Jamaica, ya'mon!
Spent seven hours on a Jitney bus touring the Black River and YS Falls.
The Black River is on Jamaica's southwest coast opposite Montego Bay where our boat docked.
The road out was bumpy and rough the road back was absolutely bone jarring.
We hit one bump on the way back that launched us from the back seat almost to the ceiling.
The countryside traveling through the coastal ridge hills was as beautiful and the Jamaican's homes were crude.
As our tourbus headed towards the Black River there were signs all about for jerk chicken or jerk beef. Jerk is a Jamaican reciepe for spicing meat learned from the Arrowok indians.
Along the road my favorite sign was Big Apple Jerk Center.
The hills in the countryside are covered with palms, coconut, banana and papaya trees.
The biggest trees were covered with spider plants and other succulents.
The wide stately trunks supported huge expansive canopies.
Our trip up the Black River was great. Our tour guide and captain of the boat, Charnel was excellent. We got to see three crocodiles up close and personal.
He called out to the crocs teased them with a little bread and two of the crocodiles responded the third just sank to the bottom as the tour boat closed in. Charnel reached out and scratched last crocodile and tugged on his foot all while the croc was right next to the boat. I was only five away when this happened.
After a quick lunch at the Bridge Inn, in Black river, of jerk chicken and beef, beans n' rice with a Fruit Punch chaser we headed to YS Falls.
The falls came right out the hillside and the canopy was so thick you didn't see the Falls until you walked in to an opening on the hillside.
There were several young Jamaican's assisting anyone who chose to wade in the pools created by the cascading falls. It was more like one good sized waterfall a the top with two smaller falls connecting pools.
There was a rope swing over the largest pool available for the brave at heart.
All in all a decent tour except the bus ride back was draining it was so rough.
We were glad to get back to the ship.
I selected the same tour. I also saw three crocodiles in the Black River. My guide used raw poultry to attract the crocs. I also saw small red crabs and eekrat (sp?) birds.
The rope swing at YS Falls was fun. I had locals providing a helping hand and asking for a donation for their help.
On the bus ride back the driver and the guide spoken in Jamercian and sang Christian songs.
Posted by: NorthVanDan at May 16, 2004 05:02 PM