Barbados: Home to Flying Fish

I was curious what Barbados would be like, so I embarked on a lone 3-day weekend away from my Caribbean home at the time. The Time Out at Gap is a nice hotel and offers everything for someone who isn’t looking for an upscale place. Time Out is located in the St. Lawrence area, and although I thought I was going to be in the middle of all the action, I wasn’t. The Gap is located almost in a village that has other hotels, restaurants, and pub/dance areas, but not really the places where locals hangout. It’s safe to walk down by yourself to a restaurant/pub and grab a bite to eat/drink.

I ate at Whistling Frog and Restaurant and Bar. They make a really good mac and cheese pie. The local cuisine is Creole, but you can get anything in Barbados. Time Out is located across from Dover Beach, which is a good size beach that has many locals and tourists.

The hotel has a pool that is clean and maintained, and it also has a small hot tub. I had a great room overlooking the pool. The decor consists of, like most hotels in the Caribbean, a palm picture or two with bright floral bedspreads. The bed was great and the bathroom was clean. If you don't like what you get, like at any other hotel, you can surely ask for something different. I found the Whistling staff downstairs to be quite nice and the front desk to be quite to the point.

The hotel is a basic hotel that isn't going to break your bank account, but it is clean and accessible to other local pubs/restaurants. There is a shuttle that will take you to Bridgetown. The only concern I have is that there wasn't a visible security guard when I returned back to the hotel, so I question how safe it is. I wasn't scared, but reflecting and reading other reviews, I see their point.

Overall, if you're looking for a short and pleasant stay in Barbados, this hotel seems to fit the bill.

There are many places to shop in Bridgetown, and they are all accessible by a good shuttle bus from your hotel. I walked around and looked into many typical tourist stores that carry magnets to mugs with Barbados written all over them. I found the prices in U.S. dollars (being a Canadian) to be quite annoying since I felt like I was in the U.S., and not in Barbados.

The island is very North American, and lacks the feeling that you get when visiting St. Lucia or Trinidad. I suppose the British had more of a lasting impression! The exchange when I went was $1 to C$3. There is a Woolworths downtown, along with many high end jewellery stores, such as Colombian Emeralds. On the bridge, there are a number of vendors that are selling hand made jewellery that are must-buys, and affordable.

Shopping in Barbados is like shopping in NA, but there are a few special finds if you look hard enough.

The heart of Barbados is located around Trafalgar Square. It hosts many high end stores and restaurants, but I enjoyed the architecture and people- watching the most. You are safe to take a walking tour of the downtown by foot, but be prepared to wear a hat, it can get really hot! I saw the monument dedicated to Lord Nelson which was erected in 1813. I also learned a lot about the history of Barbados through chatting with locals. They told me about the National Flag and flowers. Check out my photos to learn for yourself.!

This is a delight from being in the sun all day. I spent most of my time in Barbados on the beach so I was looking for something out of the sun and unique—this was it!

The Harrison's Cave is a natural wonder (one of Barbados' seven wonders) that has accumulated bedrock chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and forming pedestals from the ground. Technically they are known as stalactites (ceiling) and stalagmites (ground). These magnificent deposits are accumulated limestone that hardens and forms this huge unique pillars. There is very fresh, clean water cascading over each corner.

When you arrive, you pay around $12 to $17 to enter the park and inside they take you on a tram that descends into the caves. It was a little difficult to hear the tour operator as the speakers were a little fuzzy but you understood the main points. The train descends and stops at points for you to take photos. I strongly recommend having a covered camera case because sometimes there will be huge drops of water falling on you. Not a shower or anything, just droplets and if you're not prepared it could land on your digital screen!

There are spot lights in the cave and at the base you can actually get out and they let you wander around and take pictures. The water is very cold and absolutely clean like tap water. I was so impressed by Nature's ability to create piece of art. It was beautiful.

It took 40 minutes from St. Lawrence heading north to the parish of St. Thomas. We did have to pick up one other passenger.

It is best to hire a taxi to take you there and back. Pack some water, snacks, a hat, and camera. It is a peaceful ride with much that awaits you at Harrison's Cave. I recommend this to anyone who revels in nature's beauty.