Barbados, West IndiesBarbados, West Indies
"THE
TRIP":
In October of 1998, Bonnie was approached by an actuarial recruiter about a position on
the Island of Barbados. Living in Atlanta, we really missed the beach and the warm
climate, and we were extremely interested in an opportunity to move to the
Caribbean. London Life and Casualty literally "wined and dined" us when we
came for our interview, and we ended up signing on for a three year stint. As
is the case no matter where you live, there are pros and cons - the shopping is
non-existent, but we manage to get most of what we need on our frequent trips to the U.S.
On the up-side, the beaches are incredible, and the life style suits us very well -
that's not to say that we would want to stay here forever, but we certainly have enjoyed
our first year and a half.
GENERAL
INFO:
Barbados is a small tropical island of only 166 square miles
located at 13.8 degrees north of the equator and situated between the Atlantic Ocean to
the east and the Caribbean Sea to the west. Barbados is the eastern most of the
Caribbean Islands and its northern and western coasts are unprotected from the Atlantic
waves, while the west coast faces the calm Caribbean Sea and is shielded from wind and
wave by the island itself. The location and the fact that the Island is made up of
coral rock instead of the usual volcanic rock makes for a wonderfully varied coastline
ranging from high rocky cliffs to long sandy beaches.
In 1966, Barbados gained independence from Great Britain, and elected their
"first" prime minister, Errol Barrow. The current population of 260,000 is
split between two political parties, both of which have controlled the government at one
time or another since independence. Despite the stability, the government is one of
the most beaureaucratic organizations we have ever encountered. You just cringe if
you have to conduct business with any of the various governmental entities, whether it is
the post office, or the immigration department. Their processes are carried out
manually (nothing is computerized), and the wait can be several months, depending on the
function (it took 5 months to get Bonnie's work permit approved).
THE
SITES:
The North - Animal Flower Cave is
located on the northern most point of the Island. It gets its name from the tiny sea
anemones that grow in the cave's rock pools. The land around the cave consists of
barren rock, much like a moonscape.
The East - The East Coast of Barbados faces the
pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean. The rock formations on this side of the Island
are simply incredible.
The South - Our home can be found on the South Coast of
Barbados. There are also some very nice beaches on this coast.
The West - The Caribbean Sea laps at the West Coast
of the Island. In our opinion the beaches here provide for the best swimming and
snorkeling on the Island. The very best restaurants can also be found along the West
Coast - one in particular, The Cliff, is one of the finest restaurants we have ever
experienced.
The Sunsets - What would life on a Caribbean Island
be without some stunning sunsets?
Fortunately, we get more than our fair share of beautiful views of the sun sinking into
the sea.
THE
PICTURES