Tuesday, January 19, 2010

A FINAL PEEK AT SOME BEAUTIFUL JAMAICAN SIGHTS

A smattering of sights I thought worthy of a photo. The beautiful hotel pictures are of Moon Dance, where we enjoyed the pool, hot tub, and gorgeous grounds. There were fishermen on the cliffs by this resort. Even though we didn't stay there the staff was very welcoming.




One day we walked for miles - Jamaican "miles"!  We kept asking how far the Westender Hotel was, continually getting the answer that it was just a ways down the road. After miles of walking, in the hot sun, we were running out of steam. It's a sign of respect for people passing to ask if you were alright. As one young man was passing, on a motorscooter, asking if we were alright-I yelled, "NO." He turned around to see what was wrong. We told him we just couldn't walk anymore. Now, his motorscooter was quite small---but he fit us

on, by moving WAY to the front of it and off we went another mile down the road! It was a little scary with MaryLynne's legs sticking out, holes in the road, and me yelling, "Go slow please!"  We made it to the Westender and found out, Ryan, our kind motorscooter driver, was Head of Security at the hotel. We did not get a picture of the three of us on the scooter--probably not a pretty picture!

Below: signs that tell it like it is
          Rasta dreads
          Acai on the tree
          Pictures within the lion painting (double click to enlarge)
          Ojah's hat collection
          The "castle" next to Sis and Lars
          Colin-our pattie baker, in his bakery
          A very old canon, at the lighthouse
          Tiny house built by the Rasta next to it
               A very large hermit crab
                                A mechanic's shop ?




                     A FANTASTIC TRIP --- CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK!

Monday, January 18, 2010

MEETING A JAMAICAN ARTIST


               OJAH
Lars told us to walk down the road and see the garden art at one of the houses. Since I like garden art and most others kinds of art, I was anxious to take the walk.
Walking up to the impressive gate of this home made us itching to see more. As a man was passing, on his bike, I asked if he knew who lived there. He said a friend of his and he is just down the road, he will go and get him. We waited, peeking through the gate, snapping pictures, admiring the beautiful flowers that were gracing the inside and outside of the stone wall that was standing guard over this complex.
Soon coming down the road was the man on the bike with his friend.

The owner of the house was OJAH, also known as BUNNY. I preceded to tell him how beautiful his gate was and how much we were enjoying all the flowers in his yard. He was very quiet and gentle. Ojah then invited us into his yard. As we followed him through the gate, through his gardens, passed the four cottages he is in the process of building, back to the home he built for himself five years ago, you could hear the passion in his voice.
He loves to create, make something out of nothing, scrounge for stones, wood, old signs, doors, things people throw away and turn them into art. Turning everything he touches into a piece that catches the eye and is different from anything you've ever seen.
Ojah has made almost everything in his home and is now building four cottages to rent. Most of the furniture was made by him, from found wood.
All pictures I'm posting are works by Ojah.
I took dozens of pictures. I'm posting some of them so you can get a feeling of what we saw. Although the pictures do not do justice to what Ojah has created! It truly was a garden/complex that was tranquil and majestic. ENJOY


Each gate and door in Ojah's complex was unique and designed by him. Each one was a different color which added interest to finding out what was on the other side of it. Most pulls were made from pieces of driftwood or ropes.
Stone was everywhere. He is now starting a stone rail for the porch of one of the cottages. Each stone is flat and he will drill through each attaching one to another with wire. Unique.


The dining room above was entiely made by Ojah, walls with shutters, stone walls, dining set and cieling lamp.  The red porch is on one of the cottages. The sticks coming out of the left wall are really the porch light. Sticks and driftwood are used throughout the complex, readily available on an island.
Most lamps and floorlamps are made from sticks. An exception was the kitchen chandelier~~made with a wooden base and bottles. I love it!



Ojah's front porch was full of art and pieces that he is working on. Every gate on his complex was a different color and style, each unique with details. The art work above the doors in his home caught my eye, something you ordinarily don't see.


The large leaves in the picture below are hiding an outdoor shower! So clever and so refreshing on a warm island!


 Enlarged is the roof to the left trying to show the detail. The palm fronds used for thatching the roofs at Ojah's have all been braided. A lot of work that Ojah had a local braider do.




Ojah's hidden paradise is called DE ZEN~~zen is a way of being. This is a place of tranquility, comfort, seeing things without distortion and peace.
Thank you Ojah for the tour, the insight of making something from nothing, and your company.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

THE CRAFT MARKET AND THE BEACH ~ NEGRIL, JAMAICA


          JAMAICA AT IT'S FINEST ~ ~ ~ COLORS ABOUND ~ ~ ~ YAH MON

We walked and walked and walked some more during the days spent in Jamaica. Taxi's were available, but whizzing past everything, in a taxi, has you missing out on the details of the city and the culture.
One day we did taxi to the only fast food restaurant in town, Burger King. Not to eat, but as the landmark to our way to the Craft Market and onto the beach.
The Negril Craft Market is a feast for an artist's eye. Colors of the rainbow everywhere! Yes, there were the usual type souvenirs, T-shirts and knick-a-knacks. A closer look has a person drooling over the paintings. The artist proud and accepting compliments. The carvings, being made as you watch, with a small chisel and hammer, by another artist, willing to have his picture taken.
Bags, rugs, wraps and blankets, handmade by the locals catch your eye and the colors jump out screaming, "Take me home!"







           WE WALKED THE BEACH TO THE RESTAURANT BAR ~ ~ 23/7

Called 23/7 --- they close one hour to clean. We found this place last year and after talking to some people, found out this is a place you can go to sit and relax, without the pressure of continually buying drinks.
After walking the entire beach looking for the place we needed a drink! We alos bought oranges, from the man with the basket of oranges that walks the beach. They were very sweet and refreshing.
We just happened to pick the day that an International Volleyball Tournament
was taking place. We talked to a few of the guys playing and found out two of them were from California. Being from the states we cheered for them. They were really good and won against the Cayman Island guys. When they played the Jamaicans everyone's true colors popped and the Jamaicans won by a landslide! Still fun to watch and relax, talking to others relaxing also.



The last hurricane dropped many trees.  Some continued to grow.  This one on the beach made for a beautiful picture.
Below~~~one of the cute cottages across the road from the beach.