The youngest son of the reggae icon, Bob Marley, Damian Marley seemed to explode on to the music scene with his double Grammy Award Winning CD, Welcome to Jamrock, which was recorded in 2005. But these weren’t his only Grammy Wards. Marley, who’d been singing since he was thirteen, also won in 2002 for his second CD, Halfway Tree. Damian Marley was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1978. His mother,...

When I lived in Jamaica, we’d go to the beach regularly. My older male cousins were all good swimmers and on one occasion, I asked one of them to teach me to swim. He led me out to where my feet no longer touched the sand. Then he let go of my hand and yelled as he turned towards shore, that I should swim. I think of that incident now...

Treasure Beach is small community on Jamaica’s south western coast that prides itself with being friendly and very laid back. A fishing community with six miles of beach, rocky coastline and private coves, Treasure Beach it is the perfect place to get away from it all. I’ve been going to Treasure Beach for several years now, most times to attend Calabash, the international literary festival, which brings scores of lovers...

This dish has won me friends and lovers each time I serve it. Every Jamaican I know either has an ackee tree out back or ackees in the freezer. And the ones “a foreign” have a can or two in the pantry and/or frozen ones they or someone brought back from Jamaica for them. Ackee is a very popular and versatile dish. Serve on toasted bread for a tasty bruschetta...

Treasure Beach is small community on Jamaica’s south western coast that prides itself with being friendly and very laid back. A fishing community with six miles of beaches, rocky coastline and private coves, it is the perfect place to get away from it all and with not much activity besides swimming, snorkeling, bicycle rides, etc., you’ve got little choice than to relax and catch the vibe. I’ve been going to...

Just beyond the hustle and bustle of Negril‘s Hip Strip, that stretch of road that marks off the beach and the hotels that spill out on to the famous white sands, is a secluded place known mostly to nature lovers. The Royal Palms Nature Reserve, part of the 6,000 acre Negril Morass, is a 300 acre expanse of towering Royal Palms – the largest stand in the world – and...

Jamaica’s nearly 300 year old great houses provide a peek into a byegone era. Some have been turned into museums, others offer a beautiful backdrop for weddings and events. Today, we’ll visit three: Bellefield Great House and Gardens, Good Hope Great House and Devon House. Bellefield Great House, located just outside Montego Bay, has played host to Queen Elizabeth II, John F. Kennedy and Winston Churchill. Built in 1794, it...

Great houses provide a wonderful opportunity to step back in time to see how life was lived in a particular period. Greenwood Great House, which is located on the border of Trelawny and St. James in the town of Greenwood is a time capsule that has carefully preserved the legacy of its previous owners. Part of an 84,000 acre plantation, Greenwood has an impressive pedigree. Built in 1790 by Richard...

Jamaica, the third largest island in the Caribbean, was ‘discovered’ in 1494 on Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to the New World. He was in search of silver and gold. Columbus declared Xaymaca, as it was then known “the fairest island that eyes have beheld.” Among the ‘gifts’ he brought to the New World was sugar cane, but the indigenous Taino (Arawak) population was decimated before it could be developed into...

Way down on the southwestern coast of Jamaica, just over the Manchester border from St. Elizabeth is a seaside restaurant called Little Ochie (not to be confused with Ocho Rios on the island’s north coast). Started in 1989 by Evrol “Blackie” Christian, this little spot has become a favorite destination for Jamaicans (some of whom travel 2-3 hours to get there) and visitors alike who are looking for freshly caught fish...