Jamaica Paranormal Travel Journal
By Paul Dale Roberts, HPI General Manager
www.hpiparanormal.netThe theme to this article is by Sean Kingston - Take You There. I saw paradise and the slums of Jamaica and now step back and hear the song here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2cyose42jUJanuary 24, 2011 Monday is the start of my adventure. I drove up to the place of my work and my co-workers and employees threw me a Bon Voyage - Post Birthday Party with spinach dip, sugar cookies, Fritos and melted cheese. My employee Gina De La Rosa took me to the airport and will be watching my car, saving me an enormous amount of money on parking fees! Thank you Gina.
I am in communication with Shannon 'Ms. Macabre' McCabe throughout this travel adventure via text messaging, keeping her abreast of all the events as she suggests this and that for places to investigate as she monitors various areas of haunting activity on the gorgeous island of Jamaica. My travels are with US Air as I have layovers in Phoenix, Arizona; Charlotte, North Carolina and of course my final destination is Montego Bay, Jamaica.
My stay will be at the Firefly, Secret Cabins in Negril. For more information about this hotel, you can find it here:
http://www.jamaicalink.com/Phone Number: 1 876 957 4358
I highly recommend this hotel, because the prices are super reasonable, the staff are exceptionally friendly and it's right along the beach. Get your pina colada in hand and take in the beautiful sunshine and white sands!
I am a social butterfly and I do not hesitate to meet people at the airport and my first encounter was with Stacey Scott. Stacey is unsure about the paranormal and has never experienced anything with the paranormal, so we talked about her husband's fantastic wood work that he sells and she recommends my readers to check out
www.contempwoodart.com, for more information call 519 998 2813.
I did not like my experience on US Air. Why? US Air gives me my boarding pass and does not give back my itinerary. I had to call my friend CC Freeman, Eugenia from Unique Travel to piece together on where I was staying at and how I was getting home. So, I spent most of my time on my cell getting the information and found out I was getting home on Continental, leaving on 1/29/2011 from Montego Bay to Houston, Texas and finally to Sacramento, California. The employees on US Air are not people friendly. Some I found rude and not helpful at all. Talked to one person riding first class from Sacramento to Phoenix and for the life of me cannot understand why a person would pay all that money to ride first class from Sacramento to Phoenix just because they have a bigger seat, they get Kettle chips and the rest of us don't. They get privacy with a see through gray curtain. Perhaps if you paid first class to fly a long distance might be worthy, but a short distance of Sacramento to Phoenix? Why would I want to fly first class, if the plane were to crash, wouldn't the first class customers be the first ones killed? I rather be sitting all the way in the back. Oh well, that's my thoughts on first class. Whoopee doo.
As we continue with this journal, I will most likely leave out the days, because I will soon be on 'island time' and when you are on island time, you get your days all mixed up. Okay, who else did I meet? Ahhh...an American hero. Abby Priolo who I sat with from Phoenix, Arizona to Charlotte, North Carolina. She is in the Air Force and is a weapons specialist. She has been in Iraq 4 times! She is making the Air Force a career and only can hope that the world will be a kinder place. She was a real sweetheart!
Then I met Kristine Wilson at Charlotte and she is into Aquaculture and was a student at the University of Bergen. She is headed over to Puerto Rico to stay with her sister for a spell. Conversating with Kristine, made my layover go by quickly. She suggested I should investigate the Halifax Explosion in which a Norwegian ship crashed into another ship and it caused the deaths of many people. This area is reputed to be very haunted. As a Canadian she is very in tune with the legend of the haunting activity at the Halifax explosion. I get many good tips, from the people I meet.
Finally at Montego Bay....here it comes. Time to be ripped off by a taxi driver. As savvy as I might try to be, I still got ripped off. Ugh! Meet Donald Johnson, Tour Operator and Taxi Driver. I discover a two way trip from Montego Bay to Negril - Negril to Montego Bay should ONLY cost $100.00. Donald of course charges me $110.00 ONE WAY! Again, I got slammed dunk! I DO NOT recommend Donald to anyone. Try to have your transportation prepared when arriving in Jamaica.
