Farewell to Perkins on Line

Tomorrow, Perkins on Line, dubbed the thinking person's programme and broadcast worldwide from Power 106 in  Kingston, Jamaica, will be no more.

This programme started some ten years ago ago when the late Wilmot Perkins (Motty) joined that radio station. Since his death on the 10th February 2012, it has been clear that the programme had to go, but in the interim, Michael Cuff and I kept it going until they could find a suitable hoist for the slot.

Well Friday 30th March will be the last day as from the 2nd April a new programme called Justice will take its place.

The host of the new programme will be senator Marlene Malahoo-Forte an attorney at law, politician and former Resident Magistrate. She will be doing Mondays to Thursdays and I will do Fridays and sit in for her when she cant make it.

Thank god that my life will then get back to normal. For although I enjoy interacting with people, I am totally claustrophobic and  being locked up in a cold, dreary windowless studio  for extended periods, is just not my thing! In fact both Radio Jamaica and Newstalk 93 invited me to do programmes and my answer has always been the same, "Give me a microphone and set me up on a  beach and I will happy to do it",.

Unfortunately the answer is always the same, as  the type of breeze blowing by beaches is just not conducive to outside broadcasts. So since I have no desire to spend my beautiful days stuck in studios, I have always been content to sit in for Motty whenever he was unable to make it.

Now its time for Justice!

MY FIRST HINDU WEDDING

Yesterday I attended a Hindu wedding for the first time. I have been to a Hindu funeral and three times, I have gone to the function they hold every September to mourn the passing of those who have died and celebrate successes of the past year, but never a wedding.

My exposure to Hinduism has come through Kala Thakur, my aunt in law. She is from India and came to Jamaica many, many years ago when she got married to uncle Joe and all her children are born here.

It was Jayant, her second son who got married to Shanti Bagaloo at the Golden Room at Mona visitor's lodge and it was a great experience for me.To begin with, I have never before in my life been in a crowd with such a colourful and beautiful array of clothing for not only was there a profusion of saris decked with silver and gold threads, but the outfits worn by the men were as exquisite. And the bridegroom looked like a prince!

Jayant, the bridegroom

As to the decor. Whomever decorated that place should be declared national gem!

As the bridegroom arrived, we, his family lined up behind him, some moving to the pulsating of the drums which sounded more African than Indian. At the entrance he was met by the priest  and other men who performed rituals with lighted candles, flowers, water and something resembling little pieces of dough. Then the women gathered around him and performed similar rituals and planting kisses on him.                

Then he entered the hall where the ceremony was to be held and in there was  an attractively decorated booth looking like a tent, in which he was  put to sit. Apparently in the Hindu tradition women are not equal to men so although the bride had been there long before, she never entered until they had completed another ritual with Jayant alone in the tent.

She then entered preceded by a sari clad bridesmaids who walked down the aisle made from white cloth decorated with red rose petals all along the way.

The ceremony was of course conducted in Sanskrit which is a Liturgical language of Hinduism. so naturally I never understood a word. At one time I kept hearing the priest saying Lachme which I know to be the name Jayant's sister and also his cousin. It turns out that name means goddess and he was not talking about them at all! A word I did recognise however was Namaste for we say that in yoga when greeting others or departing, as it means God be with you.

I did notice that the family of both the bride and groom and the priest had taken off their shoes to enter the area where the marital rites were being conducted and also the bride sat to the right of the groom until the priest told us that they were now man and wife and she moved to his left side. I must say the priest was excellent. He explained everything to us as he went along and he was quite a comedian too.

 To solidify the union, not only did they exchange rings but also the lady in waiting had to tie a ceremonial knot and cover them with a cloth while Jayant put the red dot on her forehead to let the world know that she was now off the market. 

The incredulous thing about Hindu marriages  is that not only are the couple tied  together for this life but also for their next 7 lives. (Hindus, like me, believe in reincarnation.) I suppose that is why some brides throw themselves on the pyre when their husbands die!

After the ceremony we were all treated to lovely little boxes of Indian sweets and juices before dinner.

Kala, knowing that I am a pork fanatic, had warned me a couple days before that it was going to be a vegan meal and that made me quite apprehensive for the ceremony was very long and I was starving. I am here to tell you however that if it was all vegan, I could easily become one without even knowing it, for the food was really tasteful and I could not have asked for a greater meal.

It was for me an excellent experience all around.

The Other Fish Dunn

Despite the common perception, I  did not sabotage my bicycle on the 18/3/2012!

Here we were, about thirty riders, going on the wonderful ride to the falls recommended by Alrick at 

Silver Hill, just above Buff Bay in Portland. 

