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Bridgetown, Barbados © Jorge Brazil/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Bridgetown, Barbados © Loozrboy/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0
Bridgetown, Barbados © Pgbk1987/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 3.0
Bridgetown, Barbados © UpstateNYer/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 3.0
Bridgetown, Barbados © Jorge Brazil/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Bridgetown, Barbados
Bridgetown, Barbados
Bridgetown, Barbados
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Bridgetown, Barbados
Bridgetown, Barbados
Bridgetown is the capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael. Bridgetown is sometimes locally referred to as "The City", but the most common reference is simply "Town".
The Bridgetown port, found along Carlisle Bay lies on the southwestern coast of the island. Parts of the Greater Bridgetown area (as roughly defined by the Ring Road Bypass or more commonly known as the ABC Highway), sit close to the borders of the neighboring parishes Christ Church and St. James. The Grantley Adams International Airport for Barbados is located 16 kilometers (9.9 mi) southeast of Bridgetown city center and has daily flights to major cities in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.... Read more
Bridgetown, Barbados
Destination:
Bridgetown, Barbados
Bridgetown is the capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael. Bridgetown is sometimes locally referred to as "The City", but the most common reference is simply "Town".
The Bridgetown port, found along Carlisle Bay lies on the southwestern coast of the island. Parts of the Greater Bridgetown area (as roughly defined by the Ring Road Bypass or more commonly known as the ABC Highway), sit close to the borders of the neighboring parishes Christ Church and St. James. The Grantley Adams International Airport for Barbados is located 16 kilometers (9.9 mi) southeast of Bridgetown city center and has daily flights to major cities in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. While there is no longer local municipal government, it is governed as a political constituency within the national Parliament. During the short-lived 1950s-1960s Federation of the British West Indian Territories, Bridgetown was one of three capital cities within the region being considered to be the Federal capital of region.
The present-day location of the city was established by English settlers in 1628 following a prior settlement under the authority of Sir William Courten at St. James Town. Bridgetown is a major West Indies tourist destination, and the city acts as an important financial, informatics, convention center, and cruise ship port of call in the Caribbean region. On 25 June 2011, Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison were added as a World Heritage Site of UNESCO.
History
Although the island was totally abandoned or uninhabited when the British landed there, one of the few traces of indigenous pre-existence on the island was a primitive bridge constructed over the Careenage area's swamp at the center of Bridgetown. It was thought that this bridge was created by a people indigenous to the Caribbean known as the Tainos. Upon finding the structure, the British settlers began to call what is now the Bridgetown area Indian Bridge. Scholars widely believe that the Tianos were driven from Barbados to the neighboring island of Saint Lucia, during an invasion by the Kalinagos, another indigenous people of the region. Eventually after 1654 when a new bridge was constructed over the Careenage by the British, the area became known as The Town of Saint Michael and later as Bridgetown.
Bridgetown is the only city outside the present United States that George Washington visited. (George Washington House, the house where he stayed, is included within the boundaries of the Garrison Historic Area.) Two of Washington's ancestors, Jonathon and Gerrard Hawtaine, were early planters on the island. Their grandmother was Mary Washington of Sulgrave, Northamptonshire, England. In 2011, historic buildings in Bridgetown were designated as a protected area by UNESCO.
Harbor
The Bridgetown Port (or "Deep Water Harbour" as it is also known) is the major port of entry for cruise and cargo ships docking in Barbados. The Deep Water Harbour lies a short distance across Carlisle Bay northwest of the Careenage Canal. Found along the Princess Alice Highway, and west of the city's center around Fontabelle.
The Harbour port acts as one of the major shipping and transshipment hubs from international locations for the entire Eastern Caribbean. Recently, the Bridgetown Port was dredged to allow safe access and berthing for the new league of "super cruise ships". The dredging project was completed in 2002 and the city can now host many of the largest cruise ships in the world.
The port of Bridgetown also handles goods for the domestic needs of the island. The island's main exports of mainly agricultural products also make use of the harbor facilities.
Bridgetown also has a smaller canal in the center of the city, named the Careenage, a.k.a. "Constitution River". The Constitution River should not be confused with the Deep Water Harbour. The smaller Constitution River feeding into the west coast lies about a half kilometer south of the large harbor. The Careenage is just large enough for pleasure craft or fishing boats and has two main bridges near the city center which span the shallow Careenage.
