What do you think about living in Kingston vs living in Montego Bay? It's been a while since last time I had an unscripted VLOG on my channel, so here it comes! I'm sharing my personal experience of living in Montego Bay vs living in Kingston. PS. THANK YOU for watching! This video ends abruptly on purpose, because very few people watch my conclusions, so I've decided to remove them entirely and see if this works better.
I stayed in Montego Bay for the summer back in 2016 and the main difference I noticed is that you always seem to have to drive everywhere in Mobay even though it's not that big of a city. Basic amenities are quite a distance away from where people actually live compared to Kingston. I live in Liguanea and most places where I need to be are walking distance away from me.
Irie! Another great video!!! I don’t very much care for the abruptness I’m one of few that liked the sign off but now that you’ve made us aware of the change I won’t look for it or think something went wrong. Thanks for this comparative between Kingston and Montego Bay! 👏🏾
There are no green spaces around those new high rise apartments in Kingston. Maybe they might put up greenery but right now I'm not liking what I see with those high rises. That's by Waterloo Road. Fort Clarence is the proper beach. Hillshire has dangerous zones.
Sorry Irina but Ukraine lost but Jamaica gain and you are the number 1 vlogger with respect to facts, research and being informative. I look forward to your vloggs
You are a real treasure. I was born in Jamaica but you have taught me more about Jamaica than almost anyone else. I love your balanced factual viewpoint, the research you do and also how you compare with the outside world. That is the frame of reference and anchoring point for many. Thank you
This is one of the reasons i live your vlogs , because you show the beauty and history of beautiful Jamaica.. I’m sick of the bloggers that just want to go yo trench town and show the so called dangerous neighborhoods.Every country had ghettos.🇯🇲🇨🇦
Lee Williams, you are so right: I was very surprised when a group of us visited the US for the first time and saw that the houses that were not very far from the capital all had Burglar Bars. Also, we were told not to go out after a certain time.
Very much appreciate your perspective on Jamaica's two main cities. Montego Bay mostly developed from tourism and Kingston the historically commercial and educational hub. Different but equally important!
There are many Jamaicans who love and want to see continued improvements for their country. BUT, even if she doesn’t realize it, Irena still has the benefit being able to go about life in Jamaica wearing a natural protective cloak of privilege, called whiteness, that will never be available to most native Jamaicans. So, experiences and perspectives will be different.
@@faithm2535 Oh please , go away with that mess.We will always have our natural advantages and disadvantages in life.Its like the gene pool .Just as she has advantages she also has many disadvantages .Don't allow your secret resentments to undo you....🤔
You make me feel quite nostalgic about my hometown---Kingston. Yes, THE MAJESTIC HOPE GARDENS, EVENTS, THE BLUE MOUNTAINS nearby, and the famous hike I took there. Thank you for always doing such balanced presentations.
I lived in Kingston for a year, and decided it wasn't for me. What I prefer about Montego Bay, is exactly what you described- homes being somewhat up in the hills and away from the business centers of Montego Bay. I need that bit of country life where I can go into my backyard and climb trees and see and hear birds, and have my neighbors give me a hand of plantain from across the fence that they grew in their own backyard.
The type of living you enjoy in Montego Bay is also available in Kingston and St. Andrew. However, you need to visit the northern parts of St. Andrew. All the hilly areas (Red Hills, Stony Hill, Jacks Hill, Gordon Town, Mavis Bank, etc.) have the country live.
What you described is EXACTLY what I experienced as a boy in Kingston, except the part about the hills. In our backyard we had an apple tree, East Indian and Blackie mango trees, ackee tree, a few banana trees, gungu tree, grapefruit tree, cherry tree, sweetsop tree, and maybe a few others I can't remember. And it was VERY common on my street for the neighbors to give away baskets of fruits and vegetables to each other over the fence. I was taught growing up to ALWAYS give and give and give, that's what I saw my parents do with our neighbors. And no matter how much you gave, you still had too much left over. As an adult, I've finally figured out why...because if everyone is giving to each other, then you get back what you gave to others, twofold, fivefold, tenfold. It's the giving that makes your storehouse overflow.
@@fullidiscloseEast Rural St Andrew a my place.West rural St Andrew contribute to Jamaica music industry but often get overlooked. VEGAS GYPTIAN VANNESSA BLING CHING CHING LISA HYPE GEORGE KNOOKS NADINE SUTHERLAND VAILANT all hail from that side.
@@CurtisCTStill something just different about kingston.You even feel it in the breeze,the way the people speak . Kingston is just a different vibe.Portmore a my favorite urban area
@@jennifergarnatz6860 ahh Duh😏 I've been watching her from start. Waay back when all she did was airbnb for that home on the water..and showed jamaica too her country man and women who booked the property.
@chayden1402, as a Regular Follower, you know her immaculate research is why she doesn't post so often. But I know your comment is a "tongue in cheek" one because you MISS HER new Videos. I too wish I could see one every week; but I would rather wait and get the quality Videos she posts.
I'm from Ochi, and I have lived In negril, mobay, Mandeville and now kingston, well, Spanish town..however the differences also has an economical factor...rite now I go between Ochi and Spaintwn as I now work in town. Ochi is soo different from everywhere else in Jamaica 🇯🇲
@@ctrezzy11 There is a more civil way off relating to each other....maybe because they have to deal with the various types of ethnicity they deal with via the tourism industry...they're also the fact off certain cultural behavior, such as the way they use there beaches and parks, when they socialize, with a certain respect and appreciation.....hence the statment " ......get me visa and deh a ochi, me nah go back..." & ......"a no jamaica me deh, me deh Ochi....."
I always enjoy your videos. And I admire the fact that you manage to find the beauty in Jamaica that most of us who were born there, overlook or take for granted. Apart from Fort Clarence and Helshire Beach in Portmore, you could just take a drive to Port Royal. Along the way, you'll see somewhat hidden places where you can access the beach. I once took a trip to Port Royal and on the left, there was an old premesis that looks like it was built in the slavery days, and there was access to a beach from there. The 3 of us that went on the trip were the only ones there, and I didn't have to park on the roadside. If you go to Port Royal, keep an eye out. Cordel, sending love from Germany.
You are so right. Love Hope Gardens; so beautiful. It would be nice for places like this to be highlighted to tourists, who think. of Kingston as too dangerous to visit. I am sure you love the theatre in Kingston as well. So many things to do. The food at Hellshire is great. There used to be a beach at Hellshire, seems to have eroded away. Lack of preservation of our resources. Great video. Thank you!
Fort Clarence beach is right next door and well kept but you have to pay to enter which is not bad as that helps to maintain the beach area and the amenities provided such as the bathroom.
@@NATURALMYSTICMK Maybe so at times but you don’t really have a beach at hellshire anymore. As a child growing up in Independence City in the 1970’s Hellshire had wide open areas of white sand beach but it essentially destroyed by one of the storms that hit the area and then got neglected and wasn’t rebuilt which could have been done with Matalon dredging equipment which they used to create Passage Fort, Portsmouth, Portmore Plaza etc. So what was left of Hellshire beach became “captured land” and people built their shacks there on sand which they lived into and made some into shops. They created Fort Clarence after but the area needs a harmony park beach area like they created in Montego Bay with free wi fi etc the government need to treat locals on the south coast and Kingstonians better.
