High Tea and Cricket Matches

Our port today is Bridgetown Barbados.  Dan says we have never been here so I guess I go with his memory which is much better than mine!  For a dollar apiece you can ride a shuttle into town which we do. The cruise terminal does have a few small shops and Internet with a post office too. Barbados is the most easterly of all the Caribbean islands. It’s very British still having high tea and cricket matches. It’s a coral island that in a far away time was pushed out of the sea by a volcano. On the west side there are lovely fine white sandy beaches that stretch along a blue green coast line. They say there is excellent snorkeling and scuba diving. The east coast displays a rocky coastline pounded by waves and constant trade winds. If you go to Paynes Beach you might snorkel with turtles.  There is also the Mount Gay Rum Distillery .  You can learn how sugarcane is made into the final product.  Rates for cars are steep and you drive on the left. In the central uplands you could occupy yourself with a tour of the Harrison Caves which are a world class attraction and unmatched beauty.  They are a massive underground cave stream system that you tour aboard a tram watching cascading waterfalls and unique formations. 

The local currency is the Bajan dollar where 2 of theirs equal 1 of ours.  

Other interesting places to visit include the Andromeda Botanic Gardens of 6 acres found in the parish of St Joseph.  The Sunburry House built in 1650 is over 300 years old steeped in history with original furniture, old prints, and a unique collection of horse drawn carriages.  All rooms are available for viewing.  Then there is the Flower Forest on 53 acres reserved only for green botanical venues never to be turned into housing at 750 ft above sea level with breath taking views. 

We did our own thing here taking the trip into town and walking around watching people and once again looking for things for our wait staff.  We have been to the Caribbean so many times that we didn’t need another beach and it was hot and humid here. As we traveled to Barbados the Viking Sea would be with us and at the dock till 6 pm.   If you chose to walk to town it would be 2 miles.  

I love this sign!  

From a rocky rough coast to the beach side. 

The island was founded by the British.  The natives had abandoned it for some unknown reason. But they did leave a roughly made bridge.  The British called it  Indian Bridge and later renamed  the town Bridgetown.  The old original bridge is long gone with a new one built in 1654.  UNESCO World Heritage recognizes it.  It’s said that this area is the main hub for shopping in the area. 

Triangular shaped plaza is a central monument to Nelson.  A war memorial and fountain with running water is commemorated here.  

1987 they built this in recognition of independence which they achieved in 1966.

The trees came from Africa in 1740 to establish Queens Park.  We stopped here to rest a spell and look and listen for birds.  It’s a small park 

This is the oldest in synagogue in the western Americas. It was built in  1664 and the rebuilt in 1831 then restored again!  It covers an entire block.  

Queens park and the synagogue are fairly close to each other and it’s duty free in the downtown area. 

There is a beautiful NW coast line which begs to be viewed.  But no time for us to travel that far. 

The Visitors Center is close to the port but the distillery is further out by Mount Gay. 

The oldest distillery in the islands is the St Nicholas Abbey which was purchased in 2006 and refurbished.  Now it’s known as Rum  Abbey.  

You can take a tour through the Harrison Caves on electric trains.  Im not sure if that was an offered ship tour.  

The Botanical garden has over 600 different species of plants with an admission fee of $12.  It was created in 1954 by a horticulturalist and now also houses a cafe.  

George Washington slept here and is the only place where a future president ever stayed outside of the US in 1751 with his brother who had tuberculosis.  

On the northern side there is no swimming because it is too rough.  The Port can accommodate up to four ships here.   We pulled out on time which was changed to 5:30 and enjoyed a lovely sail away. 

“Surely, of all the wonders of the world, the horizon is the greatest.”  Freya Stark