drove down to Pedro Cross (about the closest thing around to a real town, with a gas station, grocery, a couple bars/restaurants, a drug store, and a Doctor's office) for a few groceries and some more sunscreen.
Abalone 2
Jake's bartender, Dougie, is legendary. He's been there forever and can tell some great hurricane stories. He also makes the best rum punch anywhere, though he won't say what's in it. When we went to the bar, he wasn't there. "Where's Dougie?" we asked, hoping he was ok. Fortunately, we had just happened to arrive on his day off. The rum punch was still excellent, though later when we did see Dougie, he implied that the next day we'd have the "real thing." Apparently, he doesn't even really trust his staff to make it as well as he does! The punch is pale yellow and not overly sweet. My guess is it's made with Jamaican lime juice. The Jamaican limes are tiny, probably the same as or similar to key limes, and delicious.
The sunsets over the pool at Jake's little cove are just as gorgeous as in Negril. I love seeing the sun melt into the ocean. The beaches are small pockets with rocks and undertow, so it's not as great an area for swimming. Mostly, it's a great area to chill out, take long walks, boat trips, meet interesting people, and a base for seeing some of the less over-hyped attractions of the island.
Sunset at Jake's
Dinner, overlooking the pool and ocean, was delicious. Jake's has an excellent restaurant and I've never had a bad meal there. We both had jerk crab--minced and out of the shells, deliciously seasoned, and served with a spicy chutney. This came with rice mixed with callaloo and mixed vegetables: zucchini, carrots, etc. We also had a glass of red wine.
Later we walked down to Jack Sprat beach just past Jake's and climbed around on a buttonwood tree by the light of the moon.
In Jamaica, the waxing moon is a Cheshire Cat grinning--a smile in the sky! The stars are so bright without the competition of many lights from the ground. I found my old buddy Orion, the one I can always spot, and many others I'm less sure about.
Next up, the trip to YS Falls, the Appleton Rum distillery, and one really mean pothole!