Latin and Caribbean recordings map on Google Maps / Mapa de grabaciones latinoamericanas y caribeñas en Google Maps

For years I had wanted to write a book compiling what I had researched regarding world music, especially Latin and Caribbean music, but with a recent upgrade of Google Maps, I found a better solution: post the information regarding recordings and styles of music on a map, according to their location. This will continue to be updated as I learn more on the subject, but I believe that it finally has enough information to share with all of you. The link to the map is listed below. 

Por muchos años tuve el deseo de escribir un libro compilando lo que había investigado acerca de la música mundial, especialmente latinoamericana y caribeña, pero con una mejora reciente de Google Maps, encontré una mejor solución: poner la información acerca de grabaciones y estilos de música en un mapa, según su localidad. Seguiré ampliando el mapa mientras aprendo más sobre el tema, pero tiene suficientes datos para poderlo compartir con todos ustedes. El enlace al mapa se encuentra abajo.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/ edit?mid=zX6KP5pPw6Jw. kq1ngryvXotI 

Top 10 Specialty Restaurants At Sea - Contributors: written by Sally Grimes and researched by Annie Walker

Food glorious food, there is no getting away from it on a cruise.

I do not think a cruise is only about food but let’s be honest, it does play a significant part. Some of the most exquisite dishes are found at sea and several of the most famous Michelin chefs now call the sea their home.

Although the main dining room is still a key feature on many ships, it is the rise in specialty restaurants that attract us to open our intrigued taste buds that crave new flavours. Showcasing the best in Italian, Brazilian and French cuisine, a cruise will take you on a culinary journey like never before.

With specialty restaurants requiring an extra cover charge and most needing a reservation they change the dynamic of cruise ship dining dramatically. Allowing you to dine somewhere different every night or choose an exclusive restaurant for a special occasion, makes it hard to escape from these award-winning restaurants that temp you with their mouth-watering menus, intimate settings and excellent value for money.

I am lucky enough (although my waist line says different) to have tried many of the line’s specialty restaurants and thought it was about time I wrote my Top 10:

Giovanni’s Table – Royal Caribbean

I have met very few people that do not share a love for Italian food, so typically most cruise lines include an Italian Bistro among their dining options. However, from the al fresco style setting to the family style dining, Giovanni’s Table wins my vote. Featured on many Royal Caribbean ships including Oasis of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas, its enticing menu is only an teaser of how the food actually tastes.

With its apparent Mediterranean influence, Giovanni’s Table flaunts a true Italian atmosphere and intense aroma that one would expect from a restaurant in the heart of Venice.

Starters are brought out family style, enabling you to share everything on the menu if you wish. As expected there is lots of pasta, although it is more than just 'pasta'. From authentic sauces, fresh seasonings and unique cheeses these starters only leave you more intrigued for the main courses.

A traditional meat slicer used to slice fresh prosciutto ham combined with world-class steaks and fresh fish are just some of the meat dishes you can expect to indulge on.

Available on: Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas

Cover charge: $15 per person for dinner, $10 per person for lunch

Atmosphere: Authentic

My favourite dish: Gnocchi (I know, not the most extravagant but tastes divine!)

The White Room – P&O Cruises

The 'Godfather of modern cooking' Marco Pierre White was eager to get his culinary wonders to the high seas so was delighted when P&O Cruises gave him the opportunity to do just this. Owner of three elusive Michelin stars, Marco showcases his talents through The White Room with one of most desirable menus at sea.

The bold black and white decoration impresses from the moment you are invited in by the professional wait staff who line the entrance, just like you see them do in the movies. The interior boasts a sleek design giving the feeling of being inside a high-class city restaurant. Even the menus and table décor are made of thick black leather which again portray a lavish design.

Available on Ventura, it showcases two menus that alternate on various nights of the cruise. Including a selection of Marco’s famous fish dishes, unique meats and mouth-watering desserts, even the most experienced of taste buds will be blown away here.

Available on: Ventura

Cover charge: £25 per person

Atmosphere: Chic

My favourite dish: Dill Pickle and Chive Crusted Pork Rack

Qsine – Celebrity Cruises

Where do I start with this restaurant? Like nothing else I have experienced on land let alone at sea, this unique dining journey starts from the moment you order your meal on an ipad. There can be no preconceptions about Qsine as it is a restaurant of the unexpected.

After you have used the interactive ipads to design your meal, sit back and wait to be tantalised by unexpected twists on familiar favourites. From the revolutionary sushi lollipops, popcorn fish and chips and lobster escargot it has an off-beat edge to give you an experience that you can only find on a Celebrity Cruise.

Qsine’s décor is fairly simple and boasts a more casual feel. Decked out in orange and yellows, its bright design portrays a happy atmosphere and great for a fun meal time with friends and family.