Zndrsmuth...hellshire was never an official udc beach. It was always captured and hence neglected. Then climate.change has claimed most of the beach as u knew it. Its a ghetto over there now.
Thanks irie for showing Jamaica in a positive way. I was in Jamaica last month and was pleasantly surprised how the country has developed since my last visit in 2010. I am back in the UK and I surly😮 miss it. Thanks for your ongoing highlight of Jamaica. I love your podcasts ❤.
I usually grab my phone to find rain sounds at night, and stumbled across your video instead and had to watch. I was sad when it ended, because it was so informative and its literally the debate Im having with myself about which side of Jamaica to move to when I relocate. I was born in MoBay, but was never raised there so Im detached from any sentimental factors other than my family living in the rural parts of St James. So Kingston has been a contender for me because of some of the activities and amenities you've listed, as well as the film/media and theatre resource being more tangible there as well. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this video and keep up the good work, Irena! GOD BLESS ✨️⚘️
I remember my days as youngster going to Hope Gardens and there was an amusement park there with Bumper Cars and roller coasters...awwww, fond memories😊😊
Originally from the bottom Clarendon area and when i move to Kingston for university it really did feel like a different country(some what). From the architecture,buildings and art in the downtown area to the rich business industry in the upper and new Kingston area it was a completely different experience from the major city of different parishes(May Pen,Mandeville,Junction etc....). Things you think you would need to go outside the country for is made accessible in Kingston ranging from niche restaurants(Japanese etc) to miscellaneous items
Love Hope Gardens. So beautiful there. Next time the restaurants have an event there be sure to go. Kingston has a better mix of people reflecting how the entire island was many, many years ago. Younger Jamaicans have no clue. Forgot to mention that Apple Maps works better there but only on iPhone.
Thanks, Irie, for your consistently positive vibes about Jamaica in spite of the difficulties they are facing. Am part of the St James diaspora abroad. Blessings
The water situation is probably as you said. Sewage cost. That house you had in MoBay probably had its own soak-away pit where the sewage just soaks into the earth and it’s not managed by NWC. Newer housing schemes, apartments and townhouses usually need NWC’s sewage system
Thank you for showing beautiful Jamaica 🇯🇲 especially hope garden many travelers don’t go such a beautiful park and zoo after this video hopefully many people will watch and go to the park
I live in St. Thomas, I have Flow Fibre, very fast and never had an outage. I have had flow internet since it was called Cable and Wireless from way back in 2003. Never had a bad experience.
This is great! I wish we had the same. The only reason I keep the track of all outages is because my son works online with computer games, so a drop in connection for a few seconds will get him disconnection from the server, whereas if you're watching a youtube video - you won't even notice it, that's why it's so important a stable connection for us and why we have backups now.
My mother in Westmoreland and her Flow Fiber is fast enough over 300 gb per sec. Kindly note that fiber theft affects the service interruption in Kingston.
@@misterlexx2721 probably you mean 300 Mbs. However, the problem is not speed, the problem is latency. I have a video on my channel explaining how internet works in Jamaica in detail: ruclips.net/video/3tB6BDqA7qs/видео.htmlsi=SzVGTzUU1BUywhJB
I do agree with you about the beaches in jamaica, I really don't mine paying to go into a beach because the ground will be clean an you have places to shower, unlike going to a free beach which are plenty on the north coast they're is no place to shower and people just throw garbage all over. As for the light bill being different maybe the house in Mobay was an older building than kingston.
I moved from Kingston to Mobay just before the pandemic. I do miss Kingston as well, lots of activities and trips to Hollywell and beyond. We do have Flow fiber internet in Ironshore.
There is a lot to do in MoBay and nearby with the nature activities though )) I miss MoBay. As for Flow Fibre - if you have a model with a very thin cable connected to it (it looks even thinner than the cable from your phone charger) - then it's fibre. Usually the modem for it would be very small, the size of two palms. if, however, you have a modem bigger than a face and with a thick round cable (similar to TV cable) - it's not Fibre. What happens is that they sell it as "fibre", but in reality the actual fibre only reaches their main internet hub near Ironshore and then they use an old coaxial cable to get the houses connected to the line. As a result, during rush times (weekends, Friday evenings) when a lot of people are using the internet - the latency gets worse. I also lived in Ironshore and had the type of "Flow Fibre" that I've described. However, they've been making a lot of changes in the last year, so maybe some homes are getting the proper service.
3:09 we do have places like this in Montego Bay #1 lovers park (old hospital) #2 harmony beach park , 5:38 if you live in place like Catherine hall, bogue etc you don’t need a taxi you can walk to Fairview shopping center if you live in rose hall you can walk to beautiful whitter village
Was just at Harmony Beach park. Just because Kingston get all the love that Mobay should have gotten, provided it has nothing to with tourism . Forcing a square wood in round hole . I called Mobay and ochi a one trick pony economy with no vision by the leaders to diversify not for tourism
Irie thank you very much for always highlight Jamaica for us who live overseas. I am so appreciated all your hard work. Really love you videos them and the other hand . Am learning a lot from you in all your research thank you very much.
Your sewage cost is basically a mark up on your water bill, I believe 100%. You are paying for sewage because you do not have a pit on property, you are connected to NWC sewage system. Most buildings in Kgn, especially buildings built after a certain year are not allowed to have a pit, they must connect to NWC sewage system. I didn't know this was not for the entire country, I lived in Kgn, so I thought this was std across the country. But I own property in spn twn, and its the same there, just like kgn.
@bcharleshenry, Good Point. Here in the States our Water Bill also has a "Sewage" fee, because of the reason you stated. The "sewage" water is routed to a Water Sewage Treatment Facility, and "cleaned" up before dumping into a River or Lake (at least around where I live).
Great to see you back! Interesting vlog and valid points you have raised. As a certified tour guide operating in Kingston, my experience is that tourists are visiting Kingston, albeit for 2-3 days before heading to the Northcoast. Tourists primarily visit Kingston to go to Bob Marley Museum and some to Devon House. It saddens me however, that there are many more attractions (and hidden gems) to enjoy in Kingston, especially Downtown, however, die to the negathve perceptions and relentless travel advisories being issued by America etc tourists are reluctant to visit Kingston. Many simply opting to stay in an all-inclusive resort in the North Coast. As you so rightly state, there are many social, cultural, and artistic events in Kingston, some often free I.e Kingston Creatives monthly artwalk Festival, Kingston's weekly Night Market. In fact Kingston's Mayor will be holding a free event in St William Grant Park this Saturday - Africa Day. Anyway, great vlog as ever. I find it refreshing you keeping it real. Enjoy your time in kingston. Good luck with your project. One Love Jamaica 🇯🇲 ❤️
Several years ago, Flow stopped flowing in my area so I moved to Digicel. Digicel is much more reliable. We recently had problems because of high trucks breaking the lines. Each time they come to repair but it takes time. So I decided to get Starlink. When it is down, I still have Starlink. Now that I have Starlink, it went down just once!!!!
The water bill is higher in Kingston because a public sewage system runs under ground instead of sewage tanks in the house or apartment. The waste is treated so you pay for clean water and dirty water. This was put in in the 1970 -1980s
Regarding the youtubers who love trench town and Jamaican inner cities in general. Based on responses I have seen from their subscribers, it seems that 'poverty tourism' and 'danger tourism' really appeals to their audience. Some say it helps to remind them that there are people out there who are doing worse than them, which apparently makes them feel better about themselves. I guess after all those images and videos about how beautiful Jamaica is, they find it refreshing to see some poverty. Basically, its badmind. There are some youtubers who may be obsessed with trench town because it reminds them of home and its where they are most comfortable. I've noticed some youtubers hunt out depressed communities no matter which country they travel to because it's where they feel most at home.
