Beautiful Barbados

From http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/travelleisure/article/638162

By Jill Wilson
THE CANADIAN PRESS

ROCKLEY BEACH, Barbados - I have been to the stunning north coast, watched the awe-inspiring Atlantic crash and foam on the steep cliffs and been through the animal flower caves.

Enlarge Photo

The Canadian Press

Rockley Beach is one of the jewels of Barbados.

I have frequented the wild and beautiful east coast -- walked on the white sand of the chi-chi Crane beach where Hugh Grant's been known to frolic, had my bathing suit filled with sand as the powerful waves of Bottom Bay dashed me to the ocean floor, wandered around the huge, eerie coral formations of Bathsheba, which look as if a giant deposited them randomly around the shore.

I have visited the west coast, where the turquoise water is so blue that the word "turquoise" seems inadequate and where every beach is a postcard waiting to happen.

I have been to the legendary Friday-night fish fry in Oistins on the south coast, where it seems as if the whole island gathers to eat fresh flying fish or dolphin (mahi-mahi) and macaroni pie, drink Banks beer from sweating bottles that are warm before you finish them and dance the night away to reggae music.

I've been to the Barbados Jazz Festival on Farley Hill, a natural amphitheatre complete with crumbling ruins at the bottom and a panoramic view of the island at the top.

I've seen sharks and barracudas and fed a stingray at Ocean Park aquarium; I've seen green monkeys and haita congas and been attacked by a goose-like creature with a pink horrible beak at the Barbados Animal Reserve.

I've taken the awesome Adventureland 4x4 tour and bumped and banged around the backroads and byways of the island; I've visited the Mount Gay refinery, home of the oldest rum in the world.

In short, I have explored Barbados from top to bottom, so perhaps I can be forgiven, on this latest trip, for doing almost nothing at all.

My friends and I decided that our only desire this time around was to sit and watch the waves at Rockley Beach, our favourite of Barbados' many lovely strips of sand. On calm days, it's perfect for snorkelling, with a well-marked coral reef within easy swimming distance (and lifeguards on duty). On windy days, the surf kicks up enough to allow for some decent boogie boarding or body surfing.

The one concession we made to our plan of lying motionless on deck chairs and frying ourselves to a melanoma-be-damned crisp was to go on a three-hour hike at 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning, which turned out to be a significant concession.

These free weekly National Trust hikes set off from a different starting point each week; the goal is to cover most of the island in the course of a year. There are morning and evening hikes, but the 6 a.m. start time allows for at least an hour of cooler weather before the sun begins to beat down.

When we arrived at the marshalling area, we were surprised at the number and variety of people -- it's clearly a regular gathering for local hikers.

There were four levels to choose from: The Stop and Stare, which covers eight to 9.5 kilometres in the three hours; the Slow Medium, which covers 13 to 16 kilometres; the slightly more ambitious Fast Medium and the clearly suicidal Grin and Bear, which leads you on a 19-kilometre trot.

We chose the Slow Medium and set off, getting farther away from main roads and into areas we'd never seen before, from open fields to gated mansions. I'd suggest, however, that "Slow Medium" might be a misnomer. This is not a walk for dawdlers or lollygaggers; it is not a ramble. It is for serious walkers. It is, in a word, brisk.

Luckily, Christ Church is not the hilliest parish, but the walk did take us through sugar cane fields where a machete might not have been out of place and where you had to keep an eye on the ground or risk a turned ankle.

It was fantastic, giving a whole new view to the island that we never could have seen, even touring in a car. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the scenic vistas because if you so much as stopped to tie a shoelace, the rest of the group would be a dot in the distance by the time you stood up.

After the hike was over and we'd bandaged our blisters, as one of my travelling companions put it, "Now the only thing we have to worry about is where and when we're going to eat."

But for three dedicated food lovers, that's a considerable worry. Luckily, one of our dinners was already arranged, as I'd made the reservations months prior.

Tell anyone who's familiar with either Barbados or fine dining that you're going to The Cliff and his eyes will widen gratifyingly. The restaurant -- thanks to chef Paul Owens -- has the highest Zagat rating on the island, with prices to match: BBD$245 (C$151) for a two-course prix fixe menu (not including cocktails, wine or dessert, all of which we indulged in).

In these tough times, it seems ridiculously indulgent to spend such a princely sum on dinner, but what we got was fit for a king (or at least a prince -- Prince Andrew has been known to dine at The Cliff) and how often do you get to visit a restaurant with the reputation as one of the best in the world?

