A trip to Hanover, Jamaica

Lets go to Hanover, have you ever been there?
No baby, whats Hanover?

It's a small town.
To my Aunties house, not far, maybe 1 hour drive.
Is Regan, your driver, gonna take us?
Oh yeah, he always parks out front on the road in his van.
I'll go check.

So, i walk out to the road, sure enough I see his van, but where is he?
I look over to the little road side stand next to Sunrise.
A couple of guys are always sitting around over there.
I look, but no Regan,
Hey, where's Regan?
He's in his van.

I start to walk closer, but i don't see him.
Oh, well, there are nuff drivers out here waiting.
I think I'll go over to the little store across the street from Times Square.
As i walk i pass Regan's van, sure enough, he's there.
Asleep, lying down on the seat.
Man, he's an older guy, but he's sleeping like a baby.
Should I wake him up now?
Nah, i'll wait till......
He pops up all of a sudden!
Hey, whats up Mark!
Man, i didn't want to wake you, but I need to go to...
Yeah, Mon, Yeah Mon, I'm here mon!
Ok, i said, i'll just be a few minutes,

Yeah Mom, yeah, yeah, I'm here!

Once a driver knows you are going to need a ride, they make sure you know they are ready, willing and available.

Once, i was dropped off at the Boat Bar by Regan.
After a little time, i caught a Route guy back, then when i was in my room, i called Regqan and told him i needed t go to Mi Yard.
He said ok.
I walked out to the road and no Regan.
I called him again, but he had driven back to the Boat Bar and was there waiting for me.

Anyway, we were heading to Hanover to my wife's cousin's house.
its been a while since my wife last went there.
She was trying to tell Regan, by using landmarks, where to turn.
The road was very rough and the shocks or struts on Regan's car were broke or he didn't have any.

I can't remember the route, but once we made a left the road turned very rough.

Bumpity-bump for aboout 15 minutes, god, where is this place!

Another turn, it seemed like we were very far from Negril.

So, we finally find the place and i jump out.
My backside is sore.

There was a house up on a hill, all of a sudden you could see doors opening and heads poppin out.
The kids were just getting home from school in thier uniforms.
Its so nice, the way Jamaicans greet each other after a long absence.

"So this is your husband", auntie said.
They all went in the house for a while, but, outside is where i like to be. This is real country, like down south USA.
Trees and plants, fruits and veggies and fresh air.

The quietness, it hits me real hard.
Just stand on the crest of a hill, and lookout, when its soooo quiet, one can really do some good thinking.

There were grape trees, pecans trees, coconuts trees , all sorts of plants out in the back yard.
They told my wife "Make sure you take this and that back to your mom's".
They got me a chair and i was sitting, when auntie comes over .
"do you like coconuts?
Sure
So, she goes around back an knocks some off of a tree.
She chops off a round part and shows me how to scrape the inside of it.
She worked that machete like a pro.

I was wandering around and i notice some smooth large stones, like graveyard head stones.
"thats where my grandmother is buried' my wife said.

I forgot that the locals sometimes bury the family right there on the side or behind the house.
I was scared that i stepped on the grave.
I'm sorry!
It's ok, my wife said. Calm down.
(i always over-react)

Regan, my driver was knocked out in the van, i guess he knew this was not a quick trip.

We ate, wrapped up food for the return trip and headed back to Negril

It was a nice time.

Just a little breakfast this morning

First full day in Negril was magic. My best friend in Negril finally got his car working Friday morning. I wake up at 6:30-7:00 am like clockwork even at home in Chicago.
The sun rising is so sweet and "dare I say" soft as a babies bottom. The humming birds are having breakfast right outside my door!
A nice veranda or patio or balcony makes all the difference to me. Outdoors! Give me OUTDOORS, please!

I decided to head across the road to the beach for breakfast. Beep-Beep, no thanks to the taxi man, I just keep walking, Beep-beep I turn to look and it is my old friend who does private taxi excursions around Negril. "whats up man" We talk a little while and laugh.