The planned route was through the beautiful Blue and John Crow Mountain range to Section etc. As I left Hope Pastures in Kingston at about 5.30am,  my chain slipped off and my derailer got stuck in the back wheel. Despite the efforts of my super mechanic Howie, to solve the problem, because the derailer had become bent, I had to park the bicycle much earlier than I had planned to . For it had been my intention to ride to Café Blue in Irish town, drive up to Hollywell then cruise off the hill down to our destination.

My misfortune was  however Johan’s blessing, since he got a puncture and ended up having to borrow my back wheel. In the interim, I had to drive up to Cafe Blue. On the way up, we passed Damit ( Fun and Thrills foundation member) riding with two friends to Newcastle.

When I got to Cafe Blue it as so cold  that I decided to take a hike to get warm. To just survive, I had to start off at a very fast pace just to stop myself from freezing to death, but soon I changed into high gear.   As I passed the UCC coffee factory, Clive caught up and rode beside me almost to Red light district. I could not believe that after he rode off, I never saw another cyclist for about an hour.

As I walked  alone enjoying the cool, peaceful, environment with the breeze whistling gently through the bamboo and fir trees, a red car drew up beside me and stopped. The gentleman  driving told me that from he saw the cyclists, he had been looking for me for on a previous ride into the area he and his friends had complained to me about not getting payment for their coffee delivered to Mavis Bank coffee factory and after I had exposed it on  radio, they had gotten a call  instructing them to pick up their money and he had wanted to tell me about it. After a few pleasantries, I asked him where the cyclists were and he said they could not catch up with  me before I got to Newcastle, for they were still in Irish town!

I continued my hike alone for quite a while, only seeing one hiker on her way down and a lone cyclist (not from our group) on his way up. Then just before I got to the shop at the Middleton turn off, I  heard another vehicle coming.  It was one of our support vehicles carrying Charles. He said he had to stop riding due to a pain in his groin . He however came out and started to hike with me. Then just outside of Newcastle the Chucks drove up with Theresa and her friend and they too started walking with us.

We were almost at Newcastle before another cyclist from our group caught up! It was Barry who sped past, then came Maurice followed closely by two others.

 By the time we got up to Newcastle about half of the other riders had arrived. We walked on to Hollywell by which time all the others had caught up, so that was a photo opportunity.

As  it was downhill all the away from there, we got into  various the support vehicles.

I had heard that the massive break away just below Section had been repaired, but it hasn’t. What they seem to have done is to have acquired some land from the coffee farmer whose property is to the west of the break away and paved what had previously been used as the informal access road.

Taking the bicycles by the foot path just above the massive break away is a treacherous task but only Orrel took  the bypass road as the others gingerly picked their way along the foot path. However Thomas assisted some of the ladies across.  As I drove slowly behind the riders with Derrick (Chuck) we really got the unique opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the Buff Bay valley with its profusion of colourful wild (and cultivated) flowers and huge flowering trees. Derrick told me yesterday that the magnificent tree with the colourful red flowers at the top which we in St.  Elizabeth call Flame of the Forrest is called Jackass piss by Portlanders who he asked. This is because it has water coming out of the flower, he says he was told. We live and learn!


All went well the rest of the way as the other break away we had encountered on the first ride had been repaired and the road was fairly ok except that we had to bypass the rickety and rusting bridge and travel through a fording at Wakefield.

When we got to Silver Hill I was surprised to see Charles sitting at the shop, for we had heard he had gotten lost (as usual) and ended up somewhere else. Most of the riders were also there. From Silver Hill , we proceeded west for about a half mile to the lovely waterfall called Fish Dun or Black bridge waterfall by local folk. This is on the way to Avocar where there is a catholic church and  Primary and Juniour High School. (There is another waterfall that we go to in Portland also called Fish Dun and Big Dun by some of the local people. This is on the Marley coffee plantation just above Crystal Springs on the way to Bybrook).

While most riders were enjoying the waterfall and river, because there was no sun to warm me up when I got out, I decided not to take on the cold water.

But it was almost noon and food was no where in sight, so I took a walk

Then I had the most fantastic and pleasant experience I have ever had for a long time.

 I walked back to the intersection to try and find some hot coffee but despite the fact that we were in coffee country, none was available for immediate consumption. Walking back to the waterfall, I saw a lady sweeping her veranda and playfully called out to her asking if she wanted to give me a cup of coffee. You could have hit me down with a straw as without batting an eyelash, she pleasantly said ‘of course” and asked how I wanted it!

