Kingston,in

Hello, I am glad to greet you, I am Yael Yancelson and today we are going to the most precious jewel in the Caribbean, we are flying to Kingston Jamaica, so breathe, close your eyes, give me your hand and let yourself be guided, we begin!

Kingston was founded in 1692 as the new home for the survivors of the earthquake that destroyed Port Royal. It is the capital of Jamaica and its largest city, located on the southeast coast of the island of Jamaica. Kingston is Jamaica’s seat of government and commercial capital, known for its cultural, educational, and entertainment options. Jamaica is a natural paradise in the middle of the Caribbean. It is not only because of its dreamy beaches, white sand, and turquoise water, but also because of its mountains, forests, and lakes: authentic wonders of nature. Traveling to Jamaica means visiting a tropical island full of stunning places but also delving into the Rastafarian culture, reggae, and the places where Bob Marley lived. Without forgetting its past marked by colonization and slavery. Perhaps the singer Bob Marley and the athlete Usain Bolt are two of Jamaica’s most famous characters.

Let’s go to the Bob Marley Museum which brings together objects and memories of the reggae legend. It is located in what had been the home of the singer. His birth house can also be visited. Located in the village of Nine Miles, near Ocho Ríos, it is a place of pilgrimage for the Rastafarian movement. It has been converted into a museum and is home to Marley’s mausoleum, accompanied by a guitar, a bible, and a soccer ball. Rastafarian culture is a unique fusion of African cultural traditions and Caribbean cultural influences. The Rastafarian community arose in a context of poverty and oppression, and its members identify as descendants of indigenous Africans who were forcibly displaced to Jamaica by slavery and colonialism. It has adopted the red, gold, and green colors of Africa, and can be easily identified by the traditional hand-woven tam (referred to as a “crown”), scarves, and other adornments, as well as traditional dreadlocks (braids). that many carry. The Rastafarian community finds its most immediate association with the creation and spread of reggae. At the root of this distinctive music is the oral testimony of the Rastafarian struggle to preserve their religious and cultural identity in Jamaica. Originally inspired by their experience as marginalized Africans in Jamaica, reggae music has evolved from traditional Rastafarian drum rhythms and the community’s spiritual ideology, and without a doubt, its most famous representative is this Jamaican named Bob Marley.

Now let’s enter the National Art Gallery, where there are exhibitions on the history of Jamaican art and with the best artists on the island. There is a fantastic bronze statue of Bob Marley on the ground floor and works by Dunkley John, David Miller, and McLaren Sidney, sculptures by Edna Manley, and modern pieces by Tina Matkovic, Colin Garland, and Reynolds Mallico and Kapo.

We continue walking very comfortably to find Kings House, which is the official residence of the Governor General, it is a huge and ostentatious house, have you seen it? It also has 200 hectares of gardens known as Hope Gardens and curiously I found the only Synagogue on the island here in Kingston at the intersection with Charles Street and it belongs to the United Congregation of Israelites Now to finish let’s go to the bay where the port is located from Kingston, to visit Port Royal. Did you know that it has the nickname of the “wickedest city in the west” and that it was once the land of pirates? A great earthquake destroyed it in 1692 and now the sea is full of archaeological treasures that you can explore by diving. In Port Royal, we can also see a 17th-century fort, Fort Charles, built by the English after taking the island. What a magnificent color palette we are appreciating!

If you are hungry and like to cook, click on the button, or if you prefer, keep traveling.