As I arrive to Firefly - Secret Cabins, I am given a grand tour by the manager. I love my cabin, very comfy and quaint. If I want to utilize the restrooms and showers, they are outside. The restroom and showers are very clean and as I take a shower, I am exposed to the world, except for a small little door that covers the essential parts of my body, so no one is shocked! And..yes..the beach is a 1 minute walk!! At the beach is several bars, so the pina coladas are willing and ready to set you in the mood for a festive time and also for a relaxing time in paradise.
The very first night I was there, one of the lady employees yells at me...."Come Paul, rum party tonight!!" The rum party was a bonfire, dancing, reggae music and of course lots of rum!!
As I stay at the Firefly, I learn that every day on the beach you are solicited for something. Such as: "You want some ganja mon?" Ganja is marijuana. Nah, don't smoke it. Then they say: "You have long hair mon, you must smoke!" Sorry, just because I have long hair, does not mean I smoke ganja. Then being a single guy..."hey, mon, I can get you sum Jamaican pooooo---!!" No, I don't need any help in finding Jamaican poooo----. But, besides that type of soliciting, you can buy an assortment of fruit, lobster, fish, drinks, clothes, souvenirs, etc.
THE WHITE WITCH OF JAMAICA AKA THE JAMAICA WITCH OF THE WEST:
One of the investigations I worked on as requested by Shannon McCabe and one of my investigators Deborah Baughman is the White Witch of Jamaica. Because of the people around me during this tour, I was not able to obtain any EVPs. I am not psychic, but you feel the heaviness of depression around Rose Hall. It's because the White Witch known as Annie Palmer ran this huge sugar plantation in the 1700s. She was born in France and was petite, beautiful and only 4 feet tall. She longed to be in France and found hardship in Jamaica. With that hardship came cruelty and torture. She was feared by the slaves she owned. If she had sex with one of the slaves, his days were numbered, he was headed for an execution. Annie ruled with an iron fist and enjoyed performing public whippings. She would torture some of her slaves in her dungeon. The slaves taught her voodoo, which included human sacrifice. The human sacrifice included infants, in which she would grind up their bones to create magic. Interviewing Camille Kerry-Ann Thompson O'Donnell, she tells me that Obeah is popular with some of the natives of Jamaica, while Voodoo is popular in Haiti. Obeah utilizes animal blood, while Voodoo utilizes animal blood, human blood and human baby skin. Human baby skin can be used as papyrus to write messages of magic on. Babies are known to be missing in many parts of Haiti. In Voodoo, their are potions to keep a man or even to kill a man.
After Camille told me some of the chilling stories of Voodoo, she turned the conversation light, by telling me how she started taking Herbalife in October of 2009. She tells me that at one time she was 238 lbs and dropped instantly down to 231 lbs. She has now started a business with Herbalife in November 2010 and she is now down to 185 lbs. She makes claim that Herbalife enhances your energy and provides essential vitamins to your immune system. If you are interested in Herbalife, she can be contacted at:
camilleodonnell@yahoo.com or 876 538-9779.
THE JAMAICAN WHITE WITCH OF THE EAST!
According to Michael Watson, a gentleman I met at the Firefly with his beautiful wife Kay Watson told me more about Annie Palmer. He says that Annie Palmer killed 5 of her husbands, she had a slave strangle to death one of her husbands, she poisoned another, she drove one husband mad and he jumped out of a window to his death. Another one, she placed a hex on and it lead to his untimely death. Another husband, she had a slave stab him to death. The last husband she discovered he had an affair with a female slave and that is something she did not tolerate, it was okay for her to have an affair with a slave, but not any of her husbands. I also, learn that fixing a person aka passing a 'blow' is actually cursing that person in Voodoo!
MICHAEL AND KAY WATSON:
Michael and Kay Watson come to Jamaica all the time. They are familiar with all of the locals and they meet old time friends that also frequent Jamaica on a yearly basis. They tell me about the cock fights in Jamaica that are legendary. The cock fights take place in Sheffield. The excitement is overflowing as the natives chant Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. The cocks are weighed on old time scales. Michael introduces me to a Rasta friend who welcomes me to witness a cock fight. I would not want to go to one of these events, since I am an animal lover and I contribute to Rolda.org and Greenpeace. Michael reassures me that many of the cocks are pulled out of the fight before death. Michael and Kay also tell me about the Maroons of Jamaica that practice Obeah. Legend has it that a nanny took the runaway slaves to the Blue Mountains where they were taught jungle warfare and learned Obeah.