Available on: Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Reflection, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Summit

Cover charge: $40 per person

Atmosphere: Casual and fun

My favourite dish: Sushi lollipops (of course!)

Kai Sushi – Princess Cruises

Every city, shopping mall and airport has the latest take on an Asian sushi restaurant, and it didn’t take long for cruise lines to jump on the bandwagon either. However, Kai Sushi onboard Princess Cruises stood out for me.

From the moment you step inside you are transformed into an Asian paradise. With deep brown décor combined with bamboo accessories, its large open cooking area showcases highly regarded chefs preparing authentic sushi creations and traditional Japanese seafood dishes.

Even for those who do not have a love for sushi can opt for lobster, octopus and other seafood dishes.

Available on: Diamond Princess, Sun Princess

Cover charge: Menu prices apply

Atmosphere: Majestic

My favourite dish: Kaisen Udon - Mixture of lobster, jumbo shrimp, scallops, snapper, calamari and noodles in a rich broth

Moderno Churrascaria – Norwegian Cruise Line

When Norwegian Cruise Line introduced Moderno Churrascaria on Norwegian Epic the positive reviews flew in and everyone was talking about it. Debuting a new dining experience to the cruise industry, this Brazilian Steakhouse was the first dining concept of its kind at sea.

Although the decor is not the most stand-out design, the food more than makes up for it. The extensive salad bar invites you to delve into its freshly prepared salads including tuna, fresh beans, European cured meats and Artisan cheeses. However, be careful as this is a meal in itself and you will not want to fill yourself up before the main course.

Meat lovers beware! Be prepared to feast on the largest selection of meats you have ever seen in one restaurant at the same time. From a range of different beef, chicken, pork, sausage, chorizo and lamb it is a pure haven for foodies.

With all of this delicious meat being sliced before your very eyes, it is a wonder they even thought about dessert but if you can handle it, you are in for a surprise. The signature dessert of crispy fried Portuguese sweet bread puffs with caramel and vanilla is the icing on the cake for your Moderno Churrascaria experience.

Available on: Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Getaway

Cover charge: $20 per person

Atmosphere: Lively

My favourite dish: Spanish chorizo with red wine and parmesan cheese

Remy – Disney Cruise Line

Remy is way up there on my list of favourite restaurants I have dined at, not only at sea. This intimate adults-only eatery is an enchanted retreat that serves the finest French cuisine. Remy truly takes you to an authentic roof-top restaurant in the centre of Paris.

Soft lighting, gold décor and timeless art work compliment the immaculate displayed tables. Like the rest of the ship, Disney have sprinkled their magic on this restaurant to ensure everyone has a five-star dining experience.

The French-inspired menu was created by Chef Arnaud Lallement who has worked at numerous Michelin star restaurants and Chef Scott Hunnell from the award-winning Victoria & Albert’s at Walk Disney World Resort.

A chilled champagne cocktail is prepared at your table before you place your orders from the enticing menu. Some of the tasty dishes you can expect to choose from include Halibut, King Salmon, Kobe Beef and Niman Ranch Lamb.

Available on: Disney Dream

Cover charge: $75 per person

Atmosphere: Luxurious

My favourite dish: Duck Pomegranate with pistachios and hearts of palm

150 Central Park– Royal Caribbean

One for those who like the finer things in life, 150 Central Park is the premium specialty restaurant onboard Oasis and Allure of the Seas. I have not come across a concept quite like this on any other ship and it left an impressive impact on me. Created by award-winning Chef James Beard, he brings his distinct flavours alive in this intimate and charming restaurant.

Located in the centre of the Central Park, its boutique style exterior is set deep within the lush greenery. Once the door has been opened by one of the immaculately dressed hosts, you are guided to a table that looks like it has been prepared for the Queen. The grand domed chairs are my favourite touch.

Featuring two rotating six-course menus per cruise, each set course is accompanied with the perfect wine to enhance each dish into an explosion of deliciousness. Although each of the six dishes are fairly small, do not let this deceive, as every course compliments each other and ensures you are more than satisfied by the end.

A signature Cucumber Martini (only available here) at the beginning is then followed by a selection of breads. The waiter will then explain the salts that are available to have with your bread, a really interesting concept. From here expect to experience Citrus-Chipotle Crab Salad, Sablefish and the iconic 150 central Park Candy Bar.

Available on: Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas

Cover charge: $75 per person

Atmosphere: Upscale

My favourite dish: Pumpkin Bread Gnocchi

East – P&O Cruises

The restaurant of flavours, East was created by Michelin star chef Atul Kochhar who has brought his much-loved Indian style to the cruise world. Showcasing his modern Indian cuisine with a British twist, East sets all the senses alive and gives you the ultimate dining experience.

