Week 44: Jamaica

We be jamming...

... to Jamaica!!  Woo hoo :)  Hi everyone, we're back from our week off.  We spent a few days camping and then had a great birthday party for my son who turns 4 today!!  So, because he loves warm weather and going to the beach, and since his name starts with a "J", we picked Jamaica, a place I've always wanted to visit, but, like so many of these countries, one I'll probably never see! 

So lets just pretend that we are sitting at a beachside restaurant eating some jerk chicken and sipping some rum drink with a little umbrella (no rum for the kids of course).  Or, we could be hiking in the Blue Mountains looking for Giant Swallowtail butterflies and enjoying the cool breezes. 

Or sitting under a waterfall in Ocho Rios (and, since this is a fantasy, I'll have lost a bunch of weight and look great in my swimsuit).  There are so many fun things to do in Jamaica, it's no wonder that it's such a popular tourist destination.  But here are a few facts about the island nation...

• The capital of Jamaica (and also the largest city) is Kingston.  It's coordinates are 17.99°N/ 76.80°W.
• Jamaica is one of the islands in the Caribbean Sea.  It is south of Cuba and west of Haiti.
• The island was inhabited by native people called the Arawak Indians when Columbus claimed it for Spain in 1494.  It was called Santiago until the British took control of it in 1655.  They changed the name to Jamaica.
• Jamaica became the first island in the Caribbean to become independent in 1962.

• They were also the first country to commercially export bananas, which along with coffee and sugar, remain one of it's main exports.
• Jamaica is also known for it's great athletes.  They have won many Olympic medals and were the first tropical country to enter the Winter Olympics.  The Jamaican Bobsled team entered in 1968 and, although they came in dead last, were so popular that a movie was made about the team- Cool Runnings.

• Jamaica is known for it's music too.  Reggae is a popular form of music all over the world and the "King of Reggae", Bob Marley, is known world-wide.  More on him to come :)

Jamaica looks so incredibly beautiful, the people seem so nice and friendly, add to that great food and fun music and we've got a fun new country to discover!  Can't wait :)