barbados, caribbean culture and heritage tourism, go local, rogues in paradise, TravelWatchNews

Go Local in Barbados is the latest blog by  Avid Traveller, Calum Glenny Calum has recently produced numerous travel guides for Europe, North America, Oceania and now revisits Barbados in the Caribbean while escaping the Scottish winter weather.

Calum’s travel review highlights local people, mainly vendors who despite the pause to business created by Covid have burst back onto the scene. The highly successful vaccination programme delivered to the Barbados population by Major David Clarke is also acknowledged.

Miami Beach & Janelle Natural Fruit Drinks

Go local in Barbados
GoLocal with  Dancing Moon Cruises from Miami Beach

Calum first visits Janelle at her pop up stand near Miami/Enterprise Beach. Sampling her chilled homemade natural juices on the beach sent the taste buds tingling. Calum highlights the intriguing combinations of local flavours available and links the theory behind making the natural juice drinks to a London family who have taken the idea from Barbados to London and set up their own business, OTC Beverages making Caribbean natural fruit juice drinks in the UK.

Calum then moves onto the lady Alison who makes the most delicious fish cakes from the back of her old white car adjacent to the Enterprise Beach Facility. Alison is a delight to speak to and often has several people waiting on her mouth watering produce and hot sauce.

Next is an early morning visit to Brighton Farmers Market for the best breakfast sausage and egg cutter from Liam’s Cottage Meats stand. Calum’s favourite take away breakfast on the island.

locals and tourist at Brighton Market

While at the market Calum also samples Neil’s superb fish pate and to go with his sausage breakfast, a lovely coffee from Pilebucks.

After breakfast Calum checks out and makes a purchase at the hand crafted jewellery stand of Kimberley White at Summergems. Kimberley is a talented young local jeweller.

On a sightseeing drive North, Calum bumps into the gregarious Andrew Kellman. Andrew’s local knowledge very quickly becomes apparent, and all of a sudden, the chance encounter leads to an unofficial tour of the stunning sights at Cove Bay and Little Bay. A very worthwhile and educating 45-minute, unplanned tour, including links to Tenerife and Billy Ocean!

Calum then moves to Oistins where on a Friday night, the Fish Fry sends the town into party mode!  Oistins is a historic town of Barbados as it was the scene of the planned  Barbados Civil War; a war that ended without a shot as the leader retired to the tavern to write what became the charter of Barbados. Way ahead of its time, it laid out rights and a form of self goverment unheard of in the region.

Oistins bay
Oistins Bay where the civil war that wasn’t almost happened.  See story in Rogues

Calum highlights his favourite restaurant, Chillin & Grillin in Oistins Bay Gardens. Food, service and location for people watching is second to none thanks to Lana who is assisted by Shonte, Phillip, and Allan, among others

rogues in paradise celebrating Bajan culture
In a previous trip Calum met local author Ian R. Clayton who gave him an advance copy of his unpublished book Rogues in Paradise.

He says Ian’s Book is fascinating. It is funny and solemn and guaranteed to amuse and enrich the reader’s knowledge of Barbados. Calum notes that with every visit, he recognises similar characters (rogues) when wandering the island. Calum’s theory that ‘The people make Barbados and Barbados is its people!’ is confirmed in Rogues in Paradise.

Concluding, Calum mentions the respect shown on the island to all people, whether locals or visitors. One incident In Barbados stands out as a prime example and shows Bajan people at their very best!

Video Summary

Author

Calum Glenny Avid Traveller

 

Calum Glenny- The Avid Traveller

See the full blog ar https://barbados.org/blog/barbados-local-guides-experiences


astrology, barbados, caribbean culture and heritage tourism, rogues in paradise, surfing, TravelWatchNews, wind hunters

Passion and Invention

passion for innovation

Barbadians are extraordinary people; they are superb hosts, keen to please, unassuming, obliging, and witty. Barbados Innovations in Tourism result from its creativity and passion. This passion for innovation has produced a treasure trove of different and unique ways to explore and experience the island. Land, sea, underwater, underground, in the air, and up in the sky are the palette of their creativity.

Above the Ground and Into The Cosmos

Take the sky, for example, which is free and filled with wonder. On a clear Barbados night, you can see forever. Barbadian ingenuity has enhanced what you can see and how you can experience the wonders of the universe by the work and passion of the man who created a new way to understand the cosmos. He is cosmic pioneer Leo Branch.

