Back to Barbados
February 2020
You may recall that the second half of February is known as “Silly Season” here at Frog Pond Farm. During those two weeks; we celebrate Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, Glhow’s birthday, AND our wedding anniversary! Every few years we have accumulated some hard-earned vacation time, airline miles and hotel credits – and plan a celebration getaway to warmer climes. Last year we managed to revisit a land we fell in love with in 2016 – the Caribbean island nation of Barbados! The timing was also perfect, as the world was beginning to shut down for COVID just as we returned home.
Bathsheba Beach
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Why Barbados?
Our reasons for visiting Barbados are legion….but two are foremost.
Convenience – we can apply our earned hotel points to the Marriott Courtyard in Bridgetown, which is just off the beach on the outskirts of the city. This helps make the trip more affordable. English is the official language, so other than accents, communication is no problem. American dollars are accepted almost everywhere (at a fixed $1 US to $2 Bajan conversion – your change will be in Bajan dollars).
History – Barbados is one of the oldest English colonies in the Western Hemisphere, first occupied in 1627. It gained full independence in 1966 and currently remains part of the British Commonwealth. There are moves afoot to become a fully independent republic by the end of 2021, removing any last allegiance to the British crown. There is also a historical link to our “home town” area. The Cape Fear region of North Carolina was first settled by the English in “Charles Towne” in 1664, which was occupied for three years. The expedition to found this colony originated in Barbados! Today, Wilmington NC and Bridgetown Barbados remain international “Sister Cities“.
Charles Town in now defunct Clarendon County. Image from the NC State Archives.
Getting There and Getting Around
Grantley Adams International Airport in Bridgetown is served by most major airlines; with multiple daily flights to and from the US and Europe. One recommendation we will make for visitors – DO make use of an arrival service, especially if you are coming in on a late flight. We have used 5-Star FastTrack on both of our trips. Coming in late at night after a full day of travel, you will really appreciate the concierge service of being whisked through Immigration and Customs lines with little or no hassle, and have a car waiting to get you to your lodging.
Once you’ve settled in, you’ll probably want to get around the island during your stay. There are a number of rental car agencies who can hook you up with anything from a “mini-moke” (basically a no-door 3-seater vehicle) up to mid-size luxury models. Just be aware that most roads on the island are narrow, rutted and pot-holed. Plus you’ll have to negotiate livestock and cars parked in travel lanes in some parts of the island. Also note this is a “drive on the left” country – and a clock-wise roundabout (of which there are many) can be tricky to navigate if you’re not alert.
There are also a number of both “official” and “semi-official” bus services in operation; which are very popular with locals. If you’re not up to the adventure of driving yourself, check with your hosts for advice on those. We prefer the flexibility of having a vehicle at hand, and have used Stoutes Car Rental on both of our trips, stepping up slightly from a mini-moke to a Suzuki “Jimny”, similar to an old 4WD Geo Tracker. While not the most comfortable ride, it’s small, fuel efficient, fun and maneuverable around the tight winding roads of the island.
Coconut and Hastings Beach
The Courtyard is not directly on the beach, but it’s only a short walk to a semi-private beach owned by the Coconut Court Beach Hotel. Courtyard residents are granted key-card access to Coconut Beach; which is a wonderful and convenient location to spend a lazy day lounging, snorkeling, or enjoying the Caribbean beer and rum punch from the on-site vendor. 
Animal Flower Cave
On our first trip to Barbados, we spent most of our time on the south side of the island. This time, we planned to expand our horizons to the north end. We spent two days of our trip to take in some of the highlights we’d previously missed. We dedicated one full day to exploring underground.
Animal Flower cave is an erosion feature on the rocky northern coast. It takes it’s name from the “animal flowers” (aka: starfish and anemones) that can be found in the tidal pools within the cave. This area is surrounded by beautiful craggy shores, crashing waves, and impressive rock features – totally different than the calm sandy south end of the island. Be sure to wear your swimsuit if you’d like to take a dip in the crystal clear pool inside the cave mouth!
The shoreline near Animal Flower Cave is also pretty impressive! Just be sure to watch your footing. It’s a long way down…..
While not exploring, you’ll also find a nice gift shop, outdoor vendors, and a nice restaurant. You can never go wrong with a cold rum punch and authentic Bajan Fish Cakes (just go easy on the punch if you’re planning to drive or hike around these cliffs…)
Harrison’s Cave
Another stop on our underground adventure day was Harrison’s Cave. This is more of “true cave”, in the traditional sense. Millennia of slow erosion through the coral limestone as the island of Barbados gradually rose from the Caribbean floor. After passing through the visitor’s center, you’ll take an outdoor elevator 100′ down to the valley floor. There you will be issued hard-hats and hair nets; prior to joining your tour group on an electric tram into the bowels of Barbados.
As you journey down to depths of up to a kilometer, you will have several opportunities to stop and try camera settings for the “perfect shot” of many stalagmite, stalactite, sheets and other features in this still active and growing cave system. You’ll be wishing for more of those stops! For every usable picture we took, we have 20 other blurry shots from the moving tram.
Bathsheba
An afternoon trip to the northeastern coast of the island brought us to the Bathsheba area. This stretch of Atlantic coast is like a blend of the rocky northern shores, and the calm sandy beaches of the south end. This too was an afternoon well spent!
Wildlife
In many locations around the island, you may see Green Monkeys. This species is native to Senegal and Gambia in West Africa, but made their way to Barbados more than 350 years ago. Watch around the perimeter of the Courtyard hotel in the morning or late afternoon, and you may see they have come to visit you! (Glhow says “Green Monkeys are the ‘squirrels’ of Barbados”)
Of course if you follow our Twitter feed, you’ll know that we’re always on the lookout for reptiles and amphibians. Mongoose (mongeese?) were imported during colonial times to control rats in the canefields, but sadly they wiped out the local snake populations. You can still spot geckos, the impressive Barbados anole (A. extremis), and if you’re really lucky – you’ll see Green Sea Turtles foraging in the seaweed on rocky shores. You’ll definitely hear the Barbados Whistling Frog (a type of treefrog – E.johnstonii) long before you can spot one!
Some of the most enjoyable wildlife you may encounter will be the tropical fish and other sea life if you venture out snorkeling.
Kudos
WOW! After putting this together, we are ready to go back! We hope all our friends in Barbados have weathered the COVID pandemic in good health – and we are sad to now see them struggling through the ash-fall from the La Soufrière volcano on the nearby island of St. Vincent. Speaking of our friends – we would be remiss in not giving a very specific and heartfelt “shout-out” to Ms. Francis, the day manager of the Courtyard during our last stay. The special touches she added (like the Anniversary balloon and cake she personally delivered to us the first morning) were nothing short of spectacular. The very definition of “hospitality” and “customer service”. Thank you again!
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Links
If you are planning your own visit to Barbados, dreaming of one, or just want to explore further …. learn about our first trip to this beautiful island here (overview) and here ( more wildlife).
Also – please visit the sites below to learn more about the folks who helped make Barbados one of our favorite vacation destinations.
Courtyard by Marriott – Bridgetown, Barbados
Coconut Court Beach Hotel – Bridgetown, Barbados
Bridgetown Garrison Historical Society
Grenade Hall Forest and Signal Station
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