Lit by flickering torches, the restaurant sits perched on a cliff, with wide stone steps that lead down to intimate tables overlooking the surf that rolls into the scenic bay below.

And the food is truly incredible: beef carpaccio that melts in the mouth; gnocchi as fluffy as pillows; perfectly cooked tender duck breast; ravishing lobster ravioli; a lemon tart that might be the best dessert I've ever had.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we'll remember forever. And be paying off for several months.

On the other end of the spectrum -- but no less enjoyable -- is It's All Good, a modest shack on Rockley Beach manned by the ever-smiling Jasmine Brown, who whips up healthful smoothies with juice and vitamin supplements. What keeps us coming back, though, is what might be the best daiquiri on the island, made with fresh bananas and a generous helping of dark island rum. For BBD$12 (C$7.50), you get an overflowing plastic cup, which Brown will often top up with whatever's left in her blender.

She also slaves over a hot barbecue to grill flying fish, marlin, swordfish, garlic shrimp and other seafood, which she serves on a plate heaped with seasoned grilled potatoes, plantain and a crunchy-sweet coleslaw-like salad topped with walnuts and raisins. It's not elegant, but it's delicious.

Another high-end highlight was Pisces in the St. Lawrence Gap, where the rum sour was perfectly mixed, the Asian-style scallops with crispy lentils perfectly seared and the atmosphere -- terra cotta lanterns, a sea breeze and a view of fishing boats bobbing in the ocean -- perfectly lovely.

Our other splurge, one we've never gone without, is a day trip on a catamaran. A five-hour cruise on a Tiami ship is BBD$175 (C$108), and more relaxing than a day of being pampered at a spa. They pick you up at your hotel and you're greeted at the harbour with a mimosa, after which you set out along the island's west coast, skimming over unreal waters that shift from indigo to azure and sipping the beverages that are brought to you from the open bar by the attentive staff, who strike the perfect balance between funny flirtiness and serious sailoring.

Along the way, you stop to snorkel and swim with sea turtles, which, no matter how many times you do it, is a wondrous experience. The turtles, with their wise-looking faces and mottled shells, are not shy and will brush up against you in the water.

After a lavish buffet lunch, the boat anchors off the luxurious Sandy Lane resort, where you're free to swim ashore to the beach or just lie back and bob effortlessly in the buoyant blue.

God forbid we should exert ourselves.

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/country-profile/barbados

Country profile: Barbados

Facts and statistics on Barbados including history, population, politics, geography, economy, religion and climate

• The Guardian, Saturday 18 April 2009
• Article history

Map of Barbados. Source: Graphic

Potted history of the country: With Caribs long gone from Barbados, British settlers found the island uninhibited on their arrival in 1627. The demand for sugar, rum and molasses made it a common destination for slaves, and the industries flourished long after the abolition of slavery in 1834. The nation retains a strong British culture, four decades after independence in 1966.

1. At a glance
2. Location: The most easterly of the Caribbean islands
3. Neighbours: Trinidad
4. Size: 166 square miles
5. Population: 273,987 (180th)
6. Density: 1,650.5 people per square mile
7. Capital city: Bridgetown (population 116,000)
8. Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II
   Head of government: Prime minister David Thompson
9. Currency: Barbados dollar
10. Time zone: Barbados time (-4 hours)
11. International dialling code: +1 246
12. Website: barbados.gov.bb
13. Data correct on Saturday 18 April 2009

Political pressure points: The prime minister, David Thompson, in power since January 2008, won a no-confidence vote in March over his handling of a financial crisis involving the troubled insurer CLICO. The Barbados Labour party had accused him of masking the extent of an emergency that threatens jobs and pensions.

Population mix: African-Caribbean 80%, European 4%, mixed 16%

Religious makeup: Protestant 36%, Catholic 3%, Muslim 1%

Main languages: English

Living national icons: Kamau Brathwaite (writer), George Lamming (writer), Rihanna (singer), Sir Garry Sobers (cricketer, retired), Obadele Thompson (athletics)

Barbados on a map. Source: Graphic

Landscape and climate: Almost completely encircled by coral reefs, the easternmost Caribbean island's position, tropical climate and gently sloping limestone plains make it fertile growing ground for sugarcane, which covers about 80% of the island's surface. The wet season runs from June to November and the dry season from December to May.

Highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 metres

Area covered by water: Less than one square mile

Healthcare and disease: Occasional outbreaks of Dengue fever are among the few concerns on an island that has some of the best healthcare facilities in the region. The government is funding a $90m (£64m) programme to reduce the country's prevalence of HIV nearer the Caribbean average of 1.2%.

