Beyond Jerk in Jamaica
By Kaleel Sakakeeny

I was terrified.

Knee knocking, breath holding terrified, standing on the edge of small tree platform high above the Jamaican jungle, looking down at all those treetops.

With the forest canopy beneath me, the guides expertly snapped all the hooks and cables in place and I could feel myself about to whimper, I don’t want to do this!

Thankfully before I could get the words out, one of the women leaders placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, told me to sit in my harness, and gently pushed me out into wide open space.

And there I was.

Sailing, soaring above the trees, flying, zipping along a cable, gathering speed and …making a soft landing onto the next tree platform, welcomed by a pair of strong, brown arms.

What a hero, I thought. Only next time I have to remember to breathe.

And so on to the next eight flights, combinations of vertical heart-stopping drops and wonderfully exhilarating runs that had me remembering a long, long time ago when a primal self flew from tree to tree, without a cable and without fear.

Jamaica gets under your skin.

Once past the “Ya Mons” and the Red Stripe mentality of many tourists, this complex Caribbean island opens itself up to adventure and beauty. At least the island’s dramatic north shore does, a ribbon of dusty sometimes maddening road and gorgeous sea running from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios.

Along the coast there are many resorts; some cater to the party crowd; some to families. A few combine Jamaican culture with genuine service and elegance like Royal Plantation, a 74-room, all-suite boutique hideaway with flower covered levels and strategically placed arches that open to changing perspectives on the blue-green sea a few feet away.

If it’s true that the eye of the master grooms the horse, then the grace and class of Royal Plantation is likely due to its young managing director, Jamie Stewart. A life long resident of Jamaica, she believes in the vibrancy of cultures, impeccable service and the power of shared values.

And those are the principles that characterize every aspect of Royal Plantation, especially the appreciation of its guests and the stories they have to tell.

The staff are unfailingly courteous, and the courtesies are always sincere and thoughtful.

Of course the place is beautiful, poetic, with peacocks strutting next to splashing fountains, their iridescent tails arched in the sun.

But Stewart wants more for her guests.

She wants them to experience the Jamaica she belongs to.

Spontaneously, for example, she gave us a handful of Jamaican money (we only had U.S. dollars left, a widely accepted currency, but not so much in the marketplace) and urged us to go into the crowded, chaotic Ocho Rios outdoor market, and then have lunch at a local jerk chicken stand, even though her resort’s cuisine is world class.

How unusual.

Most resorts work hard at keeping their guests within their walls, away from the local culture.

Royal Plantation does its best to embrace and share it.

I was fascinated when a Ocho Rios woman set her table up in a corner of one of the flowering verandas and dug deeply into her worn plastic bag, pulling out strands of rich, fragrant Jamaican tobacco.

She deftly rolled the weed into perfectly shaped cigars, showing us how to wrap and seal them, and place them in a tray to dry in the hot sun for tomorrow’s smoke.

Again we were encouraged to have lunch at a local restaurant, a Caribbean manse from another century, its white, fussy gingerbread filigree bright in the sun. Harmony House is home to some of the island’s best art and a gallery for some of its talented artists. I was especially touched by Cecil Cooper’s moving portrait of two lovers, their burnished arms and legs entwined in love.

Toscanini’s Italian restaurant, open to the soft breezes is at the bottom the worn staircase. The owner, Laila, greeted us warmly and joined us for the al fresco lunch: marinated marlin, cream-free, creamed pumpkin soup, penne with Jamaican callaloo and seared mahi mahi.

At night there’s the obligatory steel drum band accompanying Royal Plantation guests dining at C Bar, the Caribbean’s first caviar and champagne bar (Iranian caviar and Veuve Cliquot champagne) or enjoying flambé dishes on the terrace or maybe fresh seafood in Le Papillion, one of the three restaurants at Royal.

But I personally preferred to tune into the chorus of coquis that begins almost immediately when the sun sets and swells to a seamless loop of a rhythmic, almost hypnotic cadence broken only by the startling, solitary cry of the peacocks. The sound always reminds me of those British movies where something dreadful is about to happen.

But nothing dreadful did.

The little frogs kept up their big-hearted chorus and now and again the sound of the waves drifted in on the beat of the band the chatter of diners.

I welcomed the chance to talk with local water colorist Natasha Pasmore whom Stewart invites in to give daylong classes in her art.

Another daughter of the island, Pasmore talked to me about her sources of inspiration, the island obviously, but also TV shows like the Discovery Channel where she learned to appreciate discoveries of the various stone ruins of the world. She uses found stone or fragments of colonial buildings as a canvas on which to paint the vibrant colors of her land – a nice contrast of grainy old and bright.

There are many fine places to stay in Jamaica. And Royal Plantation with its Georgian architecture, sweeping staircases, fountains and adults-only policy may not be for everyone.

And that’s fine too.

But under Stewart and her General Manager, Peter Fraser, Royal Plantation stands out not so much for its beauty and grace, though that’s obvious, but perhaps because of its spirit, its lack of pretentiousness and the value it places on authenticity.

With Jamaica’s new prime minister and enlightened resort management, Jamaica may yet again become a Caribbean success story.
 

When you Go

Royal Plantation is an hour and a half drive from Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. Round trip transfers are provided by the resort in air-conditioned vans and are included in the price. The road is under construction and the drive can be can be frustrating. Work is expected to be completed early next year

•Phone: 876-974-5601

•Email: rpmail@jm.royalplantation.com

•Website: www.royalplantation.com

The all inclusive provides many additional amenities including Caribbean cooking demonstrations, complimentary Hors d’oeuvres, pillow menu, welcome cocktails, tennis courts, afternoon tea, fitness centers, etc.

Canopy Tours
These exciting swings or “throws” through the forest are organized and run by Chukka Caribbean Adventures and can be booked privately or through the resort or a travel agent.

The guides are very well trained not just in the art of the Canopy Tour, but in the flora and fauna of the jungle. Not to be missed.

Minimum age is ten years old. Cost runs between $70-80 US

• Phone: 876-917-3373

• Email: dmelvillejr@chukkacaribbean.com

• Website: www.chukkacaribbean.com

Tips

•Take advantage of the different kinds of pillows Royal Plantation offers including the Memory Foam Pillow, Water Filled Pillow, Buckwheat Pillow, and Leg Spacer.

• Do visit the town of Ocho Rios, especially the outdoor market place. It’s very Afro-Caribbean, rough, authentic and the colors of the fruits and vegetables make our supermarket stuff seem anemic by comparison.