Farsighted Fly Girl

Music is one art form that transcends language, culture and location. If you want to understand a destination better, listen to the local music, preferably live. Jamaica is famous for reggae music and there's is absolutely no better place than the island's lively streets, beaches and clubs to hear the genre live. The breezy melodies and thumping rhythms of reggae jump to life in Jamaica. I was fortunate to hear legends like Mykal Rose , Beenie Man and Marcia Griffiths during VP Records 40th anniversary of classic reggae music.  You can check out my brief videos of the shows below but they don't even come close to the magic of hearing it live. I can't even describe the feeling of listening to live reggae in Jamaica. It's an integral part of the culture that dives right into your soul.  Jamaicans love their native music and you will always hear them singing along to live performances with as much passion as the singers. It's like a family reunion/neighborh...

Beaches have always been a source of happiness for me. The tranquility and ease that transmits to me through the water instantly relaxes me. I have quite a few favorite beaches around the globe but Doctor's Cave is my go to spot whenever I'm in Montego Bay.   I was lucky to stay right on the beach at the new S Hotel Jamaica  so I spent four days straight on this historic beach, soaking up the sun. Doctor's Cave is a small beach with a busy cafe and a few other amenities. But my favorite things are the lush, almond and sea grape trees that dot the sand. I prefer to sit under one of these instead of using an umbrella. The sand is fine and soft and the water is clear, with gentle aquamarine waves that lap around you. Week days when there are no cruise ships are the best because the beach is relatively quiet. The weekends are a whole other thing but as long as you arrive early, you can snag a spot on the shore. The cafe sells lots of over-priced tropical cock...

At this time exactly six years ago, I was headed to one of my favorite islands. The land of wood and water is the translation from the original Arawak word, Xaymaca. I 'm returning again to Sweet Jamaica and it has been entirely too long. My pic above shows the famous Doctor's Cave Beach in Montego Bay, which is where I will be staying at the brand new S Hotel . It's always special to visit Jamaica but I'm going for an extra special event, the 40th anniversary of iconic reggae label, VP Records.  As a reggae fan, this is a huge deal. I'll be documenting the opening of a special Reggae Music Journey exhibit at Montego Bay's Sangster International Airport as well as a live concert in conjunction with the launch of the Strictly The Best compilation album.   I'll also be attending the opening of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism's Association's travel marketplace opening ceremony featuring T arrus Riley and mento legends, The Jolly Boys. Look out fo...

Jamaica is filled with historic landmarks and memorials but one of the most meaningful Jamaican sites that I've visited is the final resting place of Nanny of the Maroons. She was an 18th century freedom fighter and brilliant military strategist who fought for independence from the British  High up in the Blue Mountains of Portland, Nanny Town was established as a settlement for Nanny and maroons, or Africans who escaped and fought against slavery  Dating from when a truce was signed with the British in 1739, Nanny Town has remained an independent community that retains the language and customs of  their Ghanaian ancestors. The current leader of  Nanny Town, Colonel Wallace Sterling guided my group to the enclosed park that houses Bump Grave.  I'll explore more about Nanny Town and its history in another post. The Jamaican government erected a monument to recognize Nanny's resting place and it overlooks the dense mountains of Portland, symbolizing the freedo...

Enveloped in 11 acres of lush gardens and courtyards, in the heart of Kingston, Devon House   represents Jamaica's proud heritage. Constructed in 1891 by Jamaica's first black millionaire, George Stiebel, the Georgian-Jamaican architecture reflects both British and Caribbean influences. Stiebel made his fortune from Venezuela gold mines and many of the accessories of his luxurious Victorian era life still fill the mansion, including Italian chandeliers oil paintings and carved mahogany beds. Devon House was declared a National Heritage Site in 1990 and strolling the halls supply a fascinating glimpse into a rarefied life during Jamaica's colonial times. Although the landmark is one of Kingston's most popular destinations, many visit just for the famous Devon House I-Scream, which is considered the best on the island. There are actually lots of restaurants, cafes and boutiques on the property, which I'll cover in another post but my favorite part of Devon Hous...

What a whirlwind of travel experiences that 2015 ushered in! As I look back over the year, it feels like I stuffed two years worth of adventures into one. I traveled to 11 different destinations and I'm grateful for the sights, sensations and memories that will always be with me. I can't adequately list every single favorite experience because there were so many but here are the standouts: Walking through the cold and rainy cobblestone streets of the Czech Republic and being dazzled by the fairy tale scenery, like in the UNESCO town of Telc, pictured above. I strolled through castles dating from the 9th century,ate dinner with singing Czech miners and explored the oldest and best preserved Jewish quarter outside of Israel. And that's just a few of my Czech memories. The colors and vibrant culture of Guatemala immediately grabbed me, there was so much history and life, everywhere I turned. I climbed my third volcano, sampled classic Guatemalan ciusine and met Liria...

There's no person that has done more to promote Jamaica and her culture than Robert Nesta Marley. My exploration of Kingston and Port Antonio involved many standout experiences but I have to start with the island's most famous son. The Kingston house that Bob lived in during the height of his career has been transformed into a museum . It holds his recording studio, gold and platinum records,original bedroom and an eerie hologram image. Photos aren't allowed inside but there's more than enough to document outside.  The bronze statue of Bob stands atop of a painting of his "three little birds" the I-Threes backing group that consisted of Judy Mowatt, Bob's wife Rita Marley and Marcia Griffiths. On the side of the structure are paintings of significant Rastafari figures: Haile Selassie who represents God and Marcus Garvey, the Jamaica born cultural activist. Lions representing Selassie's lion of Judah flank both sides of the statue. There ...