Kochhar has explored flavours from across the Far East and infuses them in all of the dishes available at East. There are two inspiring menus available onboard that showcase his most exotic dishes.

The interior design boasts deep red and gold décor that illuminates a charming atmosphere throughout. It is not only the food that allows you to have a special evening here, but the atmosphere and regular presence of chefs make it a memorable dining experience.

With an extensive menu it is hard to choose but rest assured whatever choice you make you will not be disappointed. From spiced meats, fish dishes and an array of vegetarian options, it is Indian cuisine as you’ve never seen it.

Available on: Ventura, Arcadia

Cover charge: £15 per person

Atmosphere: Oriental

My favourite dish: Malaysian Vegetable Parcel

Tuscan Grille – Celebrity Cruises

A steak house with an Italian bistro is a couple rarely seen together at sea, until the launch of Tuscan Grille. Celebrity Cruises wanted a restaurant that was elegant yet edgy to showcase an array of distinct dishes.

Tuscan Grille has an exciting character that creates an infectious sense of smiles and enjoyment within every visitor. With its casual style, it allows guests to enjoy elegant food in a more contemporary setting.

It's bright lighted entrance entices you to go further as you walk through a small tunnel-like walk way before leading to the bright, open restaurant that boasts floor to ceiling windows overlooking the ocean.

Steak is the highlight at Tuscan Grille. Celebrity’s corn-fed USDA steaks are bursting with juicy flavour and incredible tenderness. For the none-steak lovers you can choose the salmon and seabass that is sent to your table sizzling from the grill. A range of salads and pasta dishes are also popular choices.

Available on: Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Reflection 

Cover charge: $35 per person

Atmosphere: Modern

My favourite dish: Ravioli de carne di Manzo Brasata - Homemade braised beef ravioli with wild forest mushroom truffle sauce

Crown Grill – Princess Cruises

Everyone loves a Steakhouse, so what sets one above the other? For me, Crown Grill is the ultimate in cruise line steakhouses.

Recently voted 'Best Cruise Ship Steakhouse' by USA Today, it’s no surprise why. From its deep brown décor, grand dining tables and menu to-die-for, no other steakhouse will compare. Crown Grill is a large sized restaurant and can accommodate a fair amount of guests which is great as it appears to be one of the most popular restaurants onboard with a number of guests going back a second and third time.

A stand-out feature is the open theatre-style kitchen that displays the chefs cooking up their surprises. The large fire oven oozes tantalising aromas that leave you eager for the waiters to present you with your chosen dishes.

The chefs prepare custom made dishes including steamed lobster, prime steaks and the classic Filet Mignon. Other dishes featured on this extensive menu include a white wine muscle pot, Chilean sea bass and grilled tiger prawns.

Available on: Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Ruby Princess

Cover charge: $25 per person

Atmosphere: Rustic 

My favourite dish: Porterhouse - The best of the filet and sirloin grilled on the bone. I also have to mention the Molten Dutch Chocolate Fudge Obsession dessert!

By Sally Grimes

http://www.iglucruise.com/blog/2014/05/08/top-10-specialty-restaurants-at-sea 

Tags: cruise, cruise food, cruise dining, dining, specialty restaurants, cruise restaurant
Categories: Food
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Featured CD: Bovea y Sus Vallenatos (Los Cantos Vallenatos de Escalona)

This CD review is, by necessity, about much more than the CD. There is a whole context behind it that I have to explain in order to transmit the significance of a particular piece of music.

Back in 1983, when my interest in the folklore of Latin America was confirmed, I had the opportunity to visit Colombia again for three weeks after having spent a year there on a Fulbright scholarship in 1980-81. This time, what brought me there was my then-fiancée Adriana and my first "meet the parents" visit to their home in Bogotá. We had met in Philadelphia in 1982, got engaged, and after her visa expired later that year, communicated through snail mail and very infrequent, expensive long-distance calls. Remember, this was pre-Internet, pre-Skype, pre-Facebook and pre-everything else.

When I arrived at the airport, I was humbled and overwhelmed by the reception of many people, not only Adriana and her family but also several friends I had met during my year of study. So many had come out, it looked like an official welcoming committee.

While I was in Bogotá and juggling visits to Adriana´s family and my friends, I also had an enormous curiosity to delve further into an interest in culture, and particularly music, that had grown since I finished my one-year grant. One of the styles of music was the popular "vallenato" music, a regional style from
Colombia´s Caribbean coastal region, though not exactly from the coast but rather a valley slightly inland, the same area where Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez was born.

The word "vallenato" refers to a person who lives in the area surrounding the principal city in the valley, Valledupar. This style of music has a relation with the merengue from the Dominican Republic and developed during the 20th century. One of its principal composers was Rafael Escalona (1927-2009), who began creating songs in the 1940s and was a legend in his country. Like García Márquez, Escalona had a great gift for storytelling.

