bajanfun

[bajanfun]

Friday January 20 2023

Today was a day filled with adventure and discovery.

With tomorrow being a bank holiday, we needed to lay in supplies for the next few days, and since we would be out in the car we decided that we needed to check the progress at Sam Lord’s

Eric, John, Mike and Cathie jumped in the car and we stopped for groceries before carrying on. The Massey was jammed with everyone doing the same as us. We picked up roast chicken and ingredients for mac pie and then moved onto the fish market for flying fish - 10 pieces for $40BBD. We brought the food back to MBV and then the fun began.

We made our first stop at Crane Beach for a quick look. As is too often the case, the beach had a healthy coat of seaweed and the red flags were out in full force - it was very rough.

We continued up the road, and inexplicably missed the turn to Sam Lord’s. In our attempt to re-calculate our route, we headed quite a bit north and up the escarpment. This took us into places we had never been before (I know, how is that possible?). We drove thru St Philip proper which consists of the church, a hospital and a school. We then went up an impossibly steep road. At the top are a few lovely homes with magnificent views over the east coast.

Upon realizing how far we had missed Same Lord’s, we reset the goal and headed for East Point lighthouse to check out the East Point Grill. Along the way we found ourselves nead the Beach Houses, so made a detour into Skeet’s Bay. The Beach Houses are complete and apparently a few are occupied. Much of the landscaping is complete and they were working on the entrance road. We arrived via a temporary goat path, much to the delight of the workers. The units look very nice, but are still very isolated. On the exit we drove down to the fish market which is now entirely abandoned. Even the sign has been taken down. There is a small beach here that residents of the Beach Houses can use, however it’s heavily covered in seaweed and the surf was very rough today.

From Skeet’s we could see the lighthouse and made a beeline, arriving at the East Point Grill at the crack of noon. The place has been re-named Paradice and for a short while were were the only guests. They no longer do barbeque and the menu loopked unappealing, so we choked down a  few Deputy - Thursday is their big night and they were out of Banks - and then headed for Sam Lord’s. With only one wrong turn down a dead end road, we made it there without incident.

Much progress has been made and there were local workers on-site. However, there appears to be much left to do, so the opening is likely still years away.

We did the customary walk out the cliff and down to the beach. Of note, the pathway to the new access ramp to the beach is completely overgrown and we ended up traipsing through the adjacent home’s backyard.

With the site seeing complete, it was time for lunch. We decided to try the new place right at the entrance to the Castle. Dis Ole House has a modest sign out front and gives no hint as to what awaits the intrepid guest. The entrance through the small coral block building gives way to formal dining on a back deck which then leads into the more casual setting of the garden. It has the feel of a bohemian lounge set in someone’s backyard. The landscaping has been carefully done so as to completely shield the enormous construction project just a few metres away.

Once again the menu proclaimed Flying Fish, but alas none is available. “It’s not in season” was the official explanation. The Mahi proved to be a fine substitute, served as tacos. the pepper sauce was quite potent, and we should have inquired after the brand.

Very tasty Mahi tacos

The Dining Room

The Garden. Tucked in the centre of the picture is a lovely bar

Our visit we most enjoyable and a return visit will be required - perhaps for dinner next time.

This is turning into a very long post, but we’re not done yet. Feel free to pause here to re-fill your coffee, before reading on.

Upon return to MBV, about 3:30, we retired to the ocean for a dip and then poolside. Charcuterie and cocktails were served at the appropriate time as we bade the sun farewell and prepared for the evening.

We had made reservations at The Jade, located immediately east of the former Charlie’s bar (which is still vacant, incidentally). This is alive music venue with the feel of a club. As the first guests to arrive, we were seated next to the stage. Our reservation was at 7 and the music starts at 9. tonight was reggae featuring the proprietor David Kirton. David is a well regarded reggae artist with multiple awards to his credit. His wife runs the place and is a vibrant hostess. She is also god-daughter to Harry Belafonte, referring to him as uncle Harry. She has reimagined a bar with the same name as one that Harry operated in NYC in the ‘50s

The Jade

The dinner menu was limited, though the food fine. The meals came out piecemeal and over a lengthy period of time. the first meals were finished by the time the last arrived. 

