Cecil Charlton Park, Manchester

Mandeville is one of Jamaica’s more developed towns. The town is peaceful and laid-back compared to Montego Bay and Kingston, Jamaica’s two cities. I’m sure the residents like that a lot since Mandeville and by extension the cool cool parish of Manchester is a popular settlement for Jamaica’s returning residents. Named for former Mayor of Mandeville the late Cecil Charlton, the park’s transformation has been an ongoing initiative of the Manchester Parish Council since 2012. In these few years, the park has transformed from a mere refuge of the homeless to one which is worthy of civic and even national pride. Lying smack in the middle of the town square, this tiny attractive park brings a breath of fresh air and offers a great opportunity to learn more of Mandeville’s history. If you’re ever in this neck of the Jamaican woods, take a stroll here and even a seat for a few minutes.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle11 Comments

Empowerment Park, Clarendon

If you’ve ever taken a south coast Jamaican trip, you should know of the Juici Patties Restaurant in Clarendon Park. It’s the perfect stop for a bathroom break and for grabbing food and drink on the go. However, just behind the restaurant is Empowerment Park, a verdant well-tended space which I’ve never noticed before! That’s what happens when you’re hurrying too much in life. I wasn’t hurrying today so I noticed the park and thought I’d share it with you. Much like Emancipation Park in the city of Kingston, Empowerment Park enjoys a similar ambiance. Empowerment Park was officially opened on Sunday July 10, 2016 with the aim of promoting peace and providing a chill spot in this side of the island.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle13 Comments

Trench Town Culture Yard, Saint Andrew

Jamaica’s capital city of Kingston pulsates to the beat of reggae music and its raunchier cousin, dancehall music. Both genres originated here so opportunities to enjoy and learn about their origins in Kingston are endless. Bob Marley is indisputably the world’s most famous Rastafarian and reggae’s most celebrated son. Born in the rural district of Nine Miles, St. Ann, Kingston can’t take credit for his birthplace but it can for his rise to fame. Bob Marley and his immediate family relocated to Trench Town, Kingston at age 12 in search of a better life.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle4 Comments

Self-Care Manifesto | 100 Ways to Self Care

I promised Rochelle I’d be her biggest supporter for 2018. This started as 5 simple resolutions with my best friend; one goal: self-care as she accurately documents here. A lot were resolutions I’ve already had in the past and things I usually did well with, but of course, it’s only human to fall from the bandwagon sometimes and drift towards less than optimum habits.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle11 Comments

Bath Mineral Spring, Saint Thomas

The rural community of Bath in St. Thomas is teeming with history and beauty, home to Jamaica’s oldest botanical garden and a mineral spring by the same name. Legend has it that the bath was discovered in the 1600s by a runaway slave with leg ulcers. He stumbled across the spring, used it to wash his wounded limb then noticed the next day that his leg was rapidly healing. He shared the good news then stories of the fountain spread, soon attracting visitors from islandwide. 

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle27 Comments

Bath Botanical Gardens, Saint Thomas

Established in 1779, the rural community of Bath in Saint Thomas is home to the Caribbean’s oldest botanical garden after the botanical garden in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Two and a half centuries later Bath Botanical Garden may not be as well-kept as it once was but it’s certainly a beautiful national treasure worth visiting. Many foreign plants which we have since made our own were first planted here. These include flowers like the croton, jacaranda and bougainvillea, and foodstuff like cinnamon, ackee, otaheite apples, jackfruit and breadfruit– the delicious Jamaican staple which I couldn’t imagine our cuisine without! Jamaica has four public botanical gardens. Last year I visited Hope Gardens’ newest addition of the Harmonious Enjoyment Garden and also explored Castleton Botanical Gardens, Jamaica’s second oldest botanical garden. Thus, Cinchona Botanical Gardens in the hills of St. Andrew is my only garden left to visit.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle8 Comments

James Bond Beach: Ian Fleming’s Favourite Getaway in Jamaica

I’ve never read nor watched a James Bond book or movie but living in Jamaica, the character is familiar because of locations like this beach immortalizing his name. James Bond Beach is found along Jamaica’s northeastern coast in the quaint scenic town of Oracabessa, St. Mary. This beach is part of the late Ian Fleming’s estate, writer of 007. He lived nearby in Goldeneye, now an exclusive luxury resort, so James Bond Beach was one of his frequented swimming spots. The beach keeps its affiliation to Fleming and his series rather low-key but for true fans, swimming where your idol once did should be thrilling enough.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle38 Comments

Bucket List Jamaica 2018

With 2017’s bucket list being my third most viewed post this year, I thought it fitting to conclude the 2017 roundup series with a similar list. Last year, I bit off more than I could chew with a 17 in ’17 so certainly there’ll be no 18 in ’18 for 2018. This is the year I become a final year medical student too so 2018 I need to resume putting out my A-game. It’s a good thing all my adventures were already day-trips because I’m gonna be worse pressed for time this year. I will be M.I.A. a lot and it hurts me as much as it’ll hurt you (lol will it?) to neglect Adventures from Elle again. Rest assured I will post every chance I get to experience something blog-worthy because the travel bug has become an omnipresent feature in my life and I LOVE IT.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle26 Comments

What One Woman Spent Travelling in 2017

As a self-proclaimed budget traveler, it felt fitting to include a travel receipt of sorts in my 2017 roundup series. Travel is all fun and games until we have to face our wallets (…or purses or bank cards). Hopefully it sheds more light on my travel costs this year, helps to guide your own Jamaican adventures or merely serves as inspiration for your own travels. I include 8 universal tips for how to save on sightseeing at the end so feel free to skip ahead.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle7 Comments

Fleet Street, Kingston

Fleet Street is the pearl of Downtown Kingston which breaks down barriers and breathes hope into disadvantaged communities. Downtown is a bustling metropolis featuring the headquarters of leading Jamaican businesses, stores, government offices and the House of Parliament. However, for my entire life I’ve heard my mother say she doesn’t go downtown if she doesn’t absolutely have to and when she did, she rarely took me along. Why? Downtown has been plagued for decades with many socio-economic issues, troubled inner-city communities and now as a result harbours notorious gangs and garrisons which led to the city once being labeled as the murder capital of the world. Political corruption has severed communities, led to the stark increase in crime and now our leaders grapple with reining in the monster which they have created. Nonetheless, as we say in Jamaica “wah nuh dead nuh call ih duppy” (literally translated: if it’s not dead, don’t call it a ghost). And that’s what Downtown Kingston is– a reawakening city and perhaps the most colourful part of that renaissance is located on Fleet Street.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle13 Comments