CAPTAIN SLOG STAR DATE 75.13

Robin and Terry weren't at dinner last night. Having spoken to Terry the night before I gathered that the two couples came away with slightly different ideas. Mum and Dad were hoping to do most things together as a foursome, Terry and Robin were looking for a bit of 'us' time! I think it had caused a bit of tension at the start, but is now sorted, I hope.  It made me think about how we as a family all are on holiday, when we go as a family. We just kind of mould to the moment, personal space is respected but not an issue. Everyone is free to join in or not with no hurt feelings. I thought this is how things were for everyone, once that agreement to go away together has been reached. Maybe not, I think we are just lucky.

I'm finding this cruising lark to be pretty tiring, especially when it's a new island every day. Today is Barbados. Once again the blasted alarm clock woke me from my slumbers, this time at 6.40. We were just approaching Bridgetown as I finished dressing and opened the curtains.

The problem with being on a large ship such as Eclipse is that not all ports can accommodate you. It would be nice to tie up each time at a pretty harbour with shops and cafes littered around. Instead , like today, you end up docked in the container port which has been adapted as a cruise terminal. So a lovely view of dozens of Ffyfes bananas and Dole fruit containers to scope whilst eating breakfast on the balcony. Other ships in port were the Noordam, which looked very nice and a Star Clipper, with masts and sails. I have often thought that they looked pretty stunning in the brochures but sooo expensive. Close up, I wouldn't bother. There is a pathetic little swimming pool and an inflatable hot tub on deck. No balcony cabins and just a bit tatty round the edges. So, I've just saved myself a fortune!

It was an early start for my trip today, so I headed out as soon as we were custom cleared. It was a Jeep tour and Harrison Cave.  I met up with Angela and Brian from our trivia quiz team who were on the same trip. Our driver and guide was a Rasta named Ruel. He was quite funny - mixed parentage, an English mother and Caribbean father, hence, he said, his black body and white legs!

It turns out that in 2008, he was awarded the Barbados bravery medal for averting an attack on one of his groups of tourists. A band of armed attackers jumped out in front of his jeep and only through, his quick thinking and driving skills did he manage to escape with everyone intact. At the same time he called the police and the perps were arrested. The court case is ongoing. (I found all this out on Google).

Anyhow, we had a great tour of the island. I did feel that Barbados overall has been overdeveloped. There is a very sharp contrast between rich and poor living conditions. Again their education system is to be regarded with awe. It sounds as disciplined as it was in my time and according to Ruel or Octopus, as his friends call him, the two best schools on the island are state run.

We stopped for a quick photo shoot by a white lion carved out of coral to commemorate the fallen in all the stupid and pointless wars we have had since WW1.....

..... and he also showed us a painting on a rock at a road junction depicting the tale of the lion and the mouse from Aesop,  I think. You know the one where the lion was caught in a net and the mouse freed him by gnawing through the rope.


He showed us a church that was covered in cracks from the last few seismic tremors experienced by the island. It was from the 1700s and didn't look as though it was still structurally sound.




Not sure I'd want to be the insurer on that particular  building. Do churches have buildings insurance, or do they think it's not necessary?


He took us onto a trail through the virgin vegetation, how Barbados would have looked to the first Europeans when they arrived in 1536. It must have seemed quite inhospitable especially with the resident Carib Indians being fond of human flesh. We saw several Green Monkeys who are very camera shy and I spotted a little mongoose crossing the road, otherwise no other wild life.

Ruel then took us to a 'walking beach', so called because the tides are too dangerous for swimming.

 Here he gave us all some rum punch which was lovely, but a bit early in the day! I wandered off along the beach and took a few pictures, then back along the road where there was a little white church, St Aiden's, with an equally small graveyard behind.

It was quite moving to read the dates which all began with'sunrise' and the date of birth, then 'sunset' and the date of death. Very poignant.

Next was the Scotland District. It did look a bit like Scotland, kind of wild and rugged but no grouse or red deer and most importantly no snow or midges!! There is no hotel development in this part of Barbados as it is mostly clay and buildings tend to travel downhill on a whim!

We then shot off to the caves where we said goodbye to Ruel, who had entertained us for a good couple of hours. He seemed fascinated by my hair, not sure why and kept patting it. Odd!!


. In exchange we got a lady tour guide who sounded as though she was reading words without understanding or caring, what she was talking about.

We travelled through the caves on an electric tram. Guess who got to sit next to Mr Smelly? Yep, yours truly. It must be a gift I have, always the looney on the bus or the smelly one.

My poor little camera struggled in the gloom, so forgive the quality....




We came back by bus with our driver giving a good narration about all the local sites. Unfortunately, I dropped off half way round and missed a lot of it. These early mornings are getting to me!

I managed to find a piece of tat at the cruise terminal, a lucky elephant with Barbados on it. I'm almost certain they've not native to the island, so what's that all about then?

God, it's a formal night and I don't fancy anything on the menu ... Crispy frogs legs? Poor little b*****s! Tastes like chikin... So eat chicken and let poor little Froggie Pistorius alone.

So do I go or do I stay?