Beautiful Barbados

I'm so glad that Jet Blue is flying to Barbados now.  They're my favorite airline!  And Lisa stayed at The Crane - my home in Barbados :) 

Watch her video for good looks at The Crane, Grantley Adams airport, steel drummers, stilt walkers, Bathsheba, Champers restaurant and much more.

From http://www.tangodiva.com/blog/2009/10/10/barbados-bliss/

Barbados Bliss!

October 10th, 2009 by Lisa Loverro

This past week I had the opportunity to fly on Jet Blue’s inaugural flight into their newest non-stop destination from New York City: The island of Barbados.

The celebration surrounding their inaugural flight was nothing short of spectacular. From steel drum music, breakfast buffet and ribbon cutting ceremony at their JFK Terminal departure gate, the atmosphere at the airport was more like a Caribbean celebration for all the lucky customers waiting to board. Once airborne, the party continued with raffles and prizes along with rum cake and the unofficial drink of the island, Mount Gay Rum. Upon the plane’s arrival, fire trucks “christened” the plane with an arch of water. How beautiful! Check out my video of the celebration along with a tour of the island!

I was immediately awestruck by Barbados. Charming and sophisticated, Barbados is an island filled with friendly people, lush, tropical landscape and white-sand beaches. From zip lining to surfing, the activities here are endless. My trip included a stay at the Crane Resort, home to one of the sexiest beaches in the world (according to Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous). The island is filled with nightlife but on Friday night Barbados throws the biggest party in the Caribbean at Oistin’s fish fry. Bring your appetite and your dancing shoes to this party!

Accommodations range from the relaxed and comfortable Crane to the very posh Sandy Lane. There are also numerous villas available to rent. Check out Landmark House and Cottage, accommodating 8 persons and built primarily from local coralstone, the stylish villa lies on the northern end of the Sandy Lane Beach.

What a pleasant flight and relaxing stay! If only every flight could be an inaugural one…

The Caribbean holds many great treasures when it comes to island destinations. Barbados is just one of these great places. This single island is its own independent country and is located close to South America, a bit over 250 miles from the coast of Venezuela. It is east of Saint Lucia and north of Trinidad and Tobago. The island itself is only about 165 square miles of low-lying land, but the tropical trade winds, beautiful rainforests, and, of course, lovely sandy beaches make it popular for tourist travel. You too can enjoy a vacation in Barbados.

According to the United Nations, Barbados is the fourth most developed of all the developing countries in the entire world. It may be small, but almost every resident of this island nation enjoys a very high standard of living, and this extends to the tourists who visit the country every year, so you can expect your travel in Barbados to be nothing short of fantastic.

If you plan to travel to the sunny beaches of Barbados, you will probably fly into the single major airport on the island, Sir Grantley Adams International Airport. Many major airlines fly into this airport from almost everywhere in the world, and it is actually a major hub for the Caribbean, so no matter where you are traveling in this region of the world, you may fly into Barbados to catch a flight or cruise to another island.

Some of the best things to do while you are in Barbados are centered on the beach. Surfing is very popular because the waters here are perfect for it, with the Soup Bowl, located near the town of Bathsheba, being a popular surfing destination. The western and southern coasts are most popular, and you’re sure to be able to enjoy a number of sunny days lying on the pink sand if you like to sunbathe.

However, if the beach isn’t your thing, you can also enjoy the shopping in the duty-free tourist centers. You can also check out the fun and exciting night life, the wildlife reserves, and the festivals that take part all over the island in July and August. Popular tourist destinations include Farley Hill National Park, Animal Flower Cave, Hackleton’s Cliff, Sharon Moravian Church, Orchid World, Gun Hill Signal Station, Garrison Savannah, and Barbados Historical Museum. Large towns that in Barbados in which you can stay include Bridgetown, Speightstown, Holetown, and Oistins. You can also stay in any one of the small local towns dotting the island while visiting this beautiful country.

From http://softwareagent007.blogspot.com/2009/09/island-destinations.html

Published Date: 23 August 2009

By Katie Wood

IT'S hard to be grumpy in Barbados, but I managed it. So am I a spoiled, pesky individual who would find fault in paradise? No, genuinely no. I just got rather hacked off hearing the Caribbean island constantly referred to as Little England.

Not only are there plenty of physical similarities on the east coast of Barbados to Scotland (hence it's actually called the Scotland District), but when you delve into its history there are countless strong links to north of the border. And, as we all know, nothing - well few things - irritate a Scot more than being called English.

