River Bay Another Barbados Beauty Spot
I recently had the pleasure of visiting another amazing Barbados beauty spot called River Bay, which is located in the north of the Island in the parish of St Lucy. I can imagine that because of the Location of River Bay and it’s distance from the main tourist areas that it is hardly ever visited by tourists, in fact the day I visited, which was on Monday morning there were only two other people there. It is seemingly a different story at the weekend when the place is packed full of locals enjoying themselves.
River Bay is an extremely beautiful place to visit in Barbados. I had a great couple of hours there enjoying the views from the cliffs overlooking the bay and I also had a wee dip in the sea. The waves were a wee bit on the big side and the current was fairly strong when I was there, so I wouldn’t recommend going too far into the Caribbean Sea unless you were a strong swimmer.
There are even showers and toilet facilities at river bay as well as plenty of picnic areas, which are greatly appreciated. It sure is a nice spot to have a picnic if you can find somewhere to eat where there isn’t too much rubbish to put me you off your food!
As is usually is the case here in Barbados, any beauty spot that is fairly busy and popular with locals during the weekend there is always a huge amount of rubbish strewn all over the place and River Bay was no exception. The worst thing is that there are plenty of bins for people to put their rubbish into.
For me a drive up to the Parish of St Lucy and to River Bay is well worth the effort even though the state of the roads is unbelievable bad and the road signs are invisible. I wish I knew how the local MP for St Lucy can sleep at night? Or maybe he thinks the roads are in pristine condition. David Thomson needs to come out of his big mansion and stop worrying about what is happening in other countries and sort out the basic things at home.
River Bay is a place that I would recommend that all visitors that come to Barbados set aside some time and go and visit it. You will see a different side to Barbados away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist areas. In fact I would advise you hire a car and make a day of it, visiting the many other great attractions and beauty spots in St Lucy and St Andrew.
The Legendary Chicken Rita’s of Barbados
I’m currently having a wee break at a nice apartment down at the Silversands area of Barbados. By chance I came across what I would describe as a typical looking down to earth rum shop called Chicken Rita’s. I suppose the name gives the game away that that chicken is their speciality.
Because Chicken Rita’s was within walking distance from my accommodation, it meant I could leave the car and have a few drinks along with my food, which is probably the main reason we chose to eat there.
Deciding what to have to eat at Chicken Rita’s isn’t too difficult as long as you want to eat chicken, because that’s all they do! You can have breast, yes please and make them big, legs or thighs, which you can have along with homemade chips or rice.
What can I say about Chicken Rita’s a little unassuming rum shop, is that they do extremely good fried chicken, it was very tasty and fresh. The chips were homemade and looked just like my mum would have made them when I was a wee kid back home in Scotland, but Chicken Rita’s chips weren’t the best I have tasted, they maybe looked like my mums, but they were a poor imitation, they were cold and a bit soggy. I would also like to add that the Banks beer was chilled to utter perfection and tasted too good!
Overall I would personally say that Chicken Rita’s is well worth paying a visit if you are ever in the mood for some rather tasty fried chicken in a fairly laid back rum shop. Also don’t feed the cats until you are finished eating or you will never get rid of them and there was 7 of them hovering around the night I was there.
There was also some delicious looking rum cake and chocolate cake in a cabinet on the bar, which I was sorely tempted to try, but alas I was stuffed from the Chicken and chips. There will however be a next time when I visit Chicken Rita’s.
The Total bill for 2 servings of chicken breast and chips, along with 6 bottles of banks, (it was thirsty work!) a quarter bottle of rum and 3 bottles of soft drinks came to around $65.00BDS, I would call that very reasonable indeed.
Chicken Rita’s Rating:
Fried Chicken: 7 out of 10
Homemade chips: 4 out of 10
Banks Beer: 8 out of 10
Directions:
Head along the south coast main road towards the airport until you get to Oistins. At the fork in the road, turn right heading towards Silver Sands, continue up this road until you come to an oval shaped roundabout. Turn right and follow the road until you come to St. Christopher’s Church. Turn right and follow the road for about half a mile then take the next turn on your left. At the end of this road you will see Chicken Rita’s right in front of you.
Cotton House Bay A Great Wee Beach In Barbados
I came across Cotton House Bay in Barbados completely by chance. I was standing at Keizer Hill watching another beautiful Sunset with my wife, when I noticed a pretty looking wee stretch of sands in the distance. I could see a handful of people on the beach itself and a few learner surfers at one end of the bay, The Sunset In Barbados Is An Amazing Sight!
It was obvious that you could get onto Cotton House Bay, the only problem was how you got onto it. Once the sun had set it was too dark to go searching for the Bay, it is hard enough to find places in Barbados during daylight hours let alone when the sun has set.
