Jamaica trip (continued): Black River, Treasure Beach, and Mandeville

Crocodile in Black River

For this post I decided not to stray too much from my diary entries.

7/13/13: An even more intense day than 7/12. I took photos on the beach and sat down with Astil Gage of Beeston Spring, Westmoreland for breakfast. Barbara Powell, owner of the Paradise Ocean View Hotel (with her husband), accompanied us to Black River to show us inside the Anglican Church and to view other buildings such as the US medical school and even the emergency room of the local hospital! Our next stop was the Black River Safari and the crocodiles. Two of them fought briefly but it was too fast for the camera. At the top of the river there was a woman's store where I bought a Red Stripe beer and a bridge where people dive into the river to swim. We met a group from Brussels and I had a brief opportunity to practice some Dutch. We dropped off Barbara at her hotel and went into town to buy coco bread and a memory card for my camcorder (which didn't work with the camcorder).

Lunch was curried shrimp at Middle Quarters. 

We went to YS (pronounced "wise") Falls and spoke with the director, Simon Browne, and hopped aboard the shuttle (pulled by a tractor), to the falls and pools. We had a limited amount of time there but enough to enjoy the surroundings. In spite of the number of people there, it still gives off an air of relaxation even as you marvel at the falls.

Only one of many views available at YS Falls

We drove to Treasure Beach and then I dropped off Astil at the gas station to pick up a taxi, then I drove back to Treasure Beach and gave rides to four people in total (one first, then three others) before arriving at the Treasure Beach Hotel. Melonie Wallace, the owner, joined me for dinner where I ate shrimp with mashed potatoes, and ice cream. I had Sauvignon Blanc, Ting and lots of water. The server, Grayon, was excellent and even spread my napkin on my lap. There were similar details when she went to pour water or serve food. 

When I checked into my room (47), I was delighted to see a heart-shaped towel on my bed with flowers. There were flowers in other parts of the room, including the bathroom and even the toilet paper roll! The room also has a small lounge area and features a four-poster bed made by a local craftsman who made all the beds for the hotel.

7/14: This day was mostly for relaxing, and the Treasure Beach Hotel provided a wonderful opportunity for that. Melonie Wallace, the owner, encouraged me to experience the place's atmosphere, and so I walked around the grounds and the nearby beach to allow myself to be swept away by its delightful ambience of lush tropical vegetation and stunning sea views. It was a fabulous antidote to a year of intense work on Consent Decree at McNeil. Speaking with Melonie at breakfast was equally delightful. I met an elderly couple at poolside, and the gentleman who called himself "Uncle Son" happened to be Diana's cousin, back in Jamaica after many years in England. I stayed in Room 47, on the second floor of one of several small buildings (4 rooms apiece) that covered the grounds. 

In the afternoon, I checked out and at Jack Sprat Restaurant met up with Dennis Abrahams, who conducts boat tours and is the driving force behind the community tourism endeavor at Treasure Beach. We had a great conversation and covered topics from politics to waste disposal to health care. The dinner of garlic conch with bammy and festival (a fritter) washed down with Ting soda was great. 

Later at about 6:00 it was to Jake's next door for checkin. As I was on my way to the front desk, I ran into Tracy Barry, owner of The Landing Hotel in Harbour Island, Bahamas. I knew her from email and Facebook but had never met her in person, so it was a wonderful coincidence - two of them in the same day!

I thought of an unrelated trip detail while writing this. It had to do with Number 11 mangoes, a common theme of Caribbean folk songs. Astil had some of these in the car with him. I don't remember where we got them.

