Barbados - Barbados

Barbados
Location
Coat of arms and flag
Capital	Bridgetown
Government	Parliamentary monarchy
Currency	Barbados Dollar (BBD)
Surface	439 km²
Inhabitants	278.000
Tongue	English
Religion	Protestant, Catholic
Prefix	1246
TLD	.bb
Time zone	UTC-4
Website	Barbados Tourist Board

Barbados is an island state of the gods Caribbean, located in the southern part of the archipelago of Lesser Antilles in the Atlantic Ocean and north east of Venezuela.

To know

According to the tales of the descendants of the indigenous Arawak tribes of other local islands, the original name of Barbados was Ichirouganaim. The name "Barbados" comes from an explorer Portuguese named Pedro Campos who, in 1536, called the island Os Barbados ("Le bearute"), because of the island figs whose long hanging aerial roots resembled beards.

The locals refer to themselves as "Bajans" and Barbadian things as "Bajan".

Background

Barbados has experienced several waves of human migration. The first waves were those of the group Saladoid-Barrancoid, farmers, fishermen and potters who arrived by canoe from the Orinoco Valley in Venezuela around 350 AD Arawak they were the second wave, and arrived from South America around 800 AD. Arawak settlements on the island include Stroud Point, Chandler Bay, Saint Luke's Gully, and Mapp's Cave. In the thirteenth century i Caribs they arrived from South America in the third wave, displacing both the Arawaks and the Salodoid-Barrancoids. For the following centuries they lived isolated on the island.

Between the sighting of Campos in 1536 and 1550 the conquistadors Spaniards they seized many Caribs on Barbados and used them as slaves on plantations. The others fled the island, moving elsewhere.

Barbados was formally colonized by the British in 1627. After the failure of several cotton crops, sugar cane was introduced and the colony established itself as a profitable planting economy. The Africans enslaved were the primary source of work on these plantations until 1834, when they won their freedom through several years of rebellion, supported by mounting pressure from anti-slavery movements in Great Britain.

The economy remained heavily dependent on the production of sugar, rum and molasses for most of the 20th century. Although the shackles had been removed, much of the repressive slave labor conditions remained on the island until the 1930s, when the black educated middle class gained universal adult suffrage and took control of the country's local government away from the British local aristocracy in decline. The country began a process of social and political reform in the 1940s and 1950s which led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1980s, tourism and manufacturing overtook the sugar industry in importance. economic. Barbados has developed into a stable democracy with one of the highest literacy rates in the Western Hemisphere.

Territories and tourist destinations

The island of Barbados has 11 parishes which can be divided into four regions:

      Bridgetown - The capital of Barbados and its surroundings in Saint Michael Parish.

      Central eastern Barbados - Includes the parishes of Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph and Saint Thomas. The east coast is the rugged Atlantic side of the island.

      Western Barbados - The calm coast on the Caribbean Sea which includes the parishes of Saint James, Saint Peter and Saint Lucy. Holetown and Speightstown are the two main cities.

      Southern Barbados - Includes the parishes of Christ Church and Saint Thomas. Includes St. Lawrence Gap, a lively area full of bars and restaurants, Oistins and Grantley Adams International Airport. Between the capital, Bridgetown and the international airport are followed by a series of beaches and seaside resorts. Here you will find the cheapest accommodation such as hotels, boarding houses and private apartments.

Urban centers

How to get

Entry requirements

Italian citizens not they need an entry visa.

By plane

The international airport Grantley Adams International Airport (IATA: BGI) is located at the south eastern end of the island, near the fishing port of Oistins and 13 km from the center of Bridgetown. Buses and minibuses leave from a stop in front of the airport to Bridgetown, Holetown and Speightstown, but taxis are the most convenient way to reach the hotel upon arrival.

It has dozens of flights arriving in high season from UK, Canada is United States of America. British Airways e Virgin Atlantic Airways they have many flights from the UK (including the airport Londoner of Gatwick), while American Airlines is the main carrier from the United States (Dallas, You love me is New York). Air Canada and Westjet fly from Canada. There Condor instead it flies by Frankfurt.

On boat

Many cruise ships dock in the port of Bridgetown. The terminal is served by numerous taxis and "shuttle buses" to / from downtown Bridgetown.

Private moorings are available throughout the island. Remember that strict sanctions prohibit casting anchors on coral reefs. Private boats must check in at Bridgetown or Port Saint Charles. Anchorage north of Carlisle Bay. The Q flag is mandatory. There are entry / exit fees.

How to get around

By car

You drive on the left. Moving with a car makes it easier to reach the less accessible and hidden points. There are also numerous taxis that can take you to any part of the island. They have no meter, so it's best to bargain the price before getting on board.

Renting a car is expensive. If you drive, be aware that the roads on the island are generally quite narrow, with the exception of the ABC highway. It is advisable to be very careful, as many roads on the island have sharp curves, steep inclines and are generally quite bumpy, although most are paved. Many of these "highways" have no sidewalks, so there may be pedestrians on the road who share the carriageway. Also, beware of makeshift passing lanes, as slow drivers are often passed by others when on two-lane roads. Road signs can be quite confusing, be careful.

