Ahhh...Ras!!! First Guests on New Free Shuttle

by Tamika Williams
(Ahhh...Ras Natango Gallery and Garden, Camrose, St James)

Friday January 4, 2013 was a most special day for Ahhh...Ras Natango Gallery and Garden.

We had our first call for 2013 from The Half Moon Golf and Country Club to pick up a couple, Danny and Denise Richardson, in our new "FREE shuttle."

Ras Natango was prompt in arriving at the hotel.

We explained the duration of the garden tour would be 45 minutes in addition to visiting the gallery and gift shop.

With their permission we took the picture of our "first guests for 2013" as they stepped out of our shuttle.

What a delightful feeling!

I stood aside and watched as they approached the juice bar because I knew the view would be the first thing they saw, and I wanted to see their expression as they saw it for the first time.

"Wow! Amazing! Breathless!" were the words from them both as if they had rehearsed them together.

They were told a Jamaican meal was optional, costing an extra US$12 per person, before they arrived, and within a second of sitting down in front of the view they ordered the Jamaican meal.

I introduced them to the attraction, and we were all laughing and talking as they asked questions and expressed disbelief in all that we had accomplished on this rocky hillside.

The tour of the garden was magical as they touched, smelled and even tasted everything, and heard and saw birds as they sang sweetly in the bushes and trees.

They were impressed with the Gallery and Gift Shop and praised the quality of the art as well as the crafts.

I left them to look through the Gallery and Gift Shop and prepared them a meal of Steamed Fish, Sweet Potatoes , Green Banana, Jamaican Vegetables and Juice.

It was great to see them so comfortable and relaxed, and eating everything on their plates .

Danny asked if it was possible for him to walk the community, so Ian Reid, an Ahhh...Ras employee took them walking through the community, where they met many of local people and ate some jerk chicken.

A little over five hours after they arrived they were transported back to the Half Moon Hotel, but not before writing in our guest book and being interviewed but Sheena Gayle, a reporter from the Gleaner, who visited to do a feature on the Ahhh...Ras Natango Gallery and Garden and our new Shuttle.

This is what they wrote in our guest book:

"What a beautiful place. The gardens and birds are amazing. We had a wonderful lunch and enjoyed the art work in the gallery. We are thrilled we had the chance to visit. Everyone staying at the Half Moon should come here.
Danny and Denise Richardson. USA"

A great way to start 2013 with our first guests for the year enjoying our new shuttle, a cooked meal, buying some of our art and other Gift Shop items, and being the first to write in our 2013 guest book, and the first to tour our community on foot.

Ahhh... we look forward to sharing this special piece of Jamaica with you when you visit