With this information I proceeded to one of the largest record stores in Bogotá, called "Mercado Mundial del Disco" ("World Record Market") whose slogan was "Disco que no tengamos, no existe!" (A record that we don´t have, doesn´t exist!) Of course, this was in the days of LPs and cassettes. I asked about classic vallenato music, and the seller produced the LP of the songs of Escalona, sung by the group (Julio) Bovea y Sus Vallenatos. When I first listened to it, I was disappointed because I expected to hear the accordion, whereas this music was with guitars, along with the scraper and drum. It was explained to me that there was vallenato music interpreted on the guitar, and the more I listened to it, the more I liked it, and it quickly became one of my favorites. When CDs became available, I was able to purchase the album, which added a few songs from the same group that did have the accordion as the lead instrument.

Escalona´s life was often the subject of these songs, and the best known song on the album is "La Casa en el Aire" (The House in the Air), which has the "son" rhythm. In the song Escalona fantasizes how he is going to build a house in the air so that he can protect his daughter Ada Luz from any potential suitors. While I like this song, my absolute favorite is "El Testamento" (paseo rhythm), which describes how Escalona has to leave his girlfriend to travel to Santa Marta to attend school.

As you can imagine, I identify that music with that whole period in my life, which has led to many wonderful things, especially my marriage to Adriana and the ties to her family. Even without that context, the music is highly infectious and will motivate you to dance.

A side note: Colombian singer Carlos Vives began his climb to fame by starring in the soap opera "Escalona" in 1991, based on the life of the composer. My favorite episode was a fictional one that appropriated the legend of "Francisco el Hombre," an accordionist who wins a duel with the devil by singing the Creed in reverse. The segment can be found on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WwBhKIO7k4

This album is available on iTunes. Amazon.com doesn´t have mp3 files of this album for sale but you can find the link to the CD at http://www.amazon.com/Cantos-Vallenatos-Escalona-Bovea-Sus/dp/B00008FZ3J/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_aud?ie=UTF8&qid=1404299899&sr=8-1&keywords=bovea+y+sus+vallenatos+los+cantos+vallenatos+de+escalona

Please check out my Facebook pages "Mike Esposito´s Travel Blog" and "Folklorelatino" (in Spanish).

Bibliography and discography of Latin American and Caribbean music - an ongoing project

Grupo Etnia performs Andean music at the Festival of the Sun at the National Museum of the American Indian, part of the Smithsonian in Washington, DC

One of my favorite pastimes is listening to music from Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean. Over the years I've developed some favorites. While I like mainstream music like salsa and merengue, I especially like to highlight styles of music that may not get as much attention, so as to level the playing field a little.

In the future I will highlight books, CDs, videos and other materials related to this subject, and intend to make this a recurring theme without any set deadline or limit. I hope that you enjoy these as I post them.

Check out my Twitter account @meesposito and my Facebook pages "Mike Esposito's Travel Blog" and "Folklorelatino" (in Spanish) or more information related to travel and culture.

What makes the island of Saba special

The small planes that land on the short runway of Saba

I visited the Dutch Caribbean island of Saba in 2002, only spending two days there, but the images I picked up on my trip stayed with me to this day. I've tried reading about Saba in other articles and even consulted a book called Island Wise by Janis Frawley-Holler, which describes lessons that the author learned while visiting several small islands, to see if I could put my finger on its elusive character, even compared to other small islands. In those accounts, I didn't find the quality that I was looking to describe, so I decided to try myself.

My purpose for visiting St. Martin, Saba and Statia in 2002 was to study the islands' music and interview local musicians. It required considerable preparation and even then there were unexpected events that changed my plans somewhat - mostly changes in the schedule that were not too difficult to overcome.

I tried very hard not to idealize Saba, which has problems like any other place on earth. In spite of the fact that crime is almost nil, I know from my own experience that people are in close quarters there, know each other's business, sometimes don't get along, disagree on one issue or another, may compete with their neighbors for some political favor, or face issues that may not be a problem in a larger society, such as the unavailability of items that may force them to go to nearby St. Martin to purchase them. I tried to be an impartial observer for the short time I was there.

Saba is not your typical Caribbean island. For one, it sits like a gigantic boulder in the middle of the sea, and has only one beach at Well's Bay which is submerged for much of the year. Much is made of its airport which has one of the shortest runways in the world on the only flat area on the island, appropriately named Flat Point. This very small area is at the very end of Saba and is surrounded by the sea, so making a precise landing was crucial. The plane had to fly parallel to, and very near, a high cliff on the island before landing, and it appeared as if the right wing were going to get smashed by the edge of that cliff. What was more striking to me than this image was the fact that the airplane only needed half the runway to land; it felt like a cross between a plane landing and a helicopter landing.