Like Treasure Beach, Jake's is filled with details that delight the visitor. The cottages, with what I would call a funky version of Gaudiesque architecture, are designed so that you have a private, unobstructed view of the sea and its pounding waves. The decor suggests a romantic getaway. Your bed faces the sea directly and you can even choose to leave the doors open and hang mosquito netting while you sleep. Likewise, there are beds on the roof of the cottage that afford you the same opportunity. Your bathtub and shower are outside (the toilet and sink are inside in a separate room), and concealed from anyone else's view, and in my case, I bathed under the stars. I loved the terry cloth bathrobes that are made available for coming out of the bath area. The fridge is stocked with beverages which come included. I'm sure the owner knew that most guests absolutely hate the mini-bar system and all the ridiculous lengths that hotel chains go through to track your use of it. There was an iPod player which unfortunately worked only part of the time. The rooms have colorful names, and I stayed in "Octopus 3". There was an octopus in mosaic tiles on one of the walls of the outdoor bathing area.

The crescent moon made a nice reflection on the water. After the moon set, I was treated to an enviable view of the stars.

Capturing some stars after fussing with the settings on my camera

7/15: I rose very early, first at 2:30 and again at 4:00, and at 4 was determined to learn how to photograph stars because the sky was full of them. I fumbled in the dark with my camera and the iPhone searching online for the instructions because the camera's instructions were very limited. I had to learn about shutter speed, aperture and focal length and see how I could control these on the Sony CyberShot. I made various attempts over about 45 minutes until I succeeded learning how to set a 30 second shutter speed on the camera. I took two pictures just in time because the first rays of light appeared at about 5:00 and the stars slowly began to disappear. I can't overstate my delight at entering this new realm of my photography skills. I played around with shots of the sunrise until it was bright enough to revert to the automatic settings. Then I went between loading photos onto the laptop and taking new ones. I showered in the outdoor shower, this time under the morning sky, and got my things ready.

I had a cheese omelet for breakfast (I had had eggs at TBH the day before) and was introduced to Sally Herzell, the owner's mother and the designer of the unique cottages at Jake's. It was a great conversation but we had to stop when it was time to make the rounds at Treasure Beach with Dennis Abrahams. We toured several properties, the Women's Benevolent Society, BREDS and the Sports Park. I went back to Jake's for a tour of the rooms and the spa, drove behind Dennis to Rebecca's house (she is an expat from Massachusetts who conducts tours), and went solo to Mandeville. I was slowed down when my left side mirror hit the open door of a taxi parked on the side of the road (the mirror was smashed but the frame was intact), but proceeded to Mandeville and after a few wrong turns found the Mandeville Hotel. I had an afternoon snack with Diana, her sister-in-law who runs the hotel, and another gentleman connected with Countrystyle. We stopped at a craft shop stocked with items made in Jamaica, spoke with a leather belt maker and a drummer who played a drum he had made (he even planted the tree used to make the drum), and went on to rendezvous with people involved with Countrystyle before proceeding to Valerie Dixon's house for the Homestay. Over dinner we had a lively discussion about how to proceed with Countrystyle and the group wanted to know what led me to be interested. I replied that Diana's initiative was unique in that not only did it affirm the folk culture but also put it squarely in the hands of the people, and that this was the only instance I knew of it being implemented across an entire nation. I had some mint tea and dessert and continued my discussion with Valerie and her husband until late after the others had left.

Heliconias in Valerie Dixon's garden, near Mandeville

7/16: I woke early and accompanied Valerie Dixon to her garden, where she showed me what she was growing and what her gardener was harvesting, and noted that last night's pumpkin soup was from a pumpkin pulled fresh from the garden. Likewise, the goat meat at dinner was from one of the goats that pastured in her field. She just didn't like being there when they were slaughtered. 

Breakfast consisted of ackee and saltfish, white and yellow yams, and breadfruit accompanied with chocolate. I showed Valerie a video from a Latin music and dance performance that I had organized in Philadelphia in 2002 and she asked me to make me a copy. 

Diana first took me to the Blue Mountain coffee factory in Mandeville, and I got a tour of the facility. Later we went to Kingston; I took part of the time asking Diana questions about her NGO and then fell asleep for about 30 minutes because I hadn't slept well the night before.