So, after a while i head to Bar-B-Barn, but no coffee is ready. So i just walk next door to Mom's, I see a pretty waitress and plant myself in one of the empty seats.
Coffee in the morning is a gift from the almighty for me.
Now I feel like I can fight a lion (a small one).

I just sit in my chair at Mom's Place on the beach. They have a little smooth jaz going on the box and out of nowhere one of my favorite tunes "Touch" by John Klemmer comes on.
Ahhh, this is too PUrrrfect!!!

The owner's name is Rob. He too is a fan of the Jazz. So I just sit and listen and watch the water. The ocean is very flat early in the day and you can hardly hear it, just watch, and let it put you in a trance.

No one else is at the restaurant for breakfast. Dont you love it sometimes to have the whole place to yourself!

I can play and laugh with 2-3 waitresses at the same time, nice.

A lightning storm out at sea

Hey Marko, what's up Mon?
Oh, I'm just chillin like a villain.
what are you doing?
I'm just about to drive by your hotel, do you need a lift anywhere?
Nope, not tonight, come on by anyway.
Ok, soon come.

I was sitting on the veranda and i see this white Toyota pull up in the driveway.

It's always nice seeing Nick.
We may not have any kind of plan for the day, but once we put our heads together all kinds of ideas will pop up.
I may mention that i need this or that
and he'll say, cool, i can stop by my cousins house, he lives close to the place we are going.
That day or night will turn into a new adventure for me.

When you go visiting in Jamaica, it's rarely a short visit.
Depending on the time of day, you can sit and laugh for hours, people coming and going, maybe eat dinner too.

Tonight, he was just chillin out, no plans for him either,

We sat and pondered the mysteries of the universe for about 2 hours.

Just 2 knuckle heads having fun.

Well, time for me to head home, Nick said.
Ok Nick, I'll see you tomorrow.
Later Mon.
Cool, drive easy man.

It was dark and a little windy.
Very nice for a summer night in Negril.
I stuffed some money in my pockets grabbed a few road supplies and headed across the boulevard.

Bar B Barn had the torches lit along the entrance to the beach.

I walked by the dining area and noticed how cool the tables and everything look with the night lights on.

Where are you going?
It was one of the cute waitresses,
No place in particular i said. Just strollin down the beach tonight.

When i got to the beach, i made a right turn and just started walking.

I saw a flash out at sea, then another one.
What the ......
It was a lightning storm, way out at sea.
I mean, like every 7 seconds you could see the lightning shooting through the clouds,
making all kinds of different colors in the sky.

It looked like explosions in the sky, miles and miles wide!

I walked and walked, watching the storm along with many other people on the beach.

Some were not paying attention to the storm like i was.
I guess it is nothing new to them.


I found a seat at one of the beach establishments and just watched the lightning and thunder strikes for about 1 whole hour, listening to music, watching people dancing.
The storm never came close, just a likkle breeze was all you could feel.

Those thunder and lightning strikes put the 4th of July fireworks in the States to shame.

Shaggy at the Jungle night Club, but Elephant man stole the show!

Well, i'll tell ya.
Got there about 10 ish. Just couldn't wait i guess.
Many "beautiful people" were still out side, hangin.

Paid for ticket and had the full body pat/search.
"he's clean"
So, i'm looking around and there were a lot of people standing in the front.
"which way to the.....
"around back man"

Walked down a long drive way on the side of the Jungle and then it just opened up.

Looked like a gravel football field.
Wow, this is cool.
3-4 Heinekin posted bars set up on left, right and back of the audience.

The first couple of acts were nice.

After a while people started arriving in herds.
8-12 at a time.

the music was good for a concert, loud and thumpin.

All of a sudden lightning struck!