So, since a sizeable proportion of the population has Scottish blood flowing through their veins, I politely pointed out to my new Bajan pals that it might be more accurate (and PC) to call it Little Britain.

As a break from the idyllic beach, delicious food and barrage of cocktails one normally associates with the Caribbean, I took myself off to the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, where I discovered several interesting papers that took me through the background of the "MacBajans". The first "proprietor" of Barbados was the Scotsman James Hay, Earl of Carlisle. Following the establishment of trading links between Scotland and the West Indies, Scots indentured servants were in constant demand on Barbados plantations, and many married African slaves; hence you find black Hamish MacDonalds and the like on the island today.

Three major spurs caused Scots to be banished to the island: Cromwell's victory between 1648 and 1651; the Covenanter Risings in the second half of the 17th century and the Jacobite rebellions of 1715 and 1745. There were also voluntary immigrants, as throughout the colonial period a steady trickle of Scots sought to inhabit Barbados because of the various opportunities offered by the land.

Barbados is also of special significance to genealogists, as it was the springboard for the settlement of other British colonies - notably Jamaica and South Carolina. One infamous inhabitant of Scots descent was Rachel Pringle - the illegitimate daughter of a Scottish sea captain and a local black woman, whose claim to fame is that she founded the first brothel in Barbados. That famous Scottish entrepreneurial streak strikes again.

Another link with home is the annual Celtic Festival, which takes place each spring. Pipers, dancers, choirs, a haggis night, a rugby tournament… sounds like a real home from home.

Okay, I won't pretend I spent all week leafing through dusty ancient manuscripts in the museum while it was 85 degrees of perfection outside. So what else should one not miss on the island? Well, a good start would be a trip on the Cool Runnings, a luxurious catamaran offering five-hour sails with snorkelling, lunch, hotel transfers and a free bar thrown in - well worth the £58 a head. It's great to get on the water and enjoy a rum punch, and it's a good way to see the beautiful Barbadian coastlines.

The aforementioned Scotland District, on the east coast, reminded me of Ardnamurchan. Battered by Atlantic seas (though turquoise, not the murky grey we know so well), the whole area is wild, uncommercialised and seriously beautiful. Here you find the little village of Bathsheba, huddling beneath cliffs and populated mainly by surfers.

What distinguishes Barbados from other Caribbean islands is its sophistication and infrastructure (and, come to that, the large middle class). Here you find a National Trust looking after many of the historically important buildings. Worth visiting are Morgan Lewis Sugar Mill, one of the oldest and largest surviving in the Caribbean, and Tyrol Cot Heritage Village, the former home of Sir Grantley Adams. This beautifully restored 1854 mansion, with its Barbadian antiques, is the centrepiece of an authentic chattel house village that features a market for local arts, crafts, food and drink.

The visit to the Foursquare rum distillery at St Philip is akin to a good whisky distillery tour. It's set in a beautifully landscaped park and occupies the site of an abandoned sugar factory.

The renovated St Nicholas Abbey, a Jacobean mansion dating back to 1658, is one of Barbados's most historic landmarks. There's also an 1890 steam mill, gift shop and restaurant. And don't miss the film of Barbados as it was in the 1920s, which is absolutely charming.

As a destination of only 166 square miles, but with more than 100 restaurants of every genre, Barbados is known for the quality of its food. Indeed, the range of restaurants is one of the primary reasons repeat visitors account for 40 per cent of arrivals in Barbados. If you want a really special meal, the Fish Pot, near Speightstown, is a great place to go. A favourite of Tony Blair and numerous A-list celebs, it is a relaxed beachfront location with an excellent menu and a Bajan chef who has worked in fine kitchens around the world. It has fabulous seafood, steaks, Asian fusion, creative salads, fantastic desserts and an excellent wine list - lunch costs around £80 for two.

The restaurant is attached to a cluster of luxurious suites that make up the accompanying Little Good Harbour hotel (www.littlegoodharbourbarbados.com). It offers peace, tranquillity and all the privacy of a personal villa while at the same time affording all the amenities of a hotel.

But if you prefer to lock your wallet away for the duration of your stay, Almond Beach Resorts has the monopoly on all-inclusives. It has three properties on Barbados: Almond Beach Village, with an impressive mile-long beach, five restaurants, comfortable rooms, a kids' club and all manner of land and water sports; the new Almond Beach Casuarina, which has good facilities but somewhat lacks atmosphere in the public areas and has no nightclub; and the adults-only Almond Beach Club, which has the best spa and a great location, right next to Sandy Lane, on the west coast (though service can be patchy and the beach is too small for comfort when the resort is busy). The value for money in all of them, however, is seriously good. And as a Scot, that makes real financial sense.

