4213 miles

In spite of our better judgment, we decided to find out what these all-inclusive hotels are all about, and bought day passes to Beaches, Negril. I suppose we can consider the 300 bucks we dropped there as well spent, as now we are sure to never waste another dollar in such a place.

I really am not in a mood to write about it, but I will say this: why come to Jamaica for an experience like this? There’s nothing Jamaican at Beaches Negril – you stay within the confines of the resort and take part in canned activities, packed in with hundreds of other Americans apparently not independent minded enough to find a better value for their money. Just go to Disney World – it will cost half as much, and you’ll have a much better artificial experience. At least Disney World does not pretend to be anything else.

Beaches, Negril costs $600 a night – do you know what you can do in Jamaica, on your own, for $600 a day? Well, for starters, you can rent an entire house on the beach for under $200 a day. You can have a babysitter come (and pay her a living wage) for $60 a day. Let’s see – renting a boat to go snorkeling on the reefs – at your own pace and with your own quiet space – will cost $60. A wholesome, authentic Jamaican meal will cost about $35 for the family. Exposure to authentic Jamaican culture? That’s the best part, and it’s totally free.

Further, I personally feel that the resort makes it’s money off the backs of an impoverished workforce – How does $80 for a six day work week sound? Catering to unappreciative American families that stuff themselves with burgers, pizzas, and cakes all day while you can’t afford to offer your own children such treats, except on very rare occasions?

I will note that Cedric disagrees with me on this last point – but all in all, we both agree that it was time and money lost. Things got better when I came back to the cottage with Johanna (I returned after four hours – Cedric stuck it out with Lou, who did enjoy Beaches!), got a banana milkshake from the bar next door, and a massage from a beautiful woman named Leona.

Leona loved Johanna – it was apparent. “I have a way with babies,” she said. “I just love them.”

I have met so many beautiful people here; folks that have really touched me.

I feel so accepted as a mother in Jamaica – I never have to justify the way I parent Johanna. On-demand nursing, “attachment” parenting – it’s all highly regarded here. In the US and France particularly, mothers are expected to keep their babies at a distance – keep them in separate beds, separate rooms, daycare… Here, the mother-child bond is treated as sacred. Here, I feel so much approval and acceptance.

June2010, originally uploaded by sammy461.

Today was a slow day, as I gather Sunday’s generally tend to be in Jamaica. The hotel staff is minimal today – the housekeepers don’t cook, the babysitter takes the day off, and most people go to church. Pentecostal Christian is the largest religious denomination.

For lunch, we went to a local dive called Sweet Spice. Joining us were a mix of both tourists and locals. The food was very good; I ordered oxtail, while Cedric, feeling adventurous, tried curried fish. Lately, when faced with a restaurant menu, I gravitate toward the most unusual dishes offered. I want to try everything; unfortunately, my sensitive stomach often doesn’t agree with my adventurous appetite. The oxtail, however, went over fine. It was braised with some sort of large beans, and the sauce was rich with marrow and fat.

Johanna was well loved at this restaurant – the staff positively fawned over her. Jamaicans are wonderfully affectionate with children. Everyone we meet here wants to smile and coo at the baby; Americans, on the other hand, often treat children as a great annoyance. On our flight from Indianapolis to Baltimore, a woman in the seat in front of Lou turned around and hissed at me “tell him to stop kicking my seat!”

“He’s not kicking it,” I told her. “he’s picking up something he dropped on the floor.”

My word, we are a self-absorbed culture; the contrast between here and there troubles me more and more.