It's time to say goodbye...

Yes, it’s true, I am leaving Jamaica soon. It is time for me to come back home and start a new chapter! Just in time for winter! …And I don’t mind at all!

After the Holidays, I am planning to settle in Montreal, and work in the hotel industry again.

Yes, it does mean Erik and I will have to go through another period of long distance relationship! But after surviving the ultimate test of moving in together in this far-from-ordinary situation, we know that we are happy and strong together!

With all the time I had to think, I now know that I am someone who needs to be working to feel whole, gain a sense of accomplishment and independence. Lately, I also realized how many events and simple things I was missing back home: family birthday events, my great friends, my sister’s engagement, my best friend and her first baby (she is just the CUTEST), visiting my grandmother to support her during a time of grief… Being able to be there for them through good or bad times brings me a LOT of gratification.

After a year and a half spent flying back and forth between Canada and Jamaica, I can say that my life has changed forever. Living in Jamaica and seeing the things I saw every day, has brought me a new perspective on a lot of things. I had the chance to live a life I never thought I could have. I will always be grateful to Erik for this incredible experience and I am leaving the island with countless wonderful memories. Jamaica will always be part of our story and it will stay with us forever. It has not often been easy as it was my first real overseas experience. My journey had its ups and its downs but I am glad I managed to stay as long as I have. Even though sometimes my days appeared longer than they were, my time here has gone by really fast.

I still cannot believe I did not get into a car accident driving in the daily Jamaican chaos! I did however find a way to end up at the hospital once, but that was just because of my usual clumsiness. A few stitches later, I can truly say I’ve been scarred for life in Jamaica haha.

Of course there are things I will miss from my life in Jamaica…:

• Speaking in French with Erik and saying anything we want without anyone understanding what we are talking about! :P
• Opening the curtains of our bedroom to see the Blue Mountains every day.
• The awesome small group of friends I was just getting to know better…
• The 7 mile beach and the cliffs of Negril.
• A great list of restaurants in Kingston we made a habit of visiting every now and then… I know I will have cravings… :P
• Waking up late whenever I want… was the only thing I loved about not having a job!
• The Blue Mountain coffee mmmmmm………
• The night sounds that you would only hear in the tropics…
• Our dear housekeeper: Jennifer! She got attached to us like we were family and I will miss having great talks with her about Jamaica…
• The GOATS…hahaha especially the baby ones…! I never got tired of seeing them everywhere on the streets! They are just SO adorable and can surprise you with a dance or a jump or something! I am sure it would have been fun to have one at home! RIGHT?

But let’s face it…there are also things I will enjoy EVEN MORE in Canada after living in Jamaica:

• Feeling at home again!
• Shopping for groceries at a normal price with constant great products and UNLIMITED possibilities!
• The different seasons and wearing different styles with multiple layers!! :) (Only a girl would say that…I know!)
• Driving, knowing that most of the people ARE following the rules...
• Living in an accommodation without worrying about the bitchy ants or worse…the horrible cockroaches…
• My social life…or just having the chance to see my friends whenever I want to!
• REAL CANADIAN FRESH COW MILK!!!!!!!!!
• Drive-thru service everywhere!
• One word: Poutine.

Writing this blog started as a personal therapy and occupation but surprisingly, people loved it more than I could imagine. I received a lot of personal messages asking for more information. Most of them were relieved they found some about an outsider living in Jamaica since they were planning to move here for different reasons. I even got to meet new friends in Kingston thanks to my blog! I can now strongly recommend writing your own blog if you find yourself in a similar situation.

I would like to thank every single one of you, my dear readers. I will continue to update my Facebook page from time to time. I will also reply to your emails and try to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge. I also want to wish you happy holidays and may 2014 bring you everything you wish for as well as some good surprises!

As they say…walk good – (Farewell)!

YS Falls.

We all know about the famous Dunn’s River Falls, but are there really the best falls in Jamaica? No. There are too many tourists and vendors, high prices, and not enough to do on site. If you have one attraction to visit on the island, my personal favorite is the YS Falls!

