Beautiful Beaches

We arrived in Barbados on Monday, Jan 16 at about 9:30 pm walked off the plane to warmth and humidity.  We have been having a rain shower every morning, and then clear or partly cloudy skies the rest of the day.  The temperature has been in the high 20s but it has been very windy.

Our friends Jim and Jym, from whom we are renting an apartment, live in Inch Marlow on the south coast of Barbados. Their house is about 50 meters from the far end of the beach pictured below, and we have been going for a morning walk on this beach every day.  This is the windy side of the island, so this beach is frequented by kite sailers and wind surfers. It is not a good beach for swimming as there is a strong undertow, but there are many other beautiful beaches for swimming.

Long Beach

The island of Barbados is mainly limestone and Evanna has been enjoying examining the rocks.  This coral is at the east end of Long Beach. 

Of course the vegetation is very tropical, sea grapes grow on the dune between the beach and the housing development, and there are many kinds of palm trees, flowering trees and bushes, and ground cover.

This palm tree grows in a botanical garden that we visited yesterday inland in the central part of the island.

When we bought fish at the local fish market in Oistins we were given a bunch of scraps to feed to the green turtles out in the bay behind the market.  Evanna threw out pieces of fish, and soon about 8 turtles swam in to feed.

We visited the historic Garrison House and had a Rum Punch at sunset at the beachside bar of the Hilton Hotel in Bridgetown.

Our friends have been showing us the sights around the island.

On our way to the botanical gardens yesterday we stopped at St. John's Church, near the east coast.  It is built on top of a limestone ridge with a beautiful view of the east coast, looking northeast toward Bathsheba on one side and south east on the other side.  The east coast is on the Atlantic ocean and is not recommended for swimming. The water is rough and the bottom is rocky in most places.

East Coast

Last night we went to the famour Oitsins Fish Fry, which is a Friday night institution in Barbados.  Besides the myriad of food booths there were many craft and souvenier vendors.

Jym and Jim waiting for our meal at the Oistins Fish Fry

This morning we rose early to visit a farmer's market inland from Inch Marlow, where we had breakfast and bought some lovely produce.  We are off to the beach this afternoon and then to watch a sailing regatta.  We are definitely not msissing Canadian weather!