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BARBADOS    DIARY  2

Photos   Map & Plan   Diary 1  2
 

From Diary 1, I now explore some more.
22/4 2019.
Today, I head up north. At first, I follow the coast, although I rarely actually get to it. I find some of the relatively dry coastal hills I saw yesterday, and do another walk.
I head a bit inland, and everything turns out a bit greener, then really green.

Despite it is closed today, I stop at Morgan Lewis Windmill from around 1727. It is the last working windmill in the Caribbean, and it look great. The same farm have a lot of dairy cattle on the quite dry slops around the area.
I am getting close to the sea in the northern part, and it is mainly grassland.

Like most roads on Barbados, they are not really smooth. Here are landslides under the sealing, potholes and general destruction.
I make it to Cherry Tree Hill, the second highest point on the island with 260 metres. Only Mount Hillaby is higher with 340 metres. It offers a great view over the north-eastern coast - although it is a bit distant. 
A little and really restored steam locomotive passes bye, filled with Easter-holyday happy locals.

I head on a bit, and find the Mahogany alley, leading up to St Nicholas Abbey - which never have been an Abbey. It was build in 1658, and stand quite intact. The interior is authentic (even the ancient toilet works), and the surounding farm still alive, with the original 161 hectares. They grow Mahogany and cane, and produces various products from them as rum.

I have a long chat with an old fart, and I actually think; he is the farther of the owner; Larry Warren. He know everything about the place, and it is his old restored - and not restored tractors, that are found in one barn.
Here are living room, dining room, distillery, rum storage, numerous orchids in the trees, bats in the sealing, lovely flowers, an old movie about the island, gullies, museum, cafe, working steam engine, syrup plant, a huge Sandbox tree, parrots and much, much more. Things are not totally pristine, they are just well maintained, and many in daily use. I really like the place! St Nicholas Abbey

When I finally tear my self away, I head for the northern beach. The last bit is through flat meadows with yellow grass and a few cows. Then I reach Archer's Bay, which should have some mushroom rocks. Well, I have seen better yesterday, but the tiny bay is nice. The water is crustal clear, and here are a bit of marine life like the Polyplacophoras. I also find quite some fan corals, which I actually think are the so-called Black Corals.

I head back south, but in a scenic route - or actually several, and roads tend to be closed or simply gone. Other times, they are cross cane fields, and not fitted for an uninsured little car.
I pass a single huge meat factory, like the ones we have in Denmark. I think it produces chicken meat, but I am not sure.

I try to follow the eastern shore close, but that is a challenge. Most times, I have to drive down narrow trails to get to the sea. And many times, I can only watch the splashes on the rocks from above.
I manages to get down to Little Bay, which is a desert area. Here are a lot of barren limestone and a few palms.

The bay is protected by a reef, and the big splashes rarely reach the warm pools. The locals are dipping in the inner pools. As I head on, my GPS have some issues with the local roads. It refuses to take the main road, but have no problem with wheel tracks, mend for tractors. To day, I have.

I end up with a tour back cross the central island, by minor roads. Some end in greenery, some at a fence and one in a lake. Never the less; I eventually make it home. Kettle on, and then I start working. I try to work on the porch, but  can't stand seeing the dog out here, limping around in its one square meter cage, with a 5*5 centimetre grit for floor. Sometimes, it screams, when it get trapped in the floor. East Coast, Morgan Lewis Windmill, St Nicholas Abbey, Archer's Bay, Little Bay

23. The Easter is over, and I head in to the capital; Brighton. The sun is  bit slow this morning, and so am I. I'm not sure what it does, but I am doing accounting. The GPS again want to go by the farmers roads, but that change when I shift it from bicycle-mode to car... Until that, I get to see quite some cane and gravel roads.

Besides from the relatively big cane farms, I pass the rather old sugar factory. Closer to the city, the road is lined with old and small wooden huts and a few newer. Some have no paint left, others are newly painted in bright colours. It is back to normal weekdays, but the traffic is not that intense.

I park at the Lower Docks in Brighton, quite central in the little city. Most buildings seems to be rather old, and here are only a few bigger ones. The  sun is back in full strengths, and the lovely Caribbean sky is ready.
My only planned sights are the town itself and the market - on a Friday or Saturday. I actually find three markets around the city - all quite dead. I think most fruit and vegetables are sold on the street today.

The city is a strange mix of all kind of building styles - some might not even have a name! Even the rather long pedestrian street is a bend of time and style.
I do some loops around the centre, then I head out along the coast. Here are a bit of harbour life, but not much. The water is bright turquoise.

I end up at Cheapside Public Market, where one part is cooled, and contain two lines of coolers for meat. A few butchers are present, but it is real quiet. Most meat seems to be frozen, and are most likely imported that way. It is pretty much the same picture in the vegetable department, although it is not frozen. It most of all look like a few strangers have snug in, while the rest are gone.

I find another temporary market, but it is completely dead. Almost outside town, I find the Art Market, but as there are no cruise ships in harbour, it is dead too.

On the way back, I pass the bus station - I think, there are no busses. Around the corner is a large area with tiny bars, and here are people! The locals are pretty happy for light-coloured beers like Carib and Stag.

Along the pier, I find Bridgeton Public Market, this time with a few fish. They are eager to sell me some, I'm determine not to buy any.
The sun is getting high, and it seems like everything - but the sidewalk I'm on - is in the shadows.

I find some lunch, do a few more loops and give up finding anything new. I head up along the west coast, and it seems like it is one huge, sandy stretch. I stop at Brandons Beach, but the sun have swapped place with some rather dark clouds. After some time, I get the needed glimpses of sun, and head on.

