Jamaica

Jamaica, a beautiful Caribbean island, is located south of Cuba and west of Haiti. With a population of approximately 3 million people, Jamaica is known for its ethnic diversity, the result of a rich history of colonization and migration. English is the official language, although Jamaican Patois, a creole language, is also widely spoken and reflects the island’s unique cultural heritage.

Culturally, Jamaica has a significant impact on the world, especially through its music. Jamaican cuisine, famous for its spicy flavor and diversity, includes signature dishes such as jerk chicken. In addition, the island has produced numerous Olympic champions in sprinting such as Usain Bolt and Merlenne Ottey, highlighting Jamaica’s competitive spirit and national pride. Another famous team in Jamaica is the bobsleigh team. Yes, that winter country sport in which one or more athletes get into a bullet-shaped vehicle equipped with skis and race down an ice-walled slide. Aha. Jamaica, which hasn’t seen a snowflake since the last Pleistocene glaciation. Well, there they go.

As a fan of Caribbean music, I have always been interested in going to Jamaica. The mysticism of this country is associated with ska, rocksteady and reggae, which are part of the soundtrack of my life. Later on I heard some dancehall thanks to Sean Paul, although it is not among my musical preferences.

I visited Ocho Rios, located on the north coast of the island, which is famous for its white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters.

Ocho Rios is a very safe tourist destination. In general, it is not advisable to go into the depths of Jamaica without knowing the place well or accompanied by a local, because there are still Comanche areas where it is better not to make a mistake in your itinerary. This also applies to many other countries in the world. I have gone on excursions as an unwitting person – like exploring at sunset the interior of La Boca neighborhood in Buenos Aires with my Pentax camera around my neck, wearing a bomber jacket and Martins boots, the equivalent of having a fluorescent sign that says “I’m a spanish boludo rotten with money, mug me, asshole” above my head – but I have always been lucky. I’ve only been mugged violently in Spain. Nonetheless, you still have to be careful in Jamaica.

Jamaicans, when they interact with you, are aware that if you know anything about Jamaica, it is usually about Bob Marley or Usain Bolt. It is normal, the same would happen to a Spanish (~Castilian) of the fifteenth century with Isabel La Católica. In the tourist area they play reggae music all the time and create the atmosphere. You can’t say you can’t tell if you’re in Jamaica or not.
The flora is very abundant and dense, a very thick jungle. And you can’t see a place around here that is a wasteland, a clearing. Everything is overgrown with plants. The red ginger (Zingiber zerumbet), is a plant that, although not native to Jamaica, has adapted well to the climate and conditions of the country.

Bamboo also grows in abundance in the area. Green, green, everywhere you look is green.

One of the area’s attractions is the Dunn River waterfalls. These impressive waterfalls extend for approximately 180 meters and are formed by a series of steps of turquoise waters that descend gently through a lush tropical landscape. You have to walk up them while the crystal clear water falls all around you, all amidst the jungle vegetation. Something very different and very cool.

Those crystal clear waters flow into the surroundings of a beach whose transparency I have never seen before or since. And I have been to beaches like the Florida Keys, or Destin or Tulum in Mexico, which are precisely famous for it. But in this photo, taken on the surface of the water in an area with a depth of more than one meter, you can see the grains of sand at the bottom clearly (the image being compressed, which reduces its quality). It is mind-blowing.

Thanks to the fact that it is so transparent, you can avoid stepping on Sea urchins – just barely! 😮‍💨

Even though it is winter, the heat can be a bit much. If you add a couple of Bloody Marys and the fact that the forest is located right on the beach, a little nap under the palm trees after climbing the waterfalls is an option to consider. We are in the Caribbean on vacation! What stress are you talking about!

Since I was in Jamaica I had to try the local cuisine, so I ordered a Jerk Chicken. Jerk sauce has since become one of my favorite toppings for chicken. It is very very very very strong flavored, and you can find them from mildly spicy to a pissed off Dracaris level 🔥🐲🔥. In my case, which I like very spicy, I stand quite well the medium level. Keep in mind that the chicken is macerated in the sauce, so the spicier it gets the longer it is left to macerate.

As you leave, you can see how the coastline is completely overgrown with vegetation. It seems as if the jungle is spilling into the sea.

I can imagine that some of you were expecting to see me with dreadlocks and a chilam rastafari in full flow, but for both it seems that its operating window has already passed 😆.