Where we’ve been...
On 14 April 2014, Barbados secured
a special place in my heart. Following
my first visit to Barbados in 2013,
my husband and I decided we would
marry on the sandy shores of Foul
Bay, St Philip.
Barbados is like no other country I
have visited. For me, it has a little bit of
magic that is often lost elsewhere. Bajan
traditions remain firmly in place and
it is not uncommon to find a perfectly
formed hotel adjacent to a rum shack
or shanti café. Coconuts are cut from
the tree and sold on street corners and
after a good catch you will find pop-up
fishmongers lining the street. It is by no
means perfect, but its honesty makes it
that little bit more special.
Oistins in Christchurch is where some of
the best bits of Barbados can be found
and is the place to be on a Friday night.
Oistins is a lively fishing market with an
array of marlin, swordfish and seafood
freshly caught and cooked under the
stars and best enjoyed with the local
Banks beer.
The flavours and smells are truly
amazing. Market stalls line the beach
and a frenzy of cooking stalls in no
particular order scatter the high street.
With a mix of traditional waltzing along
the waterfront, body-popping street
dancers, Michael Jackson impersonators
and dancing tourists; Oistins has a little
bit of something for everyone. It is a place
where everyone is welcome, regardless
of age, race or music preference.
Music is truly the heart and soul of
Barbados. Being the birthplace of
Rihanna, many of the locals we met
64
“
Coconuts are cut
from the tree and
sold on street
corners
“
Barbados
spoke highly of her as a local girl who
had not forgotten her roots. We were
told that one of her favourite restaurants
is Zaccios, where we would often
dine, which offers simple foods on the
beachfront and is nestled next door
to surfside, a lively local bar open at
random hours.
The local currency is Barbados dollars
(BDS$). You can usually pay in US
dollars, although you’ll be given change
in Barbados dollars. The exchange rate
is fixed at BDS$2 to US$1 when you
are there.
Barbados is not short of celebrity visitors.
Cliff Richard, Wayne Rooney and Simon
Cowell are known to own houses and
holiday in Barbados. We rubbed shoulders
with Andrew Lloyd Webber who was also
enjoying the superb buffet at Sandy Lane
Hotel on Easter Sunday, without a flash of