Climate
Bridgetown features a tropical wet and dry climate, with relatively constant temperatures throughout the course of the year. While fairly hot, Bridgetown is cooled somewhat by the trade winds that affect weather in Barbados in general. Bridgetown's record high of 33.1 °C (91.6 °F) on September 2005 and record low of 16.5 °C (61.7 °F) on January 2, 1984. Bridgetown features distinct wet and dry seasons, with a relatively lengthy wet season and a shorter dry season. Its wet season is from June through January, while the dry season covers the remaining months.Source:
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/
Barbados
Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0
Bridgetown, Barbados: Port Information
Cruise ships dock at the Bridgetown Port. From the port, you can take a cab to the city center (5 min) or a shuttle bus. Also, you can walk along the boardwalk (10-15 min).
There are plenty of duty-free shops, a tourist information desk, and telecommunication centers with the phone, Internet, and postal services.
There are plenty of duty-free shops, a tourist information desk, and telecommunication centers with the phone, Internet, and postal services.
Get around Bridgetown, Barbados
Driving is on the left. The bus system is extensive, cheap and fast if you are headed to somewhere on the main route, but a car (or mini-moke) is the only way to see many of the out-of-the-way sights. Many drivers will hold a bus for you if they see you are from out of town, reflecting the typical welcoming spirit. Buses are run by the Barbados Transport Board (blue) and are quiet. Private operators include the yellow buses, which play very loud music, and private mini-vans (white), which are usually cramped and crowded. The two privately run means of transport are often driven very fast and recklessly. All charge the same fare. Yellow buses and minivans offer change and even accept US dollars.
BTB buses accept Barbados dollars and do not give change.
There are also more than enough taxis to take you wherever you need to go on the island for reasonable prices. They do not use meters, and it is best to negotiate the price before you get in. However, most taxi drivers are honest, and you are unlikely to be overcharged. Be sure to ask the management of the hotel or the friendly locals what the going rate is for a cab ride to your destination.
Renting a car is expensive. If you are driving, be aware that the roads on the island are quite narrow, with the exception of the ABC highway, which also has several long sections towards the west coast that is under large-scale construction to expand the road to accommodate additional lanes. It is advisable to be extra cautious as many roads on the island have sharp turns, steep inclines, and are quite bumpy, although most are paved.
Many of these "highways" do not have sidewalks, so there can be pedestrians on the street sharing the road. Many bus stops are also on the side of roads where there are no sidewalks. Additionally, beware of impromptu passing lanes as slow drivers are often passed by others behind them when on two-lane roads. Road signs can be fairly confusing (they often indicate the nearest two towns/villages in the opposite order - I.e., furthest listed first), so be prepared to get lost: ask the way as people are always eager to help.
At most all of the local car rental agencies, a full collision damage waiver policy is automatically included with the rental, except for any damage incurred to the car tires, a testament to the poor condition of the smaller roads and tendency of foreign drivers to miscalculate driving lanes and hit curbs.
Mopeds and bikes can also be rented to explore sites not easily reached by cars. This is not recommended however due to the poor condition of many of the secondary and residential roads. Except for the main highway, all the other roads provide a hazardous journey to the moped or bike rider due to the lack of sidewalks, frequent potholes, sharp corners and speeding local buses.
Another fun way to get around is to rent a moke (open-top car/buggy) available from any number of local car rental agencies.
What to see in Bridgetown, Barbados
The west coast holds numerous deluxe resorts, and it and the interior highlands have several historical sites with picturesque views.
-
Botanical Garden
. In the interior, there is a beautiful Botanical Garden with more fauna information than most similar places across the planet. - Cricket, Kensington Oval, Bridgetown. Check for if there's a game to experience west indies cricket.
- Mount Gay Rum Distillery Ltd., Spring Garden Highway, Bridgetown, Saint Michael, ☎ +1 246 425-8757. The tour takes about 45 minutes and includes a rum tasting. There is a bar in a veranda. There are more expensive lunch tours which include transportation as well as food.
- Brandon's Beach: next to the Mount Gay Distillery there is a simple beach that can be combined with a visit to the Distillery if you want a quick dip. No services and sub-par snorkeling, but a pretty enough spot for an hour or two within walking distance of the Cruise Ship Terminal.
- Harrison's Cave, Welchman Hall, St.Thomas. 8:45 am - 3:45 pm. 2nd most popular attraction in Barbados (after Oistins Fish Fry). Underground cave with stalactites, stalagmites, small waterfalls, and pools. Ride by tram through the cave; you can disembark at some points. Mini-buses (vans) from the Princess Alice bus terminal pass by the road to the caves. The ride takes roughly +45min - just ask the driver to drop you at the caves and then walk 500' to the entrance. Beware that there are fewer buses on the weekends so get an early start. Hitchhiking back is also possible.
