Best of Barbados - Orchids, and a Plantation

I got up and took some photos as we came into the harbor.

Clouds over Barbados

Approaching port

When we docked in Barbados, instead of being right next to the cruise terminal shops, we were all the way on the other side of the port.

Bow camera showing ships that are close to the terminal

I was upset, but in the end it turned out OK because they had shuttle buses which were free - although the first one was so crowded that if I'd wanted to scratch my nose, I'd have had to have someone else do it.

Shuttle buses on the pier

Lining up to go on excursions

We were on a tour called "The Best of Barbados", and the first stop was the Orchid Farm.

2006 prices

This was very interesting and the guide showed us on a ginger flower how to take the leaves sprouting from the flower and grow a new plant from it.

Jasmine

Orchids in the top of the enclosure

We also saw a lot of orchids of course

Vanda orchids

i ascda udomchal

Vanda Dicky Chua

Vanda sanderiana

Orchid house

Potted orchids

Driver and Guide and Bob with hat at Orchid World

After that we went to St. John's Parish church - where we had stopped for a minute on the previous visit.

Entrance from the bus parking lot

Parking warning

St. John's church

Side chapel from the outside

Barbados National Trust

It is speculated that St. John's Parish Church was first constructed in 1645; making it one of the oldest churches in Barbados. This first wooden building was destroyed by fire and was replaced in 1660 when construction on a stone structure began. This church building was to cost the diocese one hundred and ten thousand (110,000 lbs) pounds of sugar. Hurricanes destroyed or damaged the church in 1675, 1780 and 1831. The current church was completed in 1836.

Looking down the aisle to the entrance

The elaborately carved pulpit is said to contain six different woods; ebony, locust, Barbados mahogany, manchineel, oak and pine - the first four of which are indigenous to Barbados.

Pulpit and Alter

Looking out the Church window

and of some of the graveyard.

graveyard on one side of the church

Although I didn't find the gravestone of the oldest burial which was Ferdinando Paleologus who was a descendent of the brother of the great Emperor Constantine XI, the last of the Byzantine Imperial family. He fled to Barbados after the Battle of Naseby in England. He was a church warden of St. John’s Parish and later died there in the 1670’s.

View from the cemetery

Dove on the wall

We finished up in Sunbury Plantation House. Sunbury allowed photographs everywhere which was really nice. There were separate guides for this site.

Sudbury entrance

Sun porch

Recliner and Desk, clock calculator and book

Dining room

The house was bought by someone who wasn't living there - they had a house down the road. They had restored it for tourists.

Illustrations - West Indian Natives and Mulatto Girl

Sudbury Plantation looking down onto the dining room table

Sink

Parasol and gloves on the bed

Scarf made from John Sprouts Black fouls (fowls)

Bathroom

Child's Room and High chair and dolls tea set

Dolls and Playpen c 1860

After we toured the main house (upstairs and down) we went into a courtyard where they offered us free punch (with or without). There was also a display of antique tools.

Courtyard and Chain rain gutters

Bob was intrigued by the use of chains for downspouts.

Outside on the grounds

Drip Stone House - Sudbury grounds

When we got back, I went looking for a taxi driver to take us out to the Barbados Museum and wait for us and bring us back. One of them agreed to do that for $20BD. I thought he meant $20 for the whole trip, but he meant $20 each way and for waiting.

Driving through Bridgetown

Cannon out front of the museum

Flowers outside the museum

When I was there before, there were no restrictions on photos. I was disappointed to find that now there were. They said I could only take photos in the courtyard. I had a somewhat elastic interpretation of this - I figured if I was IN the courtyard, I could take pictures of whatever I could see.

Inside the Courtyard

Tub and frieze in the courtyard

Bicycles

I remembered the Children's section of the museum which I thought was good.

Children's exhibit (dress)

Reconstruction of a plantation house

Architecture of a Barbados house

There was also a native art section, an explanation of Chattel Houses,

Chattel House exhibit

Explanation of the chattel house

A Chattel house is the original Tiny House. After Emancipation, the slaves were still landless, since most of the land was owned by the plantations. A chattel house was originally a house that was owned by the occupant, but the land under it belonged to the plantation owner. The houses therefore had to be “chattel” which means “movable possession”. When the occupant moved to another plantation, they could take apart the house and put it on a truck and move it. Each unit is a separate entity. This model is a "two gable and shed-roof" combination. The traditional shingle roof requires a steep pitch. The shed roof does not require such a steep pitch and can be covered with galvanized iron sheets. the pitch-pine siding is nailed to studs so that the panels are rigid when assembled, but can be easily separated. White pine trimming covers the bolt heads and raw ends of the siding at the corners, and 'gingerbread' bargeboards trim the gable ends of the roof. Usually a chattel house is placed on limestone blocks for easy removal. The Tenantries Freehold Purchase Act allowed tenants to purchase the land under their house. So now the houses are often on more permanent foundations and may also be connected to water and electricity.

Iron door and inside a Prison Cell

and some sections devoted to contemporary art.

Exhibit of Barbados made goods

Bob and the taxi driver

Steeple visible from Museum (across Racetrack)

The museum is right next to the race track, but they weren't having any races when we were there.

Racetrack and racetrack buildings

While we were in the museum, the taxi driver went to get gas. I was considering going to the local crafts shops

Craft Village

but I was too tired.

Best of Barbados shop in terminal

I didn't even stop at the Best of Barbados shops on the pier.

Royal Clipper

Carnival and Princess cruise ships

We had a very late lunch in the Lido after we got back

Buffet decoration and Buffet at lunch

At dinner, we could observe the ship leaving Barbados. I took a photo of the Hilton where we had been to see the Needham Lighthouse the previous week.

Hilton from the ship

Bob's Herb Scented Salmon Fillet with Piont Noir Sauce and Chive Potatoes

Vegetable Lasagna

Tom, our dinner companion had a birthday cake

Birthday cake

The next day, we went back to Dominica and rode on the rainforest tram