Ah, yes, these are very correct observations. In general, negative travel content always performs better on youtube than positive travel content. My main problem with it though is when it's altered to make it look much worse than what reality is or when they take it out of context to make it look as if "this is what the whole country is like". Having watched all these youtubers spreading so much nonsense about Jamaica, I now want to go to Haiti. I'm sure they've doing exactly the same thing to Port-au-Prince as they do to Kingston.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE I said more RUclipsers will now go to haiti 🇭🇹 because of .. [AFRICAN TIGRESS Showing the positive side of haiti. It has really been a shock. to many. How peaceful . most of haiti is.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE for heaven's sake do not fall into the 'danger tourism' trap! there is so much more going on in Haiti that those of us who understand cannot say on youtube. Do not follow AT, she's doing it for clicks and does not care about our welfare in the Americas. Ask yourself, what is Haiti's economy based on? Think really HARD about this. Why do they not want foreign countries to come in and have a look? How can a country operate schools, hospitals, even embassies without a functioning government? Who's paying all these people? JAMAICA IS NOT HAITI, This false equivalency, what's being said about Haiti is real and not just a media attack. Do not put yourself at risk. When I saw her videos I was afraid this would happen, but didn't expect it to have an effect so soon.
I laughed😂 so many times watching this. Appreciate this vlog so much. I love Hope Garden...it is so magical. I hope you get the opportunity to your around Kingston because it is really underated for it's beauty or it's perks.
I have been to Fort Clarence early in the morning and the sea was nice and calm. Ive also been there When the water was rough, full of sea weed and unswimable.
As a born and bred Montegonian who transplanted to Kingston i agree with you. Kingston is much more efficient and most things are in quick reach but i plan to retire on the North Coast.
Hellshire used to be a great beach a few years ago. I grow up going there every weekend. Overtime it the corals disappeared and cause issues that lead to what you see now just rocks everywhere and the beach is gone. It has just become a place to eat seafood.
Happy to See a Vlog! Can't wait to watch. If ya ever around St.Mary would love to link up! Been here retired for about a year amd you've inspired us to share our journey. Blessings. 🥰🤙
Hi Irina, a huge thank you, for highlighting Hope Gardens😊. It's a place I have desired to visit for the longest while, but haven't yet. You have rekindle my desire once again and I will endeavour to make that long awaited visit in the next few months, on my return. Pleased to hear that you are enjoying your change of location. Will make contact soon.
Nice video as always! These freer "vlogs" are a great way to prevent withdrawal symptoms between your larger productions, lol. Jamaica definitely has different "vibes" in different areas which may surprise foreigners who imagine it to be more homogeneous. Yeah the North Coast is more "touristy" but the landscape also has a slightly different personality. It's more lush, because the NC generally gets more rain, and hills are often closer to the sea allowing, say, Dunn's River Falls to plunge right to the beach. The South coast has more coastal flat land, notwithstanding exceptions like Lover's Leap. I grew up in St. Andrew and whenever we went to Ocho Rios during summer break, I felt the change in atmosphere even as a child.
I used to be in the same predicament living in Trelawny (one of the forgotten Parishes). Kingston is really a nice city. I have the fondest memories and really good friends there.
Hi Irene re the Sewage Charges. There is large sewage plant at Soapberry (near Portmore) that serves residents in Kingston and Portmore. Once your home is approximately 100 Yards from the Main Sewage Line, you are charged a Sewage Charge which is approximately the same rate as your Water Bill. That is why the water is so high in Kingston. But I would suggest you check out that NWC bill as it seems a lot to me.
It could be that Kingston properties are connected to a central sewer system as oppose to Montego Bay septic tank. Therefore, you only pay general water usage.
Thank You Irina, you are such a great ambassador for Jamaica and the gems you impart in your vids are so enlightening. I'm not sure I have seen many RUclips vids that give the perspectives you provide about living in Jamaica. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the pros and cons of residing in Kingston vs Montego Bay. BTW I agree with you about the "RUclipsrs" who focus on the "Ghetto" areas of Jamaica it is so disappointing that they choose/not choose to give a more balanced perspective of the country. I will continue to watch your vids as I always learn something new about the country of my birth. One Love !!
Love this and couldn’t agree more especially with there being more social events in Kingston. Growing up in Mobay it always seems like a more reserved place. Anyway, excellent review of both places and loved the fact that you kept saying “we” you are a true Montegonian now! ❤😂
Check if you have a leak, Irie. Also, Hellshire used to have a nice big beach. The beach has been eroded over the years. There have been calls for beach restoration and to save the livelihoods of the restaurants. Check out a phot of Hellshire ten years ago and you will be shocked.
Hillshire was NEVER EVER meant to be a public beach because the flooring is not leveled and there are no body guards. This had been the case since I was a child. People basically ignore government and set up shops there. The designated beach was ALWAYS Fort Clarence. Many people drown at Hillshire because they don't listen. This includes school children. Fort Clarence is in the works to have a broad walk
When I was in high school in the 70's our biology teacher, Mrs. Brimacome, (Miss Brim), took the class on a trip to Hellshire beach to study the eco-system for our biology class. It had pristine white sand and lot of vegetation such as mangrove growing there. The nearest housing development was Edgewater, which was some distance away. It was the best school trip ever had and I still remember it at the age of 60 something😊. I was totally horrified when I visited Hellshire some years ago and saw what it has become. What a shame!
It's the price/tradeoff you pay for advancement, development and -dare I say - modernization. Urban sprawl invariably precipitates junk, garbage, noise and decay of the environment.
@gail-annbrown8901 I remember when it was all swamp , on both sides with crocodiles and shrimp in those areas. Even a hill is gone . The water was far away, with a large beach area . Those huts were far away .
Hello Irena. I always love your vídeos so informative. I am a Jamaican 🇯🇲watching from Metropolitan Atlanta Georgia. Planning to visit Kingston soon!. Anyways I once Lived in Harbour View years ago, when it was Upper Class and Middle Class people were living there now it has changed dramatically. Well my family used to go to Gunboat Beach, or a beach in Port Royal. It was always very nice. ❤❤🎉😊
Irie, you are so right about some for these bloggers who wants to glorify dangerous areas for Jamaica…example CHRISMUSTLIST!!….I had to cancel him!!….great job my sister IRIE!!!!
@@Narcissist-d6g well, the areas where he goes are not actually dangerous, yet he claims they are. People live there, including families with children, and these children go to school every day through these "dangerous" areas that he, a grown-up man is so "brave" to visit.
I watched him, hissed my teeth, and moved on, I found it comical how he just had to video himself in a jacuzzi and talk about his Lambo, after visiting Jamaica because he realized many Jamaicans had that too, so he just had to show he did as well, he is a sad human being. I canceled him as fast as I could say the word canceled.
i think when you rent a stand alone house in Jamaica the rates higher because in Kingston the houses are connected to the sewage but as far stand alone houses in montego bay normally when those houses are built they have a sewage system close by or under some part of the house. the sewage system is not connected to anything and the owners of the house when the sewage is full normally have to call a company to clear the sewage.. and i think for those apartment complex they might have special electricity boxes that conserve electricity as to a regular house with regular boxes...am sure if you rented a stand alone house in Kingston the rate might be higher
It is always a pleasure watching your videos. I was born in Jamaica. I lived in upper and lower St. Andrew for the first 34 years of my life and am now learning things about the Island because of your research. Thanks very much 🙏🏾 and thanks for choosing to dwell among Jamaicans 🇯🇲.