So the next day I set out on a mission to see if Cotton House Bay was as a picturesque beach as it looked from the distance. I parked the car beside Keizer Hill and thought I would walk along from there until I came to the entrance to the beach. Because this is Barbados and they are a bit backwards as far as signposting places is concerned and I was rightly not expecting to find a sign pointing me in the right direction.
I walked along the road, dodging speeding cars in search of Cotton House Bay for about 10 minutes until I came to a road, which was called Seaside Drive. A wee walk along that road and I had found what I was looking for.
Cotton House Bay is a truly beautiful stretch of beach and there were only a handful of people on it, almost perfect. At the start of the bay there were quite a few surfers getting lessons, but they were tucked out of harms way. Cotton House Bay is great little beach for those that like things a little bit quieter than nearby Miami Beach, Miami Beach Is In Barbados, It Really Is!
I think Cotton House Bay would be a great place for a romantic picnic at the beach, the setting is near perfect and if things get a little bit too hot, the sea is fairly calm and is perfect for a wee dip to help you cool down!
I had relaxing couple of hours at the Bay and I even found a short cut back to my car, would you believe there was a stairway leading to about 20 metres from where I parked my car. I never noticed the stairway leading down to Cotton House Bay because the gate had been closed and I had thought I was part of someone’s house. There of course wasn’t any indication at the top of the stairs that it was a public stairway!
Come on Barbados tourism authority do something to help makes things easier for people to find places on the island, it isn’t just about getting people to come to the island. You have to start making a bigger effort for when the tourists come to the island, start making people aware of great places to visit like Cotton House Bay and then erect some sign posts to help them find it. It isn’t exactly rocket science but you guys make it seem so!. Here is some help I devised for you guys in power in Barbados, which can be found right here, read and learn, 5 Simple Steps To Improve Tourism In Barbados.
The Poor Shop Assistants of Barbados
I read with utter disbelief in the Monday addition of the Nation Newspaper, when the General Secretary of the Barbados Workers Union said that he felt that a weekly wage of $200BDS (yes $200) is a totally unacceptable wage for shop assistants here in Barbados, I wish someone could explain to me why the past Governments have allowed this travesty to happen, I can only guess that all the politicians have been more concerned with lining their own pockets with their ill gotten gains rather than making sure that the people of Barbados do not get exploited by greedy employers.
I for one find it amazing that in this day and age people are being expected to work for a pittance of $200 a week in a country such as Barbados, where everything costs so much. Lets face it, I could understand such a weekly wage if it was a cheap country to live, i.e. it was cheap to buy food and that utilities were cheap, but as anybody lives here knows that is far from the case.
The only thing that seems to be cheap in Barbados is the Rum and now I can see why there are so many rum shops and people who frequent them on a regular basis, it is cheaper to drink liqueur than it is to eat!
I would honestly say that food is a hell of lot cheaper in the UK and we have a far better choice of produce to choose from. I know it is the same in the USA and Canada; they are also even cheaper than the UK.
I wish someone could explain to me how you are meant to survive on $200 a week in Barbados, I find it amazing that there is people out there having to suffer like that. For example I went into the shop today and bought some bottles of juice and few bits and pieces, which cost me $40 and they wont even last the day. When I was in the shop I overheard a mother saying to her child what you would like for her dinner and she ended up getting a tin of tuna and packet of biscuits, I thought to myself what a way to have to live.
To me there seems to be lot of good people that are struggling and who work hard to make ends meet in Barbados. I personally wonder if the Government really cares, I suppose they should. I would like to think that the David Thomson administration will take their hands out of the cookie jar long enough to try and make sure every worker in Barbados earns a decent wage.
As I read this article I’m looking in the Auto Guide of the local news paper and see an add for a 2000 E320 Mercedes-Benz and they are asking $45,000BDS. I have a friend back in the UK who sold the exact same car in immaculate condition 80,000km on the clock for $12,000BDS. Only a slight difference in price! The amount of duty that they charge for vehicles to come into Barbados they should have the best roads in the world, not the worst ones!
I now can see why so many of the shop assistants in Barbados couldn’t give a crap about their job or the customers, quite frankly would you if you were having to work and survive on such a pittance?
The Sunset In Barbados Is An Amazing Sight
I was out for a wee walk the other night with my wife in search of a beautiful sunset and Barbados sure didn’t disappoint me. For me there is nothing quite like watching the sunset with someone that you love, it is pure romance.
Of course it is always a good idea to take a nice bottle of chilled sparkling wine to help add to the ambiance of watching something as beautiful as the sun setting on a cloudless evening with your lover.
We found a near perfect location from which to watch the sun setting here in Barbados and it is a fantastic beauty spot, which I don’t really want to tell the world where it is because there were about 6 other couples there at the time and I wouldn’t want it to become overrun with all you romantics out there.