My favorite Caribbean beaches

For a beach to rate among my favorites, it usually has to have powdery white sand, calm blue or bluish-green waters that I can float in, and a beautiful setting. If it doesn't have one of these characteristics, it can have some other factor that compensates for not having one of the others. I consider myself very fortunate to have enjoyed a number of these, and it's hard to pick an all-time favorite. All of the Caribbean beaches I highlight here have something special to offer.

Playa Flamenco (Flamenco Beach), on the small island of Culebra, which lies to the east of the main island of Puerto Rico, has a dramatic crescent-shaped white-sand beach. Culebra is accessible by ferry from Fajardo, or you can brave a small prop plane from San Juan - the way I decided to go. The waves, at least when I was there, were not conducive to floating, but the panoramic view is incredible, and as there is only one small hotel along the whole crescent, the location is as unspoiled looking as can be expected in our day and age. The sticks in the first picture formed an enclosure where sea turtle eggs were protected.

Playa Flamenco, Culebra, Puerto Rico, with sea turtle egg enclosure

Another view of Playa Flamenco, Culebra, Puerto Rico

Pink Sands Beach, on Harbour Island (near Eleuthera) in the Bahamas, has the edge over Playa Flamenco in terms of the calmness of the water, though it doesn't have the dramatic crescent shape that Playa Flamenco has. However, the hues that the pinkish sand and the water form are remarkable. There are a few entrances to the beach but my favorite is between the Pink Sands Resort and the Coral Sands Resort. As you walk down the short hill through lush vegetation, the beautiful beach opens up before your eyes. There are a string of low-key, but expensive, properties that sit on this hill overlooking the beach. (Think location, location, location!) If the accommodations are out of your price range, you can take a day ferry to Harbour Island from Nassau.

Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas

Pink Sands Resort overlooks the beautiful Pink Sands Beach on Harbour Island

Grace Bay Beach, on Provo in the Turks and Caicos Islands, is 12 miles long and also forms a nice crescent. The waters are calm and relaxing, and diving options are available. In spite of the development along its shores, the beach is clean and the water is clear. While at this beach, I heard someone say that she felt that she "died and went to heaven." This view is from the Beaches Turks and Caicos resort.

Grace Bay Beach, Provo, Turks and Caicos Islands

Boquerón, also known as Cabo Rojo, is on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico. It is one of the eleven "balnearios" or public beaches on the island and has changing facilities close by. You're a short drive away from town and the view of the palm trees behind the beach is very nice.

Boquerón, Puerto Rico

Sandals Montego Bay in Jamaica has its own private beach, and what makes it a winner is having the accommodations and the food (especially the pizza!) in close proximity. The waters are definitely calm and good for relaxing. Couples take advantage of the romantic setting to reconnect. Even if you're staying at Sandals Carlyle or Sandals Royal Caribbean, you can take a shuttle to this resort and take advantage of the beach and other amenities.

Sandals Montego Bay, Jamaica

The beaches at South West Bay and Fresh Water Bay, in Providencia, a small island which is part of Colombia, don't have the prettiest sand, but they both have the huge advantage of being on an island that sees very little tourism and seems to exist in another dimension - a truly special place. In fact, when I speak about it to people, many of them don't seem to know of its existence. Add to the fact that you have to take two flights, or one flight and a catamaran, from Bogotá to get there, and it is likely that Providencia will remain tranquil.

South West Bay (Bahía Suroeste), Providencia, Colombia

Fresh Water Bay (Bahía Aguadulce), Providencia, Colombia

You can take a one-hour boat ride from Cartagena, Colombia to the area of 26 small islands called Islas del Rosario. We spent the day on this small beach located on an island in the chain called "La Media Naranja". The waters closest to the shore are crystal clear, and gradually deepen in color. We took a tour where a fresh fish dish was included for lunch.