You can also rent motorcycles and scooters to reach the most inaccessible areas, but it is not recommended as the roads can be in bad condition and there is a serious risk of accidents.

• Courtesy Rent-a-Car. A rental agency. 

By bus

There is a bus system operated by the Barbados Transport Board which is very efficient. There are also private bus and van companies. Many bus stops are also located on the side of the road where there are no sidewalks.

What see

The west coast is home to numerous luxury resorts, and the interior highlands have several historic sites with picturesque views.

• Botanical Garden (Parish of Saint Joseph), @[email protected]. Adults USD 15, Bds USD 30. Inside there is a beautiful Botanical Garden with information on the fauna and flora. 
• Cricket pitch, Kensington Oval (Bridgetown). If you like, you can watch a cricket match. 
• Mount Gay Rum Distillery Ltd., Spring Garden Highway (Bridgetown, Parish of Saint Michael), ☎ 1 246 425-8757. Tour 20 USD. The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and includes a rum tasting. It consists of a visit to a room with some signs and information, a 10-minute video, and a tasting of 3-4 rums. This is not a visit to the manufacturing plant. There is a bar on a veranda. There are more expensive lunches (B $ 75) that include both transport and food. 
• Brandon's Beach (Next to the Mount Gay Distillery). Simple beach that can be combined with a visit to the Distillery if you want to take a quick dip. A nice enough place for an hour or two within walking distance of the Cruise Ship Terminal. 
• 13.182375-59.5740221 Harrison's Cave, Welchman Hall, St. Thomas. 30 USD. 8:45-15:45. Underground cave with stalactites, stalagmites, small waterfalls and pools. The cave is crossed by tram; in some places you can go down. Minibuses from Princess Alice's bus terminal pass by the road leading to the caves. The journey takes about 45 minutes and costs $ 1 - just ask the driver to get off at the caves and then walk 500 'to the entrance. Be aware that there are fewer buses on weekends, so leave early. 

Atmospheres of the colonial era can be traced in the environments of Sunbury Plantation House^{[link not working]} is St. Nicholas Abbey. mansions of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries respectively, inside sugar cane plantations from which rum was distilled.

What to do

Currency and purchases

The national currency is the Barbadian dollar (BBD) Here are the links to know the current exchange rate with the main world currencies:

At the table

Bajan cuisine is a strange mix of spicy and savory dishes along with traditional ones British. There are great restaurants and also local vendors (street food) where to buy fishcake, coconut and other local specialties. Fish often appears on the laid tables especially red snapper (snapper) and seafood (shellfish).

• Flying fish (flying fish or swallow fish), the icon of the islands found on coins, banknotes and menus, has become a national emblem. Flying fish is usually served lightly breaded and fried, with a yellow sauce. Warning: this yellow sauce consists of very spicy peppers with onions in mustard sauce.
• Pepperpot, a must, a dish with a long tradition and of great pride among the Bajans, a pork stew in a dark brown spicy sauce.
• Try the cutter, a local sandwich made with salt bread (not a normal sandwich). They do it with flying fish, ham and the popular bread and two (two fish cakes in a salty bread).
• Cou-cou, the national dish is made from cornmeal and okra, a vegetable known in Greece is Turkey how bamya.
• If you are looking for normal fast food you will be disappointed. Bajans practically do not eat beef, much easier to find than chicken and fish.

Drinks

Barbados boasts excellent water quality, it is easy to drink from the tap and many cruise ships take the opportunity to stock up here. But the most famous product of Barbados is certainly the rum that you can buy in the many shops found almost everywhere. Do not miss the beer: Banks Beer is 10 Saints are the local beers, very good and it is also possible to visit the establishments.

Tourist infrastructure

The accommodation offer is excellent. They range from the cheapest guest houses to luxury resorts and villas that can accommodate large groups. There are agencies and private individuals who rent accommodation, you will have no difficulty in finding the most suitable place for you.

Events and parties

National holidays

• New Year - January 1st
• Errol Barrow Day - It falls on January 21 and commemorates the figure of Errol Walton Barrow (1920 - 1987), advocate of Barbados' independence from the United Kingdom and later became 1st Minister
• Good Friday (Good Friday) - Between March and April
• Easter Monday (Easter Monday) - Between March and April
• Heroes' Day - Occurs on April 28
• Labor Day (Labour day) - May 1st
• Whit Monday (Pentecost) - Occurs on the eighth Monday after Easter.
• Emancipation Day - It is 1 August, the anniversary of the abolition of slavery.
• Kadooment Day (Carnival) - Occurs on the 1st Monday of August.
• United Nations Day - Occurs on the 1st Monday of October.
• Independence Day - Occurs on November 30th
• Christmas Day (Christmas) - 25th December
• Boxing Day - December 26th. The day corresponding to our Boxing Day is in many Anglo-Saxon countries the day of distribution of gifts (boxes = boxes) to the poorest. Today it has lost its meaning and is above all a commercial celebration

Safety

Health situation

Respect the customs

How to keep in touch

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Barbados
• Commons contains images or other files on Barbados
• Wikinews contains current news on Barbados
  

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