What not to miss?

[silky_mommy]

Please tell me the top five things that are much see in Barbados (not interested in beach time or snokling). Thanks

[cinnam0n]

Well, it all depends on what you're interested in. Barbados is an island with a lot of variety. We have been there only twice. The first time my husband and I took a private tour that included Andromeda Gardens, the Flower Forest, and Welchman Hall Gulley. If you're interested in beautiful flowers and plants at all,these are great places to go. There are old sugar mills and lighthouses, rum factory tours, the Wildlife Reserve, and Harrison's Cave. Barbados is interesting to me because the west coast is the Caribbean Sea and is calm and serene, but the east coast is the Atlantic Ocean and the waves crash violently on the rocks. This last time we asked Cameron to take us up the east coast to Ragged Point Lighthouse, which we found on the internet and just wanted to see, then to the Wildlife Reserve. Along the way he took us to St. John's Church, which is a classic Gothic church that was built in 1836 to replace one that was destroyed in a hurricane. Then the Wildlife Reserve was the highlight of our day.

It just all depends on what you like. Maybe you could look through all the shore excursions that your cruise line offers and that would give you a jumping off point for planning your day.

[cinnam0n]

double

[Aplmac]

Along the way he took us to St. John's Church,

that was built in 1836 to replace one that was destroyed in a hurricane.

One of the island's two famously-destructive hurricanes

was the Great Hurricane of 1831.

 

This structure we know today

would have been erected a few years later.

 

(See recent attached pic. taken 30th.July, 2007.)

[cinnam0n]

I don't understand - you're saying it wasn't built in 1836?

[Aplmac]

I don't understand - you're saying it wasn't built in 1836?

The hurricane destroyed it August 10th. and 11th, 1831.

It took them five years to (get the funds together to) rebuild it, five years later.

 

Don't forget...it's the 1830's on a small tropical British Colony,

and not everything gets rebuilt immediately...

..some things take years to fund, and then a year or two to actually build...

without machinery to get those blocks up to the bell tower!

Who do you think did that? Caterpillar of Peoria, IL?

 

Five years twixt hurricane and complete rebuild? - not bad!

Reconstruction probably started in 1834,

taking them two years to the completion date of 1836!

 

Hope this answers your questions.

[goneclear]

St Johns Parish Church plaque says,

First erected 1645

Destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1676.

Destroyed by hurricane and rededicated in 1836

 

The plaque is on the left side of the entrance of the church.

I was there just last week and took a picture of it.

[Aplmac]

Go to URL

http://www.rootsweb.com/~atgwgw/sketches/hurricane.html

for an interesting chronology of regional hurricanes!

 

 

======================

 

Extracts from

"The History of Barbados"

by Robert H. Schomburgk, 1848.

 

APPENDIX IV. 689-695 IV. (Page 38)

 

“A Chronological List of Hurricanes and severe Gales

in the West Indies, from their discovery

- to the year 1846.”

 

 

[cinnam0n]

Thank you, goneclear. I have the same picture.....

[ORIENTEER]

I know someone who did the Safari ride through the country & thoroughly enjoyed getting into the non-tourist areas. I understand that since they are off road it is an unusual ride even though the cars are land rovers, but if you like that sort of thing....

[travelgyalrox]

only must see? i would just take a bus/safari tour

visit animal flower cave

wildlife reserve

to DO (do u hate water?)

harbour master cruise

turtle catamaran

........yea but first poster basically said everything