rantlust

Posted by anupcs on December 31st 2005 in Travel
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Like the feared fast bowlers in the great Windies cricket team of the ’80s, most Jamaicans are tall people. I am not. Going to take a piss in one of the bars or restaurants here is a bit of an adventure. I think my height just about makes the cut to be able to pee without a good knowledge of the physics of trajectories and such. If you are a few inches shorter than me, then your apparatus might actually make contact with the urinal.

The “Hip Strip” mentioned in the previous post, is way too touristy, more or less like the Vegas strip without the neon and glitz. Jimmy Buffet has a Jamaican version of his Margaritaville here, complete with overpriced drinks but fabulous views and scantily clad women jumping up and down on well-placed sea trampolines. (The site is famous as a spring break destination for Americans).

We dove into some local dives towards the end of the strip including a hole-in-the-wall standup bar (much like those in Kerala as some of the readers might know) where I had the courage to try a Wray & Nephew “overproof” rum. It’s 64% alcohol, white, and is known as the poor man’s drink. It was quite palatable actually. We also ate at a restaurant called Mobay Proper where we only saw locals. The jerk chicken and fried fish were delicious. The Jamaican Dragon stout beer helped wash them down.

There are plenty of Indians here–both tourists like myself and locals settled here from many generations ago. Most of the souvenir shops on the strip are run by the latter. Bob Marley, understandably, is Jamaica’s most famous export and his presence is everywhere from t-shirts, beach towels, mugs and all other assorted souvenirs.