i just got back from jamaica, ask me anything!

:headbang: came in last nite after 9 days and suffering jetlag, but HAD to come post on DU!

Tourist Nightmare or a cultural revelation?

jamaicans are amazingly HIP to the chimp and what's going on over here politically. several have called him the 'antichrist', and that's the good part, lol! that seems par for the course tho. foreigners don't have their news censored like we do.

i bought my tickets to negril back in july before hurricane ivan and was expecting the normal vacation, but things were much different this time around (after 10 long years). after the hurricane, i wanted to postpone, but was unable to do so, so just decided to go anyway. it was me and my teen son this time, his first, so we did a few 'touristy' things, like visit mayfield falls, go snorkeling, and visit peter tosh's mausoleum.

the people seem so much more desperate. last time, nobody came up to me outright asking me for money because they were HUNGRY, several did this time. but the jamaican people are very resiliant. the small resort i stayed at was a beehive of activity, nails pounding, power saws buzzing, getting their addition completed before high season (pun not intended!) that activity, however, didn't exactly help me stay relaxed, i'm sensitive to noise. it's hard to lounge on your veranda with that kind of noise!

the weather was beautiful, of course, it rained hard for about 2 hours one day, but after it was over, the tree frogs were chirping as usual and the air was fresh.

all in all, i had a nice time, but it's good to be home.

peace and love!

:hippie: but more scarce and expensive right now because of ivan.

steal your money or break your heart?

but yes, you have to be dead not to be hit on continually in jamaica.:D

not sure i catch your drift...

Aluminum is such a big part of the islands history.

no. i don't recall seeing ANY aluminum foil. most everything is wrapped in paper. :shrug:

Napolean had a crowned helmet made from Aluminum and it was valued more than its weight in Gold.

I heard it on a rerun of "On Point" (WBUR) this early morning. It was a selection of comedic writers reading their stuff at an annual gathering for the New Yorker. Someone was pretending they had an advice column called "the ethicist".

Some lady allegedly wrote in saying, my husband is pro life and believes that life begins at conception. He recently learned that he was conceived during his parents' vacation in Jamaica. He now believes himself to be an illegal immigrant and is about to turn himself into the authorities.

It was pretty funny.

has he taken his meds lately, lol!?

was he (some really funny looney tune insult) or morally superior to everyone else?

Hope you had a great time.

but it's always good to be home!

Kick your shoes off.