One day visiting Kingston.

Every time I have a friend or a family member visiting us in Jamaica, I take the time for them to discover some of Kingston’s attractions. It usually takes one day.

I always start the journey with a visit to Hope Gardens and Zoo. I love this place; there is something about it that makes it special. Even if you are not into flowers, plants or nature, I think it is impossible not to feel good in those gardens. The official entrance to the Gardens is now closed so it is a bit confusing but if you continue on Hope Road about 2 km after, there is a green sign on your left and this is where you can access the parking.  The entry to the Gardens is free but there is now a small charge for parking. It is open every day from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M. The Gardens also hosts events such as weddings, yoga sessions, live music shows and more.

Up the Gardens, you will find the Zoo. The entry for a visit is 500$JAM (5$US). The Zoo is expanding and so there is some construction and renovations, but it does not come in the way of the experience so much. The Zoo has a good variety of animals: find the Spider Monkey, he is quite a performer! The Zoo plans to welcome more animals when the time comes. The site also has great installations for lunch breaks and group visits. This beautiful place is perfect for kids (or kids at heart :P) but also for any animal and bird lovers. Bring comfortable shoes and bottles of water because it is HOT and you are walking a LOT.

 

Another must-visit in Kingston is the Devon House. This Heritage Site and national monument was built by Jamaica’s first black millionaire George Stiebel. You have the option to pay for a tour of the mansion furnished with antiques and learn more about the fascinating history of this property. But there is more to Devon House; you can relax in the park and gardens or shop and dine in the commercial complex. 

This is where you will find the famous Devon I Scream (ice cream), a bakery, some cool bars and restaurants. Try the wine and cigar bar - Bin-26. Unfortunately, their greatest restaurant for fine dining, The Terrace has closed since last December or January without any notice. Great little boutiques are also selling souvenirs and arts, I recommend the Starfish Oils shop for its popular Blue Mountain coffee candle.

Another great attraction to stop over in Kingston would be the Emancipation Park. It is like an oasis of nature in the New Kingston area. It is somewhere safe where you can run on the jogging track, or just walk, relax under a tree, enjoy solitude or make friends. The Park is also well known for the glorious bronze sculpture representing a naked couple looking at the sky, it is called ‘’Redemption Song’’. This is why the Emancipation Park is one of Kingston’s significant landscapes.

Erik and I always take our guest eat dinner at Kingston Marketplace since it has a great number of restaurants with a large variety of different cuisines; Italian, Chinese, American, Japanese, Asian fusion, Indian and of course Jamaican. You can always satisfy everyone’s taste. My next visitor is coming next month, I hope she will enjoy her stay, I know I will. :)

Lime Cay

Lime Cay is THE beach you need to go to when you are in Kingston. It is located on a small island not so far from Port Royal. To get to this beach, you have to drive passed the Norman-Manley International Airport, and turn right just before the Morgan’s Harbour Hotel, which leads you to the parking lot. The place looks sketchy but you don’t need to worry, you really are at the right place. You pay 1000$ JAM (10$US) at the small bar down at the marina, for your round-trip boat ride to get to Lime Cay island.

When they decide to leave (no regular schedule, Island time ;) ) they will help you get into a small or medium boat. The 15-20 minutes boat ride is sometimes very bumpy and you cannot wait to get there…. hopefully alive. Haha but seriously, as soon as you are on the beach, you know it was worth it. You can agree with your ‘’captain’’ on a time for him to pick you up. You can also take their phone number, but they are usually punctual and reliable.

Lime Cay is the only place near Kingston where the water is so beautiful and clear. I recommend bringing water shoes since there are sea urchins on some rocks and Erik can tell you that…it hurts when you step on one. You also need to bring your own lunch and drinks since there is no restaurant anymore. Phone service and 3G Internet is available on the island, YES! Lime Cay is busier on Sundays and feels like a party island but you can also have the place to yourself on weekdays! For a day at the beach, Lime Cay is the nicest option in the area.

Rooms On The Beach, Negril

When my friend visited us in Jamaica, I had to show her the beauty and fun of Negril. I wanted a safe but cheap hotel to stay on the Seven Mile Beach, close to everything. Rooms On The Beach was the perfect place for this. Beach was nice but unfortunately a cold front made the sea a little too rough for swimming which was really unusual for Negril. There was also lot of hustlers on the beach, which is part of the bad reputation of Jamaica. At least the pool was really nice and overall we had a great time. 

I was glad we had our own beach towels because the two times we asked for theirs, they didn’t have any. You have a small breakfast included; a pastry, two slices of bread with grape jelly, fruits, juice and some coffee if you are lucky ;). Service is really slow, but if you arrive early, if you are not stressed at all and you are not already starving to death… it’s fine. I recommend to bring or to buy snacks and drinks to help you survive until lunch. The restaurant now serves lunch and dinner except on Wednesday evenings (?)… Their menu looked good but we already chose to eat elsewhere (Rick’s cafe, oh yeah!!). So, Rooms On The Beach has a great location in Negril, you just need to not have any expectation for service in general. I would rate this one 6 out of 10. But keep in mind that Negril makes everything worth it rain or shine.

***Bring your own shampoo...because no...they don't have any in the room....and yes it is kind of sad...

Frequent Flyer.