I never get tired of traveling to Jamaica but I'm especially excited about visiting a parish I've never experienced: Port Antonio in the Northeastern parish of Portland. Noted for bamboo rafting down the Rio Grande, this rustic transport was once used to ship bananas. The whole process was made famous by Harry Belafonte's  classic 'Day O" tune and I can't wait to see the Rio Grande as well as the rest of the lush region. A highlight of my trip will be a visit to Moore Town, more widely known as Nanny Town, the settlement founded by enslaved Africans called maroons, who fought off the British and lived in the mountains in independent communities. Nanny was the female warrior who led the Portland maroons with highly developed ambush techniques and won a peace treaty from the British in 1739 for tax free lands. Nanny is the only female Jamaican national hero and I am thrilled to visit her second settlement (the original was up in the Blue Mountains) and meet h...

Watching the Jamaican Bobsled Team at the Sochi 2014 Olympics conjures up memories of the classic '90s movie, Cool Runnings for a lot of people. Based on the storied 1988 Jamaican Bobsled Team that managed to capture global attention, you can't make up a crazier  and more inspiring tale. Seeing the two-man team reminded me of my own precarious bobsled run down Mystic Mountain in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Tucked into the lush rain forest, the Bobsled at Mystic Mountain  captures stunning tropical vistas as well as the nerve-jangling bobsled experience. An exhibit with the famous Jamaican bobsled uniform and stats on the original team's history fill a corner before you arrive at the bobsled. Before hopping on, I was greeted with the ominous sign above. There seemed to be lots of conditions and precautions for what I thought was a straightforward ride. Turns out that the bobsleds are actually a sports installation, developed to operate like a real bobsled. That means ...

It has been 40 years since the quintessential reggae band Third World, graced the globe with its smooth and spirited rhythms. Debuting  live as the opening act on Bob Marley's 1974 European tour, they have maintained an international presence ever since. One of the most enduring and popular reggae acts in the world, they spread the music as Jamaica's official reggae ambassadors. A genre-defining musical mix of cultural lyrics and contagious melodies laced with funk and soul,  the Third World sound was personified by Bunny Rug's rich and commanding vocals. I have been very lucky to have experienced the magic of Third World many times, the most recent at Jamaica's Jazz and Blues Fest last year. A third World concert always features thrilling musicianship and lots of  high energy. I watched as Bunny, also known as William Clarke, pushed the dancing crowd into a frenzy, belting out hits like "Try Jah Love," "Reggae Ambassador" and "1865 (96 deg...

I'm so sorry that's it's been so long since my last post but I was hunkered down writing my book, which was due yesterday. Now that it's at the publisher's, I can get back to my routine, which includes traveling and writing about it. I'll write a post about my book closer to the publication date but I really wanted to look back at all the wonderful places I visited in 2013 before I start my 2014 travels. My travel schedule was really busy last year but these are the places that I loved. Oaxaca, Mexico was one of them, that's Santa Cruz Bay pictured above. The nine bays of Huatulco, Mexico are breathtaking, it was a dicey experience for me to see all of them, since I was in a boat for hours and suffered from seasickness but it was totally worth it. This is the last bay, St. Augustine. I sampled fresh guacamole (they literally went to pick the avocados) in a beach cafe and climbed the top of the hill that overlooks the bay, to the local church. I promi...

This is very serious business. Like Democrat or Republican, White Sox or Cubs, Stones or Beatles,  choosing your favorite Jamaican pattie helps determine your direction in life. Patties are such an integral part of Jamaican culture that everyone nibbles an a version of the savory stuffed pastries at one time or the other. I journeyed through the north coast of the island to document the rivalry between the two most popular pattie companies and uncover the best pattie. If you ask a Jamaican about their favorite pattie, you will get one of two answers: Tastee or Juici. So what's the difference? Juici is supposed to offer more varieties, Tastee, more flavor. So I investigated (in a highly scientific sampling). Around Montego Bay, Tastee seemed to be the clear favorite, boasting more stores and longer lines. In Ocho Rios, Juici earned more visibility and outlets. Although the classic pattie is stuffed simply with seasoned beef, I saw a myriad of non-traditi...

You can't visit a tropical paradise without diving into the natural landscape and Jamaica offers lots of options.  In Ocho Rios, I explored Mystic Mountain which features a lush hummingbird garden in a rain forest. In the photo above, you can spot a hummingbird hovering over the feeder on the left. I love the delicate beauty of these winged creatures but I discovered that they are really hard to capture on camera. There were literally dozens of birds flitting around but I only managed to snap one. The green feathers and red beaks blend in with the scenery so well  and they fly so fast that I had to strain to see them. Look at the bird melting into the leaves to the left in the photo above. I learned that Ecuador claims the most species of hummingbirds and that the world's smallest bird does not migrate from the Western Hemisphere. It was fun being surrounded by these tin birds in the Jamaican rain forest but they did make me dizzy.