Full coverage of this little expedition got tangled up in the re-tooling of this site, but here's a quick recap. (You can also see a few pics of the trip.)

Jamaica is a wonderful place. I'm probably about the billionth person to discover that bit of trivia, but there's nothing like discovering it for yourself. The occasion was the wedding of an old friend, Charles, one of the few people on Earth I'd travel that far (and much further) for. It worked out to be a delightful cross-section of joys old and new--the company of old and dearest friends, the shared experience with someone new, and of course all the people, places, and sensations found only at this time, place, and location.

We did our best to cram an awful lot into the days we were there, making sure to give proper time to just chilling on the beach, and it felt fascinating, healing, and challenging all at once. The challenge came from how we undertook the trip--rather than hiding ourselves in some walled-off resort, we stayed in a hotel on a busy strip near downtown Montego Bay. I wanted to get a feel for what things were really like there--not insulate myself from the "real" Jamaica, which is seemingly in a state of blurred blending with the touristy facade that such places desperately prop up to survive. But from the admittedly priviliged point of view of a curious chap from the States, it all worked out well--we got an up-close view of some damned real aspects of daily Jamaican life, saw how the other half lived at a resort where the wedding was held, and in between we enjoyed ourselves greatly with good food, good company, and of course the sun, sand, and water. It was a curious swirl of luxury, basic fun, and somewhat heartbreaking realities (including a closeup look at a poor, ramshackle village, and me walking up and down the "Hip Strip" scrounging up a tin of tuna and a can opener in order to feed a stray cat we spotted while walking back one night).

I wasn't sure how this fair-skinned redhead, who was feeling quite the Viking at home with beard and icy weather, would adapt to the tropical climate, but it fit like a glove. Not one sunburn after hours on the beach and in the water. The whole mix of it became quite intoxicating once I settled in to it, and I felt an openness to everything that arose. Including riding a horse, which I'd barely ever done, and not at all since I was a kid! That had to be one of the highlights--a tour through the countryside that ended in a ride on the beach and out into the water.

But best of all was the company. I've been far and wide on my own, but what really made this place meaningful was the shared nature of it. I'm grateful to everyone who made it that way--my dearest friends who I don't see enough, the cast of new faces I'd never seen before (or since), and the one I came home with--that's what made it special.

Labels: Life