I went into the yard and while she went to boil the water, I met her husband and kids. Her name is Donna Roberts and her husband is Horace. He is a driver for RADA who takes foodstuff for a co-op in St. Mary to  supermarkets in Kingston. They were a wonderful family and  Horace told me that he used to work in Kingston but moved back to his home some four years ago and  found life so much more fulfilling there. They were an absolutely wonderful family and I spent quite a while there with them.

When I got back to the group our lunch had arrived but the plates had run out but I was rescued by Theresa who gave me hers.

Would you believe though that without eating, Maurice (ride back) Clive and another fellow, rode back to Kingston over the hills! Absolutely amazing and when I got back to Michael’s house around 4pm they were already there waiting.

After lunch,  Michael, Howard, Barry and some others riders took the smart route, riding downhill all the way for about 8 miles to Buff Bay, where they were picked up by the support vehicles and transported home via the Junction route.

It was really a wonderful outing and thanks to water shy Alrick, we got to enjoy another fabulous waterfall.



For more photos, see;  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150748965861823.458988.763366822&type=1

HONOURING AN OUTSTANDING MATRIACH

Mrs. hazel Williams

On Saturday 17^th March, my "favourite" mother in law,  celebrated her 90 th birthday.   For the occasion, her children decided put on a surprise party for her at the Police Officers Club on Hope Road, inviting friends and relatives from near and far to celebrate with her. And she was indeed surprised but looked as beautiful and well dressed as when I first met her some 40 years ago.


The function was appropriately fabulous  as her children , grandchildren, friends, in laws  and other family, paid tribute to her for her kindness to everyone, love of family and her religious convictions which she translated into a way of life .


For the occasion, her eldest  child Dianna had flown in from Canada accompanied by her husband Donnie along with  Mrs. Williams' sister aunt Gladys and her grandson. Phillip and Monique who both live in  the USA were also there.  Unfortunately neither her grand daughter Michele and family who reside in Denver, her great grandson Shadrach who lives in New York nor daughters Amreita and Sally  who are in Arizonia and New York respectively, were able to attend as  but all sent their love and Michele sent a power point greeting which she enjoyed immensely.

Grandson Johnathon at the mike

The children and grandchildren really regaled her for the great influence she had on their lives and the love that she had showered on them while friends and in laws also showered praises on her for her generosity of spirit and good humour.


The guest of honour thanked everyone for the wonderful surprise and shared some of her secrets that had contributed to her long life and good health, the main ingredients being; never ever harbouring anger or malice against anyone and trusting  God always. It was her Catholic faith, she insisted which had been instrumental in helping her successfully raise a family of six children ,  many adoptions and allowed her to be able to assist so many other family members .

She really appreciated the framed print of the Sts. Peter and Paul church which the kids bought for her, for she is a staunch Catholic who attended that church regularly before she had difficulty getting around.  

Among those who attended the celebration were representatives from the Fun and Thrills riding group and persons from St.George's College old boys association. All  wished her good health and told  her that they were looking forward to celebrating the 100th birthday with her in 10 years time.



For more photos see; http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150746718271823.458687.763366822&type=3

GOING TO BLUE HOLE

Well actually, we never got there!

On Ash Wednesday we undertook to ride to Exchange in St. Ann to swim in at Blue Hole a part of White river. While the majority of the riders opted to go via the Bog Walk gorge and Mount Rosser, seven of us opted for the Junction  route,  which is in my book is far more scenic and shaded.

But boy, was it ever cold when we got to Stony Hill and flew off the hill to Golden Spring.

When we got to Castleton gardens, the rain started to pour and Theresa took off her riding clothes and rode off in her bathing suit. We never saw her again until we got to Agualta Vale.

The rest of us had waited until the rain eased up but we may as well have not, since it started to pour again once we had taken off. I rode as far as Albany in St. Mary where I saw a big hill and really did not feel like riding up, so I jumped into a vehicle while others opted to push over the hill and get back on their bikes at the top.

They eventually stopped riding in Port Maria and we all drove from there up to Exchange in St. Ann where we were supposed to find Blue Hole.

As it turned out however, where we ended up was not Blue hole but a nice swimming area near a bridge. 

Anyway those who like cold water had a wonderful time swimming and swinging on a rope until the breakfast arrived. 

After breakfast we started back to Kingston and on the way passed a number of those who had been courageous enough to take on Mount Rosser and they were struggling to complete the journey up the steep hills leading up to Exchange. 

As it truned out, they went to the real Blue Hole which is really an attractive swimming area with a water fall. We had a good time however but  in future we need to get proper instructions about where we are going!