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Published: September 9th 2008
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Sandy Bay Beach Club
This is the resort I stayed at. Friendly people, great food, and right on the beach! The name Barbados comes from the island’s Portuguese christening of Los Barbados, named after the bearded fig tree, which grew abundantly on the island at the time of its discovery in the 16th century. This tree is unusual in that it sends aerial roots from its branches, thus giving the impression of being bearded.
The early history of Barbados goes back to 1620 when British soldiers landed on the island, what is now called Holetown. The island was uninhabited. It is believed that Arwak Indians may have lived there at one time. One fascinating piece of history, George Washington visited the island in 1751. Barbados was under British rule from 1627 until it's independence in 1966.
Barbados is divided into 11 parishes.
The economy is supported by tourism, sugar cane industry, and offshore finance and information services.
The population is around 270,000 people living on the islands. Barbadians, called Bajans are friendly people and they do love to have their picture taken.
Barbados is 166 square miles (about 3 times the size of Washington DC), it is the most easterly of all the Caribbean islands. At the time that I went, hurricane Gustav was creating havoc
Gardening in Barbados
Dan is their lead gardener. He filled me in on the types of flowers and trees around the resort. in the Caribbean, I was relieved to find out that Barbados rarely has hurricanes.
The terrain of Barbados is pretty flat, the interior is more hilly.
On the West Coast of Barbados, coral shore beaches of fine white sand stretch along a blue-green sea. Coral reefs fringe the Barbados shoreline to provide excellent snorkeling and Scuba Diving. Along the East Coast a lively surf is blown briskly by the strong and constant trade winds and the waves pound against a rocky shore. The constant breeze of the trade winds give Barbados a mild and pleasant tropical climate.
Barbados is one of the "must see" places on my Bucket List. The pictures of Barbados stirred my curiosity, so this is the year that I went to visit. It is a lovely place to go, and if you're on a honeymoon, very romantic indeed.
I booked my trip through Cheap Caribbean, and my hotel was Sandy Bay Beach Club, which is all inclusive. The staff and people at Sandy Bay Beach Club were very friendly. The amenities of the resort were fantastic: 2 swimming pools, boogie boarding, body surfing, and beach volleyball. Of course, there's nothing more relaxing
Southern waters
The water was pretty high, partly due to some storm activities in the Caribbean. It was hard to snorkel, but great for swimming or body surfing. than to swim in the warm Caribbean waters.
The beach at my resort is located in the southern portion of Barbados. The water is warm, great for swimming and body surfing. When I was there, the water was fairly high and a bit rough for snorkeling.
One rule of thumb with this resort is your evening meal (buffet or a-la-carte) must be booked in the morning. I chose to go to the buffet since it was more casual dining, I could wear my shorts. The food was fantastic! Naturally, you could have all the rum punch, beer, wine, and other drinks that you wanted. My favorite drink was the Sandy Bay Splash. I did enjoy a glass of wine with my evening meals.
A negative about this resort was my room. The size of the room was great, no problem there. The shower fixture (faucet) was not stable in the wall and could be moved about. My water was very very hot, or it was cold. Also, the knob and lock on my door were hard to open. Personally, I think the rooms could use a good make-over or renovation.
Sandy Bay Beach Club is a
Sandy beach
It's easy to understand why this is called sandy beach. The sand was so soft. One great thing about Barbados, there is no such thing as a "private" beach. All beaches are public! budget friendly resort. If you are looking to be pampered, this isn't the place to be. For me, it was great (except the poorly maintained room), after all, it was safe, clean, and a place to lay my head at night.
Sept 2 - Day #1. I spent the day swimming in the warm water of the Caribbean. I put on my mask and snorkel to see if I could see some fish or turtles. Inside this rocky area was a place where some small fish were hanging out. Some were yellow, others had black and silver stripes. I had to be careful and not get banged up from the rock as the current was pretty strong. I was in awe as to how clear the water was. It just reaffirms my desire to retire in the Caribbean.
Dinner buffet was italian, which included: lasagne, seafood pasta, salads, cheese & crackers, and for dessert a choice of Black Forest Cake or Rice Pudding.
Sept 3 - Day #2. I spent the entire day driving the island of Barbados. I took this day long excursion "Beauty of Barbados" with Johnson Tours. The highlights of the tour
Entrance to Sandy Lane
Luxury resort where Tiger Woods got married! included: Cherry Tree Hill, Bathsheba, St. John's Church, Andromeda Gardens, and ending with a Bajan lunch at Sunbury Plantation House.
Our drive began with the West Coast of Barbados. We drove through Bridgetown (great for shopping), passed Sandy Lane (where Tiger Woods got married).
We drove past St. Nicholas Abbey which is a plantation mansion built in the Jacobean style of the early 17th century. It is one of only three remaining in the western hemisphere. It retains much of its original structure and sits on 420 acres of a working sugarcane plantation.
Our drive took us to the top of Cherry Hill which will give you a great view overlooking the east coast. We drove through the Scotland District where the Morgan Lewis Mill is at. This is the oldest working windmill in the western hemisphere.
As we continued along, we passed a church that survived two hurricanes (1780 and 1831) and was condemned in 1842. The church was to be demolished, but a public protest resulted in the church being rebuilt between 1846 and 1855.
We passed a school that was in session. Their schools seemed much more simpler than what the schools
Sandy Lane - beach side
All beaches are public. I could have been relaxing on this beach! in America are like.
Our next stop was at Barclays Park for a rum punch break. In 1966 Queen Elizabeth II opened Barclays Park in honor of Barbados’ independence. This park overlooks the Bathsheba area where the waves of the Atlantic Ocean roll up onto the shores. Barclays Park great for picnics and lazy afternoons especially on weekends and holidays. The Park has also been the site of the semi-finals of the calypso competition which is held every year at the annual Crop Over.
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dan
non-member comment
Very nice
Love your pics