A Day At The Rum Shops - An Island Pub Crawl

Any trip to Barbados would not be complete without indulging in rum. The island is the birthplace of this strong liquor, with a long history and culture based around it. When Michele and I returned to Barbados for our second trip we decided we should have a day where she would relax on the beach, and I would explore the island absorbing the local rum culture. I had a plan; after breakfast I would venture to Speightstown, far north on the island, and make my way back, visiting the rum shops that the island is famous for. If all went well, I would return early in the afternoon....

My journey started on Thursday morning, I took the bus into Bridgetown, grabbed a coconut water to hydrate, then transferred to the Speightstown bus to begin the ride north. Packed full of people, we left the bus terminal. It’s a long ride, so in the meantime, what’s a rum shop?

Imagine your favorite local bar. Usually, it’s just the regulars; everyday folks from right around the neighborhood. Now, take that setting, and place it in the Caribbean. Take that building, reduce it to the size of a small one story house. Add several open doors for a welcoming environment. Have a few tables and chairs, maybe some radios and televisions. Stock the bar with flasks of rum and liquor, Banks and/or other beers, and perhaps groceries and such. There might be a small kitchen serving up some local eats, a few snacks, and not much else. Leave now if you like “Fancy”.

Back to the bus ride....More folks got on at each stop and now the bus was crammed and stuffy, even with all of the windows open. Near Holetown the sky opened up and rain poured down. Windows went up to stop the rain, sweat drenched everybody, there was no relief from these conditions. With Speightstown in sight I hopped off, only to find myself next to the Stop By Bar... So why not!

This little rum shop resembled a pavilion, with locals waiting to catch a bus to Bridgetown. Their special was Heineken, as the shop’s paint job advertised, and I quickly downed two to recover from the stuffy bus ride. Bidding goodbye to the owner and the few patrons waiting for buses I hit the nearby Chefette for a quick snack and wandered into town to begin my tour in earnest.

There I came upon Limerz Sports Bar, already hopping at about 11:30 in the morning. I ordered a Banks, and tried to order a cutter (sandwich) but they were out. Only fish and macaroni pie on the menu today, and I had already had plenty of that at Oistins so I figured my stay would be short. A few minutes later an older gentleman, well intoxicated, tapped me on the shoulder. He needed a hand packing some groceries into his backpack and I aided him get his goods stowed away. “Where are you from?” he asked me.

“New Jersey, USA”.

“Aaah, come here! Come here!”

Next thing I knew, I was seated and being introduced to all of the regulars. A couple of empty rum bottles and plastic cups littered the small table. The several hearty men that were still there were mixing sodas with rum and laughing away. I was asked to join them. Of course!

Now, I can’t remember all of the folks I met, but Lloyd was one of the regulars who was sitting next to me and asked about our trip to the island. Which, of course, lead to another bottle of rum for the group as I told about our flight from New York, the trip to Harrison’s Cave in the rain, and the Catamaran ride along the coast. We discussed football, both English and the American variety, and upcoming plans for the Easter weekend. This is what’s called liming in Barbados; talking about everything while enjoying some drinks.

When I finally took note of the time, I realized that I had stayed much longer than I thought I would and needed to make my way back to the Coconut Court hotel in Hastings. Lloyd was leaving too, and the rest of the fellows were either continuing to lime or nearly falling asleep in their chairs! Lloyd and I crossed the street to the bus terminal and boarded the bus headed south, as he told me it was “a non-stop flight back to Bridgetown!"
He left a few stops down the line, but little did I know this was an express bus; it bypassed Bridgetown and made its final stop in Oistins. At first I didn’t realize where I had arrived, until I spotted Hercules Bar, a now familiar sight in this fishing village. I knew I could catch a ZR back at any minute, so with the best of intentions I wandered into Hercules for a quick beer.

Here’s where things get hazy...or fuzzy...or both.

I was the only person there besides the bartender. Soon after, a Bajan man and woman strolled in and ordered a flask of Johnny Walker. I greeted them with a “good afternoon” and finished my beer. As I stood to leave, the bartender slid a fresh Banks beer in front of me and said, “from the gentleman and lady over there.”

Now I couldn’t leave.

I moved to their end of the bar and introduced myself. I can’t remember if his name was Thomas, or maybe Timothy? I never got the woman’s name. I asked him if this was his wife, he said “No, my drinking buddy”. Whether that was code for mistress or something else, I’ll never know and didn’t find it relevant to pursue.


