Last year I decided that I will miss Advent in Prague. and I'll go out into the heat. No frosts, no stress, just disappear for three whole weeks and not come back until Christmas Eve. I combined business with pleasure and set off for a language course in Barbados. How did I spend these three weeks?
Historic Sunbury Mansion and a Lesson in Patience at Six Cross Roads
Barbados never ceases to amaze me, because even an ordinary Tuesday can turn into an exciting one here. a travel detective story. Today after school I decided to swap my textbooks for some real stuff island history and I set out to explore one of the oldest settlements in the Caribbean.
Apart from that, I enjoyed the trip by yellow bus. It's become a rule that when I get on the bus, I ask the driver if they're going where I need to go. Today was no different. I showed the driver where I wanted to go and he said I was right, that I could get on and that he would then tell me where to get off.
But even so, every time I travel, I check to see if I'm going in the right direction. It was the same today. I'm sorry I have Google Maps.
The truth is that it was worth it. When I saw that we were approaching the intersection, I rang the bell, after which the driver just grinned at me, saying that he had completely forgotten about me. By the way, to avoid getting lost in those alleys of theirs, I use it all the time data eSIM from Airalo. If you also want to work online, download the app and use the code "„STANIS0407“"Your first purchase is 3 dollars/euro cheaper"
Sunbury Plantation House: A Journey into Barbados' Deep Past
As soon as I arrived at Sunbury Plantation House, the atmosphere of 1660 breathed on me. This house was built by Matthew Chapman, an Irish-English adventurer, and to this day it is one of the best-preserved examples of how the powerful planters of that time lived.
As a result of surviving several fires and hurricanes, the house now offers an incredible look into history, which was closely linked to sugar cane and, unfortunately, slave labor. The interiors are literally stuffed with mahogany. What impressed me the most was the giant dining table for 30 people, where people have been feasting for over 270 years.
On the other hand, it's not just tables and chairs. You'll also find unique items in the rooms, such as two armchairs that were made directly for the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838. The entire floor is filled with period bedrooms, where you'll see historic dressing tables, old children's toys, and meticulously carved four-poster beds that were supposed to protect sleepers from insects. Downstairs, you'll find the largest collection of carriages in the Caribbean, from luxurious stately carriages to work carts.
What you definitely shouldn't miss in Sunbury:
A majestic mahogany table for 30 guests.
Queen Victoria's coronation chairs.
The Caribbean's largest collection of historic horse-drawn carriages.
Original kitchen with copper pots and antique utensils.
- Beautiful garden around
Lost in Six Cross Roads or a lesson in Barbadian traffic
After the tour and the obligatory rum punch included in the ticket price, I got "„ingenious“"I had the idea that I wouldn't go back through Bridgetown, but I would try to take a shortcut straight to Oistins. I ended up at the Six Cross Roads roundabout, where six roads actually intersect and it's kind of unofficial. central eastern node of the island.
The wait at the "To City" stop dragged on for an endless hour. The sun was shining and the bus was nowhere to be seen until an empty blue state bus pulled up next to me. The driver asked where I wanted to go, as if he suspected I had been waiting here for an hour, and told me straight away that I'm not getting anywhere here., but that he would take me a short ride where I would have better luck.
We drove two, maybe three kilometers, he dropped me off and sent me to the end of the street and to the right, where there would be a gas station. So I followed his instructions. I bought something to eat at the gas station and in a few minutes I was sitting on the right bus to Oistins. This vacation is teaching me that in Barbados everything always works out somehow, even if it seems hopeless for a moment.
I still managed to do it tonight. sunset on the beach and I was again accompanied to bed by an endless concert of local frogs.
All about Barbados in my e-book
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