Payoff

Went on a tour of the Crydoyn Plantation and our tour guide was hilarious, well-informed and just really good. He told us that our driver was competent but we might attempt to change his name to, say, Jesus as we went up the road towards the mountainous area.

I don't like roller coasters so I'm not sure why I like going near the mountains in Jamaica but I'm thinking that it's the payoff of the view.

I loved learning more about coffee, bees and pineapple.

Most of the people on our tour bus are from Canada and not fans of their Prime Minister. We all agreed that most people have a choice between the lesser of two evils.

I have to say that I am, again, impressed with how knowledgeable Jamaicans are. Someone asked our guide about hurricanes and he went on to take about why Haiti gets walloped so often. I know about the deforestation in Haiti but I didn't think about the increased temperatures, because of deforestation, attracting hurricanes.

I am also impressed by how Jamaicans, unabashedly, ask for what they want -- like a tip for doing a job well done.

During our tour, the guide asked us to take two or three sips of our mountain coffee before adding milk and sugar and it was not bad at all.

Also, today is Jamaica Day. When I saw these girls walking arm-in-arm, I thought about the 'Fugee who reminisces about this way of walking in her homeland.

Standoff on narrow road. Our driver had to reverse.

Since it is Jamaica Day and I visited a plantation, I have to say that it was sobering hearing about the mortality rate of slaves during today's orientation; think of 20 as "old age."