Working in the hotel industry made me deal with a lot of frequent flyer guests. I tried to make them feel at home and be friendly but somehow they didn’t always seem open to talk to me. Now that I have experienced what it is, I can actually understand. When you are travelling for pleasure once or twice a year it is something else. When you do travel more than 6 times a year, I think you can call yourself a frequent flyer. You know some airports by heart and have favorite spots to chill while waiting for your connecting flight. You have a favorite airline with a frequent flyer reward program and your privileges are your only source of happiness while travelling. You try to be patient when your flights are late and you are either sitting for a very long time on an uncomfortable seat or running to find your gate. Sometimes, you miss a flight and you have to rebook and wait again for the next one. You deal with all kinds of people sitting next to you in the plane. Are they smelly? Do they have a cat or a dog onboard? Are they with a kid kicking in the back of your seat? Are they talking too much? Are they complaining to the flight director for everything? Are they more important than anybody on this flight and have to get out first for their connection? And when all of this is over, you finally try to find a ride to your hotel or home. A day of travelling is really tiring. No wonder some guests are exhausted, frustrated or stressed at the hotel. I discovered some travelling tips to make things easier and those are my favorite:

Wear something smart, fashionable and comfortable:

-    http://laurenconrad.com/blog/post/style-guide-how-to-travel-fashionably-style-tips 

-     http://www.indochino.com/product/The-Frequent-Flyer-Charcoal-Blazer

-     Get some nice gear in the luggage department…and this!:

-  http://www.solutions.com/jump.jsp?itemID=17230&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C4%2C494%2C539&iProductID=17230

Pack your carry-on like a boss :

-  http://thefeministbreeder.com/why-subscribe/how-to-pack-a-carry-on-like-a-boss/

-       Be respectful of the flying etiquette as much as you can: - http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/a-guide-to flying-etiquette

Use technology to help you out along the way :

- http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/shop/50-ultimate-travel-apps-so-far-353352

Tips for feeling at home in a hotel :

- http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/tips-for-feelin-151223

And my personal tip? Take a few drinks on the plane or at the airport…it will help to relax along the way ;)

Visit in Canada.

With no other VISA than a tourist, I have reached my stay limit in Jamaica, which is 3 months. It is now time for me to visit home in Canada!! You cannot imagine how much I need this. I never stayed so close to my limit and I really started to feel homesick. Now, I’ll get to see my family and friends! This trip will also be my first time flying Air Canada as a Prestige member!! Possible upgrades and visits to the airports lounge! Those kinds of privileges really make the difference while travelling. Haha but this is so crazy when you think I was not travelling at all, not so long ago! I will be back in Jamaica in 12 days ready to write you guys some new posts! Right now, here is one about travelling often.

Rick's Café Negril

When you have the chance to visit Negril, Rick’s Café is THE spot to spend an afternoon and have lots of fun!! It is a place like no other; a bar, a restaurant, with live music shows, a pool, a souvenir boutique, an amazing view of turquoise water by the cliffside, famous sunsets AND OF COURSE CLIFF JUMPING. All of this guarantees you will appreciate your experience at Rick’s Café. Drinks and food are presented in a funny way in their menu, here are some examples: 

We'll respect you in the morning.

No orgies please.

My favorite items are the Spicy Chicken Dip and the Frozen Key Lime Cheesecake; a-ma-zing. Erik’s favorite is the Jerk Chicken and Waffle, sounds weird but it is really good!  You always need a Red Stripe or a signature drink on the side of course ;)

On my first trip to Jamaica, I jumped from the 35 feet platform at Rick’s because I always like the rush of cliff jumping. This one, I will not do again…haha I probably broke my tailbone and I had pain when sitting for the next 6 months after this. I am not saying not to experience it yourself but just be warned that you can hurt yourself pretty bad. Now, every time I go back, I just watch or jump from a lower platform. :)  Here is my hurtful first jump back in November 2011...

For those not crazy enough to jump, ‘’professional’’ divers will ask customers for a contribution to reach 20$US and give a show by jumping from the highest point. Here is a video.

Overall, I think Rick’s Café is a must when you are visiting beautiful Negril. This one is a 10 out of 10! Cheers!

A friend from Canada!!!

OK, I am really EXCITED!!! I have a visitor this week….yes and a very special one!! A first FRIEND from Canada finally booked a stay with us in Jamaica. One of my best friends! I have a lot of things planned for her! After visiting Kingston (you only need one day really…haha), we will go on a road-trip to NEGRIL. Awww beautiful Negril, I haven’t been since last November with my parents! This will be my first time driving the 5 hours it takes to get there. I hope everything will go well. But it should, I mean, I already did the hardest part to Ocho Rios a few times now. And a road-trip like this is always fun with good company!!

Everytime we have some visitors, I rent a car from Island Car Rentals to drive around Jamaica. I usually take the 4x4 Suzuki Vitara but this time we’ll try the small Toyota Yaris to see if it can get the job done for a cheaper price. We will be staying at the SuperClub Rooms on the Beach – right on the famous 7 Miles Beach. And since it is not an all-inclusive, we will get the chance to eat at some great spots, my favorites on the cliffs, Rick’s Café and the RockHouse! I’ll come back with tons of reviews and stories for you guys! Have a great week!!