safe in the USA

I will post more soon - internet access has been sporadic. I made it out Saturday afternoon just before Dean hit. Cross your fingers for my fellow traveler, who was supposed to leave today. Cross your fingers for Jamaica that the damage was not too bad.

The airport in Kingston was filled with tourists and rich Jamaicans fleeing the island - it wasn't frantic yet, but it was urgent. I got a final taste of Jamaican food - albeit fast food- from Island Grill in the airport. Mmmmm callaloo rice and fish tea. still more spices than you get in US fast food. and I just discovered (at Brunch at the Alhambra when we went last sunday) that Hominy corn porridge is yummy in that "I'm eating pap" or babyfood kind of way, so I had that as dessert (it's sweet and vanilla-ish tasting).

The plane flight was full as could be and there were many loud white american teens exclaiming over how glad they were to leave early. One insisted on moving an elegant, elderly black man (in a fedora) from the window seat he had mistakenly taken and shouted across him to her friends for the rest of the flight about how glad she was to get away. I think ther were several school groups on the flight. I put my headphones on and read The Iron Council. Back in the US now, although I will continue to upload accounts from my trip over the next few days.