Cosmic Pioneer Leo Branch

Leo Branch a walking encyclopedia of astrology

Renowned astronomer,  Leo Branch,  pioneered nighttime beach gazing at the stars. Small groups gather on the beach at night to explore the cosmos with his 10-inch portable telescope. He is filled with passion and has dedicated his life to helping people understand the cosmos. With fifty-four years of studying the stars, he is a walking encyclopedia with a profound knowledge of the universe. With humour and insight, he makes astronomy exciting and easy to understand.  In addition to his signature beach events, Leo offers private lectures to groups in their homes and in other venues.  Now in semi-retirement, he has been sought by major media including the BBC, and has entertained earthly stars with his knowledge of creation.

Th Sky; Stars and Constellations

I looked through his telescope to my zodiac sign, Sagittarius, which he explained is the largest constellation in the Southern Hemisphere. Its many bright stars shining through the night are visible to the naked eye. The constellation was recorded in the 2nd century by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy, he named it Sagittarius, latin for the Archer. In the Sagittarius constellation, Nunki marks the vane of Archer’s arrow. He said Nunki is an important star nine times bigger than the sun. Pronounced as NunKee I heard Nookie and mused that it was more carnal than cosmic, which prompted a few giggles. Later, he explained to Anny that her sign, the constellation of Aries, the ram, is most compatible with Sagittarius. All eyes landed on me, they were eager for a confirmation of a budding romance: “Ah!” I said rather cheekily. “She just likes Nookie.”

Leo Branch Astronomer – leobranchbarbados (at) gmail.com
Telephone: land line (246) 420 6384 ,
Mobile ,whatsapp app (246 ) 230 0572

Underground Innovations

Barbados Innovations in Tourism include creating the unique cave buggies to explore the underworld caves.
Underground are the caves. Harrison cave tour is one of the most popular activities on the island. The tour includes an educational video explaining the geological history of Barbados. A submerged coral formation that was pushed out of the ocean by volcanic activity, it is unlike any other Caribbean island in many respects.

Again Bajan ingenuity created a unique cave train that takes visitors up to a hundred feet below the surface, in comfort and style. The buggy carriages look like modified golf carts. The winds along the twisting paths like a snake, a string of rubber-wheeled carts pulled by a custom-built, non-polluting engine.

Underwater Submarines

Bajan innovation and forward thinkig led to i being a leader in submarine holiday toursUnder the ocean, there are shipwrecks, corals,  technicolor fish, turtles, firns, and sea plants. You can swim with the fish, in fact, swimming with the turtles is one of the most popular activities.

Specially built Catamaran sailing ships leave from the wharf in Bridgetown and sail to favorite picnic spots where guests dine onboard, as well as swim, snorkel, and relax.

You can snorkel or scuba dive right off the beaches in Barbados, many of the underwater features are within easy reach of the shore. Also, inshore reefs are within wading distance and are favorite spots for beach walks and interpretive tours. Local fishers cast their nets from the shore and fish with line and sinker from the rocks.

You can jump aboard the Atlantis submarine if you don’t want to get wet. This is a real submarine built in Canada as a recreational vehicle. The Barbados Atlantis operation has several vacation submarines which are piloted and managed by accredited  Bajans.

Surfing the Wind and Waves

Barbados wind surfers are amongs the best in the world. Windsurfing over the waves nay have been invented iin barbadosBajans excel at surfing on the water, and the island has been called the “Surf Capital of the Caribbean”. The book Rogues in Paradise has an entire chapter about the wild sport of windsurfing and kitesurfing with wind hunters in the waves. In Rogues in Paradise, the true story of Barbados’ extraordinary-ordinary people, outrageous characters, rogues, heroes, places, and history, you will meet world-renowned windsurfer Brian Talma and some of his inspired guests who join him in hunting the perfect wind to jump the perfect wave.

See  this and more about surfing with the Wind Hunters on the Barbados Blog Wind Hunters

Summary Video of Surfing with the Wind Hunters

Related Links

Leo Branch Astronomer – leobranchbarbados (at) gmail.com
Telephone: land line (246) 420 6384 ,
Mobile ,whatsapp app (246 ) 230 0572

The Story Behind Rogues in Paradise
Caribbean Travel Literature
Barbados Harry Bayley Observatory
Rogue and Wind Hunters
Rogues in Paradise Chapter Videos