Average life expectancy (m/f): 72/78

Average number of children per mother: 1.5

Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births: 16

Infant deaths per 1,000 births: 12

Adults HIV/Aids rate: 1.5%

Doctors per 1,000 head of population: 1.2

Adult literacy rate: 99.7% (m 99.7%/f 99.7%)

Economic outlook: The end of the construction boom has hurt the tourism industry, and foreign exchange earnings have suffered as offshore banking activities have slowed. The government has committed to stronger trade ties with China.

Main industries: Tourism, banking, insurance, rum

Key crops/livestock: Sweet potatoes, coconuts, poultry

Key export: Rum

GDP: £1,752m (145th)

GDP per head: £5,980

Unemployment rate: 9.8%

Proportion of global carbon emissions: 0.01%

Most popular tourist attractions: Enterprise beach, one of the most popular white-sand beaches, the Andromeda botanic gardens

Local recommendation: A tour of the 350-year-old Sunbury Plantation House, 25 minutes from Bridgetown in the St Philip countryside

Traditional dish: Coucou (cornmeal and okra paste) and flying fish

Foreign tourist visitors per year: 547,534

Media freedom index (ranked out of 173): n/a

Did you know ... Road tennis, originally played on quiet streets with a wooden paddle and a de-fuzzed tennis ball was invented on the island.

National anthem:
We write our names on history's page
With expectations great
Strict guardians of our heritage
Firm craftsmen of our fate

· Information correct on date of first publication, Saturday 18 April 2009.

From http://www.travel-worldwide.net/travel-middle-east/bring-yourself-back-to-life-in-barbados-barbados-travel-information

I'm not sure how this comes under the Middle East but here's the article:

 

Situated to the east of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, Barbados is an independent island nation and a tropical getaway with considerable historical sites to boot. With a long British history and settlements dating as early as 300 CE, Barbados offers travelers a tantalizing resort rendezvous and a taste of colonial and slave legacy. Book your airfare to Barbados before the high season ends and enjoy the tranquility of one of the most remote islands in the Caribbean.

Major airlines service the island’s fairly large international airport from most regions including Canada, Mexico, Europe, and the United States. If you choose to island hop through the West Indies, airfare to Barbados is easily accessible from Trinidad and Tobago to the south, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the west, and Grenada to the southwest.

Travel to Barbados for the Sweet Life

After cotton crops failed on Barbados, the British introduced sugar cane to the island, which grew very well and also led to the development of rum drinks and molasses production. The plantation economy allegedly gave birth to the first appearance of the spiced island drink and visitors today can take a tour of the Mount Gay Rum factory, which is Barbados’ domestic rum producer.

Barbados is not all sugar and spice; the island is also a haven of white sandy beaches, surfing, fine dining and deep sea fishing. On the southern shore of Barbados you will find privately owned vacation rentals and time shares as well as the middle and lower range accommodations along the water, broken up by small seaside towns like Hastings, Maxwell, Rockley and Oistins. In the capital of Bridgetown, you will find duty free shopping, delectable restaurants and a mix of colonial and modern government buildings. Bridgetown is also the hub for docking cruise ships and mooring private boats. Travel to Oistins on a Friday night for the famous ‘fish fry.’ Dance, drink and eat with the locals until the wee hours of the morning.

Beyond the Beach of Barbados

Barbados has many activities for the active and adventurous if relaxing by the beach is just not enough. Get in with the iguanas at the extensive Barbados Wildlife Reserve and enjoy a pleasant walk through the exotic bird sanctuary or along the many footpaths surrounded by forests of monkeys. Harrison’s Cave, in St. Thomas province, is a very popular subterranean attraction and likely to be a bit crowded during the high season. If you’re still not tired, take a trip to Welchman Hall Gully where stretches of walking path are surrounded by think wooded forest and hundreds of wild exotic species.

Remember that Barbados was a long time British colony and therefore English speakers will have no problem communicating. Additionally, the island nation has one of the highest rates of literacy in the Western Hemisphere, making this tropical tryst hardly third world. Travel to any destination on the island is cheap and efficient by taxi or bus. The equator awaits, what are you waiting for?

 

Elyse Morgan

Barbados – A culinary paradise
28 January 2009

The Barbados Tourism Authority has launched the Barbados Gourmet Card to celebrate 2009 as the ‘Barbados Year of the Gourmet’, an initiative promoting the outstanding quality of cuisine and the excellent dining offered in Barbados.

