The summer brings a brief bit of quiet to the island of Barbados, in between the tourist whirlwind and the locals celebrating the Crop Over Festival with its colorful, carnival atmosphere. There is nothing to do but relax and soak in the Caribbean sun while the trade winds keep you cool and comfortable. The usual venues for the vibrant night scenes like St. Lawrence Gap are subdued and desperate hustlers get to know the few travelers by face and name, offering everything from aloe to weed, or even a foot massage.
The surf is turbulent and uneven, with the East Coast so vicious no dares to swim in the water. The west side of the island provides a few board ready rides, with surfers padding down stairs in the sides of cliffs to reach their favorite spots. Swimming is nice, with a mix of waves and calm between different beaches. The water is often full of brown seaweed, and as a whole Barbadians apologize for the quality of the gorgeous water. The drift of the ocean has brought the dead seaweed from the Gulf of Mexico, a direct result of the settling of the oil from the BP spill.
Maybe because of the off season or maybe because of overfishing, the island is bereft of fresh seafood. Offerings are frozen and then prepared, and marlin is plentiful, despite its protected status in the US. One great experience was the Oistin’s Fish Fry, held every day almost, but most entertaining on Friday nights. Locals entertain the crowd with dancing and tricks, and there is a craft market behind the food stalls.
At Oistin’s, we were even able to pet a monkey. It was a little ‘too friendly’ and tried to take my daughter’s earrings. I don’t think the kids want to have one as a pet after meeting this guy.
The best discovery of the week was Steven Tours and Taxi. The owner Steven took us everywhere on the island that we needed, giving us the inside scoop on crowds and how to manage the area. He transported us to surfing, dinner and a cricket match, which was one of the highlights of the trip. That really gave us a glimpse of the true culture of Barbados. The people were welcoming and patiently explained the game to us, as Americans don’t usually have a clue about the rules. Steven does some tours and can be reached by email at stevenstaxiservice@gmail.com.
We did rent a car, just remember that Barbados functions with the British Monarch as their Head of State, so they follow England’s traffic rules with a large dose of the Caribbean style of no speed limit. Make sure you stay on the correct side of the road!
Our concierge coordinator at BlueSkyLuxury.com, Jodi, was invaluable. She handled reservations and even delivered tickets to our villa.
The only part of the trip that I wouldn’t recommend is deep sea fishing. Nothing was biting other than my sons eating the provided snacks.
My family loved their trip to the unique island of Barbados. A glimpse of this Caribbean culture expanded their understanding of this area’s heritage and their appreciation of the differences in the world around them. The off-season in St. Lawrence Gap makes for a friendly and safe family vacation.