Many people who visit Saba are divers who want to explore the richness of its underwater life. I was decidedly a landlubber, so I was more inclined to go hiking, which has its own rewards in the variety of plants and microclimates. At dawn I took on the hike to the top of Mt. Scenery, the highest peak on the island, accessible from 1064 steps carved out of the rock. Toward the top, the terrain becomes a humid cloud forest with many varieties of ferns that benefit from the continuous mist. The top of Mt. Scenery is often covered with clouds, so the purpose is not the view but rather walking through the forest.

Saba makes an effort to standardize the color and construction of houses, all of which have a gingerbread look. (Because of this uniqueness, the island had tried applying to UNESCO to make their island a World Heritage Site.) Besides the quaintness that this look creates, what also struck me was how incredibly clean the whole island was. I don't have even a recollection of a discarded piece of paper on the ground anywhere. We who are used to seeing trash, litterbugs, dirty restrooms and the like can't help but be impressed. Another observation I made was that at nighttime the island got incredibly dark. Not that I felt unsafe, but I tried to imagine what it must have been like in a small village many years ago before street lights were the norm.

What also was noteworthy was that people felt comfortable to be more direct with the visitor, engage him/her in conversation, and wave at them even if they were strangers. Once in a bar, a young man came up to me and asked me if I would find some time to play soccer with him. I didn't get to do this with my schedule, but it just seemed interesting that he would ask me. Expats who lived on the island for any length of time exhibited these characteristics themselves. There was one expat couple whom I approached to ask where someone lived. They were inside their house - the man of the house was on the computer - but the door was wide open so I peeked in and asked my question. The result was that I felt like part of the island within a short time and enjoyed engaging in conversation with both locals and visitors.

I rented a car and recall a few interesting details. First, the gentleman who rented me the car picked me up at my hotel and took me to where I would pick up the car, but asked me to sit in the back because he had a passenger in the front - a lamb! After I picked up my car and started driving on the island's winding roads - necessary because of the extremely hilly terrain - I saw an abandoned car that had crashed into the side of one of the concrete barriers and concluded, correctly or incorrectly, that it was a visitor that had tried to drive too fast around the hairpin turns.

While in St. Martin waiting for my flight to Saba I had the chance to meet an 89-year-old woman from the sister island of St. Eustatius (Statia), who engaged me in conversation. I don't recall her name now, but when I was on Saba chatting with a 76-year-old banjo maker named Alwyn "Buck" Caines, who had moved there from Statia many years ago, I asked him if he knew her. He said yes and commented enthusiastically, "Could she dance!"

Though the island feels isolated, the people do keep up with what is going on, particularly through cable TV. One gentleman, learning that I was from Philadelphia, talked to me about how the Philadelphia Phillies were doing and how one of their star players was not playing to his potential.

One evening I went to a bar in The Bottom to see a group perform. They were Caribbean-style rappers who called themselves the Destruction Band. The bar crowd was very small and I felt sorry for the rappers, who would have felt more at home in a larger venue. These places are usually for the locals and will generally not draw a crowd anyway. When I left the bar, I was approached by a young man who asked me to give him a ride to the town of St. John's. Normally he would have had to walk the entire way back to his house unless someone happened to be driving in his direction. On an island like Saba, there is no fear of giving someone a ride even if you don't know them.

The two days went by very quickly and the next stop on my Caribbean tour was the nearby island of Statia. When I finished with the rental car, I could just park it at Saba's small airport and leave the key in the ashtray, as there was no fear that anyone would steal it. I had meant to give a CD to Glenn Holm, Saba's director of tourism, but had forgotten to do so, so when I got ready to leave I just left it with a gentleman at the airport and asked him to get it to Glenn. The takeoff from the small airport was smooth and actually the landing at Statia was rougher than at Saba because of some strong crosswinds that seemed determined to push the small aircraft off course.

Probably the most interesting observation that I took from my trip to Saba is that Sabans are hard-working people but laid back at the same time. These seem like contradictions but they don't have to be. We in the northeastern part of the US seem to associate hard work with nervousness, packing too much into our schedule, rushing meals and running around, and can learn a valuable lesson from the Sabans regarding how to pace ourselves.

Check out my Twitter account @meesposito and my Facebook page "Mike Esposito's Travel Blog" for more travel-related information.

Montego Bay and the NAJASO Convention - July 18-21, 2013

Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller addresses the NAJASO Convention

Diana and I returned to Montego Bay on July 18 from Kingston in the afternoon and arrived 30 minutes late at the Secrets Montego Bay for the NAJASO conference welcome. The mayor of Montego Bay, the Director of Tourism, the Governor General of Jamaica, the president of NAJASO and others gave speeches. Afterwards was a cocktail reception and music by The Mighty Beestons, this time with bass and drum set added. Diana dropped me off at Sandals Carlyle at about 10:30. My room number was 303. Showered, tried to sleep but was too hungry, so went down to the bar/restaurant area for a late snack of chicken fajita wrap. Room 303 has a balcony with a nice view of the Hip Strip (toward the south) and the small beach to the right.