Good to know, because it is one of the areas we are thinking of getting a home if / when we move back to Jamaica. I am originally from St. Ann (between St. Ann's Bay and Claremont), and my mom's house is still here (being cared for by one of my sisters). But we love those new "Gated Communities" Irina referenced, and Richmond has one of them. But so many being built along the North Coast and Montego Bay. Of course, the cost of them are skyrocketing...double in price for some between 2022 (our previous visit when we visited some of those communities) and this year when we visited in April.
Once got a water bill for 60k no pool, no garden. Previous bill was around 15. They change the meter and that’s it. We still had to pay. This is on the outskirts of Kingston. Asafa Powell had a similar case with JPS this year right in time for the New Year.
I lived in Barrett Town St. James on Barrett Town Road and the view of the sea was amazing from my house. The soldier crabs used to come way up from the beach and end up in my yard.
welcome to Kingston Irie. for near by beaches try port royal and parts of Palisados its not resort beach beautiful or safe but its beach . other than that Bob Marley Beach.
I had to subscribe after watching this video! Great video! On point! And I agree about all these content creators that only go to the Ghetto and make it seem as if that’s all JA is about!, so thanks we appreciate you.
8:24 This is another idea for content. Take a look at the controversy around beach access and the Beach Control Act of 1955 passed by Norman Manley. I believe it was the father of Tourism, Abe Issa, that influenced the bill to be passed into parliament. I've been trying to get more background on it. Knowing the research skills you have, you can look into it.
Irie, please nuh travel to any other caribbean island now dat you in Kingston cause wi nuh waan dem tief yu away from us, expecially T&T and Barbados. thx for always being positive and hopeful about our likkle Jamaica. btw, ah my Parish St. ann is the biggest parish in Jamaica with the nicest, sweetest people and for sure the prettiest( the garden parish as it known). Actually ah my parish put Jamaica pon di map. mi kno sey all dem small parish people ah guh come after mi but mi nuh cah😁
@thisisme7644...you crack me up...LOVE it. I too am from St. Ann, but have lived in Kingston. As much as I LOVE my Parish, I do think Portland is the "prettiest"....but St. Ann will ALWAYS by my HOME, no matter where I live or ROAM.
Great video! Watching your videos is one of the reasons I’m making my move back to Jamaica. You might be getting a commercial NWC bill instead of residential or condo bill. I own a condo in Kingston 6 and the strata is now trying to correct said problem, as we are getting commercial billing
Enjoyed the video. Reggae Month in February in Kingston has a lot of free concerts especially in Imancipation Park. For beaches, try St Thomas. I like Lyssons Beach. Only discovered it recently. It's an hour drive from Kingston without the cost of the toll to Ochi. The private section has a small charge with changing room and picnic tables. It's a small intimate space and not as developed as North Coast beaches. Fort Clarence is great and has decent facilities including restaurant but I find the water can be a bit rough most times. Good for surfers but surprisingly I've never seen any there. For nightlife check out jazz night at Terra Nova Hotel on Wednesdays.
7:06 There used to be a beach in Port Royal. (I don't know if Port Royal is considered farther from Hellshire) Gunboat beach used to be just before Norman Manley Airport. On the strip to Harbour View, there is a restaurant/bar on the beach. There is also Port Henderson beach near the Portmore Toll Booth. I think there are some areas along Sir Florizel Glasspole Highway. I think Kingston Harbour is mostly known for industrial purposes, so it makes the coastline of Kingston less touristy but there are beaches (I've mentioned about 3 more apart from Hellshire), they may need more investment.
An excellent video as usual! Always looking forward to your new content. It's always interesting when someone moves to a new place they see things that persons living there for years don't. How do you hear about the different events, exhibitions and places to go in Kingston?
It's a very good question about "how to hear about these events". So far I've just been very lucky with people I know in Kingston who've been sending me flyers via whatsapp for these events as well as my husband tracks social media for a wide range of Jamaican organizations, agencies, companies etc and as soon as something interesting comes up - lets me know in advance.
I love how you say, when you move to Kingston no one see you as a tourist. Thats what i like about Kingston. I am a born Kingstonian.You are so informative and accurate in your videos. Thank you and continue the good work you are doing. Blessing!
What do you think about living in Kingston vs living in Montego Bay?
It's been a while since last time I had an unscripted VLOG on my channel, so here it comes! I'm sharing my personal experience of living in Montego Bay vs living in Kingston.
PS. THANK YOU for watching! This video ends abruptly on purpose, because very few people watch my conclusions, so I've decided to remove them entirely and see if this works better.
I stayed in Montego Bay for the summer back in 2016 and the main difference I noticed is that you always seem to have to drive everywhere in Mobay even though it's not that big of a city. Basic amenities are quite a distance away from where people actually live compared to Kingston. I live in Liguanea and most places where I need to be are walking distance away from me.
Irie! Another great video!!!
I don’t very much care for the abruptness I’m one of few that liked the sign off but now that you’ve made us aware of the change I won’t look for it or think something went wrong. Thanks for this comparative between Kingston and Montego Bay! 👏🏾
😁😁 I can't believe you were working on this already when I posted yesterday asking you to do this. ❤
There are no green spaces around those new high rise apartments in Kingston. Maybe they might put up greenery but right now I'm not liking what I see with those high rises. That's by Waterloo Road. Fort Clarence is the proper beach. Hillshire has dangerous zones.
Please do a video on hope gardens ❤❤
Sorry Irina but Ukraine lost but Jamaica gain and you are the number 1 vlogger with respect to facts, research and being informative. I look forward to your vloggs
I second this statement
She us Ukrainian? I thought she was british
Jamaicans, including the relevant authorities, should be ashamed that she traveled all the way from Ukraine to highlight these issues.
SOCIAL LIFE IN KINGSTON IS UNMATCHED 🎉🎉🎉
It suits younger demographic.
You are a real treasure. I was born in Jamaica but you have taught me more about Jamaica than almost anyone else. I love your balanced factual viewpoint, the research you do and also how you compare with the outside world. That is the frame of reference and anchoring point for many. Thank you
Totally agree
I agree with you
11111111111😊111111111111111@@jennifergarnatz6860
This is one of the reasons i live your vlogs , because you show the beauty and history of beautiful Jamaica.. I’m sick of the bloggers that just want to go yo trench town and show the so called dangerous neighborhoods.Every country had ghettos.🇯🇲🇨🇦
Lee Williams, you are so right: I was very surprised when a group of us visited the US for the first time and saw that the houses that were not very far from the capital all had Burglar Bars. Also, we were told not to go out after a certain time.
Balance is good sister
Very much appreciate your perspective on Jamaica's two main cities. Montego Bay mostly developed from tourism and Kingston the historically commercial and educational hub. Different but equally important!
I really appreciate the time stamps in your videos, so easy to seek and watch the section I want to see.
I really wish Jamaican would view Jamaica the way you see it. From Kingston JA and I am living abroad and yes miss home.
