Barbados

Our Posts about Barbados

Steve
Steve

Wish You Were Here

October 27, 2011 in Hastings, Christ Church, Barbados/SBPR

Casting a line for dinner along the Boardwalk in Christ Church, Barbados.

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Patrick
Patrick

Caribbean Wallpaper Wednesday: 45 Years of Barbados Independence and the Promise of a New Day

Promise of a New Day, Barbados

Time can be hard to measure in the Caribbean. Somehow nothing seems to last for long, yet nothing seems to ever change.
Cars, boats, and other intricate manmade objects easily surrender to the punishment of the West Indian sun and salt air — turning to expensive piles of rust almost before your eyes. While on the flip side, the ever-present trade winds, clockwork tides and consistent temperatures play tricks on the mind until keeping track of whether it’s November or February becomes delightfully difficult.
So, it’s hard to say whether the English rule over Barbados is uncommon for its longevity or the fact that it came to an end at all.

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Steve
Steve

Taste of the Caribbean: Experience La Dolce Vida at Tapas on the Boardwalk, Barbados

Entrance to Tapas, Barbados/SBPR

The Boardwalk in Christ Church is one of the great places to hang out in Barbados, especially if you go at dusk as I did recently. Here, at that time, anyone engaged in the simple act of strolling can gain a unique perspective on daily Bajan life. Moms and dads push strollers. Uniformed school kids laugh on their way home. Old men cast lines, suck teeth, curse and repeat, while an endless stream of joggers pass by. It’s the kind of place that begs the visitor to sit, enjoy a drink, and make friends. This is where Tapas comes in…

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Steve
Steve

Friday Happy Hour: Sweet Gloria’s Simple, Sinful Rum Punch

Gloria's at Divi

If you ask me, simplicity is the best policy for just about anything, but it’s especially true when it comes to rum punch. The welcome drink of choice at every airport, cruise port, hotel/resort, and most every other “ort” anywhere in the Caribbean, rum punch seemingly comes in as many varieties as there are shells on a beach.
More often than not, though, this is a bad thing.
As our very own mixologist Jesse Card noted in sharing his White Empress recipe with us last March, some bartenders have a tendency to take things too far.

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Steve
Steve

Learning the Simple Truths of Judging Rum at the 2011 Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival

Rums awaiting judgment/SBPR

What makes you a rum expert?

A brooding Customs official at MIA added this snarky bonus query to the usual welcome home harassment Q+A upon my return to the States following last week’s Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival in Barbados. I suppose I had it coming, though. After all, I had just answered the usual – What was the purpose of your trip? – by smiling broadly and saying this:

I was judging a rum festival.

Few sweeter words have ever passed my lips.

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Steve
Steve

Saturday Video: Haunted History of The Chase Vault, Barbados

chase

I’ve had a great time these past few days at the Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival sampling and judging the region’s finest spirits of the rum and beer variety, but before I head for home today I’m hoping to check out Barbados‘ most famous site for those spooky spirits we love to celebrate this time of year: the Chase Vault.
The video above runs down the history of paranormal events at the vault, which is located at the Christ Church Cemetery not far from my hotel. While the presenter, Kevin Farmer from the Barbados Museum, tells the story with verve and excitement, most of the locals I’ve spoken to this week say the legend is all a bunch of nonsense.

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Patrick
Patrick

Caribbean Wallpaper Wednesday: Not Missing Barbados, I Swear…

The Beach at Colony Club Hotel, Barbados

As I write this, my brother and partner in everything Uncommon Caribbean is 35,000 feet above the azure waves of the Caribbean on his way to the birthplace of rum: Barbados.
While we do our best not to be jealous of each other’s Caribbean adventures, I must admit this trip of his has me somewhat wishing I was on my way down, too. You see, Steve’s going down there to judge the cream of the rum crop at this year’s Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival! I mean, who wouldn’t want to do that?*

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