VISIT TO HARMONY HALL AND SHAW PARK GARDENS

VISITS WITHIN EASY REACH OF DUNN'S RIVER FALLS AND OCHO RIOS

We made several visits from The Jewell Resort, first with driver Ricky, to Shaw Park Gardens, and then with Desmond to Harmony Halls.

Shaw Park Gardens was our first visit and it seemed like a little bit of tropical paradise, with the blooming plants and trees, and the delicious waterfall. The guide was so knowledgable and made our visit really interesting. The building was the first luxury hotel in the area, built in the 1920s, but it was too far from the beach.

Harmony Hall is a pretty wooden house, on a stone base, which has an art gallery and famous Italian restaurant on the ground floor. Saw some good ceramics and interesting art there.
Well worth a visit.

PHOTOS TAKEN IN JAMAICA, AT OCHO RIOS AND THE JEWELL, DUNN'S RIVER

Bird sculpture in the ground of The Jewell.

Brilliant piece of wood carving - bigger than life-size, at the fisherman's shack food outlet, where we had some fried parrot fish and fried bammy.

This three-piece band, play music which in Jamaica I think they call it Mento. They played old folk songs and some more recent songs, like Big Bamboo, and were performing in the the front of the grounds of The Jewell on the night of Thanksgiving, when all the Americans were at the back having a special Thanksgiving dinner under the stars.

We saw this memorial plaque when visiting the Dunn's River Falls, it was right next to the waterfall.

The complex at The Jewell was most beautiful in the early morning, just as the sun comes up

WASSI ARTS, NEAR OCHO RIOS, CERAMICS SHOWROOM AND WORKSHOP

AN EASY VISIT FROM OCHO RIOS IS TO WASSI ARTS

We were so impressed with the beautiful ceramics at this little 'factory'. It was difficult to come away without buying lots of pots, but of course we couldn't do that because of luggage weight restrictions and the small amount of space in our bags.

Several young men work there, maybe they do shifts. Each pot has a name of the potter and decorator on the base. Outside the white clay, which is accessed from Jamaica, is put in huge trays so the excess water can evaporate, in the same way as is done in the UK.

Also on display was a few paintings from the potter/artists. There is a well-stocked showroom, and you can arrange to have pieces shipped home.

THE JEWELL, DUNN'S RIVER, EVENING CABARET SHOW AND MUSIC

WHAT TO DO TO PASS TIME IN THE EVNING, AT THE JEWELL

Resident band here good, it plays every evening, four piece, till 11 o'clock. There is a pianist who plays after 11, on a different area of the resort, called the pool bar. There is also a DJ for the night owls, until 2 pm

Yesterday we had a treat as we had a man Jamaican cabaret artist doing a singing show, with old songs such as some Atlantic and rock from late 50s and 60s. And a lindy hop. He had a smart black suit and two-tone shoes and did a good lindy with one of the guest volunteers.

Most of time music on the resort is always reggae, not possible to buy any old Jamaican ska or bluebeat in the town, which is about 3 miles away and has not got a record shop, people here do not seem interested in old stuff. No surprising I guess, since I bought my music in the 1960s.

The entertainment staff, who are very friendly and well trained, do hold kind of jokey reggae dance classes by the pool during the day and seem to think that we tourists do not know how to move our hips in an appropriately Jamaican way!!!

Some of these staff, particularly the girls, dress up and look gorgeous for the dancing in the evening, dancing the band or to any guest singer. They wear tights dresses and very high heels, and have got the Jamaican hip wiggle to perfection! The men really enjoy it, and there is a lot of laughter and clapping. The several young men on the staff have a good dance routine too, verging on rap moves.

BRINGING GIFTS - NOT AWAYS A GOOD IDEA - JAMAICA TIME

They said they would be at the hotel by about 12 midday - they finally turned up at gone 2.30 and with a little boy in the car, which caused consternation here - an adults only complex. The security guard came running into the lobby, saying "They have arrived, and there is a child in the car."

This was because we promised to bring some gifts for the granddaughter of a friend in England, who lives a couple of hours drive from Dunn's River. Sunday was the day we arranged, on the phone. I bought a sim card in Jamaica and so could contact the granddaughter. We knew she would come in her boyfriend's car but did not realize she would bring her small son also.

Lots of people in the hotel seemed to know we were having a long wait, and made the joke that they were operating on 'Jamaica Time'.

Finally we all set off in the car, so as not to interrupt the tranquility of The Jewell complex with the presence of a small eight-year old boy.

We went to Scotchies for jerk chicken, which was sadly a big disappointment. It is rated in the guide books but really not worth the effort going there. Food not particularly good, dry and overcooked. Rice and peas nothing special. Chicken 'sausage' truly dreadful. Still, the Red Stripe was good, as usual.

Then went to a small beach some way away, where people were playing football, in the light of the setting sun. The sea there was full of dark brown seaweed, though, not good for paddling.

A sound system was belting out reggae and the whole beach seemed to vibrate in time to the beat.

FIREFLY, NEAR ORACABESSA, JAMAICA, HOME OF NOEL COWARD

VISIT TO THE HOUSE CALLED 'FIREFLY' BY NOEL COWARD, THE ENGLISH SONGWRITER, PLAYWRIGHT AND ACTOR


Lovely place, fantastic views over the bay. Statue of Noel Coward is placed on the hillside overlooking the sea and mountains.

We have the contact number of a nice taxi driver, called Desmond. He quoted us a price to drive from Dunn's River, Ocho Rios, to see Firefly and also to call at Harmony Hall art gallery.

It is so nice to get away from the hotel complex, although it is pleasant enough with friendly staff. However, you are in a kind of false environment with all your needs - or almost all (no newspapers, no book library, no UK TV ) catered for. However, at Firefly what struck me at first was the wonderful quiet - no piped music!

Desmond, an excellent driver, took us to Firefly, up a terrible rutted and holed track. Potholes big enough to swallow a small goat, I think!

The hillside gives stupendous views over St Marie bay, and the air is full of the scent of herbs, like wild thyme.
There is a small stone built house with gun slits which was a relic of when Henry Morgan the pirate had his base there.

Inside the house you can visit the small kitchen and dining room, the main room with two baby-grand pianos, and upstairs to the terrace and bedroom, where Noel Coward died. The views from the house are stupendous.

The complex is now used for weddings, apparently, especially the pirate's house!