This hidden paradise is located in the countryside of St-Elizabeth about 80km from Montego Bay and Negril. The Falls fee is only US$17 per adult and half price for children. You will board a tractor jitney that will take you on a 10 minutes ride to the waterfalls location. Welcome to the jungle! This amazing attraction has several features: seven waterfalls, natural pools, canopy tours ($), river tubing ($) and playgrounds.

Erik and I took my parents last year for this magical experience. We simply paid for the falls and we had so much fun! A guide led and helps us walk through the falls, informing us where we can jump or swim into the river pools and took great pictures of us (bring a waterproof camera!). 


Like any other similar activity, I would recommend water shoes, giving you a better chance not to slip and injure yourself. 

After enjoying yourself in the falls, you can choose to do more activities on site or just relax in the natural pools! You can either have your own lunch on one of their picnic tables or enjoy a light snack and beverage at the shop.  The YS Falls will always be a great memory for us and if you have the chance to go, I am sure you won’t be disappointed!

Toss and Roll

I have to admit, I love eating at the restaurant…a lot and I imagine a lot of you do too! Some of us, including me, are trying to control the damage by working out on a regular basis. You have to agree that when it comes to choosing what to eat, it is always difficult to go with the healthy option. For any restaurant, it is kind of hard to make healthy food tempting and fun, right? Not anymore! A new possibility is there to help us, here in Kingston now located on 75 Hope Road.

Toss and Roll succeeded to get my attention and I was already sold simply by their photos on Facebook and Instagram! Toss and Roll serves salads, wraps, fruit juices and much more. 

Small Sweet Chili Shrimp wrap with Honey Jerk Chicken salad and two Green Tea Coolers

Here are the best parts about this restaurant:

• You create your own meal by choosing your protein and their seasoning as well as your vegetables, cheese and dressing!
• All of their wholesome ingredients are from local farmers and prepared fresh every day.
• Just taste their Green Tea Cooler. Enough said.
• They deliver anywhere in Kingston! So even if you are feeling lazy you get to choose Toss and Roll over pizza!! YESSSSS.
• What more do you need? GO!

In conclusion, I think you should definitively consider supporting this small business and trust me you won’t regret anything when you will have your mouth full of fresh and delicious flavors and this without any guilt!

Here is their info, look at the menu and you will be craving it already:

https://www.facebook.com/TossAndRoll

http://www.iphoneogram.com/u/39731541

https://twitter.com/tossandroll

8/10! Enjoy!

CPJ Deli.

Did you know that inside the CPJ Market was a Deli serving breakfast and lunch? I had the chance to try it and I absolutely loved it! A big breakfast for two (2 omelets with English muffin, pancakes, extra bacon and sausages, coffee) costs near JM$2000 which is less than most of the restaurants in the area. 

The free Wi-Fi and the comfortable seating make it another nice spot to work on your laptop. The only thing I did not like was the fact that the meals are served with plastic cutlery on cardboard plates. But the food, the service and the look of the place made me feel good about the Deli, almost as if I was in a regular breakfast restaurant. One other thing: If you order the pancakes…know that they are HUGE. You will also find on the menu: fresh pastries, quiches, soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, meats, cheeses and much more! After you enjoyed your meal, you can even shop for groceries or just bring back home a bottle of wine and some snacks from the CPJ Market! 8/10

For my fellow expats new to Kingston.

New to Kingston? Here are a few tips on how to get by for your basic requirements. These are all places or services I can personally recommend but of course there is more for you to discover. :)

Which provider to use for your cellphone services:

• Lime http://www.time4lime.com/jm/
• Digicel  http://www.digiceljamaica.com/

*Both companies are good. They always compete with each other to offer the best prices, you can choose the one who fits your needs better.

• For your TV, landline phone and Internet services, the only existing major company is Flow. http://discoverflow.co/jamaica

Where to buy your groceries: (You need to have a few options since sometimes only one of them has the ingredients you want)

• My personal favorite: Loshusan Supermarket at the Barbican Centre > 29 East Kings House Road
• My second choice: Sovereign Supermarket at the Sovereign Centre > 106 Hope Road
• Other option: John R Wong Supermarket directly in New Kingston > 1-5 Tobago Avenue (can have a lot of people begging for money at this one though).

