We disembarked and took the shuttle bus to the building housing all the shops. Every kind of alcohol, cigarettes and local arts and crafts were available and we did avail ourselves of some, helping the local economy upon our return from the tour.
Our tour guide, Julian, a university professor, did a terrific job explaining the history and geography of the island. We drove (on the left hand side) all over the 21 by 14 mile island with a population of 250,000, ruled by the British basically throughout its history until it gained independence 50 years ago. A bi-cameral, 2 party parliamentary government oversees the affairs of the island and a Governor General appointed by the Queen acts in a ceremonial head of state, with actual power held by the Prime Minister.
Given its long history of Sugar plantations, our first stop was to the home of a sugar plantation owner, then purchased by an American Optitisn and his wife who lived there until the turn of the millennium and is now a period (mainly Victorian) mansion with large Banyan – bearded Fig trees providing shade as we sipped the Rum punch at 10AM!!!
We then proceeded to the second stop – the Prchid Centre, filled with gorgeous orchids and hundreds of native plants. A fascinating botanical garden. True to custom, the tour concluded with another Rum Punch. Fortunately the coach driver abstained!
The third and final stop was to the lookout at Gun Hill. A structure at the top of a hill which acted as a lookout for fires in the plantations, then to aid in the emancipation of the slaves and finally to observe enemy ships approaching of which many attempted invasion, but were rebuffed. The only semi-successful attempt at invasion was by Oliver Cromwell, but even his efforts were short lived and status quo of British rule returned upon the rerun of Charles II to the throne.
Barbados was named by the first Potuguese Settlers, who soon thereafter left to Brazil. They first saw the Bearded Fig tree and reminded them of a man with a beard – barba – and thus the name Bearded ones = Barbados. The Sugar trade, while still present is only a small part of the economy with tourism being the principal mainstay of the local economy.
A lovely place, friendly locals and what appears to be a stable government. It is the most Easyetly of the lesser Antilles.
Roger & Anne Travels 