Featured

Barbados Parliament: From Colonial Roots to Modern Republic

Reading time 8 minutes Barbados boasts a rich legacy steeped in history, and at the center of it all is its Parliament—the third oldest continuously functioning Parliament in the Commonwealth. From its inception in the 17th century to its present-day role in a thriving democratic society, the Barbados Parliament represents resilience, evolution, and the spirit …

Continue reading Barbados Parliament: From Colonial Roots to Modern Republic

The Panama Canal and the West Indian workers who helped build it.

Reading time 9 minutes The history of the Panama Canal has always been of great interest to me. The idea of shortening the route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans is something that was thought about since the 1500's and as certain technologies advanced, a serious effort was made in the late 1800's by the …

Continue reading The Panama Canal and the West Indian workers who helped build it.

Featured

Celtic Festival in Barbados, yes, Barbados!

Did you know there's a Celtic festival that's celebrated in Barbados annually? Wait, what? you may be asking yourself, "what's the connection?" Well, Barbados was a former English colony and during the Irish Scottish wars with England, (the Wars of the Three Kingdoms,) military commander Oliver Cromwell, had Irish, Scottish and Welsh prisoners transported throughout …

Continue reading Celtic Festival in Barbados, yes, Barbados!

Featured

The Queen’s Park stroll, a Christmas tradition in Barbados since 1907.

Christmas in Barbados is not unlike many places in the world. Just switch the cold and snow to sun and sand and the traditions are somewhat similar. First of all, the house has to be spruced up, maybe some fresh paint and new curtains for sure. There are church services, traditional Christmas music about winter …

Continue reading The Queen’s Park stroll, a Christmas tradition in Barbados since 1907.

Featured

Why we love the rugged coastlines and idyllic beaches of Barbados

Barbados is many things to many people. There is a plethora of things to do on this 166 sq mile Caribbean Island and my wife and I are always seeking out and finding interesting off the beaten path places that most tourists and even some locals don't even know about. If you're a student of …

Continue reading Why we love the rugged coastlines and idyllic beaches of Barbados

Featured

Barbados’ Golden Square Freedom Park.

Having a little green space in the heart of a bustling city like Bridgetown is always a good thing that's why the Golden Square Freedom Park was a welcome addition to the city's landscape. This is a new park having only been opened in November 2021 to commemorate Barbados' transition from a parliamentary monarchy (Queen …

Continue reading Barbados’ Golden Square Freedom Park.

The chattel house, an icon on the Barbadian landscape

The birth of the Barbadian (Bajan) chattel house came out of necessity for the newly freed slaves of this former British colony, to be able build a house that could be moved from site to site since they didn't own any land. The word "chattel" refers to one's portable possessions which included slaves. Free but …

Continue reading The chattel house, an icon on the Barbadian landscape

Going Bananas, from Flower to Fruit.

Growing up in Barbados in the 60's, almost everyone we knew kept livestock of some kind in their backyard. This would include pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens. In addition, there would be an herb and vegetable garden, (kitchen garden as it's called) at the side of the house. Part of producing some of your food …

Continue reading Going Bananas, from Flower to Fruit.