Am Jamaican and o Jamaica in the same light.We keep forgetting about the other Jamaicans like my self
That will never happen the poor always looking for a way out of Jamaica 🤔
@@justtime2670 why ,
There are many Jamaicans who love and want to see continued improvements for their country. BUT, even if she doesn’t realize it, Irena still has the benefit being able to go about life in Jamaica wearing a natural protective cloak of privilege, called whiteness, that will never be available to most native Jamaicans. So, experiences and perspectives will be different.
@@faithm2535 Oh please , go away with that mess.We will always have our natural advantages and disadvantages in life.Its like the gene pool .Just as she has advantages she also has many disadvantages .Don't allow your secret resentments to undo you....🤔
You make me feel quite nostalgic about my hometown---Kingston. Yes, THE MAJESTIC HOPE GARDENS, EVENTS, THE BLUE MOUNTAINS nearby, and the famous hike I took there. Thank you for always doing such balanced presentations.
St, Thomas, Portland and Port Antonio are beautiful parishes, i was there in April, love to go back 🇯🇲🇨🇦
I lived in Kingston for a year, and decided it wasn't for me. What I prefer about Montego Bay, is exactly what you described- homes being somewhat up in the hills and away from the business centers of Montego Bay. I need that bit of country life where I can go into my backyard and climb trees and see and hear birds, and have my neighbors give me a hand of plantain from across the fence that they grew in their own backyard.
The type of living you enjoy in Montego Bay is also available in Kingston and St. Andrew. However, you need to visit the northern parts of St. Andrew. All the hilly areas (Red Hills, Stony Hill, Jacks Hill, Gordon Town, Mavis Bank, etc.) have the country live.
What you described is EXACTLY what I experienced as a boy in Kingston, except the part about the hills. In our backyard we had an apple tree, East Indian and Blackie mango trees, ackee tree, a few banana trees, gungu tree, grapefruit tree, cherry tree, sweetsop tree, and maybe a few others I can't remember. And it was VERY common on my street for the neighbors to give away baskets of fruits and vegetables to each other over the fence. I was taught growing up to ALWAYS give and give and give, that's what I saw my parents do with our neighbors. And no matter how much you gave, you still had too much left over. As an adult, I've finally figured out why...because if everyone is giving to each other, then you get back what you gave to others, twofold, fivefold, tenfold. It's the giving that makes your storehouse overflow.
@@fullidiscloseEast Rural St Andrew a my place.West rural St Andrew contribute to Jamaica music industry but often get overlooked.
VEGAS
GYPTIAN
VANNESSA BLING
CHING CHING
LISA HYPE
GEORGE KNOOKS
NADINE SUTHERLAND
VAILANT all hail from that side.
@@CurtisCTStill something just different about kingston.You even feel it in the breeze,the way the people speak . Kingston is just a different vibe.Portmore a my favorite urban area
@@CurtisCT Yes! This is community! I'm a form believer that community is what life is all about.
❤where have you been?? Need more videos...your content is unmatched by anyone in jamaica 🇯🇲
She has lots of videos. Check them out. She's been around for years.
@@jennifergarnatz6860 ahh Duh😏 I've been watching her from start. Waay back when all she did was airbnb for that home on the water..and showed jamaica too her country man and women who booked the property.
@chayden1402, as a Regular Follower, you know her immaculate research is why she doesn't post so often. But I know your comment is a "tongue in cheek" one because you MISS HER new Videos. I too wish I could see one every week; but I would rather wait and get the quality Videos she posts.
You are an ambassador, thanks for creating the balance.
I'm from Ochi, and I have lived In negril, mobay, Mandeville and now kingston, well, Spanish town..however the differences also has an economical factor...rite now I go between Ochi and Spaintwn as I now work in town. Ochi is soo different from everywhere else in Jamaica 🇯🇲
in what way is ochi different. im thinking of living in mobay, saint ann or portland any advice?
@@ctrezzy11ochi is more like smaller Mobay
@@ctrezzy11 There is a more civil way off relating to each other....maybe because they have to deal with the various types of ethnicity they deal with via the tourism industry...they're also the fact off certain cultural behavior, such as the way they use there beaches and parks, when they socialize, with a certain respect and appreciation.....hence the statment " ......get me visa and deh a ochi, me nah go back..." & ......"a no jamaica me deh, me deh Ochi....."
I thought Spanish town was terrible seen a video on it
Great video as usual. You are an ambassador for Jamaica 🇯🇲. Blessings
I always enjoy your videos. And I admire the fact that you manage to find the beauty in Jamaica that most of us who were born there, overlook or take for granted. Apart from Fort Clarence and Helshire Beach in Portmore, you could just take a drive to Port Royal. Along the way, you'll see somewhat hidden places where you can access the beach. I once took a trip to Port Royal and on the left, there was an old premesis that looks like it was built in the slavery days, and there was access to a beach from there. The 3 of us that went on the trip were the only ones there, and I didn't have to park on the roadside. If you go to Port Royal, keep an eye out.
Cordel, sending love from Germany.
You are so right. Love Hope Gardens; so beautiful. It would be nice for places like this to be highlighted to tourists, who think. of Kingston as too dangerous to visit. I am sure you love the theatre in Kingston as well. So many things to do. The food at Hellshire is great. There used to be a beach at Hellshire, seems to have eroded away. Lack of preservation of our resources. Great video. Thank you!
Fort Clarence beach is right next door and well kept but you have to pay to enter which is not bad as that helps to maintain the beach area and the amenities provided such as the bathroom.
I’m not against all public beaches charging a modest fee for maintenance and use of facilities.
Ft clarence is unpleasant because of the wind whipping up the sand. It stings.
@@NATURALMYSTICMK Maybe so at times but you don’t really have a beach at hellshire anymore. As a child growing up in Independence City in the 1970’s Hellshire had wide open areas of white sand beach but it essentially destroyed by one of the storms that hit the area and then got neglected and wasn’t rebuilt which could have been done with Matalon dredging equipment which they used to create Passage Fort, Portsmouth, Portmore Plaza etc. So what was left of Hellshire beach became “captured land” and people built their shacks there on sand which they lived into and made some into shops. They created Fort Clarence after but the area needs a harmony park beach area like they created in Montego Bay with free wi fi etc the government need to treat locals on the south coast and Kingstonians better.
Zndrsmuth...hellshire was never an official udc beach. It was always captured and hence neglected. Then climate.change has claimed most of the beach as u knew it. Its a ghetto over there now.
Thanks irie for showing Jamaica in a positive way. I was in Jamaica last month and was pleasantly surprised how the country has developed since my last visit in 2010. I am back in the UK and I surly😮 miss it. Thanks for your ongoing highlight of Jamaica. I love your podcasts ❤.
But these people don't wanna talk bout tht.Thank God fi Irena
I usually grab my phone to find rain sounds at night, and stumbled across your video instead and had to watch. I was sad when it ended, because it was so informative and its literally the debate Im having with myself about which side of Jamaica to move to when I relocate. I was born in MoBay, but was never raised there so Im detached from any sentimental factors other than my family living in the rural parts of St James. So Kingston has been a contender for me because of some of the activities and amenities you've listed, as well as the film/media and theatre resource being more tangible there as well. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this video and keep up the good work, Irena! GOD BLESS ✨️⚘️
I remember my days as youngster going to Hope Gardens and there was an amusement park there with Bumper Cars and roller coasters...awwww, fond memories😊😊
Oh yes. I went on the bumper car once in the 1970s. Fond memory!