By 10pm we had had our fill of reggae - it’s hypnotizing rhythm making it difficult to stay awake - and we slid out and returned to MBV.

A cleansing rum and then into bed.

[bajanfun]

Thursday January 19 2023

A quieter day, mostly spent poolside, but still with a bit of new adventure.

The morning was spent puttering until the lunch hour approached. With no flying fish to be had at the Butterfly, there is little incentive to head there. Instead an expedition was mounted to the Gap to try out Johnny Cool’s beachside bar. It had been recommended last year and closed the day we turned up. A second attempt was certainly in order.

The well-worn plastic menu promised Flying fish, but alas there is non to be had. They had even written in a higher price on the menu, but likely just gave up at some point. They were also out of several other items. 

The marlin cutter was dry and the fries were soggy. An entirely forgettable experience.  Even our server was lacking, displaying the charm and warmth of a brick. He was especially unconvincing when he brought the bill, explained that the card machine wasn’t working and asked if that was OK. We’re unsure what would have transpired if we hadn’t brought cash.

The ladies checked out the chattel houses and Best of Barbados and made several small purchases. Your scribe walked home while the others drove. Of note, the Chinese embassy on Maxwell Coast Rd appears to be vacant.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent poolside.

As the cocktail hour approached, the gang of 102 and 103 were transported to Accra Beach Hotel for sunset cocktails. Of note, it was happy hour and a round of 7 drinks came in a a jaw-dropping $31BBD, including tip. Not sure how a hotel stays in business with those prices. Remarkable that the place wasn’t jammed.

As the dark set in we walked down the beach to Naru for yet another fine meal. It’s agreed that the service and food are almost consistently good. An underrated gem. The property has been renovated and expanded. A fresh coat of white paint makes it feel much more open and inviting. We were served by Andre this time, as Joseph didn’t start work until after we were seated. 

Glynn delivered us back to MBV around 9:30, in time for a quick nightcap and then bed.

[bajanfun]

Wednesday January 18 2023

Today was the usual whirlwind of getting settled-in. 

The rental car was delivered ahead of it’s promised 10am time. This time the owner’s daughter showed up and had the paperwork completed ahead of time. She told us that she is a master pastry chef and will be opening a shop near the Chicken Barn on the South Shore. Perhaps she was referring to the Chefette BBQ Barn in Rockley?

The boys ventured to Oistins for groceries and returned with everything expect Balsamic - a condiment that the staff were unfamiliar with. After a quick dip in the sea, it was time to head to the Butterfly.

Now, this is where the insanity begins, as we were told that THERE IS NO FLYING FISH. Jaws dropped and a stunned silence took hold. With no option, your scribe had to read the menu and discovery what else they offered.

Fear not, dear reader, for while the fish news was truly devastating, not all was a loss as the happy hour tradition is still available.

Half price beer is always welcome

As flying fish could not be had, swordfish was the alternative and indeed was really quite tasty. the portion was more generous than the fish tacos from the evening before.

After lunch, additional supplies needed to be laid-in. We headed to Wine World for essentials and picked-up a bottle of Bajan1966, a Foursquare product. In the interest of research we also bought a small bottle of Cockspur, largely for mixing with Coke, or to clean bugs off the windshield. 

A quick detour to the Massey in Worthing completed the shop with the acquisition of balsamic vinegar - they had six brands to choose from.

We returned to MBV hot and parched and spent the afternoon addressing those issues.

We secured an early reservation at Harlequin in the Gap. Glynn was not available for the drive and sent an alternate in his stead.He did pick up up for the trip home and not surprisingly, the two drivers had differing prices - $30 there, $25 on the way back.

