Happy Birthday Bob..

Its 7:45 pm. Watching Shottas and ....!

I want to take this time pay resepct and to reminsce..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBERT "NESTA" MARLEY BERHANE SELASSIE!

February 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981

This man is the man who showed the world the ways of reggae music and the Rastafari movement. He is most widely known for the beautiful music he has made throughout his life but he also did amazing things for the minds of people in Jamaica and throughout the world. The mindset is a hard thing to change but Bob Marleys words of peace and love had a great effect on alot of people and still do to this day. Bob will live forever though his music and the messages within. Respect to one of the greatest musicians of all time.

So exactly one year ago today, I was driving up through the mountains of Jamaica to the house where Bob grew up in to pay respect to his grave. Bob is buried 7 feet ABOVE the ground and is in a room where no pictures or shoes are allowed, we were allowed in to view and pay resepct and that is it (my girl is an artist and she left a painting of Bob on his grave for him, so beautiful).

It was quite the experience and the celebration was live! We had the honour to have a tour by the infamous 'Captain Crazy' (if you havent heard of him, youtube him!) who just crazed up the experience to another level. After the trip through the tourist attractions we went off road to some wild marijuana fields, it was a dry season so they werent that high, but man oh man.... were we ever! LOL it was the second highest day of my life (second after the Ottawa trip for the marijuana protest on Parlaiment Hill, but thats another story)... totally worth the 4 hour drive into the mountains.

Jamaica was amazing, once you get used to the locals youll do jus fine (by the end of the week, guys walked up to me and turned right back around without me havin to say a word! I had mastered the look on my face to say "this white girls not havin it so DO NOT EVEN TRY"...lmao I was pretty impressed wit myself lol)...

 Our hotel was right downtown Ocho Rios, so downtown that we had locals sittin by our pool at night lol... slightly frightening at times but mostly very entertaining. It was a very humbling experience. One of the highlights of our many meals, was a trip to "Evita's" for dinner. The place was so beautiful and the service was intensly excellent. While we waited for our exquisitly cooked meal, we browsed the many frames on the walls containing photos of all sorts of celebrities (from LL Cool J to the Rolling Stones). The service was so excellent we had to tip our waiter 50% of the bill because the service was really THAT excellent lol... He basically waited on us hand and foot while we sat overlooking the most beautiful nighttime view I have ever seen in my life.

We went out four of the seven nights we were there and omg was that ever terrifying LOL... Im not gonna lie. I am a smallish blonde female goin to a club in JA, I remember the bartender saying "I know you're underage, what would you like?" I tried to protest that I was definiltly over 19, even over 21 but she wouldnt hear it.. all she wanted to know was what drink I wanted lol..... that killed me man, I love it. They have rules and laws, which are basically there to enforce if needed. Thats the way I saw it atleast..

We took another trip up into the mountains, except this time by horse back. We were blessed to be able to take a private trip with a rasta man and another blessed Jamaican man who took good care of us. Going in car is one thing, but going by horse back is a totally different experience. The trip was amazing, the horses were amazing, the scenery was amazing. At the top, we stopped and relaxed and smoked a few tings while enjoying the view. On our way back down, we took a dip in the ocean.

 The most amazing of all was the waterfalls though. We went to Duns River Falls, but I look forward to finding more natural waterfalls next time I go. The beach on the bottom was so beautiful and the trip up the waterfall was definitly one of the best experiences of my life. I left the experience feeling like ten years had been added to my life. It was a life-giving experience.

I serisouly gotta run now though, its 11:15 and I got to get my ass out of the house and head downtown. Have a good night everyone. Onelove and bless! H