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Best of Barbados
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An island of unspoiled charm and sophistication. A People- a Culture- History, Art and Architecture.
| Alive with possibilities as boundless as the turquoise sea, endless as the sandy shore. Wake up to the rhythm of the tropics and paradise to explore. Barbados has a number of sites of historical, architectural, and natural interest and it is these that make Barbados special and unique! Most people know of the Seven Wonders of the World..... here is your chance to discover the "Seven Wonders of Barbados"! Barbados is a relatively flat island with an abundant supply of large gradually sloping beaches fringing the land. In some areas, notably the North, coral and sandstone cliffs rise straight out of the sea reaching several hundred feet in height. In the South East, cliffs of 50 to 100 feet rise and fall along the coast separated by small sandy beaches |
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and bays. In the flatter South West and West coast, you
may walk for miles along unbroken white sand beaches, sometimes stopping at a
cluster of coral rocks jutting out to sea. All along the shore, large and
small beaches are broken by coral formations, the soft coral rocks weather by
the ocean surf, forming abstract sculptures to an artist's eye.
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| Barbados is in the tropics, and believe it or not, some people actually put on a sweater in the cool night winter time breezes. Barbadians complain that the sea is cold when its 78oF !!! Hurricanes usually avoid Barbados. They arise off the African Coast and head to the Caribbean, swinging North about 100 miles from Barbados. The pattern is reasonably consistent as hurricanes tend to bounce from one land mass to the next and Barbados is somewhat separate from the Caribbean island chain. This does not of course make us immune, but the last occasion which Barbados suffered a direct hit was in 1955. There is a story of a bus driver who drove his passengers straight through the worst of Barbados' hurricanes, "was a bit of a breeze" he is supposed to have said. | |
Architecture
Rum has been produced in Barbados for over 350 years and Barbados rum is recognized
as one of the finest (and strongest!) in the world today, Mount Gay
and Malibu are the best known.
Music is in the spirit and the soul of all Bajans, and Barbados has a full
roster of musical happenings every year. Musicians from all over the
Caribbean: Dub, Soca, Reggae, Steel Pan Players, Jazz, Rock, Blues, Karaoke,
Classical Guitar and all forms of musical entertainment are on every night of
the week. Barbadian Bands and Musicians have long had international celebrity.
In the 1960's the Merrymen set the pace with several successful
tours of Europe and North America. Today Krosfyah, Second Avenue and many
others carry on the tradition of taking Barbados music to the world.
Crop Over, a five-week summer festival, is Barbados' most popular and colorful festival. It's origins can be traced back to the 1780's, a time when Barbados was the world's largest producer of sugar. At the end of the sugar season, there was always a huge celebration to mark the culmination of another successful sugar cane harvest - the Crop Over celebration.
As the sugar industry in Barbados declined, so too did the Crop Over festival and in the 1940's the festival was terminated completely. However, the festival was revived in 1974 and other elements of Barbadian culture were infused to make the extravaganza that exists today ..... an event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe.
- The festival begins with the Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes and the crowning of the King and Queen of the Festival - the most productive male and female cane cutters of the season.
- The Decorated Cart Parade attracts several participants, with the carts ranging from miniature models of cars and buses to decorated bicycles and huge trucks - each cart depicting a particular theme. Bajans and visitors alike line the route taken by the carts, often enjoying a snocone and the calypso music as they watch the carts pass.
- Bridgetown Market consists of several stalls which sell local food and beverages as well as local arts and crafts. Enjoy the calypso music and the live tuk bands as you browse through the stalls.
- Cohobblopot is a huge carnival-like show with members of the Kadooment bands displaying their elaborate and stunning costumes. In recent years there has also been a huge entertainment package with the most popular calypsonians and bands performing to packed audiences.
- The children are not left out as they can participate in the Kiddies Kadooment, donning beautiful costumes and joining their friends in a band to parade before the judges of the competition.
- The grande finale is the Grand Kadooment! This carnival parade features large bands with members dressed in elaborate costumes to depict various themes. Designers compete for the coveted Designer of the Year prize while the revelers seem more intent on having a good time! The revelers make their way from the National Stadium to Spring Garden accompanied by the pulsating rhythm of calypso music. When they reach Spring Garden, the party continues with more fantastic music, lots of food and drink and, for some, a quick swim at the nearby beach. A grand end to a grand festival.
Web site by Tom Trowbridge
Win Win Solutions
winwins.com