Dinner was quite enjoyable, as evidenced by this happy diner.

A Mudslide, of course

The gentlemen ordered rum manhattans, which were fine. Shaken and served straight-up, though we were unable to determine if red or white vermouth had been used.

A highlight of the evening was that Flying Fish was on the menu, though at $52BBD, was more expensive than the rack of lamb. It was ordered nonetheless and enjoyed, without regard to the cost.

Upon return to MBV the four diners invaded 101 for a nightcap or three and then retired about 10pm.

[bajanfun]

Tuesday January 17 2023

It’s been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different outcome. Such as arriving at Grantley Adams International Airport and expecting your luggage to show up in a timely fashion. And yet it did!

This year’s crew of intrepid travellers left a drizzly Toronto this morning - late of course, and yet we managed to arrive at BGI almost on time, and ahead of the UK flights. The new on-line customs declaration allowed most of us to sail through customs in record fashion. And then the luggage carrousel started dispensing bags. Do wonders never cease?

Glynn was there to meet us and after a quick detour to the Massey for urgent supplies, we were at MBV and in the ocean by about 4pm.

A reservation had been secured at the Butterfly and the meal was better than expected - though admittedly the bar is set very low for their dinner service. There was a minor fiasco caused by your scribe, who may have overindulged in the local fermented cane syrup, and grossly overtipped the server.

We returned to 102 for a lively game of Mexican Train, won by Mike, and then retired for the evening. 

[bajanfun]

Thursday January 20

Alas, all good things come to an end.

It was a busy day as your scribe had a plane to catch. Shortly before 9am, Eric, John and Andy headed out to Sam Lord’s to check on the construction progress.

On our way, we made a stop at the Shark Hole. Interestingly, two very new homes have gone up in the ares. Both modern and substantial. One is complete and the other is nearing completion.

Upon arrival at Sam Lord’s, we were surprised to see how much had been accomplished. Admittedly, it’s been two years, and frankly the place should have been finished years ago. It appears that they have doubled the actual structures in place, and have done prep work for many more. It is still nowhere near completion, but progress is being made. This was our first visit where workers were visible, though not very many - a dozen perhaps? A project of this size should have hundreds of workers.

We did a quick wander around the original building - it’s amazing how overgrown it has become.

Of note, the arch that leads to the cliff in front of the old building has been bricked-up, though easily walked around. As we walked along the cliff, you can see hwy. A large crack has appeared in the ground and a substantial portion of the cliff is in jeopardy of falling onto the beach.

With time growing short, we made our way back to GH, though made several stops in quest for beer and rum. The Tri-Mart near the crane had neither Banks nor Mount Gay. The Massy in Oistins had no Banks and only Black Barrel and was a zoo of people. We pushed on to Wine World and bought their last bottle of both Black Barrel and XO. Finally at the Massy in Worthing were we able to find a decent supply of both XO and Banks.

We returned to GH just in time to head to the Butterfly for a final gorge on Flying Fish. A quick dip in the sea and then off to the airport.

[bajanfun]

Wednesday January 19

A more leisurely day spent at home.

The morning was spent poolside and in the sea. As midday approached the camp divided for lunch. Your scribe and Gayle ventured out to Cool Johnny’s on Dover Beach, while the rest of the gang went to the Butterfly.

Today being election day, there is no alcohol sold until 6pm. This is likely the reason that Cool Johnny’s was closed for what appeared to be a thorough cleaning. A stop was made next door at Sea Fans in the Infinity Hotel. We lasted about 2 minutes before deciding to move on. The menu looked weak, but the greater reason was the disheveled seating - high top tables with mismatched stools and some regular height chairs. Any establishment that can’t figure out seating height is unlikely to produce food worth eating,

We continued down the beach and landed at PureOcean at the Divi Southwinds. A nice spot on the beach with a refreshing breeze. The service was good and easily accommodated a menu change - fish cutter served on a salt bun instead of brioche. Of note, their mac pie used elbow pasta and was equally tasty, if not authentic. Lunch for two was $80BBD - on the high side given the lack of alcohol. This establishment would be worth considering for dinner.

