Barbados - Day 5

I headed down to Accra Beach first thing in the  morning and got a bit of a suntan.  Accra beach is a beach I used to go to in my lunch hour when I attended College in Barbados in 1979.  It was a place that was peaceful, beautiful, and I could eat my lunch in peace and just relax and unwind.  It was a place where 'beach bums' were abound and often I was propositioned.  I had got so good back then getting rid of them - all sorts of excuses, but the one that worked the best was 'no english'!

So this particular morning, it was overcast and warm, the sand soft, water warm. I still had my cold and was still miserable, so the beach was perfect. Salt water is good for colds.

On my way out of the car park I was propositioned by a beach bum. I chuckled - big difference - 17, and now 56, yet I still got propositioned! Great for my ego.  I turned them down!

After a quick shower, I headed up to Holetown to meet Pat for lunch at the Holetown shops.  It was another great catch up, and even better, Raymond dropped her off so I got to say hello for ten minutes. One of the highlights of my trip. He still has the kindest eyes and the best smile, and still looks great. It was lovely to see him.  Lunch was wonderful and I was sad to leave and say Bye to Pat knowing that I wouldn't have time to see her again, and that I probably won't get back to Barbados again in my lifetime, although if I did, I would want to stay for 3 weeks!  

After my lunch, I headed back to the hotel and once again went down and lay on the beach at the Hilton, had another swim. Grabbed a bite to eat, then rang my old school friend Athelstone Catling. The conversation went like this?

Me: - Hello -is Telston there please?

Wife: - Yes just a minute - goes off to get him.

Telston: - Hello

Me: - Hi, I'm not sure if you remember me but

Telston - Robyn?

Me - Yes

Telston - From New Zealand?

Me - Yes

Telston: where are you - are you in barbados?

Me - Yes

Telston - Where are you staying

Me - The Hilton

Telston - I'll be right there. Phone Slammed down!!!

Haha! - He was excited.  I wandered down to the lobby and waited and he turned up 20 minutes later and give me the biggest hug I've had in years!  I needed somewhere quieter to talk so invited him up to my room, where we had a big catch up. I showed him some AV's of New Zealand and described the earthquake.  Suddenly he said - I want to show you my island, and off we went. A few pubs, met his friends and had proper bajan food.

After a few hours I persuaded him to to take my back to the hotel as I was still sick and wanted my sleep, but we agreed to meet again on Friday all day and he would show me around the island.

Another great day - not so many photos - mainly catching up with people I know and eating!

Barbados - Day 4

Up very early this morning to take Suzie and Rick to the airport for their homeward journey.  I was staying on for another 5 days to really explore the island in depth.  I was really sick by now with a throat like broken glass shards, and a cold. After dropping them off, I headed to the Hilton Hotel with a view to check in early and leaving my luggage in storage until later.  However, they allowed me to check in at 5.30am - however my original booking had been cancelled and they wanted me to re-book at the current price (about twice as much as I booked it for). The manager wasn't there yet, so I just headed up to my room and hopped into bed and went back to sleep. I woke at 9.30am and then wandered down to sort the booking out. Fortunately I had all my original paperwork and they then matched the original price.  I don't know what I would have done if they hadn't - probably sleep on the beach!!

After that was sorted out - I headed to Huntes Garden. Huntes Garden was created by a English horticulturist, Anthony Hunte, in the centre of Barbadoss rain forest in a sink-hole-like gully. the garden offers a multidimensional experience with vigorous plants densely growing on many levels from sunny and open spaces, down to the heart of a real carribean jungle.

Initially I was going to go with someone from the photographic society, but because I was sick I suggested it be cancelled as I didn't want to pass on my bugs. I got there must later than I wanted to, early morning would have been better - by the time I was there it was late morning.

I knew there were hummingbirds, and that was my primary focus.  I talked to Anthony Hunte when I arrived and he showed me where the hummers land and told me to focus my camera on the pink flower. I set up my camera with my telephoto lens,then stood up to look around. Then my saw my first hummingbird - he came right up to me, hovered within inches of my face and stared at me intently. Then darted away. If I had had my wide angle lens on, I would have got the shot. 

I sat and waited. They are like clockwork - every 15 minutes they come in and drink at the same place.  My first shots were rubbish -with no hummingbirds in  New Zealand, I haven't had much practise. Experimented with settings and eventually I started getting a few shots that I liked.

In between the 15 minute intervals, I took photos of the flora/fauna around me. It was a really beautiful garden.

 I remember these lizards from 38 years ago. I used to have a few in my bedroom!  They are the Barbados Anole.

 

After the garden, I headed back to the hotel, lay on the beach, had a swim, then went up to my room and snoozed for several hours.  I awoke around 4pm. David had suggested I go to the Oistins Fish Festival, so that's what I did.  Found a park luckily not too far away, then wandered the streets and stalls.

