Walking a little more

The last few days E and I have been walking a loop in Kingston. Uphill, across the top, downhill, then up again to the starting point. I am wringing wet at the end of the walk. It is winter here, but it is still 80 F or so! Today is bright sun and cool breezes.

This weekend we will go to St. Elizabeth to look at the countryside and inspect a small hotel. We've heard a lot about the area but have not yet visited.

Still from Jamaica

Someone (insanely) asked me today to travel from Jamaica (sunny, around 80 F) to Buffalo (30 F, clear and windy, with snow on the ground). That's just wrong! We are living in Jamaica for 6 weeks to try it out. Going to Buffalo and taking a week out of the experiment is just not in the cards.

From Jamaica

Just returned from the 2008 Montego Bay Jazz and Blues Festival, all "mash up". Getting too old for 3:30 AM finishes! The music was incredible. Diana Ross was the headliner.

Notable was Nikki Yanofsky - 13 year old Canadian blues and R&B singer. The girl can sing! She never missed a note, performing Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin pieces with ease. She can even sing scat! Virginia Yap was another phenom - she is a 14 year old Jamaican girl that took over the big stage with a violin. She is a master.

For me, the best were Yerba Buena and Spyro Gyra, though there were a lot of really terrific acts. See the slide show at the side or go to the album.

From Antigua

I am writing from Antigua where we have been since 8-Jan-2008. This is a lovely island, with very friendly people. It has a lot of beautiful beaches. The one to the right is Ffreyes Beach, looking toward Montserrat in the distance. Some beaches are closed off in gated communities, however. It has the feel of money taking over the island. Some of the nicest beaches, however, are preserved as national parks.

The island is a base for yachting activities. There are a variety of very secure harbors with millions of dollars of motor and sail yachts enclosed. The areas around the harbors cater to the yachting community with provisioning, sail lofts, restaurants, bars, and hotels. There is a very high population of youngsters serving as crew or waiting for the next job. What a life!

There is quite a bit of history here from the earlier English times. One of the best places to visit is Shirley Heights. This is the site of an English defensive position for the English Harbor entrance. Shirley Heights is on top of a "mountain" placed beautifully for protecting the harbor. It has some old stone buildings, and terrific views to the south, east, and west. There are some nature trails that show off the desert landscape.

There are lots of succulents, cacti, and saprophytes to be seen.

Sometimes they are even seen together!

Here are a few more pics:

Antigua trip