Another night in Kingston city.

In my 20s I could go out any night of the week and find multiple lounges to listen some strong lyrically driven reggae music or some sweat inducing sexually charged dancehall music, find a various range of sexy bodied women that you could “wine up pon” for hours, have a couple drinks get a nice likkle buzz, then go home contented even if you didn’t get a number or a little more…

Tonight feeling nostalgic, I decided to check out the 2017 Jamaican experience.

To be among the nicest most aggressive people in the world.

I’ve also been inviting a couple friends to welcome them to Jamrock, they love the music and I’ve been getting 4am facebook messages on the impact of “Vybz” being in prison and the upcoming ban on his music.

Yes Bryan I’m talking about you.

So I know all the adventurous, scenic places to take them between myself and Yofoot Explores.

But what about an odd night in Kingston City?

 So Thursday night @ 9:45pm I’m at “Stones Throw bar” vibing to upbeat house music. A rustic out of the way bar on Manning’s Hill Road (aka a Matie/side chick bar) across from the gas station.

Sipping in a Heineken in the company of someone sounding dutch and a group of ppl that look like they grew up in the same neighborhood and somewhat still close, as close as free drinks and a night out of the parental sanctioned disappointment house can get you.

I’ve been here a couple of times for Dubwise/Rockers, an eclectic music mix of reggae, house music and dub.

But I’ve never stayed here long…

I was crushing on this amazon looking chinese girl (Jamaican Chinese) that worked here, a fetish I picked up hanging in Soho and Chinatown in NYC, that I’ve yet to fulfill I might add…but she’s not here anymore.

And as much as I like the music…tonight I’m in search of my culture…the Jamaican experience.

I mean here is part of the cultural experience and where I’m going to or end up won’t be any different in terms of the cigarette smoke filled breaths, but I rather less pretentious weed smoke…so onto the next.

(Yes I’m typing this at the bar)

I drove to another bar down the road…that closes at 10:30pm …they are new an I’m holding back the name until my third visit.

On to New Kingston…

I got an ideal parking spot on Knutsford Blvd and had a 15min conversation about ethics, honesty and courage with the unofficial parking attendant of Knutsford blvd…well one of them.

I’ve known or been seeing this dude here since 2005, his bedroom is right in front of the bookstore (smart right?)

Anyways he relayed being stabbed by 2 thieves that was vandalizing a friend of his stall on Dumfries Road, which I recommend no one walk on this road after 8pm unless you know people there, of which most of y’all don’t!

After I popped into Triple Century the sport bar of Jamaican cricket star Chris “don’t blush baby” Gayle. I heard they have a girl’s night thing on Thursdays, but alas…it’s 11pm it’s too early for anything or anyone to be there.

So I left.

Level 96 off hope road in Liguanea that used to be Medusa (I’m pretty sure it had 2 other names before this)…empty.

100 gaming lounge…was emptying out…

Mostly fat girl’s squeezed into 3 sizes too small dresses and taking pictures beside a giant gaming lounge logo, because no one will believe them unless they do.

Waterfalls lounge..I forgot about this place and it seemed packed, but wasn’t in the mood for old oldies music or paying a cover.

I got hungry on the way and since I was on the Liguanea area went the second best pan chicken spot in Kingston, Northside Plaza…but 5bills and wheat bread thou…?

Back at Triple Century, fair size crowd had gathered. The young gyal dem dey yah, so I took my spot at the bar and settled in.

What also settling in was how old I was, the music that we that used to wait to play at 3-4am signaling “bruk out” time (you know when Vybz Kartel was black)was now early warm up music and no one was dancing, well not like we would.

The comparisons of my youth started stumbling in…but I stopped myself and said I was taking myself out of the moment and tried to enjoy it for what it was.

I mean the elements were still there;

Half naked sexy women, thumping bass line coming from the speaker boxes, Liquor readily available, the ratio of men to women being off, more guys than women and the smoke.

Yes the smoke….not weed, not cigarettes but party smoke, the kind everyone can tell where you were the day after.

Oh and a random out of place, too eager tourist, oh it’s Kingston so they’re called expats here.

As the music played on and more people came in, my mind drifted to where I could find a raw-er experience.

“Some dance mus a gwan sum wey”

My barber did mention a party in Waterhouse on Thursdays that’s frequent by a lot of foreigners and locals, but I don’t have boobs so I’m not planning to venture down in the “garrison” at 1am without prior safety notice.

It might not be needed but I’m not willing to take the chance of a random “accident”.

By this time my 24hrs of no sleep started taking a toll, so I decided to call it a night plus there was the last boss in Darksiders 2 on the PS3 I had to kill, so as my favorite Trini boss use to say…

“Home time!”

I leave this adventure for another time, whenever I have foreign company or with the natives.

I’m gonna try a Tuesday night next.