I was hoping to hear a steel band, and there was one that was programmed to appear on stage later that evening. So I decided to wait around for it. Shared my dinner table with a young english family.  My red snapper and chips came first, and the 3 year old screamed when I started eating it as she thought it was hers!! So I shared my meal with a 3 year old to stop her screaming!

Police were a quiet presence in case of trouble.

Chilli eating competition...

Comedy risque but funny.

The steel band never turned up and I decided to call it a night to put my cold to bed at a reasonable time.

Barbados - Day 3

I actually didn't take many photos today.  We had a slow morning, then drove into town to meet some of Suzie's friends for Brunch at the restaurant at the Hilton Hotel.  The following image is one I snapped on my phone as we were caught in a traffic jam on the way to the hotel.  Someone had a hard night obviously!

We got to the hotel early and I walked around, as this is where I would be staying when Suzie and Rick left the next morning.

We then went up to the restaurant and ordered these cocktails. They were very nice!

After brunch, I dropped Suzie and Rick off at the Polo fields where they were meeting friends again, and I headed out to have afternoon tea with Pat, mother of my boyfriend back 38 years ago. It was soooo good to catch up. She's still as lovely as she was 38 years ago. Interestingly she had travelled to New Zealand, and because we had lost touch, we didn't connect.  Such a shame!

After leaving Pat, I went back to the Polo field and watched the end of the game sipping champagne. Then we headed back to the Hilton for a snack Suzie and Rick then dropped me off at the golf club where I was giving a talk to the Photographic Society of Barbados about New Zealand and Birds of New Zealand and to meet up with other photographers. It was great.

Barbados - Day 2

Our Airbnb was lovely. We had the bottom left apartment (left of the stairs). It was big and roomy - 3 huge bedrooms each with a bathroom. I booked it because it hada pool thinking I would swim in it, but I never did - there was never time!

 

Suzie and Rick had got in late, so I got up early and took the car do do some photography of the area I used to frequent 38 years ago. I was particularly interested in recording photographs of the chattel houses. They were very common 38 years ago, but although they were still dotted around the island, they were slowly being replaced with concrete housing. I hope they don't disappear as they are what I remember Barbados as.

I also pohtographed the beach at Holetown. One of the beaches I used to sunbathe/ and swim at periodically. It hadn't changed at all. Even the fishing boats looked the same.

Although I don't remember this rum shop. I found out later that Suzie and Rick had been drinking here the night before.

I drove further down towards Sunset Crest, and got out to photograph several other chattel houses - this one being my favourite..

The biggest change was Holetown itself. Once a small unassuming village 38 years ago, it now housed Gucci, Cartier and all those top expensive brands.  I wandered around the shops, but the prices were way out of this New Zealanders' league!  I was pretty impressed though, but it's not the Barbados I like or remember.

Holetown was where I met my first love of my life when I was 17. Right outside the blue/green building 'Beth and Tracie' below.

And this was the day and moment I met Raymond. The brown building, the Bank of Holetown, is the same building above, and in that car dressed as a clown was Raymond. That image was taken at the Holetown Festival in 1979. I only remember on other person in that photo - and that's Lizzie (in the middle).  I remember her as a kind hearted soul.  I wish we had kept in touch.

We carried on driving up to the northern part of the island, our destination to the wild East Coast of the island. I came across this chattel house brightly painted. I was told later it probably was owned by the dutch as they love bright colours!

Before I left New Zealand I photographed 10 images or so from my 1979 photo album. I had hoped to replicate the images. This one I could replicate. Taken from about the same place 38 years apart...

 

And the Morgan Lewis Windmill. It had changed so much I queried that it was the same. The chimney behind the windmill confirmed that it was the same.  I also double checked with another image and the hill behind still matched up (contours).

38 years ago we had this picnic at Bathsheba under the rock. I wanted to replicate this. I even had a bikini I was going to change into and my tripod to do a 10 second delay so I could plop myself down in the front and flick my head back, just like I was back then. To make up the five people, I was going to ask other people on the beach.  I was all set!

 Unfortunately, climate change had wrought havoc on my plan and the seas had risen a tad, and the rock was now under water even at low tide.  I was disappointed!
 

 Instead we posed in the water!

 Back in 1979, it was uncommon to see the locals using and enjoying the parks and beaches. It was lovely to see everyone out in force using the beautiful spaces Barbados has to offer. A positive change after two generatons.

We had lunch in this great restaurant not far from Bathsheba, then headed down to Bottom Bay. This is the bay that was on my bucket list to see again - one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Suzie had never been there, but I was rapt to visit it again.

We all had a bit of a snooze on the beach then headed back to the airbnb to get changed.  We then headed out to town and met up with my friend David at a restaurant/bar to catch up and reminisce. It was great to see him. Listening to his memories of our friendship and having lots of laughs.

I was surprised at how everything now closed at much earlier hours. Back 38years ago, the island was alive, hopping, dancing and jiving to all hours of the night. Our restaurant closed at midnight and there was nowhere else much to go!!! 

So we said bye to David and headed back to the airbnb, with plans to catch up again later in the week.