This year, we are urging all diGgers to make it a part of their new year’s resolution to visit these five places in Jamaica. We promise that the benefits will far outweigh any reservations they may have.
1. The Market
Yep. You heard right. Almost every major town in Jamaica has a market. The nation is blessed with a bounty of tasty natural foods, and especially on Fridays and Saturdays, this fare is available to you – fresh! – at reasonable prices. There are fruits and tasty vegetables waiting for you to pick them up and drop them into your market basket (okay, maybe not a basket so much as a bag, but still …). These foods are also not that difficult to transform into scrumptious, healthy meals. This year, do more cooking with fresh produce straight outta a Jamaican market. Your body will thank you.
2. The beach
Every year, tourists flock to this island’s shores to partake in the wonder of sun, sea and sand. And yet, for most of the year, some Jamaicans stay home – opting to ignore the waves calling from the many free beaches around. This year, make it a point of duty to visit the sea more often. Not just because we said so, but because the health benefits are too many to ignore:
- Stress relief (calming waves)
- Sinus cleansing (salt water)
- Foot exfoliation (sand on beach)
- Sunlight and Vitamin D for the skin
3. The hills/mountains
Do go hike Jamaica’s Blue Mountains … or some other high-rise, if you can’t make it to the Blue Mountains. The aim here is to see the flora and fauna with which this beautiful nation has been blessed, and to appreciate the marvellous natural wonder that is Jamaica land we love. Also, the fresh air from the elevated altitudes will do wonders for your lungs, your mind, your body and your spirit!
4. The Library
Every parish in Jamaica has a library, stocked with books full of facts, figures and educational data just waiting for eager eyes too consume. The library is still a treasure trove of information for anyone who is willing to see it as such. This year, go a little old school and enjoy the quiet serenity of the library space. Add to that the magic of opening and flipping through a book, the sound of swishing pages, and the smell of knowledge that can only be found in the musty mystery of a hallowed library hall.
5. A museum/gallery
Art is the heartbeat of Jamaican culture. Since the time of the Tainos, we as a people have expressed ourselves through the creation of sculptures, paintings, drawings, pictures and motifs. It is one of hte chief ways in which we express our Jamaican-ness and share with others our unique perspective of the world. How much do you know about Jamaica’s artists? Or the country’s art scene in general? Get up to date, or learn a little about it by visiting one of the nation’s museums or galleries this year.
