Jamaica: Day 1

The first day in Jamaica was spent in the capital, Kingston. The city has a population of 650,000 people, which makes it the largest Jamaican city. The population of Kingston accounts for about ⅓ of the Jamaican population. In Kingston I lived with a cheerful family who lived in a shack on stilts near the sea. On the way to work with the father I saw many street vendors selling hand-made crafts. Some products include hand-woven baskets and pots. My personal favorite was a life size wooden carving of Bob Marley. Next we crossed through the local public park, William Grant Park. It is nicknamed “parade”, because its busy walkways. The father told me that the park commemorates the national hero and former prime minister, William Grant who was a labor leader. He fought for better wages for Jamaicans. Once we walked out of the park I saw the contrast between the two parts of the city, an area of skyscrapers surrounded by rusty, wooden shacks. The husband told me that he gradually worked his way up in the ranks, and was now the manager at the local harbor. Jamaica’s harbor is known to be the 7th largest natural harbor in the world. Once we reached the dock we overlooked the traffic of the cargo boats. After work, we walked back home and had a simple meal of banana porridge.

Kingston Market