- The Careenage is the sheltered creek that was the island's original harbor and the natural center of the early town. The first British found a wooden bridge here built by the Arawaks; they replaced it, and its present incarnation is the pedestrianized Chamberlain Bridge. When the eminent Sir Tobias Bridge arrived as commander of local forces in 1667, shrewd islanders came up with a great new name for what they'd hitherto called "Indian Town". 19th- and 20th-century shipping outgrew the creek and a deep water harbor was built further north, so this area was preserved from the later industry. It now houses restaurants, bars, and shops, in what used to be warehouses and stores for ship supplies. The north bank carries the busy Wharf Road (traffic nowadays crosses on the O'Neal Bridge), the south bank is pedestrianized and the better for relaxing. Enjoy a rum on the waterfront, and recall that "careenage" means hauling a beached vessel over onto one side to scrape the barnacles off the hull: bottoms up! Things get out of hand if you attempt this maneuver with a big steel ship, so in the 19th century, they built Blackwoods Screw Dock, a mechanism for jacking-up and dry-docking vessels. It's now rusty and a bit forlorn but worth a look.
- St Michael's Cathedral, ☏ +1 246 426 2761. Rebuilt in 1789 after hurricane damage, and promoted to a cathedral in 1825 when the Anglican Diocese of Barbados was created, it's a pleasant coral-stone structure. Note the tower, 17th-century font, stain glass windows, and chapel. Sir Grantley Adams, the island's first Premier, is buried in the graveyard.
- St. Mary's Church, ☏ +1 246 426 2761. The current building was constructed in 1827 but there has been a church here since 1630.
- Nidhe Israel Synagogue (בית הכנסת נדחי ישראל), Magazine Lane. It was built in 1654, so it's one of the oldest in the Americas. Jewish refugees arrived from Brazil in that era; they knew a lot about sugar production and helped the Barbados cane industry to get started. The synagogue was wrecked by a hurricane in 1831, rebuilt, but fell into disuse and was deconsecrated in 1929. It was on the verge of being demolished but refurbished and services resumed in the late 20th century, though it's now primarily a museum. Excavation in 2008 revealed a 17th-century mikveh or ritual cleansing bath. M-F 9 AM-4 PM.
- Parliament, Broad Street (near Trafalgar Square). M W-Sa 10 AM-4 PM. The neo-Gothic Parliament buildings are open to the public when parliament is in session.
- Broad Street, Swan Street and Cheapside Market are good areas for strolling.
- Ilaro Court, the official residence of the Barbados Prime Minister, is occasionally open for public visits. It's on Two Mile Hill at the eastern edge of the city.
- Garrison Savannah and St Ann's Fort is a historic district a mile south of city center, transected by Highway 7. In the 18th & 19th century the whole area was a military base, centered on the Savannah, the parade ground and sports fields, which are now the island's racetrack. There are many attractive old buildings here, with the chief sights being the George Washington House and the Barbados Museum east of the highway, and St Ann's Fort and Needham's Point to the west. All the buses and minibuses from Bridgetown towards Oistins and south-side hotels run this way.
- George Washington House (signposted from bus stop). M-F 9 AM-4 PM. The only overseas trip George Washington ever made was to Barbados, in 1751 aged 19, accompanying his older half-brother Lawrence who was seriously ill with tuberculosis. He stayed several weeks in this plantation-style mansion, fell ill himself with smallpox, but recovered to make his mark on history. His observations of Barbados farming methods, social structure, and military defenses were to serve him well when he returned to Mount Vernon, Virginia. The ground floor is reconstructed to that period, upstairs is an exhibition on island life over the centuries. The house backs onto that archaeologists' delight, a midden: the island's limestone gullies were long used as trash & dung heaps, so there's a rich mixture down there of Arawak fish-bone artifacts, plastic cups, broken buttons, and Washington's poxy poop. Beneath the house in 2011 were discovered tunnels, a star-burst of long, deep channels radiating from the Savannah, built circa 1820. They're said to be for drainage, but they're excessively elaborate for that simple task, up to 17 feet deep and half a mile long - maybe a work-creation Folly for the post-Napoleonic peace? There's a pleasant cafe.