Originally from the bottom Clarendon area and when i move to Kingston for university it really did feel like a different country(some what). From the architecture,buildings and art in the downtown area to the rich business industry in the upper and new Kingston area it was a completely different experience from the major city of different parishes(May Pen,Mandeville,Junction etc....). Things you think you would need to go outside the country for is made accessible in Kingston ranging from niche restaurants(Japanese etc) to miscellaneous items
Love Hope Gardens. So beautiful there. Next time the restaurants have an event there be sure to go. Kingston has a better mix of people reflecting how the entire island was many, many years ago. Younger Jamaicans have no clue. Forgot to mention that Apple Maps works better there but only on iPhone.
Thanks, Irie, for your consistently positive vibes about Jamaica in spite of the difficulties they are facing. Am part of the St James diaspora abroad. Blessings
The water situation is probably as you said. Sewage cost. That house you had in MoBay probably had its own soak-away pit where the sewage just soaks into the earth and it’s not managed by NWC. Newer housing schemes, apartments and townhouses usually need NWC’s sewage system
Out of Jamaica from Mandeville great parents great town grateful for my upbringing Thanks for videous u make
I visited Hope Gardens a few months ago, and i quite impressed. It is well kept and a good place to visit.
Thank you for showing beautiful Jamaica 🇯🇲 especially hope garden many travelers don’t go such a beautiful park and zoo after this video hopefully many people will watch and go to the park
The most positive commentary on Kingston I have ever seen. Thank you❤
I live in St. Thomas, I have Flow Fibre, very fast and never had an outage. I have had flow internet since it was called Cable and Wireless from way back in 2003. Never had a bad experience.
This is great! I wish we had the same. The only reason I keep the track of all outages is because my son works online with computer games, so a drop in connection for a few seconds will get him disconnection from the server, whereas if you're watching a youtube video - you won't even notice it, that's why it's so important a stable connection for us and why we have backups now.
My mother in Westmoreland and her Flow Fiber is fast enough over 300 gb per sec. Kindly note that fiber theft affects the service interruption in Kingston.
@@misterlexx2721 probably you mean 300 Mbs. However, the problem is not speed, the problem is latency. I have a video on my channel explaining how internet works in Jamaica in detail: ruclips.net/video/3tB6BDqA7qs/видео.htmlsi=SzVGTzUU1BUywhJB
Thanks for showcasing Jamaica 🇯🇲 in a positive way. Love you Irie.
I do agree with you about the beaches in jamaica, I really don't mine paying to go into a beach because the ground will be clean an you have places to shower, unlike going to a free beach which are plenty on the north coast they're is no place to shower and people just throw garbage all over. As for the light bill being different maybe the house in Mobay was an older building than kingston.
I moved from Kingston to Mobay just before the pandemic. I do miss Kingston as well, lots of activities and trips to Hollywell and beyond. We do have Flow fiber internet in Ironshore.
There is a lot to do in MoBay and nearby with the nature activities though )) I miss MoBay. As for Flow Fibre - if you have a model with a very thin cable connected to it (it looks even thinner than the cable from your phone charger) - then it's fibre. Usually the modem for it would be very small, the size of two palms. if, however, you have a modem bigger than a face and with a thick round cable (similar to TV cable) - it's not Fibre. What happens is that they sell it as "fibre", but in reality the actual fibre only reaches their main internet hub near Ironshore and then they use an old coaxial cable to get the houses connected to the line. As a result, during rush times (weekends, Friday evenings) when a lot of people are using the internet - the latency gets worse. I also lived in Ironshore and had the type of "Flow Fibre" that I've described. However, they've been making a lot of changes in the last year, so maybe some homes are getting the proper service.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE You are correct! I was sold flow fibre, but it's only coax cable that i have.
3:09 we do have places like this in Montego Bay #1 lovers park (old hospital) #2 harmony beach park , 5:38 if you live in place like Catherine hall, bogue etc you don’t need a taxi you can walk to Fairview shopping center if you live in rose hall you can walk to beautiful whitter village
She did show Harmony Park in Mobay in this video....she also has a Video about it...
Was just at Harmony Beach park. Just because Kingston get all the love that Mobay should have gotten, provided it has nothing to with tourism . Forcing a square wood in round hole . I called Mobay and ochi a one trick pony economy with no vision by the leaders to diversify not for tourism
Irie thank you very much for always highlight Jamaica for us who live overseas. I am so appreciated all your hard work. Really love you videos them and the other hand . Am learning a lot from you in all your research thank you very much.
Your sewage cost is basically a mark up on your water bill, I believe 100%. You are paying for sewage because you do not have a pit on property, you are connected to NWC sewage system. Most buildings in Kgn, especially buildings built after a certain year are not allowed to have a pit, they must connect to NWC sewage system. I didn't know this was not for the entire country, I lived in Kgn, so I thought this was std across the country. But I own property in spn twn, and its the same there, just like kgn.
@bcharleshenry, Good Point. Here in the States our Water Bill also has a "Sewage" fee, because of the reason you stated. The "sewage" water is routed to a Water Sewage Treatment Facility, and "cleaned" up before dumping into a River or Lake (at least around where I live).
6:29 Port Royal beach, Wickie Wackie beach and Bob Marley beach are also near Kingston
Great to see you back!
Interesting vlog and valid points you have raised.
As a certified tour guide operating in Kingston, my experience is that tourists are visiting Kingston, albeit for 2-3 days before heading to the Northcoast.
Tourists primarily visit Kingston to go to Bob Marley Museum and some to Devon House. It saddens me however, that there are many more attractions (and hidden gems) to enjoy in Kingston, especially Downtown, however, die to the negathve perceptions and relentless travel advisories being issued by America etc tourists are reluctant to visit Kingston. Many simply opting to stay in an all-inclusive resort in the North Coast.
As you so rightly state, there are many social, cultural, and artistic events in Kingston, some often free I.e Kingston Creatives monthly artwalk Festival, Kingston's weekly Night Market. In fact Kingston's Mayor will be holding a free event in St William Grant Park this Saturday - Africa Day.
Anyway, great vlog as ever. I find it refreshing you keeping it real.
Enjoy your time in kingston. Good luck with your project. One Love Jamaica 🇯🇲 ❤️
Several years ago, Flow stopped flowing in my area so I moved to Digicel. Digicel is much more reliable. We recently had problems because of high trucks breaking the lines. Each time they come to repair but it takes time. So I decided to get Starlink. When it is down, I still have Starlink. Now that I have Starlink, it went down just once!!!!
The water bill is higher in Kingston because a public sewage system runs under ground instead of sewage tanks in the house or apartment. The waste is treated so you pay for clean water and dirty water. This was put in in the 1970 -1980s
Regarding the youtubers who love trench town and Jamaican inner cities in general. Based on responses I have seen from their subscribers, it seems that 'poverty tourism' and 'danger tourism' really appeals to their audience. Some say it helps to remind them that there are people out there who are doing worse than them, which apparently makes them feel better about themselves. I guess after all those images and videos about how beautiful Jamaica is, they find it refreshing to see some poverty. Basically, its badmind. There are some youtubers who may be obsessed with trench town because it reminds them of home and its where they are most comfortable. I've noticed some youtubers hunt out depressed communities no matter which country they travel to because it's where they feel most at home.
