I don't know where you'll be staying, but I imagine it will be Montego Bay or somewhere on the north side of the island. If you have access to a car and driver (don't attempt to drive yourself) and can get up to the highlands, visit the Pickapeppa factory at Shooter's Hill, just outside Mandeville. There is also a hot sauce factory in an old mansion at Walker's Wood, Saint Ann. Most of the other Jamaican sauces are produced in bottling plants in Kingston.

There is an area between Kingston and the north side of the island that has 20 or 30 jerk shacks side by side. It's like throwing darts, just pick one, they"re all good. There was an excellent jerk joint just behind our hotel in Kingston, but I don't remember the name and certainly wouldn't recommend the neighborhood.

During my two weeks in Kingston, I did some extensive taste testing and decided that the Appleton's 12 year old was the best rum I tasted. This will keep you from wasting your time with the others:-). Actually, my beverage of choice was the stuff with the red stripe on the bottle. Jim Campbell drank wine, so he'll have to tell you about the wines. BTW, in two weeks, I never heard any Bob Marley.

About 5 years ago I went to a wonderful jerk joint in Ocho Rios. I think it was called the "Double V" bar-b-que, but it may have beed "W," or something else like that. GREAT jerk ribs & chicken, presented on a platter on top of a pool of the most amazingly hot & tasty scotch bonnet/mango sauce. Of course there was plenty of Red Stripe, too.

It depends on where you will be and how you plan to get around. (The roads are terrible, as we discovered.)

In Montego Bay (where we stayed), they will send you to the Pork Pit for true jerk. It is not bad for a tourist place, but we found a great place on one of the traffic circles just West of town. It is a shack with a sign claiming "Boston-style" jerk. Go during the day. The food is great and cheap (although the price seems to be variable for us off-islanders).

If you can get out East of Port Antonio, go to Boston Bay, where the definitive jerk comes from. (We never made it there.)

In Negril, the Rock House restaurant is very good. Norma's in Kingston is reported to be good, but we found the one near Mo'bay to be boarded up.

South of Mo'bay, on the Barnett Estate, is an upscale place called Belfield 1794 - it is an old sugar cane plantation. You need reservations - they only open at special times, but it is very good and a nice experience. You dine in the sugar mill, and can get a guided tour of the Greathouse.

As for sights, visit the Rockland bird sanctuary Southwest of Mo'bay - you can have a large hummingbird eat while sitting on your finger. (Say hi to Fritz for us.) Past Ocho Rios is Firefly, Noel Coward's house - truly inspiring. And, for downright fun, climb the Dunn River Falls.