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On the road
Travelling along the north coast of the island I was taken in with every view. So much beauty, it was impressive!! Yes I was speechless so let me be quiet and let me show it to you...
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Jamaica used to be British, so that’s why they drive on the left side of the road. They got there independence on August 6, 1962.
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A likkle further down the road there are fields with sick palm trees. They will be taken down so the field can be used as parking place for the Annual Reggae Sumfest festival. Which I had to miss coz they planned it 2 weeks after I already left the island… Maybe next time…
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And so my journey went on… It wasn’t always easy to make pictures from a moving bus but the scenery was great. I noticed that at some parts the sea was very calm with hardly any waves while other parts did have some. I love the way the sun reflects on the water as if it wants to say… stand still and watch natures creations! |
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With the wind always coming from one angle the trees will grow the opposite way, sometimes even hang slightly over. |
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Every day people gather here hoping that they got a temp job offered. An awkward feeling, driving by as a tourist in a bus making pictures. But hey, that’s Jamaica too! |
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Yes, the nostalgic days are nearly over. The romantic road from east to west, full of potholes which made you slow down, is replaced as you can see. The UN is paying for it, France loaned the biggest amount of money to make it work. It will take 12 years before it all is finished and from that moment on Jamaica will start paying it back. |
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Jamaica has the most churches per square mile than anywhere in the world!! You will find them in all places. Squatters settled on every spot they could find, even in the swamps. They can live there for free and in time they can buy the land if they want to. But why should they when it’s free already. Most places have no running water or electricity but theirs is a solution to everything. The government put pipe line along side of the roads where water can be tapped. The same they do with electricity or they use solar power. |
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On my way close to Ochi I pass by a bauxite ship. Bauxite is used to make aluminium and it colours the earth red. It’s now one of the mean export products, it used to be bananas. |
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Trelawny, Fern Gully, used to be a river, now it’s a beautiful green road. Over 300 ferns grow here and the cast a shadow over the road. Some of the ferns only grow in Jamaica, it’s so beautiful like a rainforest!! |
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The song about the big bamboo wasn’t about a plant!! As you can see here at a stall next to the road. It stirred up some political conversations in this religious country with so many different churches. But in the end churches didn’t win because it has to be seen as an expression of art. The goats are on a rope besides the road, probably raised for some national curry goat dish, which wasn’t my favourite. Everywhere are vendors selling their things from carvings, crafts to fruit… The country is so Blessed, rich and beautiful while the people are poor but surviving!! Respek Mon!!
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And there where people live….people die! |
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The Blue Mountains are not only famous because of their beauty but also because of its coffee. Next to that they are part of history too because of the maroons. |
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When the Spanish left, some of the Africans who where brought to Jamaica escaped and runaway to the mountains. They settled and over time became known as Maroons. There my interest went out to, I would have loved to see and learn more! But then you suddenly find out that you are seen as a commercial (not spiritual) tourist… You have to arrange it all yourself when you don’t know the right people over there. But out of respect I didn’t go and find my way myself and give a knock at their door. It’s a pitty, maybe next time… coz that interested me the most! So I moved on on my journey through the beautiful country side. |
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Nyabinghi Tabernacle, Trelawney, Jamaica |
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I love those red leave trees… i dont know their name but they are so beautiful !!
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