My plans for today have changed – instead of Port Antonio I’ve decided to go to Kingston. Got a call from my bank today at four o’clock in the morning – they didn’t seem to like my recent withdrawal and have blocked my account. After a lengthy phone call (£2/min in roaming) I’ve managed to sort it out but still I want to go online and check if everything is alright before I make any more spending. As the whole region I live in is currently deprived of internet (there is only one provider and it’s currently carrying out some maintenance works) I’ve decided to go to the capital to find some internet cafe and see few of the tourist attractions on the way. What I haven’t considered was a fact that it’s a Sunday today. I was totally surprised to find the whole city to be completely dead. There was absolutely nothing open except few fast food places and restaurants. There wasn’t even that many people around, the ones I’ve seen were dressed in their best clothes followed by a faint scent of naphthalene, going from or to the Church. Obviously I haven’t found any place to use the internet (I start doubting they even have it on this island) – but at least I had a chance to see some nicer and more civilised parts of Kingston’s uptown.
The New Kingston is a heart of the Uptown – it’s very similar to any other City – lots of banks and posh hotels, few shopping centres, restaurants and clubs, with all the best ones along the main street – Knutsford Boulevard. Along the same street lies also the Emancipation Park – memorial to the end of slavery. At its entrance there is a fountain with two naked statues. What is missing is a sign - “We’re destroying men’s self confidence since 2002” (if you don’t know what I’m talking about look carefully at the guy’s statue).
Other important point is the Devon House – beautiful XIX cent. building, built by the first Jamaican black millionaire. Local rumour sais that nearby street – Lady Mulgrave Rd. was build on Lady Mulsgrave, the then governors wife request, so she could get to the governor’s residence - King’s House - without seeing the house owned by a rich black Jamaican.
Further alongside the same road lie the King’s house and Jamaica House, Governor’s and Prime Minister’s residences. Before I’ve managed to see the second one, the weather has suddenly changed and it started raining quite heavily. So I’ve took a taxi and came back to my little mountain refuge. On the way I’ve learn about Rasta movement from my Rastafarian driver.
Tomorrow I’ll continue my quest in search of the internet and probably go to see some of the nicer parts of Kingston’s downtown. I’m still slightly wary about going in there, in spite of my mainly positive experiences with Jamaicans so far. Jamaican people are so much different from Europeans that I haven’t really make up my mind about them. They’re all very friendly and helpful, they always seem to have load of free time to talk to you or to show you around. On the other hand their laid back attitude can be very annoying at times. For example, there isn’t any kind of schedule for busses or road taxis, they don’t even have a specified routes, if you ask a driver to take you somewhere near his usual course, they won’t see a problem in that. I’ve tried to ask people few times when is the next bus/road taxi coming, they seriously had no idea what did I expect from them; it’ll come when it does.
Most of the people here are really poor, so they try to earn on tourists as much as it is possible. Wherever you are, in a remote mountain village or in the City, tourists are a constant target for beggars, self appointed guides, souvenirs dealers and pushy taxi drivers. People will follow you around offering their services, passing by cab drivers will sound their horns to attract attention. If you ask for a price of anything the first number you hear is always at least one third higher than the regular one. It doesn’t really seem to come with a intention to cheat or trick you, though. They’re always happy to haggle. It’s just the way things seem to work in here. I have a vague feeling that my tomorrow trip to the downtown may be an interesting one…
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