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Wha’appen?
(What’s up?) – Greeting used among friends.
This happy island feels like an old friend from the moment you
land. It has a rhythm all its own, a tempo that pulses to the steel-drum
beat and lazes in the afternoon sun. Jamaica¹s pleasures stretch from Negril's luxurious
seven-mile beach, all the way through vibrant Montego Bay,
and on past the 65 miles of bays that stud the Caribbean
coast on the way to Ocho Rios. The resorts are stellar, the
natural attractions bountiful, and wedding & honeymoon
bonuses well worth investigating.
Ocho Rios is the cruise capital of Jamaica. The
bay is sheltered by lush garden-like mountains and protected by reefs. Ocho
Rios hums with markets, shops, restaurants, and discos. Watersports and
natural wonders are the attraction here.
Montego Bay is the second largest city in Jamaica and is the
gateway to tourist activity on the north coast. The city sits in a bay with
mountains rising in the background. It is a hub of shopping and dining, and
the beaches are lined with all-inclusive resorts.
Negril is the "newest" resort destination on the west coast was discovered in
the 1700s by rowdy pirates. The 1960s and 1970s saw the sleepy little town
invaded by hippies from North America. Today, people are being drawn in even
greater numbers to its famed seven-mile-long sandy beach and its spectacular
sunsets. Fun and sun are the main attractions here, and there are few other
attractions.
Other small centers along the way are
Falmouth, Discovery Bay, Runaway Bay, Kingston
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Tips |
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* Canadian's require a valid passport or a birth certificate
along with 2 pieces of ID, official photo
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Capital city: Kingston
* Gateway airport: Montego Bay (MBJ)
* Departure tax $37 CND
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Flying time: 5.5 hrs from Regina* Language: English & Jamaican patois
*Currency: Jamaican Dollar. Canadian dollar can be exchanged
* Electricity: 110V (same as Canada)
* Goods to buy: Local rum, blue mountain coffee, spices,
handicrafts, paintings, wood carvings, duty free items |
‘Jam’
(hang out) on the beach with your ‘likkle boonoonoonous’
(someone you love) or ‘bush-out’ (dress up), ‘touch
di road’ (leave your house) and ‘go sport’
(socialize). In the market you’re sure to get ‘brawta’ (a
little extra) with any purchase. Enjoy ‘ital stew’
(salt-free rastafarian/vegetarian dish) and a good ‘reasoning’
(discussion) with your Jamaican ‘Idren’ (friends).
‘Skank’ (Rock to Reggae music) at a local ‘dance’
(street party) and drink a ‘stripe…well cold’ (very cold
Red Stripe Beer).
At the end of it all --- “it sweet fi talk”
Walk
Good – Departing salutation, with good wishes (Good-bye, Take care,
Safe travel)
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