July 19: The breakfast buffet at Secrets had varieties of cheeses, also had a ham and cheese omelet, along with a banana smoothie and coffee, and lots of water. Waitress was nice and called to me when I forgot my suit jacket. 

There was some delay in starting the seminar, but the AM focus was on education. There was some networking time afterwards. At lunch the keynote speaker was the leader of opposition and former Prime Minister.

Arriving at Secrets Montego Bay

Ate escovitched snapper at lunch buffet at Secrets, accompanied by sweet potatoes, salad and rice with peas. Dessert was chocolate mousse and key lime cheese cake with caramelized pineapple. Had lots of Ting soda, rum punch and coffee.

The afternoon was dedicated to tourism. Diana led the panel discussion with the ex-Tourism Minister, Theo Chambers and the rep from the Jamaica Tourist Board. Diana asked me to provide a short testimonial, and I said that my experience far surpassed any other tourism and culture experience that I had. 

Diana McIntyre-Pike poses with Rick Nugent (left) and Dr. Alston Meade

After the end, we stepped outside for photos, and I didn't stay for the panel discussion on Six Sigma because Diana had to leave early. I got back to Sandals Carlyle, showered and went down to the Jacuzzi.

Later I went to the dining area for dinner. One of the waiters told me that there was a dress code and that I needed to wear a shirt with a collar. I obliged and returned. I had two pieces of what tasted like raisin bread and ordered spring rolls for appetizers, followed up by an entree of snapper with rice and vegetables. Dessert was a flambé. Afterwards, I went back to poolside and let myself nap to soft music from the iPod.

Housekeeping had my laundry ready at about 10:20 PM - a pleasant surprise.

Streamer tail hummingbird in the garden at Sandals Carlyle

July 20: Had our 8:30 AM mtg with Christopher Elliott, Diana and Khadine Daley at Sandals Carlyle. Christopher is the General Manager of the resort and Khadine was in charge of media relations.) Lots of good discussion, and we learned that Sandals is also connected with community outreach. Diana and I went to Secrets, we caught the tail end of the young professionals meeting and part of the medical professionals meeting. I met the former honorary consul of Jamaica in Philadelphia, Dr. Alston Meade and had a nice conversation with him regarding how he got his start in the city.  Lunch was buffet style at Secrets with Diana, Theo Chambers and Melida Harris-Barrow of Panama. 

In the afternoon I went back to Sandals Carlyle and rested by getting a beef patty for a snack, lying in a hammock, taking pictures of a hummingbird, resting in the hot tub, lying on a float in the pool, and swimming. Later I showered and got ready for the banquet. The Prime Minister of Jamaica was in attendance. There was lots of dancing in that nice, easy reggae style and we didn't get back to my hotel until 12:30 AM.

July 21: Breakfast at Sandals Carlyle: gave most of photos and videos to Diana (she doesn't have those from camcorder or iPhone). During breakfast she was copying them from my two memory cards to her laptop. We also had a good conversation but I was preoccupied with the time and don't recall it, except that she was also going to copy all the photos for Sandals Carlyle to use, and perhaps some discussion of her upcoming trip to St. Kitts to set up the community tourism network with those islands. She took me to Sandals Royal Caribbean for the tour with Rochelle. There was little time but I was able to see the spa and other parts that Adriana and I may have overlooked last year. I recall mentioning to Rochelle my experiences in Treasure Beach, particularly Jakes and the unique room I stayed in. I hopped on the shuttle and Rochelle continued the tour at Sandals Montego Bay, including the chapel sometimes used for weddings and the restaurants. Sandals let me use a room to change, complete with whirlpool bath -very nice! I had lunch (pizza), a pina colada at the bar and a little beach time before heading to the airport. 

I had dropped a memory card in Diana's car, but fortunately it was an empty one that I had bought in Black River and didn't work in my camera anyway. I had also left my toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash in my room at Sandals Carlyle, thinking I was going to return to the room but then time ran out and I forgot that I left those items there on purpose to brush my teeth there and then pack them. My tie, which I kept misplacing at various intervals, had disappeared altogether when it was time for the reception at Secrets on July 20.

Checkin was smooth and I was able to pay for my checked bags in Jamaican dollars. I had to transfer items from one bag to another because the first bag was over the weight limit. I used a skycap for the bags and the tip is $1 per checked bag (displayed on sign).

Check out my Twitter account @meesposito and my Facebook page "Mike Esposito's Travel Blog" for more travel-related information.

