4 minutes read time The Barbados Synagogue, known as the Nidhe Israel Synagogue, is the oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere. It remains a central part of Barbados’ Jewish heritage and is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1654 by Sephardic Jews fleeing persecution in Brazil, it's located in the capital …
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
On a trip to the Dominican Republic a few years ago, we stayed in the southern part of the country in La Romana. It was a resort type vacation, just to relax and take it easy, but we kept hearing about this quaint little Mediterranean village that was worthy of a day trip. We decided …
Continue reading Altos de Chavón, a replica of a Mediterranean village in the Dominican Republic.
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.
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!
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.
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
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 …
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
The islands of the Caribbean have a very interesting history. From the Amerindians, Arawaks, Caribs and Tainos who were the earliest inhabitants, to the African slaves brought in to work the sugar fields, Scottish and Irish prisoners of war, indentured servants from India, Middle Easterners, Jews fleeing persecution in Europe, Chinese and of course the …
Continue reading The street of mansions, the Magnificent Seven of Trinidad.
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