- Barbados Museum, St Ann's Garrison, St Michael (jcn of Garrison Rd & Dalkeith Rd), ☏ +1 246 427 0201, fax: +1 246 436 1956, ✉ musepr@barbmuse.org.bb. M-Sa 9 AM-5 PM, Su 2 PM-6 PM. Housed in the former British Military Prison, this museum covers the emergence from the sea of this coral island, its indigenous peoples, the arrival of Europeans and African slaves, the colonial period, emancipation of the slaves, independence from Britain, and more recent history.
- St Ann's Fort: the Garrison area west of the highway remains a military base and is off-limits, but a weekly guided tour (on Thursday) visits the historic sections. This takes in the Drill Hall, the cannon collection, and the weekly changing of the guard, dressed in natty Zouave uniforms.
- Needham's Point is the tip of land beyond the military base. It has a lighthouse, nowadays within the grounds of the Hilton Hotel; it's accessible to the public but you can't go inside it.
6 Wildey House, just south of the city limits off Errol Barrow Highway, is a Georgian mansion built circa 1760. You can visit downstairs M-F 8:30 AM-4:30 PM; free, donation appreciated. Upstairs are offices, the HQ of Barbados National Trust. - Also just south of the city limits in Southern Barbados is the Mallalieu Motor Museum.
What to do in Bridgetown, Barbados
World-class watersports including surfing at Soup Bowl on the east coast and various breaks along the west when the swell is up. The south coast has great surf and a spot on the world windsurfing tour at Silver Sands.
Travel inland to various plantation houses which put on meals and exhibitions. Visit the animal flower cave or Barbados wildlife reserve.
- Mount Gay Rum Distilleries, Spring Garden Hwy, Saint Michael, ☏ +1 246 425 8757, ✉ mountgaytours@remy-cointreau.com. M-F 9:30 AM-2:30 PM, Sa (Nov-Apr) 10:30 AM-2:30 PM. The sugarcane is nowadays imported, but the rest of the process of making rum remains local. The basic tour is the "Signature tasting", 45 min, every hour, kids free. Pricier tours include transport, more rum, and meals.
- West Indies Rum Distillery, who make Malibu liqueur, is on North Brighton Rd. It was sold in 2017 to Maison Ferrand and tours are only by special arrangement.
- Scuba-diving: the island's scuba shacks are mostly based near sheltered Bridgetown but will pick up from hotels along the south coast out to Oistins and the west coast up to Speightstown and from the cruise ship terminal. There's a selection of reefs and wrecks around these coasts, so operators can vary the program according to sea conditions. They all offer basic & specialty training courses, equipment hire, and packages for trained divers. For simplicity, only the one- and two-tank prices are quoted below, but all have cheaper multi-dive packages. Diving is by small to medium boats, mostly two-tank dives, but from nearby sites they can drop off after a single dive. It's best to call ahead because when a cruise ship is in port, they may get booked out.
- West Side Scuba, Boatyard, Hwy 7 (jcn Bay St & Wellington St), ☏ +1 246 262 1029. Daily.
- The Dive Shop, Ameys Alley, Upper Bay St, Saint Michael, ☏ +1 246 426 9947. Daily.
- Roger's Scuba Shack, Carlisle Bay, Bridgetown (near jcn Hwy 7 & Jemmottts Lane), ☏ +1 246 436 3483, ✉ rogersscubashack@hotmail.com. M-Sa. The well-organized friendly outfit, Mark and George are the main men.
- Barbados Blue Diving, Hilton Hotel (Needham's Point, see "sleep" marker), ☏ +1 246 434 5764, ✉ info@divebarbadosblue.com. Daily.
- The only out-of-town operator is Hightide Watersports based at Holetown.
- Watch cricket at Kensington Oval, Pickwick (off Westbury Rd, north of centre). West Indies play as a combined team for international games. These are staged across the Caribbean and will usually include games here, in a variety of formats: Test matches lasting up to five days, and one- and two-day internationals. Barbados also plays as a nation in Caribbean tournaments. For tickets see the West Indies Cricket website. The Oval, capacity 28,000, is sometimes used for other sports, rock concerts etc but is primarily a cricket ground. It hosted its first international in 1895; in 2007 it was extensively redeveloped with the opening of the new "3 W's" stand and Sir Garfield Sobers Pavilion.
- Go to the races at Garrison Savannah Racetrack (one mile south of centre on Hwy 7). This is a six-furlong clockwise (right-hand turning) grass track for flat racing, on the former parade ground of the 18th- and 19th-century military base. Notable fixtures are the Barbados Gold Cup and the "Triple Crown" of the Barbados Guineas, Midsummer Creole Classic, and Barbados Derby.