The gang at Butterfly experienced much faster service with no 2 for 1 beer to deliver.

The afternoon was spent once again by the pool. The MBV folks visited for a few hours.

Gleyn took us to Naru for our second visit. Our server - Joseph - recognized us, recalled our drink orders and even the wine we had. We included three new maki rolls - The devil in I (spicy), Kali and Castle Black. All good of course.

Of note for next time, tips paid by credit card go into a general pool. Tips paid by cash go directly to the server. We spotted Joseph a $50BBD bill for his efforts.

Gleyn returned us to GH about 9pm - a $90 ride this time. Last trip was $95

A leisurely nightcap was enjoyed and then lights out.

[bajanfun]

Tuesday January 18

Once again we returned to Stiletto, for essentially a repeat but with Andy this time. Of interest, Sheldon was in an unusually good mood.

Drinks were had. People got tipsy. Rinse & repeat.

Upon return to GH, Debbie, Andy and your scribe staggered to Oistins for libatious supplies. Tomorrow is election day and alcohol will not be sold until 6pm, or so we are told.

Dinner was a repeat of last week’s spaghetti meal. We figured out the garlic bread this time though.

After dinner was a rousing game of golf and then straight to bed.

[bajanfun]

Monday January 17

If you’ve been dutifully following along at home, no doubt by now you’ve become dulled by the routine. Sun, Flying Fish, rum, blah blah blah.

Well today that all changes. We did something that up until now has not been possible, despite our efforts.

John, Eric, Debbie, Andy headed north to St Lucy for an authorized tour of the Mount Gay distillery. At long last, management of Mount Gay has come to their senses and allowed visitors to the holy land.

Rather than describe the tour, we’ll let the pictures offer their thousand words.

Upon arrival we were ushered into the visitor centre to await the other lucky guests. Once we were all assembled, a refreshing beverage was provided. It was the guide’s take on a Dark & Stormy - Mount Gay Silver, ginger ale and a splash of sprite.

Must contact Lupin to have this artifact added to my personal collection:)

It all starts here. The water source that begins the process. Inside is a 100m deep well.

Molasses. Once a discarded by-product of sugar production, now an essential ingredient. Both local and imported molasses are used. There are 4 large tanks like this.

The shed that houses the molasses. The tanks are mostly underground and feed across the road to the fermentation building.

Water, molasses and yeast are mixed and sit to ferment for 3 days. Each tank is about 7m high.

Once fermentation is complete, the contents of the tanks are moved to the pot still, heated and double distilled. There are three of these pots. The finished product is clear rum.

A recently refurbished column still. This one hasn’t been used in decades and is currently not in production. This is the only one of its kind outside of Scotland. There is another column still of a different type in production that we did not see. Parts of the property are off limits due to renovations for “big things to come”.

It seems fitting that there is a coke machine on-site.

We returned to the visitor centre - once the home of the previous owners - for a tasting. We sampled Silver, Eclipse, Black Barrel and XO. We learned that the Silver is clear rum blended with Eclipse and then filtered to remove the colour. This gave it an unexpected flavour. Our guide gave us a background of the new blender. He also agreed with us that the former Black Barrel is better. Both Black Barrel and XO are somewhat different blends than in the past, generally including some older casks.

After the tasting we moved to the aging buildings. There are 4 buildings such as this. These barrels are all within the past few years, including some from last week. Blending and bottling are done in Bridgetown. The barrels are all used bourbon barrels and are re-used several times. The building held a mix of pot and column distilled rum

These are spent and will be sold or scrapped.

The tour was about 2 hours and by now it was time for lunch. We drove to Bathsheba for a bit at the Atlantis, with a stop at the windmill near Cherry Tree Hill.