Endorsed by restaurant critic, film maker and columnist, Michael Winner, The Barbados Gourmet Card, valid from 15 April to 14 December 2009, will offer an amazing 25 percent saving on meals at participating restaurants across the island. Presented in a stylish wallet, it will be available to all visitors travelling to Barbados, who can apply for the card by visiting the dedicated website, barbadosgourmetcard.com, which will also feature recipes of favourite signature dishes and general information about the island, its cuisine and Chef of the Month.

Restaurants offering the 25 percent discount include, on Barbados’ south coast, the Aqua Restaurant & Lounge, Josef’s, Luigi’s, Apsara & Tamnak Thai, Simply GiGi and the uniquely Polynesian, Wytukai while on the platinum west coast are Daphne’s Barbados, Elbow Room, Scarlet and Il Tempio, favoured by the late Luciano Pavarotti. Near Bridgetown, Brown Sugar, offers an authentic Bajan Brunch while the Lighthouse at The Hilton is an ideal place to watch Barbados' magnificent sunsets.

As a destination of only 166 square miles, but with over 100 fabulous restaurants of every genre, Barbados has a world-class reputation for the quality of its food. Indeed, the range and choice of exquisite restaurants is one of the primary reasons Barbados attracts visitors back to its shores time and time again, with repeat visitors accounting for 40% of arrivals.

Barbados is also the only country of its size in the world to have a dedicated Zagat guide, which is an indispensable guide to the many types of fine food available including Italian, French, Chinese, Indian and, of course, Bajan.

One of the highlights of eating in Barbados is Oistins Fish Fry, where the freshest fish is cooked to order on flaming barbeques for locals and visitors to enjoy together in the open air. Each October, Barbados also holds its own Taste of Barbados Food Festival, where Bajan and international Chefs share their skills and offer cookery demonstrations and delicious tastings over a week long event featuring the very best in food and drink. In October 2008 the festival played host to the renowned chefs, Shaun Hill of The Walnut Tree, John Williams of The Ritz and celebrity Indian Chef, Madhur Jaffrey.

Equally appealing are the many rum shops, where locals congregate to play a mean game of dominos and generally chat about putting the world to rights. Well known for their friendliness, Bajans welcome visitors to join them, indeed 2009 will see the launch of a special Rum Shop Trail around the island.

Petra Roach, BTA European Vice President, Marketing and Sales, said ‘We are tremendously excited about the Barbados Gourmet Card, which follows on from the success of Barbados being the only Zagat rated Caribbean island, and we warmly thank Mr. Winner for his fantastic endorsement. We take food very seriously, which is why our small island has so much variety and choice and to quote Mr. Winner, “The place is a culinary paradise.”

Visitors to Barbados in 2009 can make even greater savings with the Barbados VIP Card, which offers one free place for every place paid for (to a maximum of four places - two free for two paid) on a range of top attractions and tours, plus other exclusive on-island offers. This exclusive card is obtained only via bookings made with a participating tour operator and will be valid from 15th April to 30th June and 1st September to 14th December. A full list of participating companies will be announced soon on visitbarbados.com.

The fantastic new boardwalk runs from Rockley Beach for approximately 1 kilometer towards Bridgetown. The boardwalk starts just below Accra Beach Hotel, running parallel to Hastings Main Road, stopping just short of Coconut Court.

Not only does the boardwalk run side by side to the beautiful turquoise sea and white sand, but it has also been complimented with strategically planned view points and landscaped gardens, to let you enjoy the views of the South Coast and the incredible sunsets.

The multi million dollar project has brought new life to the area, linking hotels and apartments, local restaurants and bars. The boardwalk opened in December and is being used by tourists and locals, either walking to the beach or local businesses, or simply utilizing the new facility to exercise, meet up with friends and enjoy the views.

Make sure you take the time to visit, it's definitely a great new Barbados Hot Spot!

WooHoo!  This is "our" place!

http://blog.thecrane.com/2008/11/

The Crane, for over 100 years a distinctive part of the Barbadian hospitality landscape, has today received new recognition with the bestowing of the prestigious Four-Diamond Award by the Automobile Association of America (AAA), joining the ranks of three other premier properties in Barbados.  Developed on a phased basis from its original 18 rooms over the last eight years, today this premier residential resort features 202 rooms, five swimming pools, and three restaurants.  Priding themselves on warm Barbadian hospitality, the hotel’s management and staff have placed increasing emphasis on service over the last number of years and are pleased to announce that, along with the concurrent product development, these training and development efforts have been rewarded with the AAA designation.