Michael tells me that there is a Jamaican White Witch of the East, she is Errol Flynn's wife Patrice. She is known to work her employees hard and is relentless in monitoring their hard labor on her property. She is also known not to pay them at times and that they must battle her in courts to get the money due to them. She is known to be outrageously mean. I had some Jamaicans try and tell me their ghost stories, but when they speak 'Pattawa', it is very difficult to understand them. Pattawa is broken English spoken very fast. Michael and Kay give away many things to the natives. So far they have given away a massage table, clothes, soap and tool sets. They enjoy seeing the smiles on the natives faces, as they are given things that they can use in their everyday lives.
I tried riding a Jet Ski and was somewhat nervous, since I am not the strongest swimmer in the world, but it was fun and I was glad I did it, my very first time. Another couple I met was Jeff Bird and the lovely Joanne Pronger Faulkner of Shawinigan Lake BC! A great couple to talk to. They told me about a famous ghost story in the city of Victoria BC, that is called 'Michelle Remembers', in which is about a girl that was locked up in a small cubbyhole in her home. Her ghost is still haunting that home. Another great tip.
As I walked around the beach, a Jamaican Rasta comes up to me and asks if I am related to Paul Escobar - the Columbian drug lord. I told him 'no'. He then tells me that I look like Paul Escobar with my sunglasses and dark hair. I said..."thanks, I think."
NECIA PLUMMER AKA THE DOLPHIN LADY
Another vacationer I meet is Necia Plummer. She tells me that she is from Northeastern Indiana and she once moved into a home that was 100 years old. She would hear megaphone ragtime music play in that home. She learned that a mean old man lived in the home and he had died of cancer. She once saw a figure of a man at the foot of her bed and she could see on the apparition the face of a cancer ridden man. She would smell patulli essence in the home. A picture she had of her father and son, would disappear and reappear many times over. The picture was often found later under a floor rug. Her son would have night terrors in this home. Her deceased father would also visit her at this home, perhaps her deceased father's visit was to protect her from the mean old man ghost. She would smell her father's cologne throughout the house, the smell of Stetson cologne. Necia will always remember this home, she also wants me to check out Blood Road in Indiana, because on some nights the road looks like blood and has the reputation of being haunted. Necia tells me that she has psychic abilities. Her sister moved and just by driving around, she was able to locate her sister's home by simply using her intuition. She has a strong connection with dolphins and she remembers how she was on a boat and a dolphin swam up to her and greeted her. A dolphin lead her to witness the birth of a dolphin.
As I explored the island, I was amazed at all of the wild goats and the goats that are pets for the natives of the island. There are banana trees everywhere and there are lizards everywhere. I found lizards all around my cabin, they were adorable.
STACY - ANN ROSS AND SOHIDIE - THOMPSON:
Stacy and Sohidie are native Jamaicans. They tell me their ghost story.
Stacy: While in the town of Newton, Stacy was visiting some friends on a hill. Stacy and her friends were celebrating Nine Night, a party for the deceased. While she was walking home by her grandmother's property singing Dirty Wine, she went into a trance. She can't explain why she went into a trance, but she did. She felt an evil entity that would not allow her to pass. She then smelled something sweet in the air. She started chanting and felt the entity sweep up behind her. She kept chanting positive things and the entity finally allowed her to pass.
Sohidie: When she came to the town of Newton, she lived with her grandfather. One night her grandfather left the home to visit a friend. She was all alone in the home. When she fell asleep on her grandfather's bed, the sheet was violently pulled off of her. She pulled the sheet back on top of her. She woke up and heard maniacal laughing. She then saw 3 old ladies (ghosts) standing around the bed. She ran in the bathroom, scared to death. She later realized that the 3 ladies were her mom, that died when she was 11 1/2 years old, her grandfather's deceased wife and her deceased aunt that died in 2008. She was so scared that night, she ran into the next bedroom and jumped in bed with her two sons. She now thinks that the deceased family members meant no harm to her and were laughing in a positive way and were pleased at her well-being and how she grew up to be a beautiful woman and a mother to her children.