Of note, the Atlantis has done some renovations to their building and extended the outdoor seating, The bar has been relocated and further in the building is a full kitchen for guest use - not sure why.

We returned to GH for a swim, and a few drinks before dinner. Chef Jason returned for his third dinner - a rustic corn soup starter, rib eye steak with butternut squash and sweet potato mash. The steak was topped with a mango scotch bonnet salsa that was scorchingly hot and made the steak difficult to enjoy. It brought a tear to one’s eye, but not in a sentimental way. Much less heat would have been a nicer combination. Most were unable to finish their steak - which to be fair were a good size anyway.

Dessert was a vanilla cheesecake made in a pyramid mold seated on a rum infused layer of chocolate sponge. The cheesecake had the feel of a pannacotta and was quite nice.,The structure was topped with a chocolate crepe thing - a President’s Choice product that was utterly inedible - chocolate covered cardboard would be an apt description.

After dinner we played a game of Mexican train and then retired.

[bajanfun]

Sunday January 16

Today was rather like most of the others, until it happened.

Late morning we were lounging poolside when the calm was shattered by the sound of a bowling alley exploding. The palm tree next to the change house decided to drop nearly its entire crop of coconuts. The debris field extended out  some 3 metres from the base of the tree.

Fortunately, there were no injuries, and local authorities declined to investigate the near calamity. The groundskeeper had been on the property earlier and declared that he would remove the coconuts from a different tree. It appears that every tree now needs to be neutered.

Hardhats may be required when standing near a tree

The offending tree.

In order to calm our shattered nerves, we de-camped to Oistins for lunch at Surfers Cafe. This was our first visit this year and while we understand the place  is under new management, it appears completely unchanged. Well, almost unchanged. There was no Flying Fish available. When pressed, the server - who might also be the proprietor - told us the price of the fish was too high and that she would have to charge an outrageous amount.

A selection of dishes was ordered, and the quality is fine. Of note, the seasoned fries are still good, and the mudslide up to expectations.

On our walk back, we stopped in at MBV and spent a few hours poolside and on the porch.

We returned to GH for a swim and preparation for dinner out at a new (to us) restaurant. Gleyn picked us up at 6:45 for our trip to Vyn in the Gap, above Dover Market.

A nice spot with all railside seating and not too many tables. The service was attentive and a noticeable improvement from our previous dining experiences.

Unfortunately, the food was hit and miss. The chocolate martinis were well received while the rum Manahttans were undrinkable - watery. We suspect that the ratio was 1:1

Several of us had the parmesan barracuda, which was a bit on the dry side. John ordered the catch of the day, marlin, which was shoe leather - cooked yesterday, served today. Really quite awful.

The chef stopped by the table to enquire about our meal. We were honest, though perhaps a touch blunt. He apologized and implied that he knew the fish would be dry.

Dessert was the redemption. Chocolate brownie and ice cream with caramel sauce.

Overall, the establishment is worthy of another visit before passing final judgment.

We returned to GH for a rousing game of Mexican train and then off to bed around 11.

[bajanfun]

Saturday January 15

Today we headed, via Gleyn, to La Cabane on the west cost at the north end of Paradise Beach. The location and ambience are idyllic. You can read about our last visit by reading the entry for January 20th, 2019

Upon our arrival it felt that things were different. We seem to recall a wooden walkway leading from the parking lot to the reception desk. Now it’s just sand. It also feels like there is much more seating than before, and the large wire spools have been replaced with proper tables.

The service this time was much more efficient and at no time did we have to fetch our own drinks. Our server offered drink right away, brought them and then took our order - basically everything that you expect at a restaurant but which is often lacking on the island.

The meal choices were the Mahi-Mahi, an 8oz hanger steak and roasted eggplant & tomato dip with chips and a tossed salad. The food was quite tasty, though the steak was tough - at least it was flavourful. Given the European vibe, the portions were small unlike the price.