Wholesale clubs:

• MegaMart (annual membership is JM$1200 but you can also pay without having one) > 29 Upper Waterloo Road
• PriceSmart (annual membership is JM$3000-3500) > 111 Red Hills Road

Specialized food products:

• CPJ Market > 71 Lady Musgrave Road
• Uncorked > 29 Barbican Road
• Fromage Gourmet Market > 8 Hillcrest Avenue

Where to shop for clothes, shoes and more:

• The Village Plaza and Tropical Plaza (Pumas, Adidas, Payless, Xtras, Go West, Rituals…) > Constant Spring Road
• Sovereign Centre > 106 Hope Road

Drugstores:

• Monarch Pharmacy * You can find them at the Barbican Centre, the Sovereign Centre and at the Tropical Plaza.

Health care:

• Winchester Medical Centre >  3A Winchester http://winchestermedicaljm.com/
• Andrews Memorial Hospital > 27 Hope Road http://www.amhosp.org/index.aspx

Where to get in shape:

• Chai Studio > 88 Barbican Road in the Barbican Business Centre http://www.chaistudiosja.com/

• Core Fitness > 29 Barbican Road http://www.corefitja.com/

• Spartan Health Club > 9 Lady Musgrave Road http://www.spartanhealthclub.com/

Where to go to the movies:

• Palace Cineplex (Only 2 theaters but greatest location) > Sovereign Centre 106 Hope Road
• Carib 5 (Much more like an American movie theater but less attractive location) > Cross Roads, Kingston 5

http://www.palaceamusement.com/

Hardware stores:

• Super Valu Home Centre > 137 Old Hope Road
• Rapid True Value > Sovereign Centre and The Village Plaza

Furniture stores:

• Courts > Hope Road in front of Sovereign Centre
• Singer > 21 Constant Spring Road

I hope this post can help anyone moving to Kingston feel more comfortable getting out there and explore the city for your simple needs. Remember to look at my restaurant reviews, and Kingston related posts for more activities!

http://isabelleinjamaica.blogspot.com/p/restaurants-reviews.html
http://isabelleinjamaica.blogspot.com/2013/05/one-day-visiting-kingston.html
http://isabelleinjamaica.blogspot.com/2013/04/lime-cay.html

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http://www.facebook.com/isabelleinjamaica

Second chance to Rooms On The Beach, Negril.

In last June, I had the chance to reunite with a good friend from Canada who decided to visit us in Jamaica. Gabrielle started travelling not so long ago and loved everything about it so she was really excited to see this island. Even though I warned her about our location and that the weather could be affected by the Hurricane Season, she still wanted to come.  It rained almost every day in May so I was pretty scared it would be the same in June but as soon as she arrived the Sun came back. It was perfect. Having someone who enjoys discovering a new country made me relive my first moments here in Jamaica. So of course I took her on a road-trip to Negril! I decided to give a second chance to the Rooms On The Beach resort. I am glad I did. It was a completely different experience than what my friend Laurence and I previously had in March. Since Gabrielle and I now stayed in the low-season and the hotel was almost empty, we were upgraded to an Ocean Front King bedroom with a huge balcony! 

 

The only thing was that our patio door did not lock. The pool was closed for treatment for our two nights stay but this time it was not an option as the beach was picture-perfect. Because the hotel was not busy, we had better service at the front desk and at the restaurant for complimentary breakfast. So after this second experience at Rooms On The Beach Negril, I would now definitively recommend to stay there in the low-season or if you request an Ocean Front room. It is THE place to go when you are on a budget and you have a rental car to enjoy Negril by dinning out of the resort. I would rate this second stay an 8 out of 10.

*Great restaurants from a walking distance: 
- Café GOA (street side) : breakfast all day and more!
- Kuyaba (beach side)
- Italian Café (amazing lobster and pizza!)

*Great restaurants to go to if you have a car or if you are willing to take a taxi:
- Rockhouse (main restaurant by the cliffs...amazing view!)
- Rick's café (for a lunch, drinks and cliff jumping)

Dinning out at The Rockhouse restaurant by the cliffs