Jamaica: Kingston, Portland, the Blue Mountains, and back to Montego Bay

Lunch with Jacqueline DaCosta at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston. Jackie helped create the Best Village Competition in Jamaica

Part of a series on a two-week trip to Jamaica in July 2013

7/16: Diana McIntyre-Pike and I traveled from Mandeville to Kingston with Diana driving the rental car. I took part of the time asking Diana questions about Countrystyle Community Tourism Network, her non-governmental organization (NGO) and then fell asleep for about 30 minutes because I hadn't slept well the night before. We had lunch at the Spanish Court Hotel, both of us meeting with Jacqueline DaCosta, who ran the Best Village competition that she and Diana helped establish to reward communities that worked to improve the quality of life of their residents via economic initiatives, conservation and other measures. Diana, of course, was instrumental in arranging this meeting. We later met two people from the hotel staff, one of which gave me a tour of the hotel, which is attractive and geared toward business travelers, before Diana drove us to Buff Bay to stop at her boyfriend's parents, the Bonitto family, who have been married since 1961. At the house I had juice and coffee with fruit before we set out for Charles Town, home of one Maroon community. (Maroons are the descendants of islanders who resisted slavery and established their own free communities.) It was dark when we arrived. 

On the way to Kingston, Diana said that in spite of Spanish Town's Spanish colonial buildings, she doesn't take people there because it is unsafe - a real shame because the history of Jamaica before the English occupation deserves recognition.

It may have been at the Bonitto's house or at lunch that Diana explained that she worked at the Holiday Inn in Montego Bay in the early 70s, didn't like the hotel's non-native food selection and had a run-in with her manager over the hotel's policies of discouraging guests from leaving the property to eat. After studying in Germany, she returned and established her community tourism program shortly after that (in 1978).

The Maroon family in Charles Town that hosted me: Oliver, his wife Annette in the center, and two of their children. Tish, the young woman on the right, is a visitor from Oakland

At Charles Town, I spoke with Frank Lumsden, the Maroon Colonel, and then went to the house of a Maroon woman named Annette who had the guest room in her house prepared. She served a dinner with chicken and potatoes, white rice and salad. The kids were watching a video. A young woman visiting from Oakland named Tish, still in college, ate with me and explained that she had visited there on a student program, got along very well with the family and returned. In fact it was the first real experience with family that she had, given her upbringing in difficult circumstances in Oakland. After dinner I spoke with the Maroon woman about the community and the Maroon conference that was held in Charles Town in June 2013. 

I asked Annette about the similarities and differences between Maroons and Rastas, and she replied that you can be a Maroon and a Rasta at the same time. (Being Maroon, of course, is dependent on your lineage.) There was a family in the community with the last name of Douglas who fit that description.

The room was the most rustic of the places I stayed during my visit to Jamaica. A curtain hangs in place of a door between the living room and the bedroom. It did have its own bathroom, also rustic, although in that case there was a door. The woman set up a fan but she had to stretch the extension cord for it to reach as the room itself, while it has a light, doesn't have any outlets. This is one place where you can appreciate how many Jamaicans live - very basic, but what they have they give freely. Not every visitor is suited for this type of experience, but if you want to understand people as they live and not just tend to your own comfort, this is the way to do it. In my view the rewards are substantial.

The Maroon community center in Charles Town preserves the heritage of the Maroons, descendants of islanders who resisted slavery

7/17: I was up early for breakfast at the homestay. Annette served ackee with saltfish, fried green plantain, and cooked green banana with coffee. 

We packed up quickly and went to see Frank Lumsden at the Maroon center. There was no set agenda, simply a tour of the museum and grounds, watching people do a demo of drumming (they do not do kumina or nyabingi drumming, but a style called Kromanti drumming) and learning about some of the frustrations of half-completed government projects. There was ample opportunity for discussion during the visit on topics such as the origin of jerk pork and jerk chicken among the Maroons, the efforts to identify people claiming to be Maroon through their genealogy, and key events in Maroon history. I knew that an American researcher named Kenneth Bilby had spent considerable time with the Maroons, and asked Frank how long it took Ken to earn their trust initially. Frank said "four years" but since that time Ken has returned to the community, most recently at the Maroon convention in June. At the end, while sitting in Frank's office, I had time to play some music from Colombia for Frank and show two videos to the schoolteacher. She wanted her kids to see the Latin video, so I paused it and the kids, the teacher and Frank were thrilled by it. I later purchased another copy of the video and sent it to him. Frank made a point that exposure to this information was precisely what his community needed. That experience was probably the best moment of the entire Jamaica trip for me.

Diana and I stopped at the Bonitto house and then went toward Boston Bay for jerk chicken for lunch. This could be called a touristy attraction due to the in your face attitude of the vendors, though the food was good. We both bought costume jewelry from vendors there.

