Jamaica: The Jewel of the Caribbean
I was recently on a trip to Jamaica for a series of work sessions artist management, licensing, royalties and copyright, but it is near impossible to go to Jamaica and not mix work with some R&R!
Jamaica is a beautiful island with beautiful people and a rich and diverse culture. Jamaica has also given the world reggae, dub and dancehall music as well as Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh.
Negril has some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen, up there with some of the beaches I have seen in the Seychelles, Cyprus and the Bahamas. It is awesome to be up to your neck in water and still be able to see your toes. Inside the water looking at the horizon, it feels like a giant, humungous infinity pool. There are no big waves like the beaches on the Atlantic coast of Ghana, for example.
I went parasailing, which is one of my favorite things to do. It is a great spiritual experience for me. It is such a relaxing feeling to be up in the air, wrapped up in silence as you take in breathtaking views of the rugged landscape and the vast ocean and even see fish swimming in the water. You should try it if you ever get the chance!
The sunsets are just amazing! They look like pictures out of a photographer's book - photoshopped and made almost unreal with hues of ochre, magenta, cobalt and a million others, painting an awe-inspiring picture. The waters turn a brilliant copper color reflecting the residual ambient light.
The evenings are particularly romantic, with the warm breeze blowing, the afterglow of the day hinting at the promise of a wonderful evening. You can always go to Hedonism II for a more adult experience.
Just beware of the driving, though. With the narrow single-lane streets, it sometime becomes necessary to pass (overtake) in the oncoming lane and that can be a terrifying experience. Not unlike my experience with driving in Ghana (read that blog post).
But all in all, I loved Negril and I'll be visiting Kingston on my next trip for a different flavor of Jamaica. If you're ever headed to Negril and would like to have a non-hotel experience and more of a home-away-from-home experience, check out the SeaSand Eco Villas. That's my plug of the day. Now if you have any ideas on things to do and places to go in Jamaica, feel free to share them with us right here on my blog or on Facebook.