Wednesday, December 13, 2023

West Indies Adventure: Bridgetown, Barbados (12/13/2023)

Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Today we explored Bridgetown first in the morning;
Bridgetown is the capital of Barbados
About half way on our 1.4 mile walk to town from the
cruise terminal, we passed the fish market, but were not
authorized to go out to the docks to see the colorful
flying-fish boats that are iconic to the island;
however, flying fish are becoming scarce in Barbados
due to climate change, and these are mahi-mahi
Arenaria interpres/Ruddy Turnstones at the fish market
Fort James Building (19C as a sugar warehouse
on the site of 17C Fort James)
This warehouse is now Canary Lane Mall
The Wharf
National Heroes Square (formerly Trafalgar Square
until 1999) commemorates prominent figures in
Barbados history: the latest honoree was Rihanna in 2021
Cenotaph/War Memorial (1925)
 honoring Barbadians who lost their
lives in World War I, later adding
names from World War II
The West Parliament Building (1871); Barbados has the
third-oldest parliamentary body in the English-speaking
world, having been established in 1639 (KSS)
The East Parliamentary Building (1874)
Dolphin Fountain (1865); Barbados was early in having
running water throughout the island, in 1861
Chamberlain Bridge (1865-1872), according to legend,
is located where an earlier bridge was created by the
Arawak indigenous people; the area was later the Carénage,
where old sailing ships were careened/tilted over
to repair and clean the hulls [of barnacles]
A Festival of Trees where each organization was given
a country as a theme for decorations
Independence Arch (1967) to commemorate
independence that was gained in 1966; in 2021,
Barbados transitioned to a republic
within the Commonwealth of Nations
Statue (2007, by Ricky George) of
Errol W Barrow, the Father of Independence
and one of the National Heroes, as the first
Prime Minister of independent Barbados
The USA Christmas Tree
Handmade decorations of the Liberty Bell
and United States flag
$1 US equals $2 Barbadian, thus
this is a Dollar Store
Graveyard of St Michael's Cathedral (KSS)
Cathedral Church of St Michael and All Angels
(1789, cathedral status in 1825)
Interior of the cathedral with a barrel ceiling that was
once the widest inn the world
Sanctuary (KSS)
Queen's Park House (1786, as the residence of the
Commander-in-Chief of the British Garrison);
the grounds were opened as a park in 1909
Kinetic sculpture
Adansonia digitata/Baobab Tree is estimated to be over
1,000 years old and must have come from a seed that arrived
by wind and water to Barbados from Guinea, West Africa
The girth of the tree is measured to be 25 m/81' (KSS)
There were more Festival of Trees trees in Queens Park;
this one shows creative use of [red?] plastic bottles
Central Bank Building (1982-1986) contains
a 500-seat concert hall 
The original entrance to the Nidhe Israel
Synagogue; it was the Jews who arrived
from Brazil in the 1620s who introduced
sugar cane to the Caribbean islands
Nidhe Israel Synagogue (1833)
Montefiore Fountain (1865 as a drinking
fountain donated to the city by
John Montefiore, it was moved to
this location in 1940, without water)
John Montefiore was a respected Jewish merchant who was registered as a free mulatto.
National Library (est 1840s, 1903-1906 building
funded by Andrew Carnegie) is currently being renovated?
Old Supreme Court
Local retailer displays on the verandas, and a shaved ice vendor
$1 DVDs
Local shopping at Gateway Mall
Produce including root vegetables
Bubulcus ibis/Cattle Egret
St Mary's Anglican Church (1825-1827 on land that was
left after the first St Michael's Church (1641) was destroyed by
a hurricane in 1780), thus St Mary's is known for being sited
on the second oldest piece of consecrated ground in Barbados
St Mary's Anglican Church interior
The organ loft
Baptismal font that was donated by the
Jewish merchant John Montefiore in 1863
Old Town Hall (1730)
Cheapside Public Market (1810, roof looks modern)
was mostly empty
Looking for Pelican Village and Craft Centre,
found this circle of huts, which turned out to be
drinking establishments with one lottery ticket booth
It was the local hangout, but we were welcomed
We were hot and thirsty, and our water
from the Viking Sea was long gone
Our particular vendor had a duct-taped together speaker
Pelican Village and Craft Centre was also mostly empty
At least the owner of Rolli's
 had a sense of humor (KSS)
Next: Barbados Excursion.

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