Fun things to do in Barbados

South shore of Barbados is where the masses are. They are air-lifted in by the thousands on huge planes landing at the close by international airport practically every hour. Half an hour later the masses are on the beaches or rather 30cm above them since nobody wants to get sandy when multitudes of chaise-lounges are available. Now they can watch the sea and the next planes landing in their turn. And so on till the season is over. The chain of hotels is almost unbroken from the airport area to Bridgetown and in some locations it doubles and triples using available space further inland. All these investments have to be taken care of and the mass tourism is the only way to achieve this goal. So more mass tourism for Barbados is the bright future no matter how self contradictory this might sound.

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Going east is an essential experience. The rough windward shore is completely different from the placid leeward side. The surf is huge and unrelenting while the hills are practically in their original garb – something impossible to see in the southern part of the island. Bathsheba is an easy pick considering its bus connections with Bridgetown. Plus, the area has some refreshment facilities with distinction and views that make a day outing most pleasant. The beach is not prime property but has some architectural wonders such as eroded rock formations, very photogenic indeed! Surfer shows are on display as well.

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Island safari's 4 x 4 Land Rovers take you on a tour to places that most tourists to the island miss. Their entertaining drivers/guides have an incredible knowledge of the area including places such as Cove Bay, Edge Cliff and Joes River Forest and Bathsheba

Lunch with a glass of wine.
Along the way.: Soft Drinks, Juice,
Rum Punch (aka jungle juice) and snacks

Time:
8:00/8:30 am - 2:30/3:00 pm Daily

Cost:
Adult - US$64.50
Children (12 yrs and under) - US$45.00

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It's always impressed me that a remnant of the empire founded by Julius Caesar and Augustus survived until just 39 years before Columbus "discovered" America. The Eastern Roman (or Byzantine) Empire ceased to exist only in 1453, when the Turks conquered its capital, Constantinople (today's Istanbul).

The last Roman emperor died on the city walls fighting the barbarians. But many of his close relatives made it out of the city. One brother got to England; and his grandson, the emperor's grand-nephew, ended up on Barbados.

He, Ferdinand Paleologue, was active in the community and in the Church of England. He's buried on the grounds of St John's, his parish church.

The church itself is an interesting example of faux Gothic architecture and well worth a visit.

Farley Hill National Park and its "great house" ruins are a few miles away fromSt. Nicholas Abbey. The National Park consists of several beautiful acres of tropical trees and plants on a cliff 900 feet (275meters) above the sea and overlooks the entire Scotland District.

The Mansion was built 200 years after St. Nicholas Abbey, on the grand scale of the 19th Century plantation houses. The great house was built in sections beginning in 1818. During the late 1800's it was owned by Thomas Graham Briggs. Farley Hill gained a reputation as the most lavish of the old Barbadian merchant palaces, and included a billiard room, library, oversized dining room and several reception rooms.

They filmed sequences of "Island in the Sun" here

In 1965 the Barbados Government bought the Farley Hill property and declared it a National Park. It was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 on Feb 15th l966.

As we were only able to spend a week on the island, two days of which were taken up with the wedding and its organisation, we felt that the best way to see as much as we could in a short space of time was on an island tour. We took our trip with Sean of Bajan Tours, who picked us up from our villa and returned us at the end of the day. Although we could have visited many of the places he took us by ourselves, we would have missed out on his wonderful commentary and insight into Bajan life. We travelled in a comfortable mini-bus as there were nine of us taking the tour (he'll take tour parties in his own car if they are smaller), and the day tour, which included lunch, was an incredible bargain at around BDS$120.

Sean tailors his tours to meet the needs of the group. We saw the Earthworks Pottery, Barbados Wildlife Reserve, Foul Bay and Bathsheba Bay and the many towns and villages around the island.

I am sooooooooo tempted to put this under tourist traps, BUT.... while super cheesy and touristy, it was (gasp) quite fun, and the perfect "first night" experience...

Okay, so we arrived on Barbados on a Wednesday, exhausted, but not wanting to waste the night. We didn't feel like getting gussied up for a fancy restaurant, and we didn't want to hassle with transportation or anything... as it turned out, Harbour Lights highly recommended dinner show has been extended to Monday AND Wednesday night, and since we were quite fond of a drinks free thing at the time, we said, what the hell.

As it turns out, it was quite the convenient choice. You call and make a reservation and show up at your hotel's lobby to be picked up. That's the hardest part. When you get there, you pay your $35 US entry fee, indicate steak chicken or fish, and then work your way to the bar, enjoy the show, enjoy the bajan buffet, go to the bar, and enjoy the show :)

THIS IS NOT A "NICE" PLACE. Don't expect fine dining. But it is very fun and laid back. The show IS at times a bit cheesy, but come on, who doesn't (perhaps secretly) enjoy a fire eater?

All in all, FOR ME, it was a good place to go on a "first night" but not for another night. Don't know if that makes sense to y'all, but there it is nonetheless.

You absolutely owe it to yourself to see this musical show. It takes place at one of the former plantations converted into a dinner-theater of sorts - The Plantation Theater. The show is simply amazing. You start off with a steel drum orchestra playing tunes while you get in the local mood, get your food (all you can eat buffet), and enjoy the drinks served by the waiters. Then the real show starts. The dancers are very good, dolled out in colorful costumes, doing numbers ranging from traditional to modern, but all Bajan. It's all very colorful and energetic, and really gets your heart pumping in a hurry! And just wait until the stilt-walkers come out. These guys are amazing! Staning 10-12 feet up in the air, the things they do on the stilts are beyond description. You have to see it! You'll be wowed. Once the dancers are done there's a limbo contest, with the audience participating, and then another band comes out, and before long half the audience is on the dance floor kicking it up.

The show is on Wednesday and Friday nights. The tickets cost us about $50 US / $100 Barbados per personit was reserved for us by a travel agent, though. They seem to list a higher price on their website). But that includes the show, the food, and all the drinks. Just remember to tip the waiter that brings them to you. All in all, it's definitely worth the money, even if you pay the full $72 price. You'll have a blast!