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So, I took my family of four to Kingston last week to have a precautionary MRI done on the 11 year old boy. Long story why I had to fly to get that done.

Got in Sunday night, did MRI Monday morning, spent most of Tuesday morning in a virtual meeting much to the chagrin of the missus. Nevertheless, we were able to squeeze in a tour of Kingston with Lincoln the taxi driver.

We did not get going until about 3pm, so it was a fairly rushed ‘tour’. He took us Beverly Hills, to see Andrew’s mansion , then to the stadium so the family could take some pics with Bob’s monument. The little missy of the family is 8 years old and by the time we got to stadium, I am sure poor Lincoln was ruing the fact that he didn’t come with earplugs. She is a chatter box ..and she obviously got it from the ..ahem..maternal side of the equation.

The trip got a lot more interesting thereon.

Next stop was the waterfront for some steamed fish at Gloria’s Seafood dining. Well Lincoln and I had steamed fish and bammy and okra, the missus and kids had ..I don’t remember. Needless to say the food was amazing to say the least. It was a sharp reminder for me that my two favorite places to eat in the whole wide world are Jamaica and Trinidad…no apologies. Due respect to mom and the missus. LOL.

To backtrack a bit, I had initially considered going to the Bob and Tosh museums uptown (Ruthven Rd I think?). That horrendous idea was quickly dismissed when I was set straight by the ladies at the hotel restaurant.

Ok! Long preamble I know.

Trench town, what an experience. We started with the block on 1st street (my memory is shitty…U block I think), by that time it was already a bit dusky, so our primary guide, a youth called Cosh (26 ish years old ie youth to me) whispered to one of the guides that we should do the walking tour of the streets before it got too dark. I am not gonna lie, the place looks rough and your first instinct is to keep looking around you. But, I think that kind of added to the thrill for all four of us. Because it was getting dark we got to 5th street with very well-articulated historical perspectives from Cosh. He even advised that even though we looked ‘alike’ the peeps dem already know seh yuh a tourist’ . I am not sure whether that was a warning or not.

I met a son of Alton Ellis, and a number of other descendants of the legends of roots reggae from Trench Town. As a hardcore roots reggae fan, the whole thing was surreal. My 11 year old almost made my eyes brim..emphasis on almost..the kid was super enthralled and so curious about it all. I was needlessly worried that they would start fussing about the walking. Although I had give the little missy a a few solicited/ demanded piggybacks a few times, much to the amusement of some of the residents.

Then another guide called Blackie took us around the block included Bob’s room along with that of his original buddy and mentor Tartar (I most likely spelled that wrong). Kids took pic in his first Volkswagen minivan etc etc, regular touristy things.

At the end of the day, I was left contemplating the uniqueness of the apparent and admitted squalor of the place with its volatile and violent history and how that is dichotomized by the insane talent and cultural vigor of the place. It’s a quite curious case of tortured genius.

I think the Trench Town experience in a weird way epitomizes why I actually love Yard so much..apart from reggae. The service at the MRI center in Winchester was world class but still very Jamaican. Like after the MRI, which requires you to remain perfectly still for 30 mins approx. was done in one shot with my 11 yard old; the security guard said “bway yuh good…some big man ah come here and dem cyah dweet..dem all run roun di place”.

Then next day it was on to Trench town with a different kind of world class talent against the backdrop of the tenement yard, concrete jungle, ghetto etc etc PHEW !!

I don’t think I can do the experience justice with some hastily typed words here, I certainly need to go back and I am super happy my kids got to experience it. I feel like I am a hero to them

Well captured, like I was there with you

In reply to Cheeks

Very enjoyable and objective write up. Hope the medical issues are quickly resolved.

At one time in my life I lived at New Lincoln Rd a 5 minute walk from the heart of Trench Town. My mom taught at Trench Town Comprehensive High School (no longer so named) and many of my friends lived in the area. I spent a lot of time at the northern or top part of Trench Town.

It was always a tough area but guns were not so plentiful and the streets were not so dangerous.

I believe Alton Ellis, Ken Booth and Marcia Griffith were really Denham Town folks (closer to the heart of Kingston) but that is a minor geographical matter.

got lots of places like that man the more seedy areas and more better places not to far from each other

In reply to velo

In reply to Headley

In reply to Curtis

In reply to Cheeks

Nice, Cheeks, nice!

In reply to Drapsey

In reply to Cheeks
Enjoyed your experience of the historic area of musical artistes ..and happy to know MRI
brought positives.
Your tour brings back memory of long ago..1955 when I visited the Ellis' home where
he and his equally very young friends friends such as Ken Boothe were rehearsing some songs in the yard on a Saturday morning.
Have not been in area since the 70s.
So thanks for jarring the memory with nice things..of a nicer time.

In reply to Cheeks
Lovely post man -glad the kid is OK.
Bob is Hope Road - Tosh is Trafalgar Road but very close to Ruthven (on the other side)

In reply to Cheeks

Great share, Cheeks; thanks. Big up to the kids for showing interest too; the cultural reinforcement is good.
Last year-end, this white vlogger took it on unplanned as it were too and ended with a nice video. It's on my to-do list for next 'Town' visit.

--Æ.

In reply to hubert

Thanks man. Re the MRI, it was a great relief indeed.

In reply to Chrissy

In reply to JayMor

In reply to Cheeks
I hope your daughter is well and that you'll walk her down the aisle and go to your Grandkids college graduation. You beautifully made some wonderful points. Almost everything of excellence Jamaican came from the grassroots. One only knows what more could've been if that grassroots had better conditions.
The name is pronounced TAAH-TA both a name and an affectionate/endearing term for an older relative such as a "Grampa"

In reply to Cheeks
YEs quite close - nuff tourists walk from Pegasus to both

In reply to Brerzerk

In reply to Chrissy