Around Barbados: coasts, townhouses & type

March 19th 2013

Around Barbados

Sorry for the delay between posts – I had an epic iPhoto-related disaster at the weekend. All I can say is never upgrade to iPhoto 11, unless you’d like all your photos completely erased without warning. Lightroom all the way from now on. Anyway…

One of the big bonuses of having this holiday with my family is that we had a built-in taxi service, in the form of my dad and his hire car (my dad LOVES to drive, so don’t feel too sorry for him). We could easily explore much more of the island this way, and I’m pleased we did as each coastline, and the inland, have very different landscapes and characteristics.

Barbados
Barbados

Where we stayed on the west coast is the main tourist hub, because the Caribbean sea is much calmer than the wild open Atlantic on the north and east sides. The ocean on ‘our’ side was deliciously clear, warm and calm with picture-perfect white sand and palm trees — although high tide picked up during our last few days, bringing fierce undercurrents and completely hiding the beach. Luckily we got plenty of swimming (and our snorkelling trip – more on that later) in before then! Some of the beaches got a bit crowded, but you could always wander down a few hundred metres and find somewhere new practically deserted.

Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados

We took a couple of day trips out to the north and east – the island only takes about half an hour to traverse by car – to admire the rugged coastline and spot the millions of fossils embedded into the rocks. It’s noticeably cooler this side of the island thanks to the ocean breezes, and the tang of seaweed in the air reminded me of holidays in Devon.

Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados

The inland is quite lush and green from all the sugar cane fields, and hilly in places which made travelling in our pootly little hire car a bit hairy at times. But made for some beautiful views from up high.

Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados

I loved spotting the local architecture across the island. Lots of the Bajans live in ‘chattel houses’: these were originally built for plantation workers after slavery was abolished and designed to be semi-portable in case they got moved on by the landlord, hence the precarious-looking foundations that they sit on. They have to be repainted every few years due to the ravages of the sea air, and most owners take the chance to paint their houses in a wide range of rainbow colours which is gorgeous to see.

Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Barbados

I also enjoyed spotting colourful folk type on hand-painted signs around the island, advertising local restaurants, churches, rum shops and other services. (We ate in that last restaurant on our last day, it was great!)

Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados
Around Barbados

I didn’t actually make it into the capital, Bridgetown, at all. We were staying in between the next two biggest towns, Speightstown and Holetown. (I say big, but Speightstown’s population is only 2,000.) Holetown has all the luxury shops and touristy foreign restaurants, but Speightstown is a bit more down to earth and everyday. Great for a wander.

Comments (5)

  • rebecca@florencefinds

    March 19th 2013 at 10:49 pm

    I worked in Barbados for 3 months while I was at Uni and travelled around the island quite a bit – I love that you saw so much of it – most people on a quick trip don’t and it’s really a contrast east to west coast plus the ‘real’ island life for the majority of Bajans.

    Your pictures capture it really well. Now I want to go back!

    x

  • Samantha

    March 19th 2013 at 11:14 pm

    Stunning photos. I have never travelled outside of my country (Australia) so these photos just make me more itching to do so. So bright and colourful.
    Sucks about iPhoto too. I was considering finally updating but maybe I’ll put it off just a little longer.

    :)

  • Chanel Jibal

    March 20th 2013 at 4:36 pm

    Great set of photos here. Love to see the local communities of other cultures. Looks so relaxing there!

  • Natalie

    March 21st 2013 at 12:31 am

    Like the larger photos. The ‘built-in taxi service’ does love driving around, but I think he did it mainly so you could see and do everything that you wanted to, more credit to him.

  • Dominique

    March 24th 2013 at 4:58 pm

    looks like a perfect trip! some time at the beach and exploring these brightly coloured streets would be perfect right now!

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