JAMAICA: OCHO RIOS AND DUNN'S RIVER FALLS AND KONOKO FALLS

 February 18, 2023

Ocho Rios (Spanish for "eight rivers") is a town on the north Jamaican coast. Many believe Christopher Columbus first set foot in Jamaica just outside the city.

Our hotel in Ocho Rios was a once grand multi-building complex, but it is now in a bit of a dilapidated state. Our room had no hot water, no AC, no wifi, and a cockroach on the bed.

However, they had a great sign on the office wall.

We were worn out by heat, humidity, and walking, and in spite of all the hotel issues, we just needed sleep.

The next morning we were in no rush to get started. Chad was snorkeling, and we had a plan to meet at 11:00, so we drove down to the Ocho Rios Craft Market. It was about the junkiest tourist trap we've ever seen, not even meriting a photo. Nothing was original. It all looked like it was made in China. There were multiple stalls, all selling the same items, and every vendor claimed to have made the items in his/her booth. We decided we needed breakfast instead of shopping.

Definitely not a breakfast spot:

JAMAICA, DAY 3: GREENWOOD GREAT HOUSE AND FALMOUTH

February 17, 2023

Bob got up early for a morning of bird watching, and I slept in until 7:30. The hotel included a breakfast buffet with boiled bananas and sweet potatoes, fish hash, some bread-like items I don't know the names for, scrambled eggs, sausage, and French toast. It was all good, and the view of Montego Bay made it taste even better.  Chad was out there snorkeling, and he said the water was crystal clear and the fish were amazing.

I had a lazy morning, and when Bob got back we headed out to the Greenwood Great House. GPS led us down roads that could hardly be called roads--narrow, rutted dirt paths that wound around tin shacks. There were virtually no indicators, like signs, for example, indicating that we were going in the right direction. It was hard to believe most tourists wouldn't be deterred by the roads or would get lost on their way to the house. We persevered, however, and finally pulled up to the rear of a large, dilapidated erstwhile manor.

JAMAICA, DAY 2, PART 2: SPANISH TOWN AND THE WORTHY PARK RUM PLANTATION

 February 16, 2023

Our next stop was a brief one in Spanish Town, the Spanish and then British capital of Jamaica from 1534 until 1872, a period of 338 years. 

On our way there we passed this interesting street sign. I have no idea why a hamburger would adorn a street sign, but it made me hungry. Maybe that is the point?

When we were researching where to go in Jamaica, I checked what the U.S. State Department had to say about safety. They gave Spanish Town a 4, which essentially means "Don't go there." When Bob asked his contact in Jamaica about that, she just laughed and said not to worry, just don't go at night. That was somewhat comforting. 

Originally called Villa de la Vega, the city was the second capital of the royal Spanish realm of Jamaica. It was seized in 1655 when English troops conquered the island, and the English renamed the area "Spanish Town." Jamaica's wealth was on full display here for the next 217 years. The most notable events that occurred around its main square include the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1834 and the Full Freedom proclamation in 1838. In 1872 the seat of government was moved to Kingston.

We focused on the four large buildings that border Emancipation Square.

This is the "Old King's House," erected in 1762. For almost 100 years, it was the residence of the governor of Jamaica. The aforementioned Emancipation Proclamation of 1834 was read from its steps. From a distance, it still looks pretty grand.

JAMAICA DAY 2, PART I: HOPE BOTANICAL GARDENS AND THE BOB MARLEY HOUSE

 February 16, 2023

At 7:00 AM we met up with Bob's relative Chad, who had arrived at about 11:00 PM and checked into the same hotel we were in while we were sleeping.  Our first stop was at the airport (which was on our way) to put Chad on the driver list for the car and to get some cash from the ATM. Totally unprepared for the exchange rate ($1 US = $153 Jamaican dollars), I pulled out too little--maybe the equivalent of $100 US--but we made it last until almost the end of the trip, not because we were frugal, but because it was easy to pay in US dollars, and we had plenty of those.

Chad ended up being our primary driver for the trip. It was nice to have that option. We may have to invite him along on future adventures!

Our first stop was Hope Botanical Gardens in Kingston. It was our first experience with the lack of signage for "tourist" spots (and one we would have over and over again). We totally missed it on the first pass, and barely found it on the second. We wondered if foreigners don't drive much in Jamaica but rely instead on tour buses and taxis. Maybe tourists are intimidated by the right-side steering wheel and left-side-of-the-road driving. Bob and Chad did great with it, the main problem being turning on the wipers instead of the blinker (which is also on the wrong side). Or maybe tourists mainly stay at the resorts.

Our first stop was Hope Botanical Gardens, aka the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Kingston. I didn't realize it when we were there, but the land the gardens are on has a dark past. Initially, a large estate including the land the gardens are on was given to the British Major Richard Hope in 1655 for his role in overthrowing the Spanish and taking over Jamaica. In the 19th century the estate land was given to a duke as payment for his lost slaves after the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. Nothing was given to the liberated people.

In 1873, a section of the estate was turned into the botanical gardens, which now comprise 200 acres.