Barbados (a.k.a. ‘Gem of the Caribbean Sea’)…. A magnificent vision of sparkling beaches (measures 21 miles long and 14 miles wide) and offering brilliance beyond the beachfront…
Interesting/fun facts:
Taxi!? … The taxis don’t use a meter, so ask the cab driver the fare before you get in (and driving is on the left).
Crop Over – Barbados’ premier festival is a traditional celebration of the end of the sugar season, lasting five weeks featuring markets, carnival shows, calypso concerts and colorful parades.
Barbadians are crazy for afternoon tea, cricket (which is also their national sport), golfing and scuba diving.
Tiger Woods married his Swedish girlfriend Elin Nordegren at a ceremony on the Caribbean island of Barbados.
“Barbados” is derived from “the Bearded Fig Trees.”
“Pride of Barbados” is the national flower of the country. The leaves of this flower, dipped in breast milk, are given to crying babies to stop them from crying.
Rum – Barbados exports more than BBD $57 million of rum each year.
It’s Good Luck if a mongoose crosses your path. Mongooses were originally imported from India to take care of the rats in the country’s sugar cane fields.
Coral Reefs – Barbados is almost totally ringed with undersea coral reefs.
Flying Fish – a common sight around the island and one of the national symbols of the country.
Grapefruit was invented on the island, by combining a pomelo and a sweet orange tree.
Gems to visit beyond the beachfront:
Harrison’s Cave – a massive subterranean cave in the center of the island is a large underground cave with stalactites and stalagmites. Streams flow through the cave, spilling over rock formations to form waterfalls which feed into deep pools of emerald-green water.
Bushy Park – the only professional racetrack in the Caribbean.
Bridgetown (capital city of Barbados), and its Garrison – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Flower Forest – this 50-acre tropical paradise (formerly a sugar plantation) is located in the heart of the Barbados countryside and home to a multitude of majestic palms, colorful shrubs and tropical flowers.
Rihanna Drive – the newly renamed street where the songbird grew up.
Speaking of RiRi…… Interesting/fun facts:
Born: February 20th (Barbados celebrates this day as “Rihanna Day”).
First Name: Robyn (her full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty).
At age 16: Signed to DEF JAM records by Jay-Z.
Military Cadet: her “other” activity during high school.
School: Combermere School in Barbados.
Million $ Legs: Recipient of Gillette’s Venus Breeze “Celebrity Legs of a Goddess” Award in 2007 (Rihanna’s legs were then insured for $1 million).
Honorary Title: Ambassador for Culture and Youth (In 2007, she was became the official face of tourism for Barbados).
Goddess Isis Tattoo on her chest & at least of 25 more, including the birthdate of her best friend.
Wax Figurines: 7 at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museums around the world (Berlin, Hollywood, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., London, Sydney, and Vienna).
Annual Diamond Ball: RiRi’s charity event benefiting the Clara Lionel Foundation.
Shines bright like a diamond — Check out Riri’s Barbados tourism video.
Get your shine-on… more scoop about Barbados and the Royal Treatment.