I suppose it isn’t fair just not to tell you were the location is, it is called Keizer Hill and is just along the coast from Miami Beach heading towards Cotton House Bay.
It is a New Year and it you can make it a fresh start if you want too, by that I mean put a little effort into your relationship and on a regular basis set aside time where you create romantic moments for your girlfriend, boyfriend, partner, wife, life companion or whatever they call it nowadays and show them that you love them and are glad to be with them!
I know from personal experience that it can and does put a little bit of spice back into your relationship and that it is worth the effort.
Bajan Beach Girls With Bodies of Goddesses
It is 2009 and we have all made our New Year resolutions and one of mine is to go to the beach on a more regular basis. I have plenty of other more serious business and fitness goals that I have, but I don’t want to bore you all with those, as I just plan on quietly getting on with those ones.
But I don’t mind sharing with the world my desire to go to the beach more often here in Barbados. I would like to visit every single beach that there is on the island during the course of this year.
As you can guess there are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world scattered all around the coastline of Barbados, they are almost as good as the ones in Scotland, but not quite. The only thing that they have that beats bonnie Scotland is the simple fact, we don’t get the weather that the Bajans get.
I was having a long gruelling walk the other day at Long Beach, it also a good place for getting some exercise, as well as lazing around relaxing and enjoying the view.
Whilst on my walk I came across something I thought was banned in Barbados, a girl waking around with her top off. It beats me why these ugly thin German girls think it is okay to be walking around showing the world their little breasts, it was a disgusting site, which I wish I had never seen, but when she walked right in front of my eyeballs I couldn’t miss her. Put them away and keep them away German lady, you are old enough to know better.
My picture of the two delightful Bajan girls shows what you should be wearing at the beach, they don’t have to walk around with their boobs out to have people notice them!
A View To Kill For In Barbados
I took this picture of the stunning view at Codrington College when I was there the other day and oh boy, what a magnificent view it is too. I feel that it is a view fitting of a place of religious learning, as god after all created it.
One thing that I truly appreciated about Codrington College was the fact that they had benches all over the place, if only the Barbados Government could follow suit and arrange to have seating set up at more beauty spots and beaches around the island.
The seat in the picture was where I chose to eat my lunch and what can I say apart from that it sure was a wonderful place to enjoy the view and have a wee bite to eat. I shall return again to this Barbados beauty spot in the near future.
“We do not remember days, we remember moments”
Cesare Pavese
Santa Clause Is Coming To Barbados
It is Christmas Eve and Santa Clause is getting ready to embark upon his travels once again. When I was a wee kid growing up in Scotland we were always told that Santa came down the chimney to deliver our Christmas presents. Now that creates one big problem here in Barbados, because we don’t have a chimney. How am I meant to explain to the kid when he asks me how is Santa going to deliver our Christmas presents?
This is my first Christmas spent away from Scotland and the cold and if we were lucky it would be snowing, but such is the huge variation each year in the weather back home, that we unfortunately wouldn’t be guaranteed snow. Which is a shame because I just love it when it snows at Christmas.
The BBC weather forecast is telling me it will be a sunny and warm Christmas day in Barbados, well that will be a new experience for me and one that I will do my best to enjoy! Is it too late to get a flight to Lapland to enjoy the snow and have freezing cold wind rattling my bones!
I have the answer to the dilemma as to how Santa gets into houses in Barbados, he obviously has a special key that opens all the doors here. I better remind the kid that you have to leave a large glass of Mount Gaye rum with coke and ice, along with a nice extra large piece of carrot cake for me, I meant to say for Santa to help him on his travels.
To help you on your way Santa Clause I’m going to feature one of the best Christmas songs of all time courtesy of “the Boss”, Bruce Springsteen, and his version of ” Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
Merry Christmas Everybody All Over the World
Business Principles That You Should Abide By For Long Term Success
As a budding entrepreneur I believe that there are certain core principles, which every business owner should abide by, if they want to build a long-term successful business. I certainly abide by them and believe that they are quite frankly the difference between success and failure. It doesn’t matter if you are in Barbados, Scotland, America, China, Canada or anywhere for that matter they are principles of business that will help you to succeed.
For me they are not only business principles, but it wouldn’t do your life in general any harm to abide by them. They are the basics, which should be the cornerstone of every business, but sadly they seem to be constantly lacking in so many companies nowadays. But you know something I do my talking with my wallet and if and when companies think they are too good to worry about their customers or don’t treat them properly I go somewhere else.
It seems to be a problem that I constantly come across, and it irritates the hell out of me, and believe me it happens on a regular basis here in Barbados, just like it happens in the UK and probably all over the world. So many companies are so good, professional and first class at making the sale, but once that sale is made, it becomes very clear, very quickly that all they cared about was getting the money. There only principle is to take your money! Everything else is secondary!
