Greensboro, N. Carolina

Greensboro looks like an ordinary sleepy American city, but it is anything but that.

For it played an unforgettable and critical role during the Civil Rights Movement, which led to the freedoms we enjoy today.

So naturally, when we visited the city for a recent wedding, we had to remind ourselves of its role, by taking in the Civil Rights Museum there.

Greensboro was the site of the first sit in. That was in 1960 at a Woolworths lunch counter.

It all took place in this building, which actually houses the museum today.

The reception area of the building today.

However, in 1960, Woolworths was a popular department store  and the only one that had a luncheonette inside. 

But only whites could eat there!

However, four courageous young men decided in 1960, that it was time for a change, so they visited the cafeteria, sat down and ordered coffee. 

But of course they were refused service and ordered to leave.

In short, they refused to leave, remained there all day and returned every day for months on end.

When other conscious, young people from both black and white colleges and high schools heard about it, they joined in, prepared to be arrested.

 As money is always the main driving force, and the thousands of defiant protesters who spilled into the streets affected all businesses in the city, Woolworth and many others were forced to close.

That movement forced the hands of the authorities in Greensboro, so the successful strategy of sit-ins spread like wild fire throughout the racist USA.

 Hence we can enter any business place today and be served!

The story of that successful strategy to force desegregation is well told at the Civil Rights Museum. 

That was how desegregation was forced on the majority whites to change policies in schools, medicine, voting etc, all the areas that we participate in equally today.

Some of whom excelled in sports after desegregation.

A Nigerian king donated his crown to the  museum.

A klansman costume.

Statue of a young Thurgod Marshall.

The actual lunch counter as it was in 1960.

To appreciate where we are coming from, everyone should visit that museum.

Interestingly, when we took the tour, the vast majority of visitors were white.

I hope that trend continues, as the history presented there is really graffic and stark!

Darn we missed it!

 When, from our patio we saw the splendor of a small, all-white wedding being set up in the gardens at Labadia hotel, we figured it may be someone rich or famous.

However, despite hanging around and checking regularly as guests trickled in, the bride and groom did not show up.

Then this morning, we read in the news that it was indeed and important person who tied the knot. 

Yup, here it is. It's a former star attacker from Ghana.

https://ameyawdebrah.com/former-black-stars-attacker-samuel-tetteh-weds-in-accra/.

Hope he will be a five-star husband to his new wife!

Island Gully Falls

Well it will certainly go down as one of the most interesting marriage rituals I have ever seen. For while we Island Gully Falls on Sunday 28th June 2015, a groom fully decked out in his wedding suit and led by a most competent guide, walked slowly

were at

down the falls  then jumped into the deep, beautiful blue 

pool below. 

Next came his new bride,  also fully  decked out in her lovely white lace wedding dress and she jumped in after him.  The maid of honour and best man then followed in single file. Someone laughingly commented that it was clear that if you couldn't swim, you could not be a part of that bridal party!

The ritual was intriguing and certainly got our attention. The couple were east Indians who live in Virginia, USA and had traveled down to Jamaica for the important event which the bride laughingly told me was her best wedding yet.

The tour guides there are superb swimmers and divers

We had been  at the falls as our riding group had decided to spend the day there. Three courageous riders, Johann, Omar and a new lady named Ann  rode all the way from Kingston, a distance of some 58 miles I hear. Most others rode from Agualta Vale and a few others mounted at Port Maria.

I decided to hike on this trip for when I went to scout out the property with Chuck, Simpson and Ayatollah, I had seen far too many hills to ride over.

We started walking from Prospect in St. Mary and as usual, we initally walked in the wrong direction for about a mile before a local man we met disabused us, so we had to trek back.

It was in Prospect though that I  met the only nice policeman that I can recall ever meeting in my life. His name was Sergeant Hanna and he was in charge of the Prospect Police station. Three of us wanted to use the bathroom facilities and from we walked into the station we were met by his most welcoming  and accommodating smile.

 And would you believe the bathroom had a fresh smell and was spotless too. Really a great experience for me in at a police station!

One of the "Blue Holes" below the Island gully Falls

When we left the police station, we started walking in the wrong direction and only realised this when we met a young man walking in the opposite direction  and prevailed on him to confirm our path. This added an extra mile to our trek which Chuck said was a distance of 6 kms, turned out to be 6 miles  instead. I was disgusted to see that the residents in  the area were using the entire stretch along the river bank as their dumping ground for all the garbage in the area. It is really disgraceful and the St. Mary parish council needs to become more environmentally proactive.

We stopped at Wata World which was not yet open but the very pleasant man in charge of security, cheerfully allowed us to enter and use the bathroom facilities and buy some water. This is a new attraction on the White River where they have water slides etc and the entrance free is Ja$1200. Wata World is on St. Mary side of the river but once you take the bridge going west, you arrive in St. Ann and it is that parish that Island Gully Falls is in as the White River separates both parishes.

To find the falls, after leaving the JPS hydroelectric plant, you pass the two beautiful blue holes and head to Breadfruit Walk. It is wonderful to see how enterprising young people have now discovered this beautiful area and are now renting river shoes and life jackets as well as selling souvenirs, snacks and even "angel" muffins (made from ,ganja)

As my motto is "never pass up an AC vehicle when the sun gets hot,"  when Gail drove up in Simpson's car as I was getting really hot and tired, I jumped in, much to chagrin of my fellow hikers.

We had just barely arrived before Kim came barreling in closely followed by Howie and Bernadette. They had been among the group which  started riding in Agualta Vale.

Once we arrived, it was immediately into
the fabulously, clear, cool water in a pool below.

 That attraction which was developed by a wife and husband team named Hines, is really fabulous and in my book much better than Dunns River Falls.

The entrance fee is $500 but as we had a large group we got it for $250. And they prepared the most delicious breakfast for us and plenty to boot, as ace organiser Ayatollah was loudly inviting everyone to have seconds.

There was a sad aspect to this outing though as it is the last one for one of our dearest riders Pat,  as she is migrating to Sweden next month. I will certainly miss her as she is one of the most pleasant and cheerful persons I have ever met.

Apart from that it was a great day which went off without a hitch as we have now become accustomed to expect from our miserable but competent organiser extraordinaire Ayatollah aka. Charles Williams.

Photos compliments of Bernadette Frankson.