Fact file: Barbados

Barbados Tourism Encyclopedia (020 7636 9448, www.barbados.org)

A seven-night stay at the Almond Beach Village starts from £1,179 per person. Seven nights at the Almond Casuarina Beach starts from £999 per person. Seven nights at the Almond Beach Club & Spa starts from £1,069 per person. These prices include return international flights with Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick or Manchester, direct to Barbados, and return transfers - based on two adults sharing a standard room on an all-inclusive basis.

To book, call 0844 5573 859 or visit www.virginholidays.com/almond

For more information about the hotels, call 0871 871 2828 or log on to www.almondresorts.co.uk

From http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/spectrum/Barbados-Little-Britain.5577599.jp

Lands' End Announces Winner for Island Sweepstakes

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-02-2009/0005036911&EDATE=

DODGEVILLE, Wis., June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Lands' End today announced Kimberly Krauzowicz of Tecumseh, Michigan as the winner of The Barbados Island Experience Sweepstakes. Krauzowicz was randomly selected from the more than 275,000 entries that Lands' End received. Ms. Krauzowicz will enjoy a trip for four to The Crane Resort in Barbados - the ultimate island vacation experience. Lands' End hosted the sweepstakes to celebrate the introduction of a new experiential shopping site, at www.landsend.com/getaway, which offers a fun and interactive new way to experience swimsuit shopping online. The sound of waves, images of cabanas and a flowing waterfall transport visitors to a private island getaway while they can view and shop effortlessly for Lands' End swimsuits.

"I couldn't believe that I was selected as the winner," said Krauzowicz. "My husband and I were married in Barbados eight years ago so this trip will be an amazing anniversary present! I can't wait to visit Barbados again!"

The luxurious Crane Resort in Barbados is set on the Crane Beach, overlooking a breathtaking blue sea and is the Caribbean's first resort hotel. The Barbados Tourism Authority will also be providing Krauzowicz and three traveling companions surf lessons, a private walking tour of historical Bridgetown with a local historian, a visit to the George Washington House, the only place outside the United States where the president slept, and more. In addition to round-trip airfare, transportation, and meals, all four will be outfitted in Lands' End Swimwear and accessories.

Visitors to www.landsend.com/getaway can scroll through the multiple Lands' End swimwear collections in a fashion show runway format complete with the beautiful tropical backdrop. Dramatic lifestyle images with details of each swimsuit are easy to see with large, sharp visuals, front and back views and enhanced zoom capabilities. Island hoppers and shoppers can quickly view four distinct swimsuit collections with a single click: Beach Living(R), AquaTerra(TM), Slenderizers and the Resort Collections.

About Lands' End

Lands' End(R) is one of the world's largest merchants of casual clothing for women, men, children and infants around the world. Lands' End merchandise can be purchased online at www.landsend.com, by calling 1-800-800-5800 and by visiting the Lands' End Shops at Sears. Lands' End is a proud member of Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD). And, all high-quality Lands' End merchandise is Guaranteed. Period.(R)

About Barbados

The island of Barbados offers the most authentic Caribbean experience with its exceptionally rich culture and history rooted in remarkable landscapes, including The Crane beach, St. Philips, voted one of the world's sexiest beaches for 2008 by Concierge.com. Barbados is the first and only Zagat-rated Caribbean island with numerous internationally renowned chefs who masterfully put signature spins on local delicacies and traditions. Barbados is also an ideal stage for world-class events and has hosted numerous athletic championships, including the ICC Cricket World Cup Final 2007 and the 2006 PGA World Golf Championship-The Barbados World Cup. Accommodations range from picturesque plantation houses and villas to quaint bed and breakfasts to award-winning five-star resorts. The newly renovated Grantley Adams International Airport offers non-stop and direct service from a growing number of U.S. cities via Air Jamaica, American Airlines, Delta and US Airways, making Barbados the true gateway to the Eastern Caribbean. Barbados was voted #8 in the World by Trip Advisor's '2008 Travelers Choice Destination Awards' in its Top 100 Destinations category. Follow the Barbados beat and catch up on the latest news via the Barbados Facebook page at www.tinyurl.com/barbadosbeat and Twitter at www.twitter.com/barbadostourism. For more information on travel to Barbados, visit www.visitbarbados.org, or contact the Barbados Tourism Authority at 1.800.221.9831.