It is something, which effects big and small companies, I would like to make a special personal mention here, one of the worst offenders I have ever came across was a web design company called UK192.co.uk, they are impossible to deal with and they cost me so much effort, money and time. I’m pretty certain they wont last as a business, they haven’t got a clue. They agreed a price to complete a job to a certain specification and they didn’t have the ability to do it. Instead of saying this, they took the money and tried to change the rules. Now every chance I get I tell people the truth about this company, they totally lack any business principles.
Business Principles for Success:
Honesty: Always be 100% honest with your customers and clients. Never lie to make the sale, if you cant do what they want, when they want it, be truthful and tell them that. They may compromise and you may make the sale anyway, but if you fail to deliver, you deserve to lose them as a future customer and any recommendations they may have provided.
Always Meet Your Obligations:
When you have made the sale with a customer, you must make sure that you meet every single obligation, which you have promised to deliver. It should be your priority to achieve total satisfaction for your clients, meeting deadlines and specifications are what creates happy customers, which in turn creates free business for you through recommendations.
Respect:
Treat all customers with the utmost respect and make sure all members of staff treat each other respectfully. It shouldn’t matter what position, title, age, skin colour or any kind of distinctions there is, everyone should be treated in a professional, respectful manner at all times and with courtesy.
Accounting and Bookkeeping:
Make sure you maintain a hands on approach to accounting and bookkeeping. It is vital to the future success of your business to become knowledgeable in these areas. It allows you to see exactly how much money you are making, how much you are spending and if any dubious activities are occurring you can spot them early.
Forward Thinking:
Stay ahead of the game; constantly look out for new innovations, which may benefit your business and your customers, also make an effort to master new technologies when they are happening, don’t be last.
When I was living in London for a short period before I moved to Barbados, on the road I was living in London there was a father and son driveway business which layed those nice lock block drives drives, I spoke to them one day, they hadn’t been out of the Road for over 4 months, and had at least another 3 months worth of business still to do. They had a little sign at the side of the road, they lay drives beautifully, and they are pleasant people and obviously they kept getting recommedations from happy customers!
The driveway guy told me he hasn’t had to advertise in 25 years of business. He gets all his customers from recommendations, plain and simple. He tells me that his philosophy has always been the same, do a great job, complete it on time and don’t act like an idiot when working, and he has never ripped anybody off in his life. He admits he isn’t the cheapest, but he provides true old school quality. I feel there are some valuable lessons to be learnt from this small business. As he said to me, “it aint rocket science”. He has got very clear principles which are providing great business results.
Never lie, cheat, mislead, steal or provide a crap service to your new or existing clients, it is a simple philosophy, which will pay dividends for you as a person and as a business owner.
I hope all those builders that I have had working for and with me in Barbados take heed of the above and all those that think it is smart business practise to rip people off and do shoddy work, you will never get the chance to make money from me again, and you sure as heck wont get a recommendation! In fact I will go out of my way to advise people not to employ you!
I wish I new why everyone in Barbados is a builder? When most of them haven’t got a clue about building work and doing even a reasonable good job. All they want is the big money for a second rate job!
Bath Beach Is A Good Place To Go For A Bath
Yesterday I was badly in need of escaping the day to grind of work and the noise of builders working in the house. So I formulated an escape plan, the mother in law was given the job of supervising the builders, so the wife the kid and myself jumped in the car and headed over to the parish of St John in search of Bath Beach.
Fortunately getting there wasn’t much of a problem as my wife has loads of family over there and knew the way, that saved the nightmare situation of trying to figure out the maps you get here and the non existent road signs.
After another real bumpy ride we eventually made it to Bath Beach, which is seemingly the safest beach for swimming in on the east coast of the island. There was a lifeguard on duty when we were there, but I didn’t fancy my chances of going in for a deep swim, the current was real strong. So we settled for basically just sitting in the water and enjoying the cooling waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Bath Beach is a fairly busy beach at the weekend and you will find loads of locals picnicking and enjoying themselves in the beautiful surroundings. Even though I personally don’t rate it very highly for swimming in and it sure isn’t the prettiest sands you will find on the island, I think it is a great place to go for a walk. I walked to beside the cliffs of Conset Bay and then all the way back to beside Congor Rocks.
There is an picnic area and wash rooms at Bath Beach, which I’m always glad to see at beaches in Barbados.
The ruggedness and beauty of the coastline around the Bath Beach area is nothing short of breathtaking and I would recommend it for those that are aiming to escape the more touristy areas. The biggest downside to my trip to Bath Beach was the amount of rubbish that was littering the beach; it was nothing short of disgusting. The Government needs to take some action regarding this matter and do it NOW.
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