My journey to Barbados

Today I went home from Barbados a really beautiful country I want to go back to! But on the airport I remembered an important thing. I had to buy a book from the country. Something that a writer from Barbados had written. So I got this book; The Chosen Place, The Timeless People by Paule Marshall. It is a book about a black woman who get to live in the land after they become independent from Britain.

As soon as I get home I will start reading!

This has been a great trip!

Race and Music!

Never thought I was going to do that but today I attended my first horse race! Actually it was really funny. I was kind of surprised because I’ve never thought that these kinds of things would be exciting to watch. The place was called Barbados Turf Club and I saw that those who were members, trainers and such had a dress code with the clubs logo on. Tourists, like me, could only wear casual clothes. I liked to watch the race with the local people and they seemed to love their horse sports, which I think is fantastic! That is not the biggest thing in Norway. I could bet money on the winner but I did not that. Not much of a betting person. But the pair who sat next to I’m sure did that because they looked a little disappointed when their horse didn’t win.

Got a really good picture!

I was cheering for number 10 who got on fourth place. Good work!

Later that evening I went to Bridgetown’s more famous street; Baxters Road. First thing I sat down at a really cozy restaurant. I really wanted to taste one of Barbados’s traditional dinners so I ordered flying fish!

It tasted really good!

The restaurant had a surprise for their customers; so it meant meant me too! The Red Plastic Bag which is a popular singer in Barbados was going to sing for us! The traditional music in Barbados is a mostly folk music which I like so I was really excited.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TWF74tiWlo

His song was really catchy and people who knew the songs were singing with him. Im so happy I got to see him for free and I appreciated it so much! But at the restaurant I was talking to a girl there who taught me that also Rihanna is from Barbados!

søndag 24. november 2013

Bridgetown and Bajan!

Today I have travelled to the capital city of Barbados, Bridgetown! Some of the first buildings I saw were this beautiful church, and I’ve seen more of them than in Hastings. That is maybe because it is the capital city and that 95% of the people here in Barbados is Christian. But there are also Jewish, Hindus, and Muslims here. In Bridgetown I’ll be staying at Hilton Barbados Resort which is a pretty 4 stared hotel. I went to the beach bar to get a ju-C (jucey drink from Barbados) and then I heard this accent again that can be difficult to understand sometimes. In Hastings I heard it to but I was too afraid to ask because maybe I would insult them. But today I asked the bartender. He told me, not offended at all, that this accent occurred when West-Africans were forced to the island as slaves when the island was under British governance. Which also did that their main language is English. The slaves were forced to speak English. Many African words got mixed up and therefor it’s difficult for others to understand sometimes.

“Bassa-bassa” means a fight, or an uproar.

“Daa fuh yuh” means that’s what you get.

“Nyam” means to eat.

I really like this accent and find it kind of cute. This is a link to a video so you can listen to the accent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDZwOSOCY9U

onsdag 13. november 2013

Teds tour!

Today I have been on an amazing tour with Ted. It started at 10.00 pm with other tourists who also wanted to experience this beautiful place from a higher view. Ted is the first barefooted, super kind guide I’ve had. First we all sat down in his white minibus and we drove in 20 minutes, than parked on the top of a hill in the middle of some bushes! This was the view!

Ted told us while walking that Barbados, as we could see, have a tropical climate. And I think people from colder climate like Norway can really tell when we have come to a tropical place! The air is so warm and heavy, but as we got a little and little higher the up the path I felt how much easier it was to breath! He also said that the rainy season was from June to October. But I’m still hoping for maybe one day with rain because I just like being out in warm rain to. Especially in warm countries, it’s kind of cozy.

Next thing I know we have walked to Sunbury Plantation House.

This was a stunning building!

With Teds 20 years of experience he started telling us a little bit about it. This building was built around 1660 by Matthew Chapman. From then on the house has had up to seven different owners. Today it’s owned by Keith Melville and his wife. But they do not live there, but have made it to a museum like attraction for tourists. A little heroic fact Ted told was that in 1816 the owner was John Henry Barrow, and that he was in charge for the slave rebellion. For that Sunbury Plantation had to pay 4000 punds for rebellion damage and some of the members were put to death for their crime.

After walking inside all the rooms and seeing the gorges gardens we started on our way back and now I’m relaxing on the bed after the amazing trip.

tirsdag 12. november 2013

Hasting in Bridgetown

I have finally arrived to Hastings! Its 28 degrees and I made a smart choice shifting to my shorts and T-shirt. The airport here was so full of people even though it’s not even vacation! Well, at least not in Norway. But they all seemed very nice, and the employees were very helpful. I don’t understand how they didn’t even break a sweat! I got to my three stared Coconut Court Beach Hotel which lays close, close to the beach.

The reception and hotel room was really cozy, but very warm.

Outside the reception they had raised their national flag. Under, it was written “Pride and Industry”, their national motto. I think the flag was pretty and the fork reminded me of the sea god Poseidon.

But the amazing thing I’ve wanted to tell is that I went to Surf in Barbados surf school right after I unpacked my things! I really sucked at surfing but I was fun! I would recommend it to anyone who travels to a country with a surf culture, which Barbados got a lot of I can tell. First we started safe in the sand with instructions on how we should “behave” on the surfing board and then we could try in the smallest waves.

Instructor showing us how to do it.

After the exhausting but fun experience I decided to take the Barbados Boardwalk to Hasting Rocks. The Barbados Boardwalk was really beautiful! It is a build three routed path a little above the beaches. As I walked I talked to a inhabitant who wanted to borrow a pen and he told me that when they was building the boardwalk someone was afraid it would damage the environment, the beaches and the homeowners close by. But it did come out good; they changed the plans a little and made the walk a little shorter too. When I walked there it was good just to listen to the ocean under and to all the people who walked pass me. There was joggers, tourists, children, a man in a wheelchair and dogs on the same path. The sunset from there is maybe the most amazing I have ever seen! All the trees behind me lay in shadow and I could only feel half of my legs being warmed by the sun. The walk took me down to Hasting Rocks which is a gorgeous beach. The first thing I saw was a bandstand in white and blue decorations. Longer away I saw Blakey's Bar & Restaurant. They had great nightlife and a good meal I needed!

The Bandstand.