JAMAICA

For us, Jamaica means romance. Maybe it's the mountains covered in lush tropical vegetation. Maybe it's the plush resorts where couples are greeted by an atmosphere that promises romance. Or maybe it's the people, who make visitors feel like they're returning home, a home where hummingbirds dart from bloom to bloom, where waters teeming with colorful marine life lie just steps from your room, where the island's own music makes nights pulsate with a tropical beat.

Jamaica was one of our first Caribbean destinations, and so, for us, a trip back to this island is indeed a homecoming. We try to make time for a meal at our favorite jerk joint. A stop by our favorite souvenir stand, a bamboo hut painted in Rastafarian colors. And, as we drive the sometimes bumpy roads filled with more-than-sometimes wild drivers, we pass by many of our favorite resorts and restaurants, and relive romantic times we've shared in Jamaica over the last decade.

We have to admit, however, that Jamaica is not for everyone. Many travelers, including some fellow travel writers, prefer to skip this island because of the problems that inevitably reveal themselves even to the casual traveler. Drugs are a problem on this island, and you will probably be approached by ganja-selling entrepreneurs. Although the resorts patrol their grounds and beaches above the high water line, when you step outside the boundaries of the resort be prepared. "I have something special for you" is a frequently used line that you can ward off with a friendly but firm "No, thank you."

But, in general, we've found that Jamaica has some of the friendliest inhabitants in the Caribbean. Service, even in all-inclusive resorts where tips are not even a question, is unsurpassable. Taxi drivers are proud to tell you about the island, and we've even had drivers jump out of the car and pick (legal) herbs and plants along the route in describing their uses in the Jamaican household.

Jamaica's motto is "Out of Many, One People" and a quick look around the island confirms its multi-national history. The predominately African heritage has mixed with that of South America, India, China, and Europe. Along with multi-ethnicity, you'll also see a mixture of city and country life throughout the nation as well. In Montego Bay, commerce with the rest of the world takes place in modern office buildings. Out on the roads that wind their way through the countryside, trade takes place from push carts made of discarded automobile parts. Transportation for many residents means walking, often with a load balanced on their heads with the grace of ballet dancers.

Along those roads you'll see the diversity of Jamaican life as well. Around one bend lies a palatial home; around another corner a shanty without doors or windows. Towns are frenetic centers of activity, filled with pedestrians, street vendors, colorful fruit markets, and neighbors who take time to visit their friends as they go about their day duties. Although the roads are rushed and filled with endless honking that is given, not out of anger, but as a warning, a hello, or just for the heck of it, Jamaicans often stop their vehicles to talk to someone in the oncoming lane; others politely wait for the conversation to end.

As you wind through the communities in the Jamaican countryside, you'll notice the many churches in every small town. Religion is an important part of Jamaican life. The Church of Jamaica, formerly the Church of England, has the largest following. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Seventh Day Adventists, Christian Scientists, and other groups also have significant memberships. Rastafarianism, a religion centered around the divinity of the late Haile Selassie, emperor of Ethiopia, is also practiced. You'll see many dreadlocked Rastafarians (usually wearing crocheted tams) who are practitioners of this religion which mandates vegetarianism, a strict code of peace, and, the best known facet of the religion, the smoking of ganja or marijuana.

Jamaica's diversity comes from its visitors as well, guests from around the globe that make this tropical island home for a short while. Some of those visitors have become residents, most notably Errol Flynn, Ian Fleming, and Noel Coward. Flynn came to the island in the Forties and remained until his death in 1960, but not before he hit upon the idea of putting tourists on bamboo rafts on the Rio Grande, which today remains one of the most romantic rides in the Caribbean. Fleming, creator of the James Bond series, wrote from his home named "Goldeneye," located in Oracabessa near Ocho Rios. Today the home is owned by Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records. At about the same period, Noel Coward arrived on the island, building a home named "Firefly" near Port Maria.

With such a group of stellar residents, it's not surprising that the island has always been a favorite with Hollywood movie producers. Some films produced here include "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," "Dr. No," "The Harder They Come," "Papillon," "Live and Let Die," "Club Paradise," "Clara's Heart," "Cocktail," "Wide Sargasso Sea," and, of course, "Cool Runnings," the story of Jamaica's legendary Olympic bobsled team.

Because of its size, over 4,000 square miles, Jamaica has a little bit of everything: rivers, mountains, plains, forests, caves, and, of course, a beautiful coastline.

The most mountainous area is the eastern end, home of the Blue Mountains. This is the most rugged, unsettled region of the country, the home of the island's famous Blue Mountain coffee as well as the world's second largest butterfly, the Papilio homerus. With peaks that top 7,500 feet above sea level, visitors can find themselves grabbing for a jacket.

The mountains run like a backbone down the island's center from east to west, and along the journey they create a quiltwork of 160 rivers and cascading waterfalls.

Jamaica is also a patchwork of communities. The capital city is Kingston on the south shore, a metropolitan area that's visited primarily for business rather than pleasure. The resort communities lie on the north shore. Quiet Port Antonio, once a hideaway for Hollywood stars, lies to the east. Heading west, the garden city of Ocho Rios is a popular favorite with couples. Montego Bay or Mo Bay is the first taste most visitors have of the island as it's home of the north shore airport. To the far west, Negril was once a hippie haven, but today it's the preferred vacation spot for anyone to enjoy its laid-back atmosphere and unbeatable sunset views.

Perhaps more than any other Caribbean island except St. Lucia, Jamaica is incredibly lush and fertile. Fruits, orchids, bromeliads, hardwoods, and ferns all thrive in this rich soil and bountiful environment. Sugar remains a major product, and during the summer months don't be surprised to see fires across the island as farmers burn off the stubble of harvested crops. During this time, the air sometimes becomes heavy with smoke and burnt sugar.