Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2014 | Page 26

FEATURE

Reggae, rum - and so much more

I

pit over a fire of pimento
thought long and hard
wood gives this particular
as to where my very first
local dish its distinctive taste
Caribbean destination
and flavour which is widely
should be. Looking at its
sold throughout the Island.
history and connection with
It remains a food trade mark
the late Errol Flynn who
for the Island and well worth
regularly frequented Jamaica
sampling.
in his Hollywood days it
A visit to the Blue Mountains
seemed to hold a fascination
By Terence
must not be missed where the
of a tourist attraction, and I
Willey
scenery is stunning and the
was not disappointed.
famous Blue Mountain coffee
Our first visit took us the
exceptional. Over the years thousands of
district of Trelawney a few miles up the
ships have called to the well known Port
coast from the famous Montego Bay but
of Ocho Rios which from our first visit
far enough to be out of the hustle and
bustle of everyday Jamaican life. Often the to the present time has been extensively
island’s reputation surrounds the three R’s modernised with designer shops. In a
way this almost detracts from the reality
- being reggae, reefers and rum.
of the island itself and it is important to
To this day the late Bob Marley remains
an icon and his music is heard all over the explore the interior while taking a climb
up the Dunns River Falls and water rafting
island. It is vibrant and addictive and the
along the Martha Brae River, and the
very rhythm contributes to the laid back
famous Blue Lagoon and river Rio Grande
way of life of the Jamaicans. The famous
‘jerk’ meat being smothered in a marinade being the back drop for many Hollywood
movies. Sadly these latter resorts have now
and barbecued slowly in an outdoor

26

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fallen by the wayside as the Port has been
moved down the coast to Falmouth where
millions have been spent to accommodate
the larger cruise liners.
Against the advices of many in the
tourist industry I was determined to seek
out a true Rastafarian Village and decided
to take along with me my two sizeable
teenage sons. We entered what appeared
to be known locally as the Craft Village, set
a short distance from the beach bordered
by corrugated tin walls. First impressions
were that this was expressly located for
tourist visitors but it soon became clear
that it was more of a supply centre where
the local Rastafarian inhabitants supplied
the tourist outlets. We had been warned it
would be inadvisable to enter such places
with valuables. I decided on a ‘game
plan’ which I thought just might work. I
purchased a box of Jamaican cigars and
rum and had a few American dollars in
my pocket, which I knew would have
much more buying power opposed to
the local Jamaican dollar. I requested to