FOOLISHNESS,they do Jamaica dirty.Dont beat around it.
Ah, yes, these are very correct observations. In general, negative travel content always performs better on youtube than positive travel content. My main problem with it though is when it's altered to make it look much worse than what reality is or when they take it out of context to make it look as if "this is what the whole country is like". Having watched all these youtubers spreading so much nonsense about Jamaica, I now want to go to Haiti. I'm sure they've doing exactly the same thing to Port-au-Prince as they do to Kingston.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE
I said more RUclipsers will now go to haiti 🇭🇹 because of ..
[AFRICAN TIGRESS
Showing the positive side of haiti. It has really been a shock. to many. How peaceful . most of haiti is.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE for heaven's sake do not fall into the 'danger tourism' trap! there is so much more going on in Haiti that those of us who understand cannot say on youtube. Do not follow AT, she's doing it for clicks and does not care about our welfare in the Americas. Ask yourself, what is Haiti's economy based on? Think really HARD about this. Why do they not want foreign countries to come in and have a look? How can a country operate schools, hospitals, even embassies without a functioning government? Who's paying all these people? JAMAICA IS NOT HAITI, This false equivalency, what's being said about Haiti is real and not just a media attack. Do not put yourself at risk. When I saw her videos I was afraid this would happen, but didn't expect it to have an effect so soon.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE Reminds me of your You Tube Video on Why "Negativity" Sells...such a shame though.
I laughed😂 so many times watching this. Appreciate this vlog so much. I love Hope Garden...it is so magical. I hope you get the opportunity to your around Kingston because it is really underated for it's beauty or it's perks.
I have been to Fort Clarence early in the morning and the sea was nice and calm. Ive also been there When the water was rough, full of sea weed and unswimable.
And that wind is unbearable.
As a born and bred Montegonian who transplanted to Kingston i agree with you. Kingston is much more efficient and most things are in quick reach but i plan to retire on the North Coast.
Hellshire used to be a great beach a few years ago. I grow up going there every weekend. Overtime it the corals disappeared and cause issues that lead to what you see now just rocks everywhere and the beach is gone. It has just become a place to eat seafood.
...and be harrassed. I no longer go there as a woman. The men are vicious.
Happy to See a Vlog! Can't wait to watch. If ya ever around St.Mary would love to link up! Been here retired for about a year amd you've inspired us to share our journey. Blessings. 🥰🤙
Nice seeing you around here! Love your content. Congrats on 3k🎉
@Usernamecomingso0n blessings and thanks! Love things all authentic Jamaica.🥰🤙
What can say Irina. You are just the best. Always enjoy your blogs. Thanks for the positivity and loving my country JA. Bless up😊
Hi Irina, a huge thank you, for highlighting Hope Gardens😊. It's a place I have desired to visit for the longest while, but haven't yet. You have rekindle my desire once again and I will endeavour to make that long awaited visit in the next few months, on my return. Pleased to hear that you are enjoying your change of location. Will make contact soon.
Nice video as always!
These freer "vlogs" are a great way to prevent withdrawal symptoms between your larger productions, lol.
Jamaica definitely has different "vibes" in different areas which may surprise foreigners who imagine it to be more homogeneous. Yeah the North Coast is more "touristy" but the landscape also has a slightly different personality. It's more lush, because the NC generally gets more rain, and hills are often closer to the sea allowing, say, Dunn's River Falls to plunge right to the beach. The South coast has more coastal flat land, notwithstanding exceptions like Lover's Leap.
I grew up in St. Andrew and whenever we went to Ocho Rios during summer break, I felt the change in atmosphere even as a child.
Thank you . Much love and blessings to you and your family. One love Jamaica.😀❤💚🧡🙏
Another AWESOME Vlog...Love it❤
I used to be in the same predicament living in Trelawny (one of the forgotten Parishes). Kingston is really a nice city. I have the fondest memories and really good friends there.
Hi Irene re the Sewage Charges. There is large sewage plant at Soapberry (near Portmore) that serves residents in Kingston and Portmore. Once your home is approximately 100 Yards from the Main Sewage Line, you are charged a Sewage Charge which is approximately the same rate as your Water Bill. That is why the water is so high in Kingston. But I would suggest you check out that NWC bill as it seems a lot to me.
Thank you! This is helpful! 🙏
It could be that Kingston properties are connected to a central sewer system as oppose to Montego Bay septic tank. Therefore, you only pay general water usage.
Thank You Irina, you are such a great ambassador for Jamaica and the gems you impart in your vids are so enlightening. I'm not sure I have seen many RUclips vids that give the perspectives you provide about living in Jamaica. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the pros and cons of residing in Kingston vs Montego Bay. BTW I agree with you about the "RUclipsrs" who focus on the "Ghetto" areas of Jamaica it is so disappointing that they choose/not choose to give a more balanced perspective of the country. I will continue to watch your vids as I always learn something new about the country of my birth. One Love !!
Big ups Irene ❤
Love this and couldn’t agree more especially with there being more social events in Kingston. Growing up in Mobay it always seems like a more reserved place. Anyway, excellent review of both places and loved the fact that you kept saying “we” you are a true Montegonian now! ❤😂
I remember taking school trips there in the 70’s. Love this place
Hi Irina...I see you took my suggestion! Great video. Keep em coming!
I like your video good job you should do More about Kingston
Check if you have a leak, Irie. Also, Hellshire used to have a nice big beach. The beach has been eroded over the years. There have been calls for beach restoration and to save the livelihoods of the restaurants. Check out a phot of Hellshire ten years ago and you will be shocked.
Hillshire was NEVER EVER meant to be a public beach because the flooring is not leveled and there are no body guards. This had been the case since I was a child. People basically ignore government and set up shops there.
The designated beach was ALWAYS Fort Clarence.
Many people drown at Hillshire because they don't listen. This includes school children.
Fort Clarence is in the works to have a broad walk
When I was in high school in the 70's our biology teacher, Mrs. Brimacome, (Miss Brim), took the class on a trip to Hellshire beach to study the eco-system for our biology class. It had pristine white sand and lot of vegetation such as mangrove growing there. The nearest housing development was Edgewater, which was some distance away. It was the best school trip ever had and I still remember it at the age of 60 something😊. I was totally horrified when I visited Hellshire some years ago and saw what it has become. What a shame!
😢 me too it was my beach growing up sad to see how it is now
It's the price/tradeoff you pay for advancement, development and -dare I say - modernization. Urban sprawl invariably precipitates junk, garbage, noise and decay of the environment.
@gail-annbrown8901 I remember when it was all swamp , on both sides with crocodiles and shrimp in those areas. Even a hill is gone . The water was far away, with a large beach area . Those huts were far away .
Awesome video Irina. Thanks very much. One Love.
I love the balance
On that what life is about. Let make jamaica better together.
Well done as usual. And yes please do explore Hope Gardens History at some point, respect. The abrupt end made me laugh 😃 later still
Cool! i havent seen one of Irenes vids in a likkle while!
Thanks for this video
Gained a new follower. Thank you for your content. Was very much appreciated at this time. X
Born and raised in Kingston 2 ...🇯🇲
Born Kingston 5 and grow up rural St Andrew, still consider myself a Kingston
Hello Irena. I always love your vídeos so informative. I am a Jamaican 🇯🇲watching from Metropolitan Atlanta Georgia. Planning to visit Kingston soon!. Anyways I once Lived in Harbour View years ago, when it was Upper Class and Middle Class people were living there now it has changed dramatically. Well my family used to go to Gunboat Beach, or a beach in Port Royal. It was always very nice. ❤❤🎉😊
Irie, you are so right about some for these bloggers who wants to glorify dangerous areas for Jamaica…example CHRISMUSTLIST!!….I had to cancel him!!….great job my sister IRIE!!!!
