I have finally arrived at my location in Alexandria, St. Ann, Jamaica. The ride here was filled with new beginnings. When I stepped off of the plane I could immediately feel the heat. In fact, as I moved throughout the airport inching closer towards the exit, the heat got more intense!
Upon leaving the airport rain was in our near future (“our" meaning my cousin Germaine and I). It was a great gesture for him to have picked me up from the airport...it has been way too long since my last visit here (17 years). Last time I saw Germaine he was 10 or 11 years old. During our ride to our first destination, Germaine and I had a conversation on how my grandfather has an Irish background. Not too sure how far back that goes but my guess would be around 200 to 300 years ago…crazy!
So our first stop was at a roadside bar called Ultimate, which is a jerk spot my uncle Rupert use to take my family and I to before heading back to my grandparents house when we came for visits. I guess one could say it's a family tradition. The place has seen a major facelift and expansion in 17 years. The jerk was delicious but the portion sizes were too tiny for my liking. At that time I didn't have any Jamaican currency on me so Germaine picked up the tab however, if had the available funds my hunger would have been REAL! (MO’money no problems) Anyhow, this old house has been around for many years. I’m not entirely sure when my grandparents built or purchased this home, but definitely this house has a lot of history behind it. I have fond memories of this place as a child when I once visited back in summer of 1988. Back then my grandparents had chickens, goats, cats and dogs running around the yard freely. Oh and a MASSIVE pig out back by the rainwater tank. Back then my grandfather was alive but he spent the majority of the time in his room; and never really bothered anyone because he was a simple man...a man of few words.
In the year circa 1996, there was a house fire and the interior was destroyed, however the outer walls remained. In the Caribbean it is commonplace to have buildings made of cinder (cement) block. This practice is exercised due to tropical storms and hurricanes arriving on these islands during certain times of the year. Needless to say that a lot of those past memories or rather mementos were lost and my Grandmother, Uncle Leo and cousin Nikki had to uproot themselves to a location down the street owned by my grandmother's sister. The house was available due to her relocating to the United Kingdom, but that's another story for another day.
Back to the present: Grannies house "part deux", has seen a few upgrades. The walls are painted a brighter colour and a lighter shade of tile flooring throughout the home, but overall it still has that simple yet rustic feel. Jamaica for the most part is not a land of luxury; it is an island of simplicity. Reused doors, hand me down bed sheets, vintage dressers, basic necessities and no air conditioning. The heat hit my ass like a sauna! Yet the presence of being on an island Christmas Day after not feeling +24 degrees Celsius for four months isn't too bad. This house is definitely one of a kind, between the decor and its distinct aroma, has definitely made time stand still.
Σχόλια