Jamaica, Early Beginnings to the Present

I have visited Jamaica several times over the years. It is a beautiful island. The island is located in the Atlantic Ocean but the seas surrounding it are commonly referred to as the Caribbean Sea.

As seen on a map, Jamaica is divided into towns. Each major town in Jamaica is called a Parish. There are 14 such Parishes in Jamaica. The island is not very big in size, it is approximately 144 miles long and 50 miles wide, but its size is what makes it truly unique. Jamaica's unique size enables travelers to be able to travel to all 14 Parishes in less than one day; by car. In other words, you can travel from one end of the island to the other and make a few stops here and there (to check out interesting sights); all in less than a day if you plan wisely. The sights you'll see, if traveling from one end of the island to the other, include local people going about their daily lives. You will also see the many waterfalls, the ponds and rivers on the island, the historic sites where you can glimpse cannons once used to guard the island hundreds of years ago, the Botanical gardens where there are wide varieties of species of plant life; to name a few.

When planning a trip to Jamaica you should definitely consider taking along a bathing suit. As stated previously, there are many rivers, waterfalls in Jamaica. In fact, the original name of the island was Xamayca as the original inhabitants of the island called it. Xamayca in their language means: land of wood and water. To the ears of explorers, the word Xamayca became Jamaica.

To this day, Jamaica lives up to its name (Xamayca) with its natural fauna, wide variety of trees, green vegetation, insects and local wildlife.

The history of the island is a rich one. The first inhabitants of the island were Arawak Indians who coined the name Xamayca. Later on, the island was colonized by the Spanish and then by the English. At one point in history, Bucaneers (pirates) frequented Jamaica and had a strong presence in the town of Port Royal. However, things changed after a catastrophic earthquake and things were never quite the same afterwards in Port Royal. The town of Port Royal still exists today and carries the same name but its days of being a favorite hangout of pirates are long gone.

Following a brief war with Spain, Jamaica came under English rule. It was primarily during English rule that the majority of African slaves were brought to the island to work on the plantations during the 1600's to early 1800's. The cash crops grown were of a wide variety including green bananas, yams, fruits, and vegetables.

In time, the black population of Jamaica grew until blacks became the majority. In the early 1800's slavery was abolished in Jamaica. After slavery ended many of the former slaves continued to farm the land for their own food; and they sold the surplus food for profit.

Anyone who has visited the island will notice that Jamaican society is a mixture of all races and peoples although the majority are of African descent. The people are extremely friendly and polite. This is just a part of what makes this Caribbean destination so special.

If you visit this Caribbean island and the opportunity presents itself then you should consider checking out the local scenery of the island. Take an approved tour into the interior of the island. What you'll find will give you memories to last a lifetime. The local scenery is a rich one visually. You will find old architecture mixed with the new. The colors of the island are vibrantly stunning, and this is visible even from the air. Peering out the airplane window, as your airplane circles to make a landing, you'll notice the rich green colors of the fragmented rain forests, and shrubbery. You'll also notice the beautiful blue color of the ocean contrasted against the dull gray of the coastal sands.

Upon landing in Jamaica your attention will immediately turn to the bright colors you'll see on the ground. The National colors of the Jamaican flag are black, green and gold. Many local clothing manufacturers produce clothing in Jamaica that reflects the National colors. Therefore, on the streets you'll notice the brightly colored clothing (representing the flag) that many locals choose to wear.

As a tourist your ears will quickly learn that a distinct dialect is being spoken. The dialect spoken in Jamaica is called patois. Patois is a mixture of African, English and other foreign languages. The official language in Jamaica is English but Patois is widely spoken. To learn patois you can check out www.speakingjamaican.com which can prove valuable for communicating with Jamaicans, while traveling and going about the island.

Visiting a local market is a very interesting experience. Often the meat is brought in and slaughtered on location so you know that the meat is fresh. Vendors bring in their produce (yams, bananas, tomatoes,fruits, vegetables) and again it's all fresh and fresh off the farm. You can barter prices with local vendors in the local markets. The busiest market days are on Friday and Saturday. The food in Jamaica is delicious and very varied. The popular dishes in Jamaica include curry goat and rice, beef patties (meatloaf), fish and meats seasoned with jerk (hot) sauce.

Now let's talk briefly about driving in Jamaica. The rhythm of driving in Jamaica, and in the Caribbean in general, is different. The streets are narrower in some places and some people tend to drive a bit faster. People in Jamaica drive on the opposite side of the street.

Overall, Jamaica is a great destination and very worth the trip. Check with your local travel agent and agencies about planning a trip to this wonderful island getaway.

I write about countries, travel, languages. Learn Jamaican Patois http://www.speakingjamaican.com