Llanrumney Hash

It is Sunday evening and home from a great day hashing with Kim, Samar, Erin, Del and Stats. We went to Llanrumney on the north shore, St. Mary's parish, and very near Port Maria. 

This is about a 90 minute drive from Kingston and no buses go over The Junction, so we pooled our resources and rented a Suzuki Vitara - it had lots of room in the back for our spare clothes, dry shoes, packs, etc. However, it was a little crowded in the back for Sats, Erin, Kim and Samar; I was driving; and Del was my navigator (he only missed one turn and that was early and easily backtracked). 

Trip over the junction was picturesque but very steep, twisty and extremely narrow. This was exacerbated by the reams - hundreds! - of cars and small buses (vans) hurtling towards us and racing to Kingston. And this with everyone dressed in the bright green of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), hanging out of windows, riding on tops of cars, waving flags and hooting horns.  Del really wants one of those horns for an Ottawa Senators game. We surmised that they were heading for a political rally in Kingston - political rallies here are HUGE - but found out at the end of the day, when we took Sats home, that many of them were at the residence of Prime Minister Holness (maybe they went there after the rally). 

Anyway, it made the drive much more than its usual challenge but we made it safely.  Though a pedestrian along the way, who was walking on the road around a sharp bend, is lucky to still be ambulatory. All corners, and they were continuous,  were greeted Jamaican style, with honking of horn to warn that we were coming. I'm getting quite good with the one hand on the horn and one on the wheel. 

The hash was it's usual fun with the usual share of adventures such as fording two streams, ankle deep mud, avoiding the quicksand, under one fence and over another, dodging cows, and trying to find a trail when it appears that there is none.  After and 1 1/2 hours we were all back safely and enjoying our beer and a quick snack of jerk from the Buccaneer Jerk & Juice before we headed back to Kingston. It gets dark by 5:30 now and I didn't want to drive over The Junction in the dark - maybe next time. 

I think a good time was had by all - certainly by me!  Thanks, friends and fellow hashers.

JLP rally takes over the road in Stoney Hill. It is difficult to take pictures while you are driving - good thing we were stopped.

Digicel is everywhere, even the smallest hamlet in the mountains

Houses on the hillside on the other side of the gorge. You have to take a footbridge across to them.

We made a pit stop at The Junction, but declined the menu . . . .

. . . though Del did opt for some OFC, thinking it might be a change from all the KFC in Kingston.

We arrive at the meeting place for the hash.

The hares and the hash master give instructions. Coincidentally, the hash master (on the right) is the chair of the board of directors at the CVSS, where I work. I don't have to call him Mr. Bernard anymore, I can call him Owen.

There's Del, fording the first stream. A few less than hardy souls backtracked at this point.

We start to string out as we go along.

Sharing the pasture with some very fine cows.

This is the trail. Really.

More trail.

Sats crossing the second stream.

After crossing the second stream we can to climb a bank of mud, avoiding the quicksand at the bottom.

Was very glad that I wore my hiking boots and wool hiking socks. And was even more glad that I had nice dry Tevas to change into afterwards.

Sats getting his initiation as a first-time hasher from Emile.

Del's turn to be initiated . . . 

. . .  and Erin's too.

Cooking the jerk at Buccaneer's.

Beat Diabetes Walkathon

The Council of Voluntary Services (CVSS) and the NVC organized a Beat Diabetes Walkathon, that we hosted today in Emancipation Park. We had a good time: great support from volunteers and sponsors; good turnout of walkers; perfect weather; and, of course, is support of a very worthy cause. Jamaica has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world and is a very serious problem here, particularly for young people.

Walking starts early here, as it gets too hot for most by about 8:30. So the walkathon went from 6 am to 9:30 am; which meant I was up at 4:45 am to get tot the park for set-up at 5:30 am!  I worked the registration table.

Many thanks to everyone at CVSS/NVC who worked hard to make the event successful, with particular thanks to Mickel and Sammy (and Malik!).

Entrance to Emancipation Park, with famous - and somewhat controversial - statues. The park was opened 10 years ago and is a very lovely oasis in New Kingston

Setting up the information table and the fruits/waters/juices.  There were also some good displays by sponsors and free blood pressure and blood sugar tests by the Diabetes Foundation.  Pleased to report that my blood sugar is fine and my blood pressure is low!

Reporter from the radio station on the left and Lamar (right), from the Boys Brigade, who helped me at the registration desk

Mr. Vinroy Whyte (right), CVSS Treasurer, and his friend. I couldn't resist the Canadian shirt!

Some of the walkers. There is a good 500 metre fitness track, shaded by big trees, that is very popular with walkers and joggers. The park opens at 5 am and closes at 11 pm - it is well lit and has security on site.

The Lions Club had a strong team and a lot of fun.

Jamaica Football Club joined the cause.

Thanks to the team and one of our sponsors, Wyndham Hotel

Terry (left) of the CVSS and Mr. Easton Daley (right) of the Boys Brigade volunteered for the day. Mr. Daley and his boys did a wonderful job of bringing and setting up all the tables, chairs, etc. and clean-up.

Mr. Owen Bernard (right), CVSS President and head of the Jamaica Diabetes Foundation, with three of his volunteers.

Thanks to another team and sponsor, National Commercial Bank (NCB)

Our leader, Mrs. Winsome Wilkins, CVSS CEO,  joining the fun for the warm-up aerobics.

Happy Birthday Ann-Marie

When I arrived at the National Volunteer Centre (NVC) - almost three months ago! - I was very fortunate to find wonderful people to work with.  The administrative assistant, Ann-Marie, was the glue that held the office together and I really liked working with her. Her daughter, Chanique, would sometimes come to the office after school and I became "Auntie Wendy". You will notice that I use past tense, which is because we have just spent our first week at the NVC without Ann-Marie at the front desk!  She has a new position at a USAID funded NGO; a position that is a good career move re pay, benefits, and other opportunities.  We are very pleased for her, though will miss her.  