La Cabane is co-founded by two Frenchmen, and judging by the on-line reviews, they have taken the art of French rudeness and indifference to a new level. Fortunately, none of this was evidenced in our visit.

Our return home was delayed due to an airport run that Gleyn had to do. We spent about an hour floating in the sea and enjoying the west coast. He got us safely back home at about 4pm. As a side note, he took abn interesting route on our way there. He turned left at the second roundabout up the ABC, which took us to the Bridgetown side of the Garrison. We’re sceptical that it saved us any time, however is was a route never driven by us before. Strangely, the return trip was vis the University, which we agreed should have been the the way there as well. The cost was $190BBD

We sat/napped poolside, then retired to the porch and then finally started thinking about dinner plans. It was decided that we would order in pizza and a call placed to Little Caesars in Worthing. “Sorry, a bit to far for delivery” was the response. Likely for the best as there is exactly zero chance of the driver finding GH.

Given dwindling options, we went foraging in the kitchen and found there was enough leftover from the chef nights to make a fine meal. We even had a choice of two desserts.

After dinner we played cards and then retired.

[bajanfun]

Friday January 14

Once again, another stay-at-home day. Clearly, we are taking the health directives seriously.

A portion of the day was dedicated to preparations for the lavish dinner party that is planned for tonight. Chef Jason returns along with Donna the server. Tonight promises to be the highlight of the season at GH.

Lunch was had, as you likely guessed, at the Butterfly. Now would be a good time to linger a bit and get caught up with what has changed at The Reef - the proper name for the restaurant.

This tent sign out on the road was our first indication that things have changed.

Inside the restaurant, very little has changed. There is a cosmetic update to the panelling underneath the bar, and the barstool, are gone - likely due to Covid, and not in an attempt to make the place look “casual chic” - whatever that means.

The menu appears to be visually identical to years gone by, though no doubt the prices have gone up.

On our first visit, our food arrived on attractive wooden rectangular platters, and it was evident that though had been put into the plating. On the next visit everyone’s meal arrived on the well-worn white china that is the hallmark of a good greasy spoon.

On todays’ visit, we had a mix of new and old.

I’m sure, dear reader, that you are anxious to know if the flying fish is still good. You’ll be relieved to know that it is excellent this year. Every bit as good as always, and the portions seem more generous. And, as always, you have to ask for the pepper sauce. The change this year is that it comes in a smaller serving size - again, likely due to Covid. The other condiments are individually packaged and not in the open containers of years past.

The staff remain unchanged, though seem more friendly, and most certainly the pace of service has increased. Now to be clear, it’s still glacially slow. This might be due to the fact that there are fewer guests each day. Indeed, one can arrive at any time during happy hour and find a seat.

Upon our return to GH, the preparations for the soiree got underway. John & Eric headed to Wine World. We made the decision to pick up a large bottle of Eclipse for use in mixed drinks and our signature Manhattans. After testing, this has proved to be a good decision, although we still caution against drinking Eclipse on it’s own. We stopped in at the Massy as well to pick up a few things including suitable rum glasses.

Our evening event began at sunset with the arrival of the gang from MBV - Christine, Mike, Gail & George. Cocktails were served poolside and then we moved to the gazebo for our meal at 7pm.

Tonight’s menu was a very nice mediterranean salad as a starter, followed by grilled Mahi-Mahi accompanied by sweet potato mash and mixed local veggies. The dessert was a crispy rum infused bread pudding with rum & raisin ice cream.

We had requested that the meal be served family style, and we wonder if this has a different meaning in the Bajan culture. We were surprised when the starter salad, fish and sides all arrived at the same time. Despite this hiccup, the meal was a cracking success. Jason earned a round of applause when he came down to check on us. Having Donna as a server was a nice idea, but our wine choices threw her for a loop. Topping up half a glass of Pinot with Shiraz is not ideal. Next time, we will stick with just one choice for red and white.

