One Love, Jamaica: Lindsay on Location
Lindsay on Location headed south to the beautiful Caribbean Island of Jamaica. The land of Bob Marley is also rich in culture, history, stunning beaches, and the friendliest people. It is the 3rd largest country in the Caribbean Sea, and became independent from the UK in 1962, but remains a member of the commonwealth.
There is something for everyone in Jamaica. It is a great destination to soak up nature, those that love adventure, the beach bums, and of course the music lovers. It has a diverse range of ecosystems that include rainforests, mountains, and coral reefs. But people also come from all over the world to pay respect to the most famous Jamaican musician of all time, Bob Marley. Where his message of love and peace can still be felt all over the island. With the much anticipated movie, Bob Marley: One Love, out now in theaters. I wanted to come to Jamaica and feel his impact and legacy first hand. There is not one inch of this island where you can't feel him.
Bob Marley sadly passed away at the young age of 36 in 1981 from Cancer. But in his short life he made every moment count to connect and be the voice to people all over the world. He was not only a musical genius he made a massive cultural impact and a symbol of peace. He said, "You can't separate the message & the music." He truly wanted to change the world. Post death he is one of the top earning celebrities of all time. He is up there with John Lennon, Elvis, and Michael Jackson. He brought to the world the Jamaican genres of Ska, Rock steady and Reggae. He is famously buried with his soccer ball, bible, his guitar, ring, and Marijuana. I gotta visit the Bob Marley museum where you can see where he was born. Which was his grandparents house. All his famous gold records. Hear a live Jamaican band. And see his final resting place. His tomb is made of marble and donated by Italy where he played one of his most famous concerts of all time. You get to see the one room, with one single bed where he lived and also what influenced the song: "Is this love" where he says: we'll be together with a roof right over our heads; we'll share the shelter of my single bed."
You are on an island. So get on the water! There are lots of options.
Dunn's Falls: There’s no shortage of waterfalls in Jamaica, but the most famous of them all is Dunn's Falls. Standing an impressive 180 feet high and 600 feet long, this limestone rock formation is a living phenomenon as it constantly renews itself through sediment deposits by cave-fed, thermal spring waters. Its crystal clear waters cascade down in a series of steps and pools, bringing big smiles to the thousands of visitors that scale the face of the waterfall each year.The falls appeared in such films and television fare as James Bond’s Dr. No, Tom Cruise’s film Cocktail. I climbed the famous falls. Where the water rushes over you at every step. You have to create a human chain just to be able to make it to the top.
Parasailing: You have to get high above and see the perfect Caribbean turquoise sea. The water is perfect year round and I wanted to see it from the sky. Parasailing is one of my favorite things. Its adventurous but also very peaceful and relaxing from that view. Make sure you tell them to give you a little dip, it is the best part.
Luminous Lagoon: This port area in Jamaica was once the place where sugar cane and rum were traded with England. After the decline of the sugar trade, scientists discovered the lagoon's geographical location was important for another reason. It was the single best place to observe and study microorganisms called dinoflagellates, which thrive in the layers where salt and freshwater combine and glow the brightest in shallow, warm water. At night, the lagoon sparkles and glistens when disturbed, as these microscopic organisms produce an amazing glow. The Luminous Lagoon is said to be the largest and most brilliant of four in the world. Do not miss this natural phenomenon for yourself. And make sure to jump in and see the water glow!
Scuba Diving: I took a resort course to get my one day PADI certificate. You first learn everything you need to know in the classroom, then you train in the pool to get you comfortable, then you head to the water to put your skills to the test. With Jamaica having perfect clear water you get to see tropical fish and dive the coral reefs. The resort PADI course is great because you get to learn how to scuba dive all in one day. There is nothing like being at the bottom of the sea. It truly like being on a different planet. I highly recommend taking a PADI course. They have them all over the world.
Our Stay
BeachBoundVacations made everything possible for us. From the hotel to excursions. It is a one-stop shop to make your vacation relaxing and smooth. Our Hotel, Ocean Eden Bay was an all inclusive adult only property right on the Caribbean sea. Our balcony was in the corner giving us the most perfect sunrises and sunsets. Their sister property is next door and allows all ages. There are a variety of restaurants to choose from. Anything from Indian, Italian, Steak, French, to the beloved Hibachi. When we were not filming we were taking advantage of the gorgeous turquoise waters. For the pool lovers, there are two, a lazy river, and of course some swim up bars. Take advantage of the Senses show, which is a nightly tribute to Bob Marley. They also have live reggae bands daily, I even got the chance to try some Bob Marley tunes. It is much harder than it looks to play the drums and keep the beat for the band. I am going to leave that up to the professionals. But it is always fun to get in the mix.
Food/Drinks:
Cocktail the Bob Marley- Stir it up with this island cocktail. Made of local rum, fresh juices, and bright colors that make up the Rastafarian flag.
Jerk Meat- The meat is coated in spices and slow-cooked over a fire or grill traditionally composed of green pimento wood positioned over burning coals, the resulting smoke is key to the flavour of the dish. It is spicy and smokey, and one of my favorites.
Coco Bread- a popular staple bread in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean made primarily with flour and coconut milk, then slightly sweetened. It is folded over making it perfect to eat with your jerk meat. The hosts were trying Coco bread from Branch Patty.