Barbados , brillant sunshine & full of charm

From the moment the aeroplane doors open & you feel the warmth and smell of the Caribbean you know it is going to be a good holiday ! We stayed at the Turtle Beach hotel near to St Lawerence Gap. Although in close proximity to the Gap, which comes to life at night, we never heard a sound from our balcony, just the waves crashing on the shore .... The beach here is terrific but the sea is sublime - it really is aquamarine & the fun we had jumping the waves and body boarding is unforgettable ! As there is a gentle breeze on the south west coast we were able to go sailing up & down the coast line & it was nice to have a view of the island from the sea. We also took a Catamaran trip from Bridgetown to go swimming with the turtles (breathtakingly beautiful & gracious). To observe, but not to touch the fantastic coral reefs & all the mesmerising fish & underwater life that exists there - a must on anyones itinerary. We anchored off the famous Sandy Lane resort in an attempt to spot a celebrity ...walked along its beautiful beach, situated in a picturesque bay .. it really is a beautiful property. After 3 days & too much sun we decided to investigate the island more & hired a taxi with driver/guide. I am very pleased we did this as although small it is an island split into many different parts. From the south west up the west coast the area changes from being very built up with hotels & industrial sites into more lush vegetation, chattel houses & exclusive properties. The wind drops, the waves disappear & the heat rises! From there we swung round to the east coast & never have I been more surprised than the view we had from Cherry Tree Hill looking down onto the landscape of the east Atlantic coastline. It is a truly beautiful, wild, remote place & somewhere I would go again, especially to the town of Bathseba where I encountered my first green monkey - he sat on my arm too ! We spotted the windsurfers at Silversands which is where the world championships are held so they were 'quite' good ! Working your way round the tip of the south coast there are numerous bays of crystal clear waters & white powdered sand but no-one on them...we passed the famous Crane resort & its developments (timeshare we think!). My husband, being a farmer, wanted to see the agriculture of the island so we made a detour into the centre to view the sugar cane crops being harvested & then onto the factory to watch the production line, which proved more interesting than I would have given it credit for ! We saw the rum distilleries too & were a little taken back by the livestock on the island - not used to seeing sheep with no wool at all ! Black bellied sheep to be precise. In the centre of the island we visited 2 of the most charming churches I have ever visited - St Andrews & St Thomas' and then the highlight of the tour for us ...Codrington College; an oasis of peace & tranquility, the setting is especially beautiful with a magnificent lily pond and a driveway lined with cabbage palm trees. Sends tingles down my spine thinking of it ! So although we missed many of the recognised tourist attractions, what we saw, we felt, was more the real Barbados & didn't pay an entrance fee anywhere!

After the trip around the island our view on Barbados changed & we thought of it as much more than an island full of beach resorts, infact we really fell for it & will return. The local people were charming & all enjoyed a chat, well actually quite a long chat in most cases! A 'good morning' often included weather reports, cricket scores, the properties of Aloe Vera & would we like to make a donation to the local church!! Food was varied & the fish dishes superb so we never struggled for ideas of what to eat - oh and macoronie pie .... worth the trip alone ! But of lasting memories it has to be the sunsets of blood orange - they were spectacular!