The MBV guests left shortly after the meal - jetlagged, no doubt. We retired to the porch and continued to over-serve ourselves.

[bajanfun]

Thursday January 13

A relatively quiet day today.

Management showed up to assess the deficiencies in the property and gave the illusion that they would look after the issues promptly. Indeed, a short while later a man brandishing a can of spray foam appeared and set about his work. He filled the hole next to the stove using about half the can of spray foam - we suspect he was unfamiliar with the expansion properties of spray foam. He then did the same around the upstairs toilet and wrapped the base in towels in an attempt to soak up the residual water. Time will tell if these measures were effective.

Everyone but your scribe headed up to Earthworks. The plan was to eat lunch there, however the restaurant is closed for renovations. They beat a hasty retreat and we all made it to Butterfly in time for happy hour.

After lunch we soaked in the ocean and awaited the arrival of AC966 which was transporting Andy from the frozen north. 

John and Eric went to the airport to fetch Andy. Of note, on the way back we were involved in a Hollywood-worthy auto scene where a motorcyclist was passing on a blind hairpin turn and didn’t expect us to be in his lane. He threaded the cars expertly, though may need a change of underwear.

Back at GH, we soaked further in the ocean, had a few cocktails and then headed inside to get ready for dinner.

We had a 7pm reservation at Castaways. Gleyn picked us up and for the first time ever, he was late. He has been having issues with his air conditioning, though it was working when he arrived.

Our meal was a mixed affair. The bartender was unfamiliar with both choctinis and manhattans. Gayle tried an exotic sounding thing that tased like green Jell-O.

The catch of the day was rainbow trout - a fish that is native to the Pacific northwest of North America and generally found in fresh water. You have to wonder why the restaurant doesn't’ use local fresh fish.

Half the group chose the fish tacos, which contained an unspecified fish that was diced into tiny cubes, while others had the seared tuna. The tacos were unremarkable, and the tuna was very good.

The service was weak, at best, and no Covid entry protocols were in place - no temperature, vaccine check or contact tracing.

Gleyn returned us to GH and we managed to see almost 11pm. Perhaps a new late night record.

[bajanfun]

Wednesday January 12

Yesterday, after Andy had booked his flight for Thursday, a flurry of activity occurred as Debbie and Gayle tried to change their return flights. The change can’t be made on-line and AC’s toll-free number doesn’t work from Barbados.

This morning a plan was hatched to go to the airport and see an agent there. A quick call to a local travel agent confirmed that there is a ticketing agent at BGI and that the desk opens at noon.

Thus, John and the ladies jumped into the car, killed some time before noon by visiting Cave Sheppard, and then made their way to the airport. If you have spent any time in Barbados, you have likely already guessed that there is no ticketing agent at the airport. 

A Montreal phone number was located and the call placed. 90 minutes and a bit of money later, flights had been changed to Sunday.

While much of the airline drama was going on, John decided to do a load of laundry. Unlike much of Glendale House, the washing machine is quite new. However, just because it’s new doesn’t mean it works. The machine will fill with water, agitate, drain, but won’t spin. The clothes are sodden at the end of the cycle.

The groundskeepers were here and all were happy to offer assistance. After quite some time and much head-scratching, no ground work was done and the washer is no better. 

Quite a bit happened in the first half of the day, and despite the frantic level of activity, we managed to squeeze in lunch at the Butterfly.

Late in the afternoon Jason our “Chef for Hire” arrived and began preparations for our meal. We dined at the gazebo with a starter of fried shrimp in a chili panko with coconut and a simple salad and passionfruit dressing. The main was pork ribs in a smoky sauce and a nice amount of heat. Dessert was a chocolate rum cake with strawberries, blackberries and a chocolate drizzle.

