Carnival time in Jamaica

Jamaica it is for the start of the fifth and final test… and we have arrived here at a great time. From the moment I stepped off the plane I was hit by a surge of musical rhythm.

It is carnival time… and do these guys know how to party! Jamaicans have a deep sense of history and carnival forms an essential part of their calendar, where they celebrate the abolition of slavery way back in 1834.

They ‘get it on’ for an entire week and the whole place vibrates with the distinct flavor of reggae. Why not… it’s the home of one of the the world's music icons, Bob Marley, whose legend lives on stronger than ever.

There’s a new kid on the block from Jamaica who has taken the Caribbean by storm. His name is ‘Shaggy’ and his latest hit (Which I reckon I’ve heard 2,643 times), is all about being caught by his girlfriend in a delicate position on the bathroom floor.

Every day during this week there are street parades much along the same lines as the Rio carnival, and as you can imagine after a long day in the sun (with rum), the festivities spill over into many bars and clubs that are so vibrant in Jamaica.

It realy is another world! The best costume I’ve seen so far was a lady dressed up as a spider and with her four extra legs and her lack of clothing she looked extremely dangerous.

Oh yeah… There’s a small matter of cricket as well and it is almost certain to be King Courtney’s last test. The party vibe is bound to spill over into Sabina Park and I reckon carnival will be extended by a few days… and Walsh will have superb rhythm and go out with a bang!