Week One in Barbados
Aside from having no credit cards with us, our first week in Barbados has been an easy transition - mostly because we got used to living in a warm climate while we were in Mexico and are in good shape for walking everywhere we go. We find the sun to be a bit hotter here and have to be careful about sun screen and seeking out shade along with something cool to sip on. Credit cards are on their way to us....
We spent the first night at a little hotel that is two blocks away from our apartment so the move from there was quick and easy. It was nice to unpack our suitcases again and get settled into our new closets.
We arrived at our new apartment and met the manager - Brett - a great guy who loves to play polo on his segway. Apparently his team won the world championship last year - there is a huge following, and we will get out there to take in the excitement one day.
It took a few days but we have new phone numbers, internet and tv channels... yaaaaaay!
Our apartment is a bit small - only one bedroom with a small kitchen - but provides what two retired folks need. We miss our nice laundry machines that we had in PV. Laundry services here are provided through a pick up and delivery arrangement. We still need to connect with the lady that runs it and hope to do that soon... the pile is getting a bit unruly.
I am finding it warm here and have my handy little handkerchiefs with me all the time. As usual, Cyndi is saying she is once again grateful that she can stop feeling cold. She never breaks a sweat.... The pool temperature is perfect for cooling down and we have been there several times already during our first week. We have also been out for several dips in the Caribbean. The pool and the ocean are right next to each other and there is a shower for rinsing off salt / chlorine depending on where you went. Lounge chairs await your return and so do cool drinks served at The Beach House.
We went shopping at a Massey Store (large chain) for groceries and were shocked at the prices of things. I prepared a list of grocery items and their costs while we were in Puerto Vallarta and have started filling in what we paid for the same items here in Barbados. Both columns are converted to Canadian dollars so I can compare. So far, we are generally finding Barbados to be double or triple the cost of groceries in Puerto Vallarta. We went to a big box store called Cost-U-Less (kinda like Costco) and it offered bulk buy in large quantities. Not really practical for two retired folks who aren't eating much due to the heat, but we did manage to spend over Bds$700 getting some "one-time" purchase items like storage bins, plastic food containers, bulk wraps, new pillows, etc. A 10 minute taxi ride to get your groceries home is Bds$30. (Bds$2.00 = US$1.00 and Bds$1.00 = CAN 65 cents).
The bus rides here are about the same as they are in Puerto Vallarta, except most of the roads are narrower and the buses drive faster. We haven't seen any cobblestone roads here - we don't miss them. LOL! A ride on the bus is definitely not considered a "tour" as things fly by in a blur. Many of the customers sharing the bus with us have dreadlocks and fancy head gear of some sort, and it is fun to people watch. The driver usually has his stereo turned up super loud with Jamaican style rap music and it's easy to tell that they have a huge sub-woofer installed somewhere.... It costs Bds$2.00 to get on the bus, and you pay each time - no transfers. The driver does the driving and there is a conductor who gets people on and off the bus and collects the fares after you have been seated. It seems to be a bit more streamlined that way so they can move more people in the same amount of time.
Bridgetown is a going concern and you see all walks of people there. Everyone is busy trying to get you come into their shop, or sell you something on the street, or lure you into their taxi. Taxi drivers are quite aggressive in vying for your business. We walked along the boardwalk by the Careenage and crossed a couple of different bridges in opposite directions and found our way up High Street and onto Swan Street. Walking along Swan Street is not for the faint of heart as it is crowded and lots of jibber jabber going on. Then we turned back toward the Careenage, and then north-west along Broad Street and finally ending up in a place called Cheapside. The bus terminal is there along with many interesting people. Our quick introduction to Bridgetown made us realize we need to spend a lot more time there as there are lots of things to see and do. Once we get organized we can make another trip and perhaps even extend it further south for a preliminary viewing of Oistens.