Typical yt man being "brave" and making $ from stereotypes... hypocrites
I cancelled him too!
Chris must list different though.He let's his viewers know that Jamaica has everything,he just likes to do dangerous areas
@@Narcissist-d6g well, the areas where he goes are not actually dangerous, yet he claims they are. People live there, including families with children, and these children go to school every day through these "dangerous" areas that he, a grown-up man is so "brave" to visit.
I watched him, hissed my teeth, and moved on, I found it comical how he just had to video himself in a jacuzzi and talk about his Lambo, after visiting Jamaica because he realized many Jamaicans had that too, so he just had to show he did as well, he is a sad human being. I canceled him as fast as I could say the word canceled.
Love your videos, hands down, the absolute best, yet.
i think when you rent a stand alone house in Jamaica the rates higher because in Kingston the houses are connected to the sewage but as far stand alone houses in montego bay normally when those houses are built they have a sewage system close by or under some part of the house. the sewage system is not connected to anything and the owners of the house when the sewage is full normally have to call a company to clear the sewage.. and i think for those apartment complex they might have special electricity boxes that conserve electricity as to a regular house with regular boxes...am sure if you rented a stand alone house in Kingston the rate might be higher
Thanks for sharing this because I have been thinking about both places to find a home
It is always a pleasure watching your videos. I was born in Jamaica. I lived in upper and lower St. Andrew for the first 34 years of my life and am now learning things about the Island because of your research. Thanks very much 🙏🏾 and thanks for choosing to dwell among Jamaicans 🇯🇲.
Please note Digicel is also in Richmond St. Ann.
Good to know, because it is one of the areas we are thinking of getting a home if / when we move back to Jamaica. I am originally from St. Ann (between St. Ann's Bay and Claremont), and my mom's house is still here (being cared for by one of my sisters). But we love those new "Gated Communities" Irina referenced, and Richmond has one of them. But so many being built along the North Coast and Montego Bay. Of course, the cost of them are skyrocketing...double in price for some between 2022 (our previous visit when we visited some of those communities) and this year when we visited in April.
Once got a water bill for 60k no pool, no garden. Previous bill was around 15. They change the meter and that’s it. We still had to pay. This is on the outskirts of Kingston. Asafa Powell had a similar case with JPS this year right in time for the New Year.
Kingston have everything you can think of it's just the money you need to live the life you want
Always amazing 👏 ❤
Big Super was the only blogger I saw visit the Hope Garden area. Thank you Irina
I would say Kingston is at the cross road of being a truly cosmopolitan.
I think it is already
I lived in Barrett Town St. James on Barrett Town Road and the view of the sea was amazing from my house. The soldier crabs used to come way up from the beach and end up in my yard.
welcome to Kingston Irie. for near by beaches try port royal and parts of Palisados its not resort beach beautiful or safe but its beach . other than that Bob Marley Beach.
Wow! I’ve never thought of living in Kingston but you’re definitely making me think differently about it!
Great video, and you're correct about the entrance fees for the beaches.
I had to subscribe after watching this video! Great video! On point! And I agree about all these content creators that only go to the Ghetto and make it seem as if that’s all JA is about!, so thanks we appreciate you.
i have been living in the US for close to 50 years, but these video is making me want to move back home and retire.
8:24 This is another idea for content. Take a look at the controversy around beach access and the Beach Control Act of 1955 passed by Norman Manley. I believe it was the father of Tourism, Abe Issa, that influenced the bill to be passed into parliament. I've been trying to get more background on it. Knowing the research skills you have, you can look into it.
Irie, please nuh travel to any other caribbean island now dat you in Kingston cause wi nuh waan dem tief yu away from us, expecially T&T and Barbados. thx for always being positive and hopeful about our likkle Jamaica. btw, ah my Parish St. ann is the biggest parish in Jamaica with the nicest, sweetest people and for sure the prettiest( the garden parish as it known). Actually ah my parish put Jamaica pon di map. mi kno sey all dem small parish people ah guh come after mi but mi nuh cah😁
😂😂😂
😂😂😂❤❤
Hi Irie, can see you are enjoying your move to Kingston, you can visit Port Royal. Thanks for the vlogg, another informative topic.
@thisisme7644...you crack me up...LOVE it. I too am from St. Ann, but have lived in Kingston. As much as I LOVE my Parish, I do think Portland is the "prettiest"....but St. Ann will ALWAYS by my HOME, no matter where I live or ROAM.
I am so glad I found your channel. So refreshing to know what really Jamaica is like
Great video! Watching your videos is one of the reasons I’m making my move back to Jamaica. You might be getting a commercial NWC bill instead of residential or condo bill. I own a condo in Kingston 6 and the strata is now trying to correct said problem, as we are getting commercial billing
Oh, interesting! Thank you so much for sharing this tip, I'll check with the landlord.
bigup keep up dee good work
Enjoyed the video. Reggae Month in February in Kingston has a lot of free concerts especially in Imancipation Park.
For beaches, try St Thomas. I like Lyssons Beach. Only discovered it recently. It's an hour drive from Kingston without the cost of the toll to Ochi. The private section has a small charge with changing room and picnic tables. It's a small intimate space and not as developed as North Coast beaches. Fort Clarence is great and has decent facilities including restaurant but I find the water can be a bit rough most times. Good for surfers but surprisingly I've never seen any there.
For nightlife check out jazz night at Terra Nova Hotel on Wednesdays.
Irene, we know how much you love our blessed and beautiful island..so, keep being your the lovely person that you're..❤🎉..
I always, let you know how appreciative I am of you, showing us Jamaicans the beauty. Thank you, thank you..
I truly enjoyed this. I am Jamaican and I live in Kingston..I would not have it any other way. ❤
Thank you for your videos
7:06 There used to be a beach in Port Royal. (I don't know if Port Royal is considered farther from Hellshire) Gunboat beach used to be just before Norman Manley Airport. On the strip to Harbour View, there is a restaurant/bar on the beach. There is also Port Henderson beach near the Portmore Toll Booth. I think there are some areas along Sir Florizel Glasspole Highway. I think Kingston Harbour is mostly known for industrial purposes, so it makes the coastline of Kingston less touristy but there are beaches (I've mentioned about 3 more apart from Hellshire), they may need more investment.
Gun bost beach was full of sharks.
An excellent video as usual! Always looking forward to your new content. It's always interesting when someone moves to a new place they see things that persons living there for years don't. How do you hear about the different events, exhibitions and places to go in Kingston?
It's a very good question about "how to hear about these events". So far I've just been very lucky with people I know in Kingston who've been sending me flyers via whatsapp for these events as well as my husband tracks social media for a wide range of Jamaican organizations, agencies, companies etc and as soon as something interesting comes up - lets me know in advance.
All this time I thaught u lived in ochi...lol. great comparative video, u did it justice.
I love how you say, when you move to Kingston no one see you as a tourist. Thats what i like about Kingston. I am a born Kingstonian.You are so informative and accurate in your videos. Thank you and continue the good work you are doing. Blessing!