Kingston, Jamaica
June 19th, 2010
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, lies on the fertile plains of Liguanea (pronounced Lig-a-nee – an ancient Arawak Indian name) between the cays and banks of the eastern coast and the towering Blue Mountains. In this picturesque setting has grown a city of over half a million people: a bustling, sprawling city which is a place of deep and striking contrasts.
Kingston is not the sort of resort paradise to be found on the north coast but it offers a great deal more to the traveller who seeks to gain more than a sun tan from a holiday in Jamaica.
Blue Mountains
Visitors should not miss the rewarding drive into the Blue Mountains, home of Jamaica’s famous coffee.
Mavis Bank
Mavis Bank, a coffee farm high up in the Blue Mountains, invites visitors to come and see how the world famous Blue Mountain Coffee is grown and processed.
The National Art Gallery
The National Art Galleryon Ocean Boulevard, has a large collection of works of Jamaican artists.
Lime Cay
Morgan’s Harbour Hotel at Port Royal offers an excellent trip out to the offshore island of Lime Cay, a favourite spot of local yachtsmen. The white sand beach and clear water that abounds with fish make skin diving and swimming memorable.
Port Royal
Most of the old city of Port Royal, once the pirate capital of the New World, sank beneath the waves in a violent earthquake in 1692. Over the years much excavation work has been done to recover artifacts from this rich, but wicked town. Fort Charles, where Lord Nelson once strode the quarterdeck, still stands and the silent cannon still keep watch from its battlements. The Maritime Museum is located in Fort Charles itself while the Port Royal Archaeological and Historical Museum, which houses artifacts salvaged from the sunken city, is situated in the old Naval Hospital.
Revolution Gallery offering ceramics, sculpture, textiles, jewellery, prints and photographs by Jamaica’s leading artists. Upcoming exhibitions not to be missed include “Scandalous Pleasures of Myth & Memory” in March 2002. In June experience “Heavy Metal.”