It was Elephant MAN!

i DID NOT KNOW THIS GENTLEMAN WAS SO FULL OF ENERGY!

immediately he grabbed hold of your soul and started spinning it around.
He had me going down to the bone.
"who is this guy?"
He was movin and shaken, dressed in all white, with a very loud voice, you felt him comin at ya!

Mr. excitement, if you ask me.
With his loud musical yells, comin at just the right moment.
Amazing performance, 1st rate entertainer, the whole time!
Powerful stuff.


I am forever his fan.

If you like Shaggy, i guess he was ok, but, Elephant man stole the show.

Taking the little one to the beach

Are we really going tomorrow? Shantay was all wired up.
Yes, little darlin, tomorrow.
My neice, 3 years old, who has never been to the beach was all excited about going.
Her sister (who is about 13)was telling her
"there are sharks out there, they will get you!

Mama! Mama! de sharks fina bite me?

We were all laughing, the other kids would chase her like they were sharks,

AYYY, AYYY, you not gonna get me.

Bite! Bite!

MAMA! MAMA! the Shark gonna get me?

No, darling, i said.
Look baby, I will be with you and your aunt too.
I swim like a fish....and....
But, the shark swim good too? Right?
(she had me there)
well, they don't come in close, they like the deep water.

So next morning, after breakfast i was just sitting at mom's place on the beach.

The water was super calm, like glass. I was about to fall into that sand gravity mode.

Uh Oh, today is the beach day! I gotta go!
So i payed up the bill, left the tip with the waitress and jumped in a rout mobile.

When i got to my In laws house, they were still getting ready.

Nick was laughing.
Yeah, mon. de pickney dem, nuf fraid of de wata mon.

So, we jump in the car and head back to my hotel to get ready for the swim.

My wife and Renique went in the room to change into swim suits and get their towels.

They came out the hotel looking like a picture.
Shantay had on a very colorful one piece bathing suit.
My wife, of course was showin off her bikini body.
Uh, here baby, put this towel around your behind.

She just grabbed my nose and said "jealous?'Silly rabbit.
Any way, lets go.
Shantay can run like the wind, i swear i'm gonna find some track club for her one day, but today, she was draggin.

Come on Shantay, my wife said.

Dont'worry.
I reached down and swooped her up with one arm.
She is light as a feather.
So we get to the road,
"make sure you always look both ways, and make sure no cars are coming.

So, we crossed the road and head to Bar B Barn Hotel on the beach.

Hey mon, you got your dawta wid you Mon?
LOL
My wife tells everybody that Shantay is her daughter.
So, we pass the bar area and dining area and here it comes.
Tears, Waayhhh, Waayhhh, The sharks!
i don't want to go in the water!

So i put her down and she and my wife have a seat on a beach towel.
I'll show you how to do it.
I walk off into the water, get about 2 feet deep and have a seat.
See! It's ok, no wories mon.

The little tears looked like tiny diamonds rolling down her cheeks.
I mean she was "really" crying.

It took about 1/2 hour, of me playing and swimming and splashing and looking like a nut,

but eventually she calmed down and the 2 of them slowly walked into the sea.

My wife was still holding her, or should i say she was holding on to my wife, like a baby monkey on Nature programs.

They sat down in the water and slowly the tears went away.

See Mark, see how much fun he is having.

I went back on shore and had an idea.
I know, don't feed the fish, but i just wanted to show Shantay that some fish are harmless.

I broke off a little bit of cookie (they say biscuit) and sure enough, here come some little silver and yellow fish.

EEEEHH! EEEERHHH! Look, do they bite?

No No darlin, just good little fish!
Look.
I started to break little pieces off and the fish went for them.

Let me! Let me!
Now her courage was up.
She would try and throw the food.

No, no, just let it float, the fish will get it.

I played and splashed with Shantaye for a good little while.

We i was coming out the water the staff at Bar B Barn were all laughing and talkin about us.

Man, she was scared out there, they said.

Yeah, but i taught her not to be too scared of the water anymore.


It was a nice day of swimming and playing in the wonderful Caribbean Sea.