What to eat and drink in Bridgetown, Barbados
Eat
- Flying fish, the icon of the islands is found on coins, bills, and menus. Flying fish is usually served lightly breaded and fried, with a yellow sauce. Be warned that this yellow sauce consists of very hot Scotch Bonnet peppers with onions in a mustard sauce.
- Coo-Coo and Flying Fish - is often considered to be the national dish. Coo-coo (or Cou-cou) is polenta-like cornmeal and okra porridge, coo-coo pairs perfectly with flying fish, which is either steamed with lime juice, spices, and vegetables or fried and served with a spicy sauce. The Flying Fish restaurant overlooking St. Lawrence Bay claims to be the Barbadian national dish’s home.
- Pepperpot, a must, a dish of long tradition and great pride among the Bajans, a pork stew in a spicy dark brown sauce.
- Try cutters, a local sandwich made using Salt Bread (not regular sandwich bread). Varieties include flying fish cutters, ham cutters and the popular bread and two.
- Visitors seeking fast food will probably be disappointed; the burger chains of the US failed miserably upon introduction to Barbados (Bajans eat nearly no beef). However, chicken and fish sandwiches are wildly popular, so KFC and Chefette are ubiquitous.
- Bajan cuisine is a strange mix of spicy, flavorful treats along with traditional English fayre. So be prepared for meals where fiery stews sit side-by-side with beans on toast.
- Every Friday night the place to be in the town of Oistins (on the south coast) for the "fish fry". This is a market where you can buy fresh fish cooked according to local recipes. Locals stay there late and dance until the early hours of the morning. This is now the second most popular tourist attraction on the island, after Harrison's Cave.
- There are many fine restaurants on the island with the top two being The Cliff (on the west coast) and The Restaurant at South Sea (on the south coast). Both are quite expensive, but serve beautiful food and a wonderful dining experience, overlooking the sea. Still, you can find many hidden gems if you look hard enough.
- Fish cakes, BBQ pigtails, fresh coconut, and roasted peanuts are offered by the many street vendors.
- Sandy Lane, a luxury hotel on the west coast, serves an extensive Mediterranean-style buffet for dinner.
Drink
Barbados has some of the purest water in the world that can be drunk straight from the tap. Cruise ships are often seen stocking up on their water supplies while docked at the island.
Rum and rum drinks are featured at every bar. Perhaps the most famous domestic brand offered is Mount Gay Rum, which is very delicious. Modest cost tours of the distillery 2 are available on weekdays. They offer samples of all their rums, also sold at attractive prices.
Small establishments called rum shops can be found all over Barbados. They are where local citizens (95% men) meet to catch up on the local news. Drop in, and you can easily have a conversation with a real Barbadian.
Beer and wine are easy to find as well. Banks beer 3 is Barbados' beer and very good. Tours of the Banks brewery are also available. While the tour itself is very hot and only moderately interesting an unlimited amount of beer is provided to those waiting for the tour to begin. Try to show up a few hours early and take advantage of a very good deal.there are also tours of the three rum refineries which are informative.
10 Saints are the first craft beer to be brewed in Barbados. This unique lager is aged for 90 days in Mount Gay 'Special Reserve' Rum casks, combining the rum heritage of the island with a refreshing lager to produce a truly 'Bajan' beer. It is available in bars and shops, throughout the island.
Shopping in Bridgetown, Barbados
- Several vendors sell tourist kitsch (seashells, beads) on the Careenage at the Southern end of the Constitution Bridge (next to the Independence Arch).
- There are numerous stores (including Cave Shepherd, the Macy's of Barbados) on Broad Street..., especially for jewelry. Most of these specialize in duty-free shopping for citizens of the UK, Canada, the U.S., and others.
- Swan Street, a pedestrian-only mall, has stores selling cheap clothes.
The local currency is the Bajan dollar, but US dollars are accepted in almost all shops and restaurants. The exchange rate is fixed at 2 Bajan dollars to the US dollar. Keep in mind that exchangers in hotels may insist on taking an additional percentage of the exchange (typically 5%).
Many "duty-free" shops cater to visitors. Bridgetown's main street hosts numerous jewelers, e.g., Colombian Emeralds and Diamonds International. Cave Shepherd department store offers a wide range of mercantile, while Harrison's offers premium gifts, leathers, and cosmetics. The island also has fairly large super-markets outside Bridgetown. Smaller stores offer virtually everything a visitor or resident might need. A small mall at the harbor also offers decent prices and selection (for rum and UK liquors), but goods produced in Barbados may be slightly more expensive there than elsewhere on the island.