Lime number two of the day began, as I purchased a second flask of Johnny Walker for the three of us! The gist of the conversation is much lost to memory, but involved more of our travel stories, the restaurants we had tried, and so on.

Empty flask on the bar, I really, REALLY knew I had to get back to the hotel. The couple stayed for more spirits while I trekked to the bus stop. Old reliable No. 11 ZR minibus sped by in a few, and I was on my way back.

At the Coconut Court I found Michele still enjoying her beach day. Rum-fueled me was escorted to a chair, where I recounted the day’s tales in great detail to her, Antonio the bartender from the beach bar, and anybody willing to take the time to listen to the story. Following that was a long nap on the beach, waking up when the sun had set, and venturing off for some dinner before retiring to fully recover!

And that is my day at the rum shops...

As I see it, any trip to Barbados should include a visit to a rum shop, or two, or more. Starting with a general plan may sound good in theory, but in reality that will change as soon as you are immersed in the local culture and welcomed by the island’s friendly people!

TRAVEL TIPS:

Find a Rum Shop! - That’s easy. They say that there as many rum shops as churches in Barbados. Some say 500, others 1,000. Or more. Look for brightly painted buildings that advertize the sponsor’s beer or rum. Or ask one of the locals. You’re probably within walking distance of several.

Meet the Locals! - The true experience of the rum shops is meeting the wonderful people of Barbados and “liming” or “having a good lime”, talking about everything possible. Sports are always a hot topic, and cricket is the national obsession. With a literacy rate of nearly 100%, Bajans are well informed and easily discuss world cultures and news.

Drink! - Rum, of course. Or other liquors. Buy it by the bottle, pick a size such as a mini (small) or flask (large) depending on how many people are in the group. Grab a plastic cup and some mixer to go with. Beer, generally Banks (although some rum shops have various choices) is served ice cold in the bottle.

Eat! - Rum shops serve up delicious local foods at cheap prices. Try some flying fish, macaroni pie, cutters (sandwiches), fish cakes, or even pudding and souse on a Saturday.

MOST Important!!! - Nothing will spoil a day at the rum shops worse than drinking and driving. Use the bus, call a taxi, or walk back if you’re close enough. Common sense will make sure that all of your rum shop memories are fond!

Walking the High Line – Nature in the Urban Jungle

A day trip to New York City usually includes Central Park in the agenda, but some of the city’s less famous parks can be just as interesting and relaxing. One of these unique parks is the High Line.

Located between 10th and 11th Avenues, the High Line stretches above the city streets on an elevated railroad track constructed in the 1930’s that had been abandoned by 1980 and was converted into a park starting in 2006. The park runs in a north to south direction and currently stretches between Gansevoort Street at the southern end up to West 30th Street. Expansion to West 34th Street is planned for the future.

Michele and I took a summer day trip to explore the High Line and see how nature had been introduced to the old railroad track. We decided to walk north, starting at the West 14th Street entrance. On this beautiful Saturday afternoon the High Line was a popular place for folks to spend their weekend. Later that day we chatted with some locals and learned that if you come during the week it’s possible to beat the crowds.

Although I’m no expert when it comes to knowing all of the various types of flowers and plants, I found many great photo opportunities.

A few businesses operate on the High Line, such as The Porch, were we stopped to relax for a bit and have a cold drink. Entrance and exit walkways along the way make it easy to drop into the stores underneath.

We walked the High Line as far as West 23rd Street, and decided to exit there to check out some other nearby points of interest.

If you’re only looking for nature then any of New York City’s parks will suffice, but if your interest is in how nature is introduced into the urban landscape, be sure to take a walk on the High Line.

TRAVEL TIPS:

The High Line is located between 10th and 11th Avenues and runs north to south between West 30th Street and Gansevoort Street, with future expansion planned. The A/C/E Subway is the most convenient public transit method to get to the High Line.

The park is open from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily.

There are several entrance/exit points along the way and several have elevators for wheelchair access.

Bicycles, skateboards, and picking flowers and plants are prohibited

The Cheapside Market

On Saturday morning I took a ride into Bridgetown for a stop at the grocery store to pick up some basic items such as juice to keep in our room refrigerator. I also wanted to check out the Cheapside Market, a place I had researched before the trip.

I’m a big fan of farmers markets. From mid-spring to late autumn, nothing beats buying fresh locally grown produce. Michele and I frequent several of the local farmers markets