What is the point of travel if not to discover the pureness, the soul... the heart of a destination? What is the purpose of going someplace beautiful, pure, exotic, rugged- whatever your paradise is, and not taking that one step further and immersing yourself and trying to understand why people tough it out centuries after centuries to live in that country. I mean, we know it as a great place to visit. But culturally, what makes that place tick?
And so, I found myself deep within a cave in Jamaica, with three men I just then met: one a park ranger, one a local guide, and one an awesome tour guide I use til this day. Ok, so... admittedly, being in pitch blackness as a loan traveler with 3 total strangers was a bit of a spidey moment- but for absolutely no other reason than pure paranoia. These guys were being awesome. We managed our way through the cave through dimly lit passages. They helped me navigate the low portions so when I inevitably bonked my skull it wasn't as bad as it could have been. When we reached an area with total darkness, everyone was great. I could not see anything, and they all helped me every step. Good thing they knew where they're going, right? I couldn't have found my way out of there if I tried, to be honest.
I could see a glow up ahead, and when we rounded the corner, there it was: an altar.
Using the stone formations found in the cave, the Jamaicans found a quiet sanctuary for their prayers and ceremonies. Aglow with candles, placed by locals to honor those who passed in the struggles for freedom, you could see the shapes and faces created by the cave, as shared by Lloyd, a local elder tour guide who was genuine and shared a lot of fascinating information. It was actually transformational, and I found a much better understanding of Jamaica's culture as a result of being there. Amazing.
I realized I was in a very, very special place, and I felt honored. How unique an experience, and how moving. It honestly felt like being in the very heart of an entire cultural essence. Admittedly it's a very difficult experience to describe, but it was remarkable.
We continued on, and found ourselves at the healing waters. Used for centuries, the waters here are told to heal various ailments. We made our way up to the two small pools, and I took time to soak in both- as well as experience an amazing shoulder massage: there was a niche carved, created naturally, in the wall of the cave, just above the second pool. There, you can lay your head back and let the never-ending rush of mineral rich waters awaken your senses while working out all those shoulder muscles at once. It was unforgettable.
On the way back out of the cave, some folks even elect to take a nice swim in some deeper waters, still within, fed into the cave by the waters above...
Which we explored next.
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