I’ve given up fighting a sandal tan. I used to put a lot of effort, on holiday, into not getting tan lines from my sandals. I’d sit with only my bare feet in the sun, and slather on the sunblock when I was wearing sandals. I used to be proud of my tan. I tan … Continue reading How Barbados Has Changed Me
The announcement came: only essential workers, all stores closed until Tuesday. Don’t go outside without a mask. No, not the latest Covid restrictions. Waves of volcanic ash were hitting Barbados, from La Soufrière’s eruptions on St. Vincent, 150 kilometres west of us. Had to capture the foreboding yellow tint to the sky. Out my window. … Continue reading In the Path of the Volcano
We’d just stepped off the ZR van, stopping for dinner on our way home after an afternoon of errands in Bridgetown, when Scott looked up in disbelief. “I don’t have my phone.” While we stood, frozen, the next #11 ZR van pulled up. “He left his phone on the bus!” I shouted to the driver … Continue reading A Wild Ride: travelling by ZR in Barbados
My beach at Freight’s Bay is different again this morning. The tide is low, but some of the sand that had returned after the scouring of the winter storms has been scooped away again. The beach is angled instead of flat, and fist sized pieces of coral lay scattered on the soft sand. The same … Continue reading On the Beach in Barbados
“So what are your stories going to be, from Barbados?” Richard and I were swapping accidental travel stories: my participation in a parade and horse race in Italy, his in a small French village’s wine festival; my travels on a local water taxi on Aberdeen harbour in Hong Kong, his line dancing at a small-town … Continue reading Not a Tourist any Longer
My position wasn’t quite right and instead of the long run to the beach that I’d been doing all morning, I came off the surfboard less than 5 metres from where I’d started. The water was chest deep, but knowing that one good wave is often followed by another I stood and looked back to … Continue reading Learning to Surf
Living in Barbados, I now understand the meaning of “a feast for the eyes.” Every day is a visual delight. I walk by this on the way to Oistins. It never gets old Years ago in BC, a visitor admiring our view of forests, mountain and ocean down Howe Sound told us we wouldn’t even … Continue reading The Colours of Barbados
There are no limes in our closest grocery store. There were no limes yesterday in the larger supermarket where we went for our weekend shop. And I have checked every produce stand I’ve come across; no limes there, either. The giant bag of limes was about $3 CDN the first month I was here. Limes … Continue reading What’s Cooking? Barbados Style
Mention Barbados and most people think turquoise waters and white sand beaches, colourful houses and friendly people. Yes, those are all here, but those are not unique to this Island. After being here four months, I keep finding more to love about this place. There are no private beaches in Barbados. Your way to the … Continue reading What I Love about Barbados
“This is a really good place to stop for lunch, if it was open.” “You’ll have to come back when St. Nicholas Abbey is open— It’s worth seeing.” “When it’s open, you’ll go down these steps and be able to swim inside the caves.” Animal Flower Caves The situation has changed dramatically since our first … Continue reading Barbados, (Mostly) Open for Business
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