Get Away to Beautiful Jamaica

March 13, 2010

Four-Day Resort Stay for 2

Stay at an all-inclusive Jamaican resort hotel including all meals, beverages and entertainment.  With travel certificate only $169 per person double occupancy, a big discount from regular prices.

Jamaica And now you can relax and enjoy the beautiful Island of Jamaica.

See the cities and interesting historical sites on the island, including:

Montego Bay: second largest city in Jamaica, a gorgeous tropical bay with mountains rising in the background and a hub of shopping and fine dining.

Falmouth: 18th century port town.  Take a walking tour to historical buildings.

Discovery Bay: The site of Columbus’ landing in 1494.  Visit Columbus Park, an open-air museum containing historical artifacts and history about the area.

Runaway Bay: Where the Spanish “ran away” to Cuba when the British invaded the island.

Dunns River Falls: A 600-foot waterfall drops down to the beach. One of the most photographed and visited waterfalls in the world. Climb up through a series of “staircase” waterfalls.

Goldeneye: The beachfront estate of Ian Fleming, the creator of the James Bond novels.

Kingston: the largest English-speaking city in the Caribbean and the cradle of Jamaican culture, containing many historical sites and also a botanical gardens.

History & Culture

It is estimated that nearly 750,000 enslaved persons were brought to Jamaica between 1655 and 1807, primarily from the Gold Coast of Africa (now mainly Ghana and Nigeria).

After the abolition of slavery in 1834, workers came from Germany, Ireland and Scotland, India, China and Lebanon.

Today, 92% are of Black African descent, 3.4% are of Indian descent, 3.2%  are of Irish and Scot descent and 1% are Chinese descent.

The official language of Jamaica is English, spoken with a unique Jamaican accent, but the language of the streets is patois.

Patois is a combination of English, Spanish, Portuguese, African phrases and Jamaican slang, spoken in a sing-song style.

The music of Jamaica includes Reggae, especially popular through the international fame of Bob Marley. Jamaican music’s influence on music styles in other countries includes the practice of toasting, which was brought to New York City and evolved into

Around 1960, in the slums of Kingston Jamaica, local drummers mixed sounds from American R&B, Pan-African, and the Caribbean’s to produce a musical mixture called Reggae.  Reggae has been described as “the life and soul of the Jamaican people”.

Rastafarianism

While the Church of Jamaica, formerly the Church of England, has the largest following,
Jamaica’s best known religion is Rastafarianism, which centers around the divinity of the late Haile Selassie, emperor of Ethiopia.

In Jamaica you’ll see many dreadlocked Rastafarians.  Rastafarianism mandates vegetarianism, a strict code of peace and, the best known facet of the religion, the smoking of ganja or marijuana. They prefer to be in natural surroundings and often live in the hills.

Island Cuisine

Jamaicans have come from around the globe, bringing with them the cooking techniques, flavors, spices and recipes of their homelands. The result is the unique and flavorful Jamaican cuisine.

The first Europeans on the island over 400 years ago were the Spanish.  Spanish Jews contributing dishes such as escovitch fish, fried fish marinated with vinegar.

In 1655, the Spanish lost Jamaica to England.  The English contributed the Jamaican pattie, a turnover filled with spicy meat .

A century later, Chinese and East Indian introduced curried dishes using local meats such as goat, chicken and seafood.

Many unique dishes using unusual ingredients and preparations are served in island restaurants, including such items as Ackee, Bammy, Blue Drawers, Bulla, Corn Pone, Curried goat, Duckanoo, Fish Tea, Grizzada, Runndown, Spinners, and Soloman gundy.

Try them all while in beautiful Jamaica.


Escape to Paradise: Nassau, Bahamas, Cruise

February 27, 2010

Two-Night Bahamas Cruise for 2:

Two-night cruise on the Bahamas Celebration from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau, Bahamas.  Includes inside stateroom, all meals, entertainment, and shipboard activities for two.

Enjoy this luxury cruise on board the Bahamas Celebration and experience paradise in the Bahamas:

  • Shimmering aquamarine waters
  • White sandy beaches
  • Gourmet dining
  • Duty Free shopping
  • Vegas style casinos
  • Colonial Charm
  • Championship golf courses
  • Outstanding snorkeling
  • Great Nightclubs
  • Dolphin encounters
View of White Sand beach

Cable Beach

Nassau, located on New Providence Island, is the largest city in the Bahamas and its capital city.  Nassau is also the cultural center of the Bahamas.  The city was founded by British settlers in the middle of the 17th century. Nassau was also the site of many battles and attempted take-overs by the French, the Spanish, and even the American Revolutionaries. Many pirates, including Blackbeard, used the area as a hideout.

There are many places of historical interest in Nassau. Guided walking tours are available for $10, or you may pick up a map at the tourist center to plan your own walking tour.

Bay Street Nassau is a popular destination for shopping in the Bahamas.  The historic Nassau shopping district is a street that runs through the central area of Nassau, and is lined with cafes, fine restaurants and high end shops such as Gucci, Cole’s, and Fendi, as well as local stores.

Whether your interested in golf, snorkeling, shopping, casinos, exotic gourmet foods, or just hanging out on the beautiful white beaches,  Nassau in the Bahamas is paradise.


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