AAA Diamond ratings for hotels represent a combination of the overall quality, range of facilities, and level of services offered by the property, and the descriptive ratings are assigned exclusively to properties that meet and uphold AAA’s rigorous quality standards.  In order to receive a Four-Diamond Award, the property must be upscale in all areas. Accommodations are progressively more refined and stylish, and the physical attributes reflect an obvious enhanced level of quality throughout. The fundamental hallmarks at this level include an extensive array of amenities combined with a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail.  In 2008, a total of 1,159 hotels and 756 restaurants received the AAA Four Diamond Award. AAA Four Diamond hotels and restaurants represent just 3 percent of the 60,000 AAA Approved and Diamond rated properties.

Continuing its product development, The Crane will also open a Barbadian retail village in early 2009, to offer guests and visitors to the hotel a 3,000 square foot duty-free environ, a number of small shops and boutiques featuring local art, fashion and food products; two additional restaurants, and a new conference centre.  The resort is also adding three phases of garden residence suites before the end of 2009, bringing its total room inventory to 282.

While Crane Beach has long been recognized as one of the best beaches in the world, The AAA Four-Diamond award is added to a growing list of accolades that the resort has received recently, including the Pillar of Tourism Award in 2007 and the Top Restaurant - Food in the Best of Barbados Zagat 2009 Guide, for Zen restaurant.

From http://blog.atlastravelweb.com/2008/12/barbados-port-overview/

Barbados is one of the best developed, most popular tourist destinations of the southern Caribbean. Often called the “Little England” of the Caribbean, blends the finer elements of British tradition with warm island hospitality. Located relatively close to South America, the nation of Barbados is around 270 miles northeast of Venezuela.  Explore the many beaches, rolling countryside, charming villages, old sugar mills and plantations that represent the colonial past of the island. Tour the East Coast where the Atlantic Ocean’s waves are a surfer’s paradise. Shop in the capital city or stay out late to party in the nightlife. The average annual temperature ranges from 70°F–87°F.

Ships dock at the Bridgetown Cruise Terminal, about a mile west of downtown Bridgetown.  You can shop for crafts and souvenirs in the terminal area. Barbados offers plenty of duty free shopping for jewelry, perfumes, liquor, pottery & cigars. Not interested in shopping, enjoy Barbados’ endless beaches, natural beauty, attractions and fine dining.  You can tour Barbados via car, 4 x 4, bus, catamaran or helicopter.  Snorkeling and scuba diving are popular shore excursions as well.

Rather than use the cruise line’s shore excursions, we wanted to book a private tour to create our own itinerary. We booked through Glory tours. Confirming everything via email was easy. Please note that the tour operators cannot come all the way to the ship, so there is about a 1/4 mile walk to where you meet up with the tour guides. Our interests were the Mt. Gay Rum Factory, the Barbados Wildlife reserve, Harrison’s Cave, St. John’s Church & Bathsheba.

The day did not go exactly as planned. There had been a small earthquake the day before and it was rumored that there may be an aftershock. So we opted for a 1/2 day tour rather than a full day. We got great pictures of area beaches and made it to the Wildlife Reserve. If I had it to do again, I would have skipped the reserve. Although it was interesting, it took up too much time and I did not get to see a Green monkey which was the main reasons I wanted to go and see them in their habitat. Apparently the monkeys normally come out around feeding time which is 3 p.m.  In my opinion, there are many other “must-sees” that you should spend your day in port enjoying:

Harrison’s Cave:  Travel through the winding tunnels in specially designed trams and make your way into the specially lighted caverns, view the majestic stalactites and stalagmites which have been growing from the floors and ceilings for many centuries. Cascading through the caves, the crystal blue waters form magnificent pools and waterfalls.
Get their early to avoid the lines.

Bathsheba:  It is said that Bathsheba, wife of King David, bathed in milk to keep her skin beautiful and soft. The surf covered white waters of Bathsheba are said to resemble Bathsheba’s bath in both appearance and health giving value. It is breathtakingly beautiful dramatic coastline of striking rock formations against which the Atlantic rollers break in cascades of foam.

Mt. Gay Rum Factory:  Discover the colorful history of Mount Gay Rum Learn how the world’s finest rum is made and then taste it. Enjoy Bajan cuisine in the verandah restaurant overlooking the sea. Then take home a taste of the Good Times from their store.

In speaking to other cruisers, they really enjoyed the Turtle and shipwreck snorkel excursion.

We are looking forward to going back to see these island highlights.