Travel the World - Week 19

This is the 19th week in my Travel the World personal challenge. Each week I am randomly choosing one country (there are 195 countries in the world) and doing a little research on that country. I then select one tidbit of information about the country as inspiration for the card I make.

This week's country is...

Jamaica

The climate of Jamaica is tropical with humid weather and very high temperatures all year round.

There are 50 public beaches located in Jamaica that are open to tourists, making this a very popular tourist destination. In fact, Jamaica has been consistently ranked as one of the top five tourist destinations in the world for many years.

Jamaica is the largest English-speaking and the third largest island in the Caribbean.

Jamaica is just one of two countries that does not have red, white, or blue in its flag.The colors of the Jamaican flag represent the following: Black stands for hardships, green stands for hope and agriculture, and yellow represents the wealth and beauty of the sun.

In Jamaica, they drive on the left side of the road.

There are over 200 orchids that grow wild in Jamaica. Of these, 73 of them are native to the country.

The family is of the utmost importance and includes a close-knit web of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.

Most of the families in Jamaica are headed by women. The Mothers are responsible for raising the children and supporting their families.

Blue Mountain Peak is the highest mountain in Jamaica and one of the highest peaks in the Caribbean. The Blue Mountains are named for the mists that often cover them, which look blue from a distance.

Since it is warm all year round, Jamaica is the perfect place for farming. Jamaica’s biggest exports are: corn, yams, sugar, bananas, and coffee. The country produces Blue Mountain Coffee, which is one of the most sought-after and expensive coffees in the world.

Jamaica was the first commercial producer of bananas in the Western Hemisphere.

Jamaicans eat very large breakfasts, tiny lunches and huge dinners. They eat foods that are indigenous to their country, which includes bananas, seafood, coffee, goat and jerk.

Table manners in Jamaica are “Continental”. This means that the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right. Meals are generally served buffet style, with guests serving themselves from a bountiful spread. It is considered polite to have a taste of everything offered, and finishing every item on one’s own plate is a mark of good manners.

The Giant Swallowtail, the world's 2nd largest butterfly, is found in this country.

Jamaica is the third happiest nation on earth, behind Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. Jamaica has great health care, a long life expectancy, and a great quality of living.

A proper greeting in Jamaica is a firm handshake while looking the person in the eye. People also consider it to be polite to call a new acquaintance “Mr.” or “Ms.” with their surname; it’s polite to wait to be invited to use people’s first names.

Jamaica’s Kingston Harbor is the seventh-largest natural harbor in the world.

Jamaica was the first tropical country to take part in the Winter Olympics. This event has always been dominated by countries that are farther away from the equator, and it was a big joke in Jamaica when the government announced that they were sending a bobsled team to the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Apart from the United States, Jamaica has won the most world and olympic medals.

When most people think of Jamaica they think of Reggae, or “Ragged Music.” The music was born in the 1950s and ’60s from the musical styles of mento, ska, and rocksteady. The most famous reggae star was Bob Marley.

Cane River Falls is a gorgeous area that sits next to a beach where Bob Marley used to exercise with his friends. They would get up early and jog alongside the waterfalls before they got to work recording music. Cane River Falls is still a popular location for tourists to visit and hike.

Dunn’s River Falls is one of Jamaica’s most famous natural attractions. The waterfalls are terraced like giant natural stairs though some incorporate man-made improvements. Several small lagoons are interspersed among the vertical sections of the falls.

The “healing waters of Jamaica” are made up of several natural mineral baths and hot springs that are thought to have therapeutic properties.

There are only 8 species of snake indigenous to Jamaica and none of them are venomous.

Cranberry is very popular in Jamaica. Since cranberry does not grow in Jamaica, it has to be imported and is perceived as a luxury item.

Chocolate milk was invented by Jamaicans, then popularized in Europe by an Irish botanist who sold it as medicine.

Ian Fleming, the man who wrote the James Bond novels, bought a house in Jamaica and nicknamed it “Golden Eye.” Fleming wrote 14 of his novels while living in the house. Now tourists can rent a night at The Fleming Villa: the home has its own little private beach, a pool, and sleeps up to 10 people.

In 1845, Jamaica became the first Western country outside of Europe and North America to construct a railroad system.

Jamaica is a very Christian country, and it has more churches per square mile compared to any other place in the world. Every morning, students attending public schools are required to recite The Lord’s Prayer.

Whenever anyone dies, funerals and wakes typically last for nine days. During this time, family members visit, celebrate the life of the deceased, and eat large meals together.

At weddings, it’s tradition to make rum fruit cake. Slices are saved for friends and family who couldn’t make it and mailed out as presents.

Jamaica has more multiple live births (wherein the mother delivers two or more offspring) than any other country in the world.

Over the last few years, Jamaica has consistently been ranked among the top five of the world’s top tourist destinations.

Jamaicans are big on hospitality, which is why two of the country’s airports have VIP lounges to welcome tourists with that authentic Jamaican vibe.

Whenever they leave the country, tourists are required to pay a $22 departure tax.

I decided to let this Jamaica fact be the inspiration for this week's card... Jamaica's main agricultural exports include bananas, sugar, and coffee.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Penny Black Saying a Latte stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Marina Mist CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Prima Flowers and Glitter Brads from an unknown vendor