Guide to Jamaica, including Haiti

196 Pages·1985·25.681 MB·English

by  Harry S. Pariser

GUIDE TO
TAMAICA
HAITI
including
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HARRY PARISER
S.
V
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TO
GUIDE
JAMAICA
HAITI
including
IS THIS BOOK OUT OF DATE?
In today's world, things change so rapidly your trip which you feel might be ap-
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We
copy. especially appreciate letters to us. Address your letters to:
from female travelers, visiting ex-
patriates, local residents, and hikers and Harry S. Pariser
outdoors enthusiasts. We'd also like to Moon Publications
hear from hotel owners and individuals Box 1696
wishing to accommodate visitors from Chico CA 95927
abroad. If you take a photograph during
GUIDE TO
JAMAICA
HAITI
I including
HARRY PARISER
S.
PUBLICRTION6
Please send ail comments, cor-
rections,additions,amendments
and critiques to:
HARRY PARISER
MOON PUBLICATIONS
P.O. Box 1696
Chlco. CA 95927. USA
GUIDE TO JAMAICA
Publishedby
Moon Publications
P.O. Box 1696
Chico, California 95927, USA
tel. [phone]
Printedby
Colorcraft Ltd., Hong Kong
All Rights Reserved Hong Kong 1986 Harry S. Pariser
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Pariser, Harry S., 1954-
Guide to Jamaica, including Haiti.
Bibliography: p. 161
Includes index.
1. Jamaica—Description and travel—1981 — -Guide
-books. 2. Haiti—Description and travel—1981 —
—
Guide-books. I. Title.
F1869.P37 1985 917.292'046 85-19048
ISBN 960332286
All rights reserved. No partofthis book maybe translated or reproduced inanyform, except brief ex-
tracts by a reviewer for the purpose of a review, without written permission of the copyright owner.
Although the publishers have made every effort to ensure the information was correct at the time of
going to press, the publishersdo notassumeand herebydisclaimanyliabilitytoanypartyforanyloss
or damage caused byerrors, omissions, or any potential travel disruption due to labor or financial dif-
ficulty, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.
Dedicated to the ebullient spirits of
John Coltrane, Robert Nesta Marley, and Fela Kuti:
three musicians whose compositions have bridged
the gap between Africa and the Americas,
and in so doing, have changed the face of music
forever.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks go out to the following individuals who helped with the production ofthis book.
MOON STAFF: Deke Castleman and Mark Morris for their thorough editing; Asha,
Louise Foote, Kirk Tozer, and William Beach fortheir patientand painstaking work onthe
maps; publisher Bill Dalton for his advice and work on the dummying; Dave Hurstfor his
work on the dummy, layout, camera work, cover, etc.; and to Moon writers Dave Stanley
and Peter Harper for their advice. OTHERS: Hisashi Motegi, Andy of Lloyd Parkes and
We the People for their information on Kingston; Tim Stuart; the James family of
Discovery Bay; Peter Bentley; ExploringJamaicaco-author PhillipWrightfor hisextreme-
ly helpful comments on my rough draft; John Blackwood for his suggestions and
criticism of my Introduction; San Francisco Bay Guardian reggae reviewer Bruce Dancis,
and Santa Fe reggae reviewer and concert promoter Jack Kolkmeyer for their advice on
my reggae section; David Minor for his helpful comments on the Rastafarian section; my
mother Trudi for her advice and support; magazine publisher Ron Lippert for his compa-
