Dr. Ruth Doorbar reflects on the past.Avia Ustanny, Freelance Writer
BEFORE THE Revolution, the island, the place to be to be for hard working American professionals among them Ruth Doorbar was Cuba. After the Castro take-over, she looked around for another getaway the criteria warmth in winter, beaches and mountains. The natural choice was Jamaica. "I came with a girlfriend on my first trip and she did not like it, but I was back in a month," recalls Doorbar. "I met the people and I said to myself this place is so red hot with music and art. I fell in love with the vibe of the people." For 12 years she came three to four times each year. By the 12th year, her desire to make the getaway a permanent one was full blown.
Where on the island could she live? "People would recommend places like Mandeville." As far as she was concerned that was 'Deadsville'. She found one place in Ocho Rios, but there was no telephone. For a New Yorker that was a no- no. She was searching for a house on the beach with all the amenities. One day, she came into Kingston, rented a Hertz, and headed for Portland. Driving around, she came to San San beach. She was stunned by the area's beauty. "I thought some Madison Park architect had laid the
place out as a tourist attraction it was so beautiful."
The day was January 4 and the temperature 84 degrees Fahrenheit. She would be going back to New York the next day to a blizzard. The decision was made then and there and in the next three years, she phased out her practice, concluded research at Cornell University and wrapped up lecturing career at NYU. She came back to Jamaica, with no intention to return to urban Mayhem. D-Day was in November of 1973.
Doorbar recalls, "I thought I would buy a sailboat and have a good time." She rented the house, Tradewinds, in San San at an astronomical price. Relief came when a Chinese-Jamaican took her to see Dr. John Martin's home, then up for sale nearby. She fell in love. "I wrote a cheque right away for the deposit," she states. The Martin home comprised one and a half-acre of verdant land, a four-bedroom home with a view of the sea and a 20 by 30 swimming pool. There were three telephones and the property was located only five miles from Port Antonio. The home also had a huge living room that could accommodate her Baby Grand Steinway Piano. "I knew I could record music," she said. Though she had to liquidate her assets abroad (as an American, she could not get a local mortgage), her new home was worth the effort.