The coastline was very pretty, and we also managed to stop at the Mockingbird Hill Hotel to talk to Shireen Aga, one of its owners. The grounds are gorgeous and the discussion, although short, was lively. The hotel's restaurant, Mille Fleurs, has a great reputation. Nonetheless, it is a challenge to get visitors to consider staying in that area because of the focus on other parts of the island for tourism.

Flowers abound at the Mockingbird Hill Hotel

I caught another nap on the way to Kingston, but woke up in time to get a quick view of Castleton Gardens from the road. Lush tropical trees from the gardens were impossible to miss.

We stopped at Jackie DaCosta's house in an affluent part of Kingston to wash and change for the CVM TV show Live at 7. (While in Montego Bay at the beginning of my Jamaica trip, I had learned via a phone call that I would be appearing on the show as a guest to talk about my experience with community tourism in Jamaica.) The host of Live at 7, Simon Croskill, was not favorably disposed toward Diana's idea of community tourism and did not hide his skepticism toward the concept, but on the panel we had Carolyn Hayle from The University of the West Indies and myself to defend it, and Damion Crawford of the Ministry of Tourism to espouse the opposing point of view in his support of a more traditional model of resort tourism which, at the risk of oversimplification, could be referred to as "heads and beds." From my perspective I considered the exchange a draw. 

Afterwards it was back to Jackie's house to meet Jackie's husband and have a delicious dinner with stewed beef, shrimp and rice with salad, and coconut ice cream for dessert. Carolyn met us there as well for dinner. There was much more discussion on many topics including international politics, and I wound up checking in at the Indies Hotel, a nice small hotel in Kingston, at 11 PM.

The courtyard at the Indies Hotel, a small hotel in Kingston

7/18: I had breakfast with Diana at the Indies Hotel, and then we proceeded to Jennifer Lyn's house to pick her up and go to her small hotel, Forres Park, in the Blue Mountains region. We toured both the grounds in the surrounding hills and the rooms in the hotel; it was a clear day so that Blue Mountain Peak, the highest mountain in Jamaica, could be clearly seen. Forres Park has a conference and game room with a view of the mountain right behind. 

One of many ways to relax at Forres Park, in the Blue Mountains region

While at Forres Park we met a couple from Quebec who agreed to represent Diana's organization in Canada. I had a refreshing juice with ginger, and later tried to photograph hummingbirds with the quick shutter speed, though I still had things to learn about taking those types of pictures. We later took the winding mountain road back down to Kingston to drop off Jennifer at her house. We stopped at Diana's brother Raymond's architectural firm to meet him and his business partner and pick up boxes of brochures for the NAJASO convention. We made our way to Heroes Circle so that I could take a picture of the Simon Bolivar statue, which was a gift to Jamaica from the Venezuelan government. I wanted to go to the corner where Simon Bolivar stayed while he lived in exile in Kingston in 1815 (Princess and Tower Streets) and wrote his famous "Letter from Jamaica" detailing his plans to liberate South America from Spanish colonial rule. The area in many ways does not reveal its history and is now a dangerous neighborhood with the streets full of potholes. The house where Bolivar stayed is long gone but there are other old English colonial and colonial style buildings nearby, which, if they were restored, could be converted into a tourist attraction. My impression, just based on my interactions with people during the trip and what I could see of the focus of tourism efforts, is that Jamaica is still conflicted about showcasing its colonial past - the wounds are still fresh after only 51 years of independence - and does not handle this type of historic preservation consistently across the island. Jennifer Lyn had left her books in the car so we swung by her house to drop them off before leaving Kingston shortly before 2 PM.

The Mighty Beestons Mento Band at the NAJASO convention in Montego Bay

We were behind and needed to make up time on the toll road to get to Montego Bay in time for the NAJASO convention opening. (This convention is made up of Jamaicans living abroad who discuss ways to assist the island in various capacities, including medicine.) We stopped for gas in the vicinity of May Pen, and at a drive-through restaurant to order patties and coco bread - a delightful Jamaican combination - for lunch in Clarendon Parish. We stopped in Mandeville and took pictures with Junior, a gentleman who helps Diana with transportation for the community tours. We proceeded to the Mandeville Hotel to shower and change (for me, Room 400, which is a suite that will be remodeled). Diana's sister-in-law runs the hotel. We were quickly back on the road, going to Middle Quarters and then driving to Montego Bay via New Market. We arrived 30 minutes late at Secrets Montego Bay for the NAJASO conference welcome, but still managed to socialize and catch the performance of "The Mighty Beestons" mento band. The band played tunes that delighted the attendees at the convention, inspiring people to dance. In my next and final installment, I will describe the NAJASO conference and how it served to provide a fitting end to my two-week Jamaica visit.

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