In the Heart of the City

Nothing in Jamaica liberates the senses or raises the rhythm quite like Kingston, its capital. Negril is naughty, Ocho Rios is gorgeous and Montego Bay has much Caribbean charm. But the pounding energy of the reggae beat and the "irie" good feeling of Kingston stirs Jamaicans and the African American traveler like no other place.

The city is home to a sophisticated middle class. Many eat and entertain at downtown hotels and can guide you to the city's quiet pleasures as no travel agent can. They might take you out for the cabaret at the Pegasus or turntable jazz at the Jonkanoo Lounge, or invite you to the theater, where drama and comedy evoke the rich Jamaican patois. Lucky travelers will catch a performance of Rex Nettleford's National Dance Theatre Company. In another mood, Kingstonians will entertain you in their homes, with good conversation and great food. The cake and codfish is always delicious with rice and peas. 

It's natural here to compare styles with those of one's own corner of the world. the walks and the speech - comic delight or poignant sadness - are frighteningly similar. Nearby laughter reminds you of someone dear. A face in the crowd is the spitting image of a friend.Walking around Kingston, you find a comfortable satisfaction so lacking in the superficial attempts tourists make to enjoy themselve in resort areas.

Kingston sits beside the world's seventh largest natural harbor. Its backdrop is the majestic Blue Mountains, in whose foothills professionals find both panoramic views and a measure of their success. From neighborhoods with names like Beverly Hills, they commute to a Kingston rapidly expanding with urban malls and mini-skyscrapers. When the old downtown declined, business moved north to an area called New Kingston. But soon enough, savvy Jamaicans rediscovered the waterfront, and its rejuvenation has returned some of downtown's former beauty.

Kingston's art is everywhere. On the side walks, paintings sit idly next to sculpture and woven baskets. It's not surprising to see a stunning oil landscape wedged among a store's haberdashery. In one tailor's shop stood portraits of Rastafarians that seemed ready to jump from canvas.

The permanent collection of the National Gallery of Jamaica is among the Caribbean's finest. One installation by the Protean Dawn Scott is so realistic visitors often gasp when reaching its end. Called the Ghetto, it is built of corrugated tin and covered with graffiti philosophy, evoking Trenchtown, the poor section of Kingston Bob Marley Made famous

For those tourist days there are some fun excursion outsidie Kingston. Head for Heltshire beach, 20 minutes away, and enjoy some fish and festival (a light pastry) woth the locals. Better still drive to Port Royal, pay a fisherman six dollars to take you to one of the Cays and tell him to pick you up. Duriing the week you're likely to have an island to yourself.

Or venture to Port Antonio. It's a scenic drive of Bamboo clusters, rushing rivers and striking seascapes. Spend little and enjoy the lodge, where you look down on a bay made famous by Errol Flynn. Maybe you want to splurge and stay at the fabulous Trident. Its easy serenity complements the rich rhythms and energies of Jamaica's capital.