Week 9: Lime Cay, Emancipation Park, HellShire Beach and Adventures
Imagine that you are on an island and no one else is there. White sands, mangroves, and an endless blue landscape of ocean- How does this make you feel? Relaxation! My friends and I ended up at Lime Cay, a small uninhabited island approximately 20 minutes boat ride from Port Royal. To get here, you have to take the city bus or a driver down to Morgan’s Harbour Hotel where the fishermen will take you down to the island on a boat ($1500 JMD). The boat only leaves when it is full to save fuel but you can negotiate when you want to leave. I actually ran into a girl from the Netherlands who I met at the UN Symposium too! Lime Cay is a small, low-lying island and is uninhabitable by humans because it is occasionally submerged when the tide comes in. It is a favourite beach getaway for the locals but you must bring your own lunch/refreshments as they have no stores on the island. The airport is very close to it and you can wave to passengers on the airplanes as they fly by. I saw a jellyfish when we got off the boat and the water was swimmingly perfect. The only downside was the red ants when you lay down on the sand. You also have to be careful of sea urchins but other than that, it was a gorgeous beach day.
In the evening, I skyped my family as my brother was at my favourite Chinese restaurant- China King located in Brantford. It is owned by our family friends and I have been going there since I was a baby. It was the perfect setting for my brother’s engagement/wedding celebration and I was happy to have been able to be part of it. My mother passed the phone to each individual at the dinner whom we all greeted with well wishes. I am super excited that I have a sister-in-law – finally, someone to go shopping with!
On Sunday, I was at Emancipation Park, a refuge away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. The ceremonial entrance of the park has a bronze sculpture called “Redemption Song” which was created as a symbol of Jamaica’s freedom to hope, to excel and to be. It was also my landlord’s birthday so I came home to a living room outside in the hallway. It was very special! He was very embarrassed but his friends and family took the chairs out and made the hallway look like a home. You got to utilize every space you have! “Earthstrong” Mr. Smalling! (Rasta way of saying Happy Birthday!).
This week was very busy as we were ending out forums for the Auditor General’s report. I’ve been walking around more and finding fruit trees. I am starting to fall in love with the fact that I can pull a grapefruit off a tree for lunch. I was also able to catch up with my close friends on skype which was a very needed motivation pick-up. Being away from home, you realize that life goes on without you. I always worry will things be different when I come back? Having the technology now, I am always connected and able to wish my friends congratulations or get a pick-up on a hard day. I was also invited to a National Cocktail Tolerance Screening event by Equality and Youths. I had no prior knowledge of what it was before I got there. James and I found ourselves leaving a bit confused still because it was a showing for a 42 second video. We did however make a new friend with an older lady who was very passionate and a much grass-root founder of the LGBT movement in Jamaica. It was also held at UWI so we got to explore it a bit! The public forum was the last of events for the Auditor General’s report held by CVC which was well attended. However; it was a bit chaotic (as every event is) with a delay in start, waiting for guest speakers and trouble with the live broadcast on the radio.
On the weekend, I went to Fromage Gourmet Market for Restaurant’s week. I ordered a plantain French toast which was absolutely delicious. Restaurant’s week is similar to Londonlicious where there are set menus and set prices but at a more affordable rate than going on a regular day. In the evening, we were to go to a storytelling event but ended up at a local bar where the bartenders taught us how to cook like a Jamaican.
On Sunday, my friends randomly picked me up and drove me to HellShire Fisherman’s Beach in St. Catherine. It is BUSY. I thought it was gorgeous but my friend described it as one of the high crime areas as it is a heavily local area. It provided a more authentic Jamaican atmosphere with the warm Caribbean Sea with dancehall blasting on the stereos. What sets HellShire apart though is its quality and choice of seafood. We ate steam parrot fish, fried parrot fish, raw oysters that were freshly caught, and spicy crawfish. You choose the fish you want and they cook it fresh! It was AMAZING. Seriously, the best fish I ever had. The oysters were small and I wasn’t used to that but they were delicious with the oyster man’s homemade sauce (He’s actually known as the oyster man and you have to hunt for him when you get to Hellshire Beach). They also brought me to their cousin’s steelpan concert where he played classics like ABBA and pop hits from coldplay. I hope I can learn how to play it one day.
On a super side note- IT IS SNOWING IN CANADA! Officially the first snowfall in London! I am super excited for Christmas!
Tara