Holetown is the island’s oldest city and the center of nightlife in Barbados.
Many believe Barbados Rum is the best produced in the Carribean It is certainly
the lubricant of many an enjoyable evening.
From a half-open door the hypnotic rhythms of Barbadian music entices you stop
and enter a charming, intimate bar. The blade on the ceiling fan seems to turn
to the languid rhythm of the music. In the half dark room, a young couple dances
with dreamy movements. That’s the music of the Caribbean, charming for its
temptations, its vibrations, its ability to warm the blood, enticing and
bewitching those who fall under its spell.
A Canadian tourist clings to his neck and whispers something in his ear. He is
the beautiful Rihan, born in Barbados, half African-barbado and half Irish, with
seductive manners and an irresistible smile. He says to her, “If you want me to
tell you a story, let’s go to the Sam Lord’s Castle.”
Legend tells us that Lord Samuel became rich thanks to a malicious land pirate
trick. At night, he hung lanterns on his castle’s walls to fool ships into
believing that they were entering the port, but instead they ran aground against
the spectacular Cobber cliffs located below the castle and thus enabled Lord
Samuel and his men to thoroughly loot the wrecked ships.
Nowadays the landscape, combined to the legend, makes everything so suggestive.
Those looking for excitement and romances won’t be disappointed. To the others
we suggest to visit St James Church (1683) featuring a grand bell engraved “God
Bless King William” King of England. (That is William of William and Mary, NOT
William of William and Kate Middleton)
Also lots of fun is a trip to Folkestone Park and beach where you can snorkel
when the sea is calm, or surf when “the surfs up” with large ocean waves.
Form of government:
Independent nation inside the Commonwealth
Capital:
Bridgetown
Area:
431 kmq.
Population: 279.912
Language: English, Bajan spoken
Currency: Barbadian Dollar (BBD) - 1 BBD=0.39 Euro
Time zone: - 5 GMT - UTC
Documents: Passport,
visa is not necessary for less than 90 days stay
Phones: mobile network is active; public
network provides good service with prepaid cards
sold at the airport, in supermarket and almost
everywhere from 10bbd up to 60
International Dialing Code:
+1 246
Health: health facilities both public and
private are of good quality
Electricity: 115 volts. American flat
plug, type A, B.
(See image)
Barbados
is considered the Caribbean’s "little England", cars
drive on the left and tea time at five o'clock are
indispensable traditions. Cottages are surrounded by
green grass gardens as in the English countryside. This
British corner in the heart of the Caribbean is vital
and dynamic. Located 160
Miles East of Antilles, Barbados is the most eastern Island of the Caribbean.
It
is a mostly flat 431 square km cay, 34 km long and 22.5 wide. The plains and
hills are lovely with sugar cane plantations, wonderful white mansions, tropical
parks, and exotic vegetation including more than 300 different kind of plants
and cactus among them the royal palm, mangos, and papayas.
The Caribbean coast is a
continuous succession of pure white beaches, while the Atlantic looks like the
North Sea, wild and windy, with strong waves and windswept cliffs. Bridgetown,
the capital is on the western coast.
CLIMATE
The
Temperature fluctuates between 25°C. and 30 °C. The
eastern side is influenced by the Atlantic and the
weather can be more rugged compared to the west side,
but the temperature never gets under 22°C. There is no
real rainy season; February and March are dry, but
between August and October short showers lasting no more
than ten minutes are more frequent. This is the
Hurricane season for the Caribbean, but Barbados is
situated out of the most common Hurricane paths, out of
the danger zone. The Climate is extraordinary: humidity
is mild from 57% to 74%, the air is dry, bracing, and
healthy as it is refreshed by the Atlantic trade winds
