VACATIONS FROM HOME: HEARTBEAT OF MUSIC, RUDE BOYS AND ANTISEPTIC DISPORA

Monday, May 10, 2021

HEARTBEAT OF MUSIC, RUDE BOYS AND ANTISEPTIC DISPORA

FIRST TIME GOING SOMEWHERE WITHOUT SEEING IT

I’ve been particularly fascinated by Jamaica and its rich musical history. After all ska which began in the 1950’s, rock-steady which had a short-lived popularity in the 60’s and reggae all were birthed here and could fill the sound track of my life. Reggae especially, whose beat echoes my own heartbeat! Well, here I am finally in this revered place and I’m regulated to a “resilient corridor” because of COVID and here at Sandals I’m a prisoner to the DJ’s predilection of tunes. Unfortunately, there is little choice. Bars are shut down still and though this island nation should throb with the beat of reggae it is currently stilled.

SKA RUDEBOY

Of course, staying at a Sandals resort still gives me the opportunity to swim and dive in the Caribbean Sea, overeat and slack my thirst with sweet rum drinks and Red Stripe beer and that’s really nice, but I’m not seeing Jamaica. Sure, I’m experiencing the warm, friendly Jamaicans who cater to my whims with a wide smile, albeit hidden by a mask; some wear buttons emblazoned with their picture to show what we are missing; but I’m not seeing any part of the country.

Of course, Jamaica IS a poor country, her people scattered around the world in search of better lives, and off the resorts there are parts of Jamaica that are poor and CAN be dangerous, and not just because of COVID. Perhaps when the world can breathe again, we’ll return and see and hear more.

Sandals remains a wonderful experience though, and at Sandals South Coast we are blessed with a serene and private white sand beach that is two miles long. None of the other resorts in the Sandals franchise can claim that, and with a 500- acre nature preserve abutting the resort, South Coast is the most secluded. Speaking with the manager of the hotel today he said no other Sandals resort offers such serenity as well as the over-the-water bungalows, the Latitude Bar also over the water that is ringed by hammocks and gives patrons an incredible sunset view and an over-the-water wedding chapel for those looking to get properly hitched. It is a lovely place, even though you could swear you’re somewhere else and not necessarily Jamaica. But, when you visit a Sandals there's really no reason to go off campus. Catering to your whims, the staff at Sandals are very thoughtful and detail oriented.

The resort is broken up into three European style “villages.” We are at the far western edge of the property in something called the French Village. Our walk out room is just a few feet closer to the pool than the beach. From our porch we could see the pricey over-the-water bungalows that contrast with these “cheaper”, rooms. Working back towards the center of the resort there is a “Dutch” Village, whose walk-out rooms splash into a long curving pool, separated from the “real” pool by a slab of cement.

JANET AT OUR
FRENCH VILLAGE POOL

The bar here has no swim up feature. The pool in the Italian Village looks like a fountain, and Italian opera arias softly spill out of speakers located throughout the property. Though the Italian Village’s pool is negligible it is a short walk to the massive main pool and a beautiful piazza that is ringed by flowers and nearly all the restaurants.

Come for the sun, sea, the serenity and the rum drinks…I’ve taken to Appleton’s Reserve Rum on ice, and ask the DJ to mix in some Luciano (reggae) and Ziggy Marley to his mix.