Sohidie - When she was pregnant 8 1/2 months, she dreamed that she saw her cousin's father, but discovered it was not a dream, but an actual ghost in her room. She saw her cousin's father standing over her and he had the shiniest gold teeth she ever saw. The ghost played with her feet and the ghost said: "If you continue to keep getting pregnant, I will kill the next baby!" After she saw the ghost of her family member, the guys that she would go out with, seemed to be cursed, because every one of them would get bitten by a centipede. The curse has finally ended.
MERC SAMSON AND THE VOODOO QUEEN.
HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC!
Merc Samson (not his real name) is a long time reader of mine, come to find out, he used to read articles, interviews and reviews I did when I was in the comic book business (Jazma Online!). Merc with 4 crew members and me, went on his yacht to Pedernales, Dominican Republic in which he was there to pick up some supplies and back over to Marigot, Haiti in which I was taken in a jeep to a certain location blind folded to meet 27 year old Keesha, the Voodoo Queen. Merc was ecstatic because he claims Keesha has a great gift. The gift of prophesy, a gift of future events. He makes claim she predicted the 2010 Haiti earthquake months ahead of time. As I meet the lovely Keesha in a shack that is ordained with animal skins and strange bottles with odd liquid substances, this is the interview I had with Keesha. My time was limited with Keesha.
Note: I am not allowed to talk about Merc's occupation and I am not allowed to mention the name of his yacht.
Paul: Keesha, Merc tells me you have the gift of prophesy.
Keesha: Yes, I have this gift mon.
Paul: Merc tells me that you have a prophesy for the United States.
Keesha: Yes mon. 2011 America will see no money, people panic. Panic in the streets.
Paul: We are going to have an economic disaster?
Keesha: You call it this, yes. Your government make you stay in your homes after dark, you can no come out.
Paul: Martial law?
Keesha: No come out.
Paul: Martial law means 'no come out'.
Keesha: Yes mon.
Paul: What else will happen?
Keesha: Your people go to places your government take you, no come out, many people get sick.
Paul: Sounds like confinement camps, what do you mean they get sick?
Keesha: Government give them no care mon, many people sick and die.
Paul: This is very gloomy scenario, is there a bright spot in all of this.
Keesha: No understand mon.
Paul: Will there be any good out of this prophesy?
Keesha: I don't see nothing else mon.
At this time, a large man came into the room and he says Keesha is exhausted and we must leave. Once again Merc blindfolds me as I am driven away to his yacht. On the voyage home, I became ill (sea sick) twice. As I got back to the Firefly, I can only hope that Keesha is incorrect with her prophesy.
SHOUT OUTS FROM PEOPLE I MET IN MY TRAVELS TO JAMAICA!
Dawn Zepp from Philadelphia; Kenroy Wedderburn - Security at Firefly (Gave him my Warriors Jersey as a present - great guy!). Jeff & Joanne Pronger Faulkner who drove me from the Firefly to the Montego Bay Airport, saving me loads of money for a taxi! Thank you!! Merc Samson who took me on his yacht to Haiti and the Dominican Republic to interview 27 year old Keesha - the Voodoo Queen! Thank you Merc!
Stacy-Ann Ross received my Las Vegas black t-shirt as a gift for providing me with a good Jamaican ghost story! Thank you Stacy! Gina De La Rosa for driving me to Sacramento International Airport and for picking me up with her boyfriend Theo at the airport! I hope you enjoy your Jamaican t-shirt for watching my car while I was on vacation! Maximillian - known as the Man with the Right Medicine for your Mental Mind. Andrea Gardner from Canada! Beatrice Coria from Argentina that is a Tarot Card Reader and Artist! Shannon McCabe who receives a Jamaican t-shirt for taking care of some important items for me while I was gone!
MEMORABLE MOMENTS WERE:
On one night had dinner with Stacy-Ann Ross, Sohidie Thompson, Michael & Kay Watson for drinks, kunk, jerk chicken, pilaf rice, banana daiquiris, lobster and listened to a popular reggae band as they played:
Jammin' by Bob Marley and the Wailers
Montego Bay by Freddie Notes and the Rudie
Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley
Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley
Red, Red Wine - UB4O
I Shot the Sheriff - Bob Marley
Rock Steady - Alton Ellis & the Flames
I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
-- Having breakfast and getting ready to fly back home. Had that Burger King breakfast with Kris Betts. Kris says in her own words: "I'm not sure if I believe that ghosts really exist, however, right after my wedding, I took pictures and discovered orbs in the picture, I can only wonder if it was my deceased relative that attended the wedding. I would love to go on a ghost hunt! Kris now lives in North Carolina.
