Life, bajan style

"on an island in the sun..."

This is a brief account of my life, bajan style (not a new cooking method or diet... well maybe a bit of a new diet), for the past two weeks.

So we landed late, at about 7:30 in the morning. First few things i noticed - flat, like Toronto, but far from grey. Lots of lush green trees and plants all over the place. It was humid and noticeably warm, but not unbearable. It wasn't like leaving the airport in the dead of summer in Toronto or Miami, i didn't start sweating on the spot.

I'm by no means racist but black people, lots of black people. It's not like i've never been in a place where i was a minority (ever go to Richmond?), I knew to expect that (Chris had told me, even tho all of his many friends that i met from there are white... maybe he's the racist... seriously, just kidding), but i have never been in a place where blacks are the majority so it just seemed odd... i dunno why, but that oddness only lasted about a day.

Then we drove home, on the other side of the road with the steering wheel on the otherside of the car. I never got used to left turns for the whole trip... my stomach would always drop when the car would move and i'd see a car coming in the lane i thought we were going to. Don't think you can say "driving on the other side of the road can't be hard, its easy" cuz its not. All i had to do was pull the right-hand drive car into the driveway and i was disorientated, i couldn't judge where the car was, didn't know which shoulder to look over, it was a mess. And even tho its a small island, you drive everywhere. Why? because the streets are so damn small. NARROW. SUPER MODEL SKINNY! Cars come form the opposite way and you just think "there's no way we can both fit", most of the time, somehow, you do, but on the occasion some one had to stop and let the other person through. Honking, lots of honking. But not Toronto honking, friendly honking.

AHHH! He's on the wrong side!

I wouldn't dare walk anywhere in fear of getting knocked off the road. We went around some curves hugging the side wall - I mean hugging! if my arm were handing out the window along side the car the skin on my forearm would have been left on the wall. Chris liked to pretend that he was a rally car driver, sliding through the turns, that made me squirm sometimes but not as much as when we went through hugging the curves. And of course, all this is done FAST! I wouldn't recommend driving there unless you're fearless or stupid.

This is your standard 2-lane road. pot holes, lots!

There's also no such thing as a designated driver. Nor is there such thing as a breathalyser. That and the fact that you can buy beer, rum, vodka, gin, whatever at the grocery store or gas station makes easy to see that everyone drives home drunk. And its ok. Socially accepted. And they make it home ok, driving 40 km/h down the windy skinny roads. Don't try to argue it, just accept the skillz.

They know how to party down there. Clubs, pay a flat rate to get in, equivalent to about 25$ canadian, and drink all you want all night (well until 3am, after that you gotta pay. but if you get there at 11 and drink til 3 i'd say you're good to go). Guinness, Smirnoff Ice, mixed drinks, beer, rum punch (be careful with the rum punch), whatever you want. The music is hard (good). The atmosphere is even harder (wicked-awesome). Harbour Lights: The club is outside, basically its a big house with a big backyard that backs onto the beach. Palm trees are all lit up, benches and tables, it really has a good feel - and you can buy food! They even have an annual party on Christmas eve, go there dressed in Red and White. So after Christmas eve church service everyone heads over there to be hungover Christmas day. Its tradition. Its standard. Friday before the wedding we're all going to Harbour Lights, be there.

another day at the beach

Boxing day no one shops, nothing is open, but they lime (more drinking). Boxing day morning an email goes out, i dunno how they know who to send the email to, telling everyone which beach/hill the lime is going to take place. You get there and there are a couple thousand people of all ages with lawn chairs and coolers, tents with live bands, big speakers, DJ music and port-a-potties. Everyone just has a good time enjoying the view, slapping some doms. Like at the cluband christmas eve, people get real drunk. Good times.

boxing day festivities

new year's (or old year's as they call it down there)

In addition to drinking nuff (that means lots!) we spent a lot of time at the beach. GORGEOUS gorgeous beaches. The beaches are incredible. No stinky seaweed smell and crystal clear water. The water isn't hot or cold, just nice. When you go in your don't want to get out. The water is soft and refreshing. Depending on your mood you can go to a clam beach with basically no waves and just relax and float, a rougher beach with bigger waves that keep you on your toes so that you don't get your face planted in the sand, or beaches with even bigger waves if you wanted to go surfing.

calm beach

rougher waters

i have a palm tree fetish

Tanning was great because you never got too hot. You never got too hot anytime because there was this constant breeze. The weather was very comfortable. I didn't quite reach black-ness status, so operation race change will have to wait another day. I could go on with more, but this is long and i'm tired of sitting here.... Trust me, a beautiful place and a great time, you'll have to just check it out for yourself. Barbados anyone?