This day actually started a couple of weeks earlier when I made the initial call to Glen Garwood of Jamaica Xplored. A mutual friend on the island gave me his name as someone who could take me on a tour of the parts of Jamaica I wanted to see.
I called Glen and gave him a list of places on the eastern part of Jamaica that I wanted to go to. He called back a short time later (the same day, in fact!) and detailed the custom itinerary he had put together especially for my tour. He included places I didn’t even know existed. The price he quoted included admission to the places we would visit.
When I told him I wanted to take photos, he asked me what kind of camera I use. I told him Nikon.
Him: “Oh. That will be a problem.”
Silence. My first thought was that I had already offended him somehow and I hadn’t even met him yet. What did I say that could’ve been such an affront? He paused just long enough for maximum effect, then said, “I have a Canon.” I knew right then this was going to be a great trip.
Tarrus Riley – “Paradise”
Glen arrived at the hotel right on time to pick me up. He had packed a few snacks to enjoy along the way. As we headed out I noticed it was much cooler than I expected. It was still a little overcast. I had only ever been to Jamaica in June and wasn’t expecting the cooler March weather. I wished I had brought along a light windbreaker jacket. At the risk of sounding soft, I asked Glen to roll up the windows. When the temps rose a couple of hours later, we rolled them back down. No air conditioning for me.
We stopped at a couple of neighborhood stores and roadside stands to pick up a few extras. It was at one of these stores that I tried grizzada for the first time. (Also spelled ‘gizzada’, in Portuguese, it’s ‘guizzada’, also called pinch-me-round). It is a small, sweet pastry with spiced coconut filling. In addition to the coconut flavor, there is also a bite from the nutmeg. I’ve tried to find grizzada back in the States but it is very difficult. Glen also bought some Jamaican apple and sugar cane. What I didn’t eat while on our tour I took back with me to the hotel. It took me two more days to finish the rest of the apples and sugar cane.
Glen was very patient when I wanted to stop and take a photograph. At some spots he even showed me some of the best angles from which to take the photo.
As we drove west along the coast on Highway A3, we passed by Oracabessa Bay. Glen pointed out that this is where, from his estate called Goldeneye, Ian Fleming wrote all of the James Bond novels until his death at age 56. We then had a discussion on the pronunciation of Oracabessa. Looking at it as a Spanish word, I pronounced it OracaBEssa. Glen said that Jamaicans pronounce it ORAcabessa. Interesting. I had never heard it pronounced that way before.
Our next stop was at a place Glen thought might interest me. It was made of discarded items, such as wood, fencing, tires, vases, plastics, etc. All hand painted in various colors and designs. Several hand-painted signs peppered the property. A collage of junk made into art. Even the house was similarly painted and the theme seemed to flow out into the objects and structures planted in the yard. According to one of the signs, its builder called it Garden of Eden. To me, this was another great example of how Jamaicans can make art from just about anything.
Leaving Garden of Eden, we pulled back onto the road. A few miles later, we turned off the road and onto the grounds of what looked like a large botanical garden. The sign at the entrance announced this was Somerset Falls. I love discovering new places and things on the island. This was one of them. Before we turned in here, I had never heard of Somerset Falls.
After hopping out of the van, Glen paid our entrance fees and we went inside. A decorated stone path led us through the garden. Somerset Falls is a fairly large property and occasionally holds concerts, special events, and other affairs. I was very surprised to learn there was a zoo on the property. As the name suggests, there are a couple of falls to explore. You can swim in the pools created by the falls.
Another surprise awaited as Glen led us up to a dock by one of the falls. We were going to take a boat ride! Feeding the pool were a few small waterfalls, which we passed by on the ride. The boat driver took us across the pool very close to one of the falls, and by a grotto. Along the way you see the rocks covered with ferns, vines, and all kinds of plants and trees that make up a rain forest. These were divided by a couple of larger waterfalls. I noticed most of the structures on the grounds were made of wood, blending in to the surroundings.
As we came out of the grotto, the driver maneuvered us toward the edge of one of the waterfalls. I thought we would keep a safe distance, but he inched us closer and closer to the edge. It can be kind of scary if you lose sight of the fact the boat will run aground before it goes over. No chance of tumbling over and down into the pool below.
We returned to the dock and hopped out. It was a short ride but definitely worth it. I didn’t really appreciate how nice the ride was until I went back through the photos after returning home. Our time in Somerset Falls came to an end way too soon.
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