Between courses we had a bit of a jolt when Jason informed the ladies that we had a furry friend scurrying around the kitchen. There is a hole in the floor beside the stove, which is just the right diameter for a mid-sized rodent.

Overall the meal was great and everyone is eagerly awaiting his return on Friday.

If I were to build a playlist for our day it would include:

Changes - David Bowie

You’ve Got To Believe In Something - Spin Doctors

Rat In Mi Kitchen - UB40

A close game of golf rounded out the evening and it was lights-out by 10:30.

[bajanfun]

a family of monkeys visited us on Tuesday

[bajanfun]

Tuesday January 11

Today we went on Stiletto.

‘nuf said.

Dinner was cooked chicken and salad bought the day before.

[bajanfun]

Monday January 10

Today was mostly a stay-at-home day.

Porch, pool and beach in the morning with a trip to the Butterfly for lunch. The Flying Fish was served as it has in the past - gone today was the fancy wooden plate and the thoughtful plating. The cost was just $18BBD. We’ll have to review the receipt from Friday to see how much that was.

After lunch John & Eric headed to Oistins to pick up a few things at the hardware store - penetrating oil to make the kitchen windows operate specifically. We looked for a thermometer and cocktail shaker but were shut out.

We also picked up a few items at the Massy, including more rum. The 700ml bottles just don’t last very long. Perhaps it’s the heat?

We had a 6:30 reservation at Cafe Luna and arrived promptly via Gleyn. At the reception they have a stand-alone thermometer which reads about 4 degrees low. They state that they will turn around anyone with a reading over 38 degrees. Given how their thermometer is calibrated, anyone with a reading that high is on the verge of death, and likely wouldn’t enjoy their meal anyway. No checks for vaccinations were made.

We were seated in the uncovered section and the tables seemed much too close together. Not withstanding the fact that it’s open air, a bit more spacing would be nice.

Gayle & Lynn ordered chocolate martinis. Our waiter asked if they were to be gin or vodka. That should have been a tip-off. John & Eric ordered rum manhattans. The chocolate martinis arrived and were undrinkable. They tasted like a chocolate popsicle. Our speculation is that the bartender made a traditional vodka martini and then put something chocolate in - Nestle Quik perhaps?

The rum manhattans could not be served owing to a lack of red vermouth. All told, a disappointing beginning to the meal.

Most had the mahi-mahi and Gayle elected for the steak. The mahi came as a table d’hote that included a starter and dessert. Your scribe had the chicken livers to start which were quite good. 

The fish was very nice, though the steak disappointed - tough and over cooked.

Dessert was very good - there was a mango cheescake, a chocolate cheesecake and a rum bread pudding. 

Gleyn returned us to GH at around 9pm. We played cards and then retired.

[bajanfun]

Sunday January 9

Today was adventure day as we headed north for lunch at Catch-22.

With a 12:30 reservation in hand we left GH at 11:30, anticipating a 45 minute drive and allowing extra time for wrong turns.

We headed straight up the ABC to St Lucy and arrived precisely at 11:45. No wrong turns were taken, though a shortcut out of St Lucy was missed.

We were the only guests when we arrived, but the small restaurant was full by the time we left. Three of us had the fish cutter, which was mackerel and the other two had the burger. Both dishes were very good. Initially there was confusion about the type of fish that would be served, and indeed a promise of flying fish was made and then broken. In any event all meals were tasty and worth the drive.

Next, we ventured over to North Point as we were in the neighbourhood. The swells were up and the crashing against the rocks was worth seeing. Gayle spoke with a young lad who told her that his family owns the land adjacent on the east side and that they intend to build soon. The view would be great but they have chosen a spot about as far away from everything as possible. 

We returned to GH via Speightstown and the west cost. All was eerily quiet. There simply don’t appear to be many tourists here this year. We noted that Cin Cin and The Cliff appear to be closed. Further research indicates that both are permanently closed.

We elected to stay in and had a simple meal of spaghetti. After dinner was cards and then bed around 10.