nionship, encouragement, and example of diligence in the face of adversity; Jeffrey
Hadley Louden, Nancy Kaufman, Mary Lou "Fluffy" Manning, and "El Nino" Ramsayfor
putting up with living with me—tovariousextentsand durations—during the hair-pulling
period while this manuscript was being forged; the 21 Hayes and 5 Fulton buses who,
along with San Francisco'sTenderloin district, served to remind me that America, too, is
very much a Third World country; to the San Francisco Chronicle whose humorous
(albeit unintentionally) editorial pages energized my mornings; to San Francisco Mayor
Diane Feinstein and President Ronaldo "Grenada" Reagan whose gaffes abroad and
poor policy planning made itclear why more and better travel guides are necessary; and,
finally, to the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, and World Sax-
aphone Quartet, whose performances, live and on vinyl, helped keep this Urban
Bushman safe, sound, and writing.
blackandwhitephotocredits: HarryS. Pariser: p. 28, 32, 38, 40,42, 50, 55, 77, 81, 83,
86, 88, 91, 101, 103, 106, 108, 114, 123, 125. "Parade Square" by Sidney McClaren (p. 8)
and "Revivalism" by Kapo (p. 36) included courtesy of The National Gallery, Kingston.
Roy (Johnny) O'Brien, Jamaica Tourist Board: p. 11, 52, 67, 73, 98, 124. Norman D.
Hamilton, Jamaica Tourist Board: p. 93. Granville Allen, Jamaica Tourist Board: p. 87.
Jamaica Tourist Board: p. 51, 97, 111. Schanachie Records: p. 46-47; "Bunny Wailer"
shot by Kate Simon, "Mutabaruka" by Anthony Brennan, "Yellowman" by Sara Rios.
Jamaica Information Service: p. 20, 21, 25. C.J. Marrow: p. 137, 138, 139, 143, 149, 150.
David: p. 144. lineillustrations:HopieWindle: p. 14, 19, 30, 57, 126, 158. Jamaica Infor-
mation Service: p. 39, 69, 90. Louise Foote: p. 127, 145, 147, 155. Harry S. Pariser: p. 140.
Drawing on page 115 copyright Pamela Gosner, from Caribbean Georgian 1982, Three
Continents Press, Washington, D.C.colorphotos: Harry S. Pariser, Haitian National Of-
fice of Tourism, C.J. Marrow.
about the cover: The front cover photo is of San San beach, Port Antonio, Jamaica
while the back is of the Blue Hole nearby. Both were shot by the author using a Konica
FC camera with 55mm, f1.4 lens and Kodak KR-36 color slide film.
CONTENTS
JAMAICA
INTRODUCTION
7
The Physical Setting 7
History 15
Government 20
Economy 24
Agriculture 27
The People 31
Language 34
Religion 36
Music 44
Art and Dance 50
Festivals and Events 52
Food 54
Practicalities 58
Conduct 64
Whatto Take 65
THE NORTH COAST 67
Montego Bay 67
Falmouth 76
Discovery Bay 77
Ocho Rios 80
AROUND THE EAST COAST 83
PortAntonio 83
Bath 90
Morant Bay 91
KINGSTON 93
Introduction 93
Sights 95
Practicalities 100
Vicinity of Kingston 103
THE BLUE MOUNTAINS Ill
SOUTH AND WEST JAMAICA
115
Mandeville 115
THE SOUTHWEST COAST 119
The Western Interior 120
The West Coast 123
HAITI
The Land 127
History 130
Government 33
1
Economy 35
1
Religion 137
Festivals and Events 141
Practicalities 143
PORT-AU-PRINCE 147
Introduction 147
ONWARD TRAVEL 155
Cap Haitien 155
Sans Souci and La Citadelle 157
Jacmel 59
1
BOOKLIST
161
GLOSSARY 167
INDEX 171
OF MAPS
LIST
Jamaica 8-9 Downtown Kingston 96
Agricultural Land Use 27 Spanish Town 107
The Caribbean 59 Vicinity of Blue Mountain Peak .113
. .
The North Coast 68 VicinityofTreasure Beach 119
Montego Bay 70 Hispanola Land Features 128
Ocho Rios 80 Port-au-Prince 151
Port Antonio 84 Haiti 153
Vicinity of Port Antonio 89 Cap Haitien 1 56
Kingston 94 Jacmel 59
1