Islas del Rosario, Colombia

Store Bay in Tobago is a small beach, but it has the added advantages of being walking distance from the airport and the jump-off point for the glass-bottom boats that take you to Buccoo Reef. Tobago is a short hop by air from Trinidad. Tobago is at the southern end of the Eastern Caribbean chain and suffers less from hurricane damage than its neighbors further north. This is another laid-back destination, and one of the locals came up to me to give me good advice, when it was clear that he had nothing to gain personally, and he was just being friendly and helpful.

Store Bay, Tobago

Cabbage Beach, also known as Paradise Beach, is on Paradise Island, Bahamas and easy walking distance from the Atlantis complex. There are waves, so it's not a gentle floating beach, but the nice white sand and the convenience more than make up for that. Atlantis, of course, has a wide variety of activities. There are two smaller beaches to the west of this one, also bordering Atlantis.

Cabbage Beach (aka Paradise Beach), Paradise Island, Bahamas

Shoal Bay in Anguilla has blindingly white sand and striking blue waters - it seems too good to be true.  The island itself is flat and scrubby, highlighting the fact that the true headliner is the shoreline. Anguilla is low-key and its accommodations are on the high end in terms of price. I found the people to be extremely friendly. As one islander put it, "Here on the island, we are all as one." To get to Anguilla, it's best to fly to St. Martin/St. Maarten and take the short ferry from Marigot, on the French side. Remember that crossing over to Anguilla is visiting another country, as it belongs to the UK, and you'll be asked to show your passport.

Shoal Bay Beach, Anguilla

Johnny Key, a short boat ride from San Andrés, in Colombia, has nice sand but very rough waters, which don't prevent people from attempting to swim in it. The rough water, though, is a gorgeous aquamarine color, probably the prettiest color I've seen anywhere. This is a very popular excursion, and you usually will pay one price for both the boat ride and a lunch of fresh fish.

Johnny Key, San Andrés, Colombia

Great Bay Beach in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, the Dutch side of the island shared between the Netherlands and France, was really busy when the cruise ships pulled in. I would go there early in the morning and float in the water, avoiding the midday crowds. This beach has the advantage of being conveniently located close to the restaurants and duty-free shops, though return visitors often will speak more highly of other beaches on the island. Still, because of the convenience, I found myself coming back here. This view of Great Bay was taken near Fort Willem, on a hill overlooking the bay.

Great Bay, St. Maarten

It would be difficult to argue that Negril, Jamaica does not have all that one needs to relax on the beach and in the water. For all its laid-back nature, its delights are well-organized for the visitor. Plenty of eating options, activities limited only by one's budget, and a wide variety of accommodations. Vendors can be persistent at times, but a local's advice to be polite but firm will take care of almost all situations. I didn't experience any major hassle from them, and my stay there was very enjoyable.

Seven Mile Beach in Negril, Jamaica

The Treasure Beach area in southern Jamaica has neither white sand nor calm waters, but there is something incredible about the surroundings that defies description. An air of tranquility blankets the entire region, beckoning you to relax, and resistance to its charms is futile. I allowed Treasure Beach work its magic on me as I walked the surroundings at the Treasure Beach Hotel and its lovely gardens, then stepped down to the beach to take a walk and watch the crashing waves. Actually, the sound of the waves is an integral part of the relaxation experience. There are other accommodations in the area, such as Jake's Place, Sunset Resort, Taino Cove and Marblue, that will likewise take you on the same relaxing journey.

View of Calabash Bay from the Treasure Beach Hotel, Jamaica

Conclusions? I found myself relaxing at all of these beaches at one time or another. I could go back to any one of them and feel content. There were other Caribbean beaches not mentioned here that were also nice. Decide for yourself what you want most. Do you want a place that's convenient and has many options of things to do and places to eat? Or is a quiet place without these frills most appealing to you? You'll be sure to find a beach that suits your needs.