Hash Harrier run at Cockpit, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica
on George Hamilton (Jamaica), 29/Aug/2011 01:07, 34 days ago
There has been a slight change in direction in this blog in order to more closely align with its original intent. The words will comment on my Jamaican photos, whether good photos or bad.The content will be shortened too. If you have any unanswered questions you can track down the answer on the Internet, or elsewhere. For example, a year ago I would only have known the meaning of "run","at" and "Jamaica" in the title. You may be in the same position today.Anything that does not fit in with the new plan will have a price, a donation to CUSO-VSO to help with its volunteer work. If you really want me to write about a completely fictitious character in one of the blogs, then that can be arranged for a $100 Cdn donation to CUSO-VSO. Bad puns come cheaper at $10 Cdn each, while corny jokes carry a rock-bottom price of $5 Cdn. As the caveat at the foot of the blog explains, this is all the volunteer's idea and is not an official CUSO-VSO policy.The first key element of the Hash Harriers are the people. Unfortunately because I was away for 2-3 months I have practically forgotten all their names. But I will be back in two weeks time, for sure, for the next hash up in the Blue Mountains just past the Old Tavern coffee plantation at Green Hill. Oh by the way Bunty, I heard today that the road through the mountains to Buff Bay has been re-opened.Here is the check-in where they match you up with someone who has signed up, collect money and keep track of how often you attend so you can eventually become entitled to long service celebrations, etc.. They do a lot of administrative work, and we sometimes take it for granted.Over on the left are Alex and Maja, a friend of Delphine's, who I gave lifts to.Here are the mineral springs where water is piped out of the hillside. It is said to have a high mineral content and that is healthy for you. Notice how fairly empty the pool is, but it will fill up later.This is a higher up view showing the hills near Kingston in the background, with the ocean too.Here are some more photos of the car crew and Delphine as well. I'm not sure if this was taken before or after the run, but I'll be able to tell by the shape my legs are in. I'm in the second photo that Maja kindly tookNo blood and dirt so it must have been taken before the run. Basically the thorn bushes got me from time to time, and I tripped over a rock near the end, but otherwise no harm was done.Here's part of the trail. I wondered why I had taken this photo of the jungle, and now it comes back to me. It was where I had just come from. Fortunately the hash harriers place occasional piles of shredded paper on the ground so you know if you are still on the trail or not.The pool had become busier in the 1 1/2 hours that we were enjoying the fresh air on the trail. It seems the pond is also used for adult baptisms, so we were treated to the multiple baptism spectacle and hymn singing too - an unexpected bonus for the day. The next two photos after this show more detail on the religious activities in the pool.First there is the congregation and other to be baptized, and presumably family members at the edge of the pool.Then we have the person being baptised and also various hash harriers are seated at the far end of the pool past the baptizers.At the end of the days hash harriering there is a sum up of the days events and the Hash Constable ensures that the harrier's mandate etc has been adhered to. This is light-hearted stuff and not to be taken too seriously, I think, but I could pay the price at the next hash?Theoretical hash crimes, felonies or misdemeanors might include:1) Whistling a happy tune while being chased out of the jungle by an iguana2) Taking too long to get around the hash trail when accompanied by your recently married spouse3) Putting too much sun screen on for a cloudy day, etc.These weren't bad jokes that incur a $5 Cdn price tag but simply an example of the mindset of the fun-loving hash harriers.Here is the Hash Constable, black tee shirt and red cap facing away from the camera, addressing some of the miscreants.Then after the Hash Constable had done his sacred constabulary duties, (Sort of like what you might see in the Gilbert& Sullivan "Pirates of Penzance") it was time to head on over to the food table to replace all those calories that had been lost on the trail.You know. I like this new format. It says two things. This is Jamaica and this is what happened today.