--- Jerk Chicken! If you go to Jamaica, try the Jerk Chicken! It's super delicious, the sauce is out-of-this world!
---- Lobster Man: This was my new nickname. The Jamaicans started calling me Lobster Man, because the sun made my skin very red. Sigh.
---- $68.00 Firefly Bar Tab. This is memorable, because I ate a lot and drank a lot at the bar at the Firefly and $68.00 is a good price!
----- According to many Jamaican women I interviewed, Jamaican men have it made. They conceive babies throughout the island and pay no child support. One man is known to have 22 children around the island and pays no child support.
Remember Bob Marley says it best: "Don't worry about a thing, because every little thing will be alright." I remember hearing the song from Bob Marley - Three Little Birds while sitting in the hot Jacuzzi with pina colada in hand. Can't get any better than that!
Special Note: I did not run into the Trident Tailed Sea Monster in the Bermuda Triangle and I did not see any UFOs in the Bermuda Triangle. Sigh.
PICTURES FROM JAMAICA:
https://s970.photobucket.com/albums/ae185/PaulDaleRoberts55/Jamaica/https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fs1176.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx336%2FMinaMac%2F22Jan11-Volcano%2F&h=8318dgkNI_Zkll2ydGV1J4yHcZAVolcano Scouting Mission Photos from Melanie MacConnell
MESSAGE AND PICTURES OF VOLCANO FROM SHERRY ANDERSEN:
Hi Paul,
Sorry this took so long. I was really really tired and my puter gave me problems so I just went to bed.
It was a great investigation. I loved having the historians talk with us. It really helps to know the background of the area. Plus my interest in gold prospecting made it that much more interesting. The fireplace is awesome. CVPS will be back for sure.
Here is a link to my photos
https://s776.photobucket.com/albums/yy45/sherryaphotos/HPI%20St%20George%20Jan%202011/I did try to recreate the shadow photo and found that it had to have been a very tall person wearing a hoodie, standing with his back to the door with the hood up. The person I used to recreate was just over 5ft tall. I found the person would have to have been at least 6.5 tall. I don't remember anyone that tall there that night.
We enjoyed meeting Ellie and appreciate the invitation to investigate her home. How lucky she is to live in such a beautiful area.
CVPS has a new site and web address
www.cvparanormal.com . Stop by and check it out.
Have a great trip to Jamaica. I can't wait to read the interview with the Voodoo Priestess. I wouldn't accept any offers of rum while visiting her. ;-)
See you at the next one!
Sherry
HPI HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BOOK:
Filipino Ghost Stories: Spine-Tingling Tales of Supernatural Encounters and Hauntings! By Alex G. Paman:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804841594/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=156647924X&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1GS100AAN3ZG5TJB7CBMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzq8KNP9L3AHPI Impromptu Quiet Haven Cemetery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yghovyPkn3EHPI Takes a Look at the Ryde Hotel
http://www.viddler.com/explore/TheParaViews/videos/29/Spirits of the Hotel Video Part 1 Link
http://www.viddler.com/explore/TheParaViews/videos/30/Spirits of the Hotel Video Part 2 Link
http://www.viddler.com/explore/TheParaViews/videos/34/Spirits of the Hotel Video Part 3 Link
Paul Dale Roberts, HPI Adventurer and World Traveler
aka The Demon Warrior
Shannon McCabe's Haunted and Paranormal Investigations International
www.hpiparanormal.net http://www.lorenasangels.com/ Lorena's Angel's Cards by Diana Lorena Valencia Riomana
Managed by Staci Butler, HPI Twitter Account Manager/HPI Senior Lead Investigator
Dark View HPI Videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/DarkviewProductionsChatterbrew!
http://www.chatterbrew.com/ Email:
pauld5606@comcast.net Cellular Paranormal Hotline: 916 203 7503
If you have a possible investigation call: 1-888-709-4HPI
Mon Jan 31, 2011 1:32 am