About The Crane

Set on 40 acres of oceanfront land in the parish of St. Philip on the Southeast Coast of Barbados, The Crane is the island's oldest vacation resort. Conveniently located just six minutes east of Grantley Adams International Airport, the resort boasts a spectacular natural setting on a cliff overlooking the renowned Crane Beach. The Crane was recently awarded a Four Diamond rating from the Automobile Association of America (AAA). Today, The Crane is comprised of the original historic hotel building, built in the late 1700's and expanded in 1887, and a new all-suite development. Seven of ten phases of The Crane's new development are complete. On completion of the development, this world-class report will also feature a Bajan village offering retail shops, bar 1812, art gallery and museum; a full-service spa set in a coconut grove on the beach, a choice of gourmet and casual restaurants and flood-lit tennis courts. www.thecrane.com

Only 50 weeks until we go back to Barbados. 

It already seems so far away, an eternity that we were sitting by the pool and it was less than 24 hours ago.

Friday we went down to the ocean again and Tom actually went in this time while I sat on a beach chair and "rested".

These are pictures of the new glass elevator that goes down the cliff from near the Zen restaurant to the beach.  It has air conditioning which is really nice.  I joked with Tom that I could just ride up and down looking out the glass front and watch him that way while he swam.

After swimming there, we went to the Jacuzzi and pool again.  Just like we were on vacation!

Saturday we packed up and put our stuff in the car and walked around a bit by the tennis courts and greenhouse.  Tom took lots more pictures and I'll add those after he's downloaded them from his cellphone.

We sat a little by the pool and decided - sadly - that it was time to go.  We still had an hour before airport check-in so we rode over through Oistens, down the coast road then back on the ABC highway.  The ABC highway is named for three politicians: Tom Adams (father of Grantley Adams, for whom the airport is named.); Errol Barrow and Gordon Cummins.

We actually got to the airport in plenty of time, time to drop off the rental car instead of leaving the keys with the plane check-in folks, time to get a sandwich, have a leisurely stroll around the shops.  It was much better than doing a four-wheel power slide into the airport, just as the doors were closing on the plane.

Customs and immigration at North Carolina went well, too, unlike some of the long waits, no luggage found, and other airport mishaps over the year.  We completed all that and had time for a sandwich before our final flight.  Very civilized!

About 11:30 we arrived home, exhausted and achy from too much airplane sitting.  But, we're here!

And now...

Yesterday was such a lazy day for me. Tom ended up working most of the day, on the phone, in conferences, on the computer. So I read a lot of my book, went in the pool, napped and kept cycling through those three.

When he finally finished up he offered to go to Chefette and get some rotis for dinner.. Oh yes! I love roti. Chefette is sort of a Bajan version of McDonalds. There are no McDonalds here, or Burger Kings or most any of the fast food places of the states. Somehow, there is KFC here but that's about it.

So, Chefette fills most everyone's fast food needs with fried chicken, pizza, ice cream, burgers, fries and those rotis. Like similar places in the states, they have playgrounds, "drive thrus" and kid's meals.

Rotis are hugely popular here and most restaurants sell them at least for lunch. There are even places with names such as Roti Hut and there's a place this year that claims that it's the "Home of the One Pound Roti". I guess that's a relative of the "foot-long hotdog".

So, Tom came back with a chicken roti and a beef roti (and 2 kinds of ice cream!). The basic roti is pretty simple. It's potato, curry and other spices wrapped up in something similar to a tortilla. That's the "vegetarian" version. You can stop there or add the beef or chicken. A simple but delicious and filling meal.

We went out for a walk along the old pool, the cliff, sat by the new pools a bit then came back inside.

I had some trouble getting to sleep last night. It was a little warmer and my sunburn is getting a bit itchy so I tossed and turned for awhile. At some point, I noticed a pain/pressure in my chest. It feels sort of how I would imagine it if my lung got pinched in my ribs. Not a big pain but there. That led me to thinking about my cancer and the possibility that it metastasized to my lungs. Oh, joy. I started trying to think about where my lung nodules but couldn't remember. I think I have a CT scan in my future!

It's only 7:30 am right now and I already hear a small boat by the cliffs. Fishermen sail out there each morning to get the "catch of the day" for the L'Azure and Zen restaurants here and some of the west coast restaurants. One of the first years we were here, one of the staff pointed out lobster being brought in. It's amazing that they were so close to where people were swimming just up the beach.

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We're b-a-a-a-c-k!

We got to the helicopter parking place outside the Barbados Concorde Experience in plenty of time and our pilot went out to do a last minute check of everything. I was amazed how small this was - and that they covered it with a cloth, sort of like you do with a car in the driveway.