Barbados has a well-deserved reputation for producing excellent rum, e.g., Mount Gay. Rum distilleries are usually open for tours, and typically offer samples and product for sale at prices often equal to the best found anywhere else.
Barbados has a great variety of street vendors. Haggle aggressively. Don't stop until you are at about a third of the original price.
The fine arts flourish in Barbados, and many galleries and studios have shows on all year round which change every few weeks. Details of monthly arts happenings may be viewed.
Duty-free
Stores selling to visitors can honestly claim they offer duty-free pricing. They, in fact, pay duty on imported goods before offering them for sale. But as they sell anything to you as a visitor, they will ask you to sign a form that allows them to get a refund of the duty paid. The government is working on a law that allows vendors to obtain goods that are intended for visitors without paying duty.
Business hours: In times past, most everything shut down on weekends, and visitors had to plan especially if self-catering. This is no longer the case. Clothing and gift stores open until 4 PM or so (Sheraton Mall shops until 9 PM) on Saturdays; very few are open on Sunday. Many supermarkets island-wide are open on Saturday and Sunday.
Bank holidays (such as Christmas, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday) would find most if not all stores and banks and business houses closed. But stores attached to gas stations will have limited availability of basic items, and shops at the deepwater harbor will be open if cruise ships are visiting. There are a few small family run groceries across the island that will open on bank holidays (or have a side door open) to serve their community.
Safety in Bridgetown, Barbados
Although it is a safe place to travel, there has been an increase in crime. Tourists should avoid certain high-risk activities, e.g., walking on secluded beaches day or night, walking in unfamiliar residential neighborhoods or secluded areas away from main roads. Tourists, particularly women, should always stay in groups.
The most common kinds of crimes against tourists include taxi fraud, robbery, and shortchanging; however, rape and assaults are becoming more common. Most Bajans are by nature-friendly, especially in the earlier part of the tourist season (November and December).
A special area of concern for visitors to Barbados is drugs. The country's strict anti-drug policy is made apparent to visitors coming through Customs. In practice, however, Europeans and Americans in Barbados are offered marijuana or even cocaine frequently. Sellers will often roam the beaches selling aloe vera or other such innocuous goods as a pretense to begin a conversation about "ganja," "smoke" or "bad habits." As a result, many hotels and resorts now ban the use of aloe vera under the pretense that it "stains the towels."
Regardless of one's inclination to use drugs, it is not advisable to accept these offers. Marijuana is considered bad and is not accepted by Bajan police. While Bajan police are not frequently encountered, they prosecute drug crimes easily.
Care should also be taken going into the sea. Many people underestimate the powerful currents and rip tides in many areas...especially on the east side of the island. They have claimed many lives over the years. Look for warning flags, and swim where you see other people...a fair indicator of safety. Do not go out deep (beyond your ability to touch the sea bed) unless you are a strong swimmer. The west coast has calmer waters than even the south coast of Christ Church, and beaches get progressively rougher as you go east of Oistins.
Homosexual acts between consenting adults are punishable by life imprisonment in Barbados.
Camouflage clothing is forbidden for non-military personnel in Barbados.
Beware of the sun, Barbados is only 13 degrees off of the equator, and you can get sunburned very easily. Drink plenty of water and bring an umbrella to shade yourself against the sun.
During nightfall, it is advisable to put on bug spray, as mosquitoes are often a nuisance to anyone staying outdoors for prolonged periods. This is also prevalent while eating at outdoor restaurants.
Language spoken in Bridgetown, Barbados
The official language in Barbados is English. Bajan (occasionally called Barbadian Creole or Barbadian Dialect), is an Irish/English-based creole language spoken by locals. Bajan uses a mixture of West African idioms and expressions, such as Igbo, along with British English & Irish to produce a unique Barbadian/West Indian vocabulary and speech pattern. There are a few African words interspersed with the dialect. Communication will not be a problem for any English speaker, and Barbados has one of the highest literacy rates in the Western Hemisphere. There was a large number of Irish prisoners of war sent to the island as indentured servants after the English Civil War (Oliver Cromwel). Some of the descendants of these can be found in St. John and St. Phillip and are known as Poor Whites or redlegs and another term that may be seen as racist.
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LOCAL TIME
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January 17, 2021
America/Barbados
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