Jamaica, Part III

Mountain view from Strawberry Hills

 As you may have surmised from the previous two entries Jamaica is a land of contrasts. Amidst the poverty here there is a lot of natural beauty.  On Thursday I was treated to some of that as we climbed the mountains to a place called Strawberry Hills where we had "Tea". I use the quotation marks because as often as I have heard our British friends talk of Tea I was never treated to tea as an event.

  Jamaica  was once a British colony and so customs such as "Tea" in the late afternoon are still part of life here.

   Again the pictures speak for themselves.

Ready for Tea

Sun  setting over Kingston viewed from Strawberry Hills

Sr. Grace in for ground walking up to restaurant for tea.

    Moving on to Friday's experience I would like to point out that unlike my experience in Honduras where I go on a mission trip the Jamaica experience has put me more in the role of an observer, not as directly involved with the local people as I am in Honduras, though I did have some fine conversations with some Jamaicans.

    Friday took us to the north coast of Jamaica (Kingston is on the south coast).   We stopped for some Jamiacan Jerk (a way of preparing fire-grilled meat, not to be confused with American Beef Jerky) which we took to the residence of the Oratorian Fathers who staff several parishes in that region. We also stopped to visit beautiful Somerset Falls.  Again, let the pictures below speak for themselves.

Stopping for "Jerk Meat"

Somerset Falls

Somerset Falls

Me, Sr. Grace and Margaret (graduate of IC High School, instructor of architecture)

Buying some local fruit

Town of San antonio

Sr. Grace with Oratorian Fathers

View from Back of Father's Residence