The pilot, David, let us know when he was ready and I dutifully followed while Tom, as always, took more pictures.

He caught up and more pictures were taken before the safety rules were discussed.

We learned not to open the door during flight - yeah, right! - and to keep the seatbelt on. No problem with any of that.

We sat for a while before take off. The engines had to warm up and we were listening to the flight tower from Grantley Adams airport so we would know when it was safe to go.

Finally, we lifted gently up and were off. It wasn't straight up like I'd imagined but it felt like we were a gondola swinging from the propellers. I felt vaguely dizzy. I had expected to feel scared, not

dizzy!

This is the Crane from the air. We followed the coast all the way around Barbados except for where the airport is.

Unfortunately, it started raining when we got near the northernmost point. David wanted to avoid the rain so he headed out to sea to get past the clouds.

I am not normally a good flyer. I hate turbulence, noise, anything out of the ordinary. So, here we are, cramped in this small space high above the ocean, heading out towards sea. And some rain came in through Tom's door. I was sure that his door wasn't properly sealed. I was also sure that I might be sick. I saw some barf bags so I guess I'm not the first one to think of that.

When we had passed the storm, we could actually see some shipwrecks in the water. We have snorkeled near these same wrecks so that was pretty cool.

By the time we got back, the rain had let up and it was a sunny day again. David landed and I wanted to get OUT. NOW. But we had to sit and wait for the propellers to stop spinning and for the engine to cool down before it could be turned off.

I was so glad to get back on solid ground. I can now say that I've been in a helicopter - and probably never will again!

Our helicopter tickets got us admission to the Concorde Experience so, of course, we went in there, too. The A/C was wonderful!

Until 2003 the Concorde had made regular flights to and from Barbados. This was one of only 4 regularly scheduled stops, the others being London, Paris and New York. It was always a big deal to see the Concorde arrive or depart. We happened to be here in Barbados for it's final flight from here and it was a big deal locally. We were very glad when we heard that British Airways was sending the Concorde back to Barbados on a permanent loan. There is also one in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum which we have seen several times but their display is nowhere near as good.

We went inside the huge hangar housing the graceful plane and joined a group that had just started its tour. We learned some of the history of the plane, sat in a mock departure lounge, saw the luggage requirements (the plane isn't all that big inside and luggage was limited. It was expected that your maid or butler would fly a slower plane with the rest of your stuff), saw various place settings over the years.

Then we got to go up the red carpet and up the stairs. I thought if you were paying the thousands of dollars required for this trip they would have had an escalator!

The next guide greeted us and led us on - through the hold. It was really small and I could see why luggage was so limited.

The seats and windows were also much smaller than I'd have imagined. The windows were small to keep them from breaking at supersonic speeds and had 3 layers of glass.

After we saw the cockpit (also very small!) we deplaned and they had a show on the side of the plane. It was part light show, part movie, part sound effects. They lit lights on the floor that looked like a runway would look. They showed the speedometer and when it hit mach 2, there was a loud supersonic boom and I jumped out of my seat.

After that show, we walked around some, saw part of a movie of the history of the Concorde (on sale in the giftstore, of course), saw the history of flight in Barbados. I was interested to see that, in the very early days, before control towers, Cable and Wireless would call when a plane was coming in and someone would go out and light the grass in the field on fire so the pilot would know where to land. Amazing!

We could have gone up on the flight deck and watched planes arriving/departing Grantley Adams but I was getting tired. So what else is new? We looked around the giftstore some and Tom got some jim-crackies and a T-shirt.

We got back home and decided to go out to lunch. I was ready but Tom decide to check his email...so I fell asleep. We got to L'Azure, one of the restaurants here and sat out on the deck on top of the cliff.

Then, finally, real nap time for me. Hooray!

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Tom's version:

Before Flight over Barbados and surrounding seas

Sunny weather on the South Coast ...at The Crane overlooking Crane Beach

On the East Coast with an approaching storm

The edge of the storm above the waves breaking on the Atlantic Coast of Barbados

The pilot flies further out to sea as we move north working around the edge of the storm

The storm is largely behind us

Banking to starboard working around the storm

Out of the southern edge of the storm and back to sunny weather

Approaching the heliport

A few feet above touch down

A capable Pilot and A Passenger who is happy to be back on terra firma _______________

________________________ On the next day, after flying around the edges of a storm in the air, above Barbados We sail before a following wind aboard a Catamaran along the edges of a storm off shore along the West coast of Barbados

Dark clouds and choppy seas ...the storms are brief moments in otherwise sunny days