Barbados
Ten Things To Know

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Barbados
Ten Things To Know


Ten surprising facts and essential travel tips about Barbados.

1) The name Barbados comes from Los Barbados, the name given to the island by a Portuguese explorer who was impressed by the long aerial, beard-like roots hanging from local fig trees.

2) George Washington actually slept here, on the island of Barbados, when in 1751 Washington visited here to see his brother, who came to recuperate from an illness. Washington's Barbados sojourn was the only overseas trip America's first American president ever made.

3) The 18th century Morgan Lewis Sugar Mill is the last stone windmill of its type still working in all the Caribbean. The Morgan Lewis Sugar Mill is also a tourist attraction.

4) Barbados boasts 3008 hours of sunshine annually. Temperatures vary between 75-85 degrees. On winter nights with a brisk wind it can be chilly.

5) Wukking up is a favorite dance that's more than a gyration of the hips. It's considered a great way to shake your worries away.

6) Two of Barbados' most popular local drinks are Mount Bay Rum and Banks beer.

7) Flying fish is the favorite fast food among local Bajans. Flying fish (as a sandwich or an entree) is usually fried in a light batter and often served with a yellow sauce made of hot Scotch Bonnet peppers and onions in a mustard sauce.

8) One of the islands most popular tourist attractions is the Friday night fish fry at the town of Oistins on the south coast where you can feast on fresh fish cooked the authentic Bajan way. The weekly ritual is also popular with locals who dance much of the night away.

9) The cruise terminal is about 1/2-mile from downtown Bridgetown, easily reached in about 10 minutes by following the sidewalks bordering the shoreline. A cab ride is around $US 4.

10) Harrison's Cave, considered the Caribbean's largest cave, is Barbados #1 tourist attraction.

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