Welcome back to the tropics
Advertisement
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/01/2024 (645 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
We arrive on our tropical island a day before the snow begins to fall in Winnipeg… perfect timing
Stepping off the plane and walking outside to the terminal, the warm humid air surrounds us. We look around at the palm trees swaying in the breeze and the hibiscus and oleander trees blooming. It is almost as if the island whispers, “Welcome back.”
It takes a few days to acclimatize to the heat and the pace of life. Everything moves so much slower down here.
Supplied photo by Jeff O’Leary
The Hastings Market in Bridgetown is a hub of activity on weekends.
Each morning, we walk down to the beach. The mornings are cool and quiet – my favourite time of the day. In the sea, we meet our friends and move in the warm salt water, bobbing in the waves. This is our social hour.
We eat our breakfast outside on the balcony which overlooks lush vegetation. We listen to the sounds of the tropics…birds and the occasional monkey bark.
Our first week here is slower. We settle into the apartment, stock up on groceries, and meet with our friends to catch up on the year that has passed. Our social group is made up of people from across Canada.
This winter, we are staying in Barbados for a month. Our daughter and son-in-law arrive on Sunday to spend the week with us. We have planned a few island activities.
Tuesday, we will participate in a trivia quiz at a local restaurant. Our team, “I used to know that”, will battle the Brits to win the coveted bottle of wine.
Thursday evening we will visit Oistins, a town close to here, to eat at the outdoor barbecue restaurants which surround the fish market. There we can sample the island cuisine, fresh barracuda, kingfish, flying fish, and swordfish. Accompanying the meals is the famous macaroni pie and a green salad.
Friday, we have booked a sunset cruise on a small catamaran that includes two stops. The first offers the opportunity to snorkel with the sea turtles. They are enormous and always a highlight of our stay here. On the second stop, we visit a shipwreck where we can snorkel surrounded by tropical fish. Back on board, we can enjoy some rum punch and appetizers, as we sail back to Bridgetown as the sun sets over the sea.
Supplied photo by Jeff O’Leary
Life on Barbados moves at a slower pace. Evenings are spent eating outside, listening to the frogs, watching the bats fly, catching the lights from the fireflies and viewing the beautiful sunsets.
Saturday, we will head to Hastings Market to buy some fruits, vegetables, bread, and crafts. We can also walk the boardwalk there and admire the art, by local artists, which is hung on the walls along the boardwalk.
Of course, there will be daily swims and beach walks, enjoying the time with our children. They will be lovely evenings, eating outside, listening to the frogs, catching the lights from the fireflies, and watching the bats fly, as the sun sets on another day in the tropics. It will be a busy week!
Our daughter and son-in-law leave on Monday. They will have warm memories of Barbados to take home with them to Canada. Hopefully, the island will welcome them back next winter.