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Published: March 13th 2023
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“Barbados Coast to Coast” Shore Excursion
Rihanna Drive – Going Past the Childhood Home in a Bus Was Problematic Barbados, a volcanic island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, was our port of call on Sunday, March 12, 2023. It is the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands and occupies an area of 167 square miles with a population of about 287,000. Technically, Barbados is an Atlantic Island but is closely associated with the Caribbean and is one of the leading tourist destinations in the Caribbean region. Spanish navigators took possession of Barbados in the late 15
thCentury, and it first appeared on a Spanish map in 1511. The Portuguese Empire claimed the island somewhere between 1532 and 1536 but abandoned it in 1620 with their only remnants being the introduction of wild boars for a good supply of meat whenever the island was visited. An English ship arrived in Barbados in 1625, and its men took possession of the island in the name of King James I. The first permanent settlers arrived from England in 1627, and Barbados became an English colony. The colony operated on a plantation economy and relied on the labor of African slaves. Slavery continued until it was phased out through most of the British Empire by the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833.
Initially, I had no shore excursion enlisted for Barbados or St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (our port of call two days hence) but made a “final month” decision to subscribe to a scenic tour of each island. The “Barbados Coast to Coast” seemed to suit my needs as well as any of the options. From the Holland America web site: “Enjoy a wonderful introduction to Barbados on a scenic drive, with minimal walking involved. Sit back and relax in style as you soak up the highlights of this gorgeous island. You’ll call into one of Barbados’ oldest churches, St John’s, which sits on a cliff 800 feet above sea level, offering magnificent coastal views. Tropical Garden with its beautifully landscaped gardens is well worth the stroll. Lots of natural plants, flower houses and spectacular scenery makes for great photo opportunities. Alternatively, you may choose to simply relax and absorb the peaceful atmosphere of the park as you watch hummingbirds at paly or a troop of monkeys in the distance. You’ll also pass a host of sights, including Heroes Square (formerly Trafalgar Square), Gun Hill Signal Station, and opulent Sandy Lane, and stop in Holetown at the monument that
commemorates the first settlers’ landing in 1627. Notes: Wear comfortable walking shoes.”
Shortly after beginning the tour, we drove past the former Westbury New Road. The name of the road was changed to Rihanna Drive to honor Robyn Rihanna Fenty, better known simply as Rihanna, the island’s most famous star. Westbury New Road is where the Barbadian singer and actress was raised. Rihanna does come back, usually twice each year, although she does have a different, probably larger, home on the island’s West Coast. I got a good photo of Rihanna Drive because I had a window seat and because it was on “my” side of the bus – one of the few points of interest that was. Even the majority of sugar cane fields were on the left side of the bus. For still photos, it wouldn’t have mattered much, because the roads are severely deteriorated, and all of the stills I took from the moving bus were blurry and were promptly discarded. Since, at least for this moment in time and therefore for this blog, I cannot capture stills from my videos – thanks again, Bill Gates. I suppose, what you don’t see is what you don’t
get.
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