Here are a few old sheets, but the huge resorts dominates the coast. And the access to the beach is limited. 
I end up in Holetown, which should have a nice old part. Well, it does have a part that have been disturbed by tourists throughout the recent years.

I find the beach with a few boats, some old sheets and a few other old stone buildings. I is the river the town is named after - as it reminded the early settlers about a river which in common mouth were called Hole.

I fail to find anything interesting here, and due to the black clouds, I head homewards. It does lighten a bit on the other side of the island, but I have seen enough.
Brighton, East Coast, Holetown

24. I get a chat with my host, and find a cane-toad in the garden, before I head up north-west. I find a new route to Holetown, and passes more cane fields and oil pumps. Eventually I end out at the seaside. I do a single stop before Holetown, at a great looking beach.

Around Holetown, a single road crosses the island, passing Orange Hill on the way. Here are a bit of forest, the remains of an old windmill and a large golf club. The rest of the houses are kind of small and old.
I return back to the west coast, and reach Weston.

Weston should be a typical little western town, and I guess it is: Boring, except from the excellent beach. The town itself is a few bars and restaurants, huge private houses and small luxurious hotels.
I walk the beach, and start walking the village. Then I return for the car, and drive it. No pictures to prove...

The next town is Speighstown, and it is more interesting. It is a proper town, with shops, old buildings, another perfect beach, a closed fish market and a cafe, serving Cappuccino and calling it Latte. Well, I forgive them due to the view from their sea-facing porch. 

I park at the central square, and start walking. Here are a few pale people, but only at the "hotspots" like bars and restaurants. I get around most of the town, from the big bank building to the small huts, in the back alleys.
I must admit; it is a bit hard to get up after having relaxed at the cafe, looking over the sea.

To make the entire north, I head further up north, along the coast. Here are a few bigger, but pretty decent hotels, then some small fishing villages. One have several larger vessels on the beach, but it seems like they have been here for quite some time. 

As I reach the north, the landscape dries out significantly, Here are yellow grass, barren soil, bushes - some without leaves. The houses are small huts, most paint gone for a long time since and the same can be said about the cars.
I reach the cove before Archer's Bay, and it is a rocky area. I don't bother to get down to the sharp cliffs near the water. I do a short stroll in the dry landscape, but fail to find anything interesting.

I finish the loop up north, and head back south by partly new roads. I drive a bit inland, through farmland, which get richer and richer. Some areas have white fences around their green fields with a few horses.
I swing by Brighton, and make a stroll around the centre and the pedestrian street. It is still significantly more alive than the rest of the country.

I find a new road home, but it all look the same around here: Flat green hills, scattered huts, small villages and a truly countryside feeling, although close to the capital.
At home, someone have treated me with a clean-up, new sheets and alike. Guess they thought they got rite of me today, despite I told my host: I have one more day. I just check my flight ticket, just to be sure....West Coast, Orange Hill, Weston, Speighstown, North Coast, Brighton

25. It is a greyish day, and I wait till nine before I set off to the southern part of the island. I pass a lot of farmland, then some rather big houses start to show among the small ones. As I approaches the coast, some larger industries start to mingle in. The small wooden sheets continues like nothing have changed.

I cross the edge, and get close to the sea. Here I find Oistins and its Berinda Cox Fish Market. It is quite big, but also quite dead. I try to make some pictures, but everything is under a low roof and real dark this cloudy day. Outside are a few vegetable stands.
I make a stroll along the perfect beach, see some of the birds and the seaweed and head off. On the way out, I make a loop around town by car, but here are not really anything interesting.

I follow the perfect beach to St Lawrence Gab, which is tourist centre. I find a place for the car, and do a long loop, all around town. I fail to find anything interesting, beside the perfect beach. The sun start to be a bit more active, and the photos improve. St. Lawrence Anglican Church is on the seaside and fare from as glamorous a the Catholic ones.

Along the sea line, numerous bars, restaurants and small to huge hotels are found. In-between, some tiny old huts are still having a few hens in the lawn, under the trees. It is an odd mix.
I stop several times along the southern coast, and every time, I find coral rocks or a perfect beach. Mainly the latter.

Close to Brighton, I find a fortress, but it is still in use. Next to it is "The house of George Washington". Apparently, he spend some of his youth here. I fail to find it more interesting than the closed horse track next to it. Or the army commanding centre for that matter.

I continues almost to Brighton, and pass some impressive buildings on the way. Apparently, they are now head quarters for some big international business. Others are governmental. 
I head home by The Ridge, which is significantly less visible than I had hoped. But nice farmland, all the way home.
I could spend two more hours exploring, but I'm out of sights, and I rather have a cup of tea and a bath, before my 27 hour tour home. Oistins and its Berinda Cox Fish Market, St Lawrence Gab and the South Coast

I return the car, and quite unexpected, the claim the payment have been done. Economy Car Rentals have sold me to Eurocar, which again used Rent a Matic, and I can't recall paying any of them. Well, wrong time to complain.
I have three hours to kill, before my short flight to Martinique, and nothing else to do, but work on the computer. HIGHLIGHTS from Barbados

Barbados have been interesting, but it lack some of the wild nature, the previous islands are so rich in. I have driven 463 kilometres, taken 1144 pictures and spend a bit more money, than I had expected:
EXPENSES DKK Barbados$
Shared*  (part of a 92 day tour) 918 270
Flight here 970 285
Car 2.540 747
Entrance 197 58
Hotel 1.496 440
Food 370 109
Other: Gear, souvenirs 187 55
TOTAL: 6.678 1.964
*) Error flights+London, return DK, insurance, vaccinations, guidebook, gear i.e.

Photos   Map & Plan   Diary 1  2