To celebrate her promotion and, coincidentally, Ann-Marie's birthday, she and Chanique came to dinner on Friday evening. We also invited "young Damien", who works at the downtown office of CVSS, and it working on his MBA. Damien is always on the hunt for a meal :-)


As I had to prepare most of the meal the night before, we had my stand-by curried chicken and broccoli casserole, penne, salad, cornbread, apple and pumpkins pies with ice cream. Oh yes, started the evening by sitting on the patio with white wine sangria. A very pleasant evening. 


A few pictures . . . . 

Ann-Marie on her last day at the NVC

Chanique with Usain.

Chanique with Veronica

Usain loved the attention and fell asleep on her lap, while she was watching Narnia on my laptop.

Tired kittens after lots of playing with Chanique

Ann-Marie, Chanique, and Damien

Ocho Rios, Coyaba, Mahoe Falls & Shaw Park

Home on Sunday evening from a very good weekend getaway to Ocho Rios. Friends Irina, Sats, Alex and I left Kingston on the Knutsford Express, arriving in Ocho Rios about 4:30 pm on Friday. The Knutsford Express is a great service with large, greyhound type buses that run Kingston-Ocho Rios-Montego Bay, with online booking and they usually run on time! It is about 2 to 2 1/2 hours from Kingston to Ocho Rios. 

I had chosen the hotel after quite a bit of online searching. We wanted something central in Ochi, but also that would suit our volunteer budgets.  After reading reviews, etc. we settled on the Silver Seas hotel at $55 US plus taxes per night for a double room. We were a little concerned that for this price we might arrive at either a hotel that wasn't there or at a hotel that rented rooms by the hour. 

After a 20 minute walk, dragging our suitcases, from the bus stop at the Ocho Rios Jerk Centre through the crowded, busy streets, we were pleasantly surprised to find the Silver Seas perched beautifully right on the beach and reminiscent of old grandeur and with just the right amount of tat. In its hey-day of the 50's, 60's and 70's, before the advent of all-inclusives out of town, it must have been magnificent. The rooms were large with two double beds and the balconies and patios were about the same size of the rooms! Certainly, it could use a bit of upgrading but it was clean and the staff were helpful and friendly. Hey, Irina and I shared a room so we each paid $55 plus taxes total for two wonderful days.

I had bought my own snorkel and fins and was so glad I did. The private beach was small, but we were the only people on it.  And the swimming off the beach was clean and beautiful, with the Ocho Rios reef about 100 metres offshore with coral formations and tropical fish on smaller formations a few metres from the beach. Sats and Irina borrowed my gear to try it out, with Irina renting her own gear on Sunday morning and we went for a long swim and snorkel - this was her first time and she was excellent. We had trouble getting her out of the water to come home to Kingston!

On Saturday we hired a driver, Super (yes, that is really his name) for a half-day to take us to Coyaba Gardens & Mahoe Falls and then to Shaw Park.  This was a really good idea!  It is not tourist season (i.e. cruise ship season) there yet, so all the drivers (vans, taxis, buses) don't have much business. So for about $35 US, Super took three of us around, waited while we explored and even took us to a craft market.  I say three of us, because Alex is taking Spanish classes from the Venezuelan consulate and has three exams upcoming, so he chose to linger on the hotel patio  and study. Alex missed a great day. 

We eschewed Dunn's River Falls, which is overrated and a tourist trap from all we hear. Coyaba Gardens & Mahoe Falls and the falls in Shaw Park were spectacular and the views were stunning. We also learned a lot of the flora of Jamaica from our tour guide, Rainford, at Coyaba. Again, being "Jamaican" had is advantages as we were quoted $,1000J admission (about $10 US), but when showed Jamaican ID were got in for $400 J and $500 J respectively. Well worth it and really good  to know that residents can visit these places at a reasonable cost. 

Saturday night we had a very nice seafood dinner at Spring Garden restaurant, joined by our new found friends at the hotel (and from Ontario), Melissa and Paul, and Alex's friend, Joyce who lives in nearby St. Ann's.  Fortuitously, it was "restaurant week" in Jamaica (local version of Dine Out Vancouver) and there was an incredible prix fixe menu that even included cocktails.  Everyone had delicious fresh seafood - I had the calamari starter followed by sauteed prawns - and the restaurant was beautiful. It was the nicest restaurant I have been to since I arrived in Jamaica. Again, we hired Super to take us, wait, and bring us back. I don't have pictures of this, but Melissa promises to email pictures when they get back to Canada. 

This is getting very long, so let's get to the pictures - there's a lot of them! No pictures of me, however Irina and Sats will email some and I will add to the album later.

Will definitely go back here. In fact, Sats has already booked a week after Christmas for he and his partner who will be visiting from Canada. 

The Silver Seas

View from the lobby patio

Sats and Irina on the lobby patio, with pool in background

This is where we drank many cups of Blue Mountain coffee early in the morning, followed by callaloo omlettes. 

View from the patio of our hotel room. 

Coyaba Gardens

Rainford, who has been a guide there for 25 years, explaining to Irina and Sats

Mahoe Falls

Ocho Rios from Mahoe Falls

From Mahoe Falls

Falls in Shaw Park

Shaw Park

Setting up for a wedding on Saturday afternoon, poolside at the Silver Seas

The groom, in white, his groomsmen and the rasta pastor came down to the beach for some ganja to calm their nerves before the ceremony. Sats, as always, was making new friends

Local kids spear fishing and jumping off the old dock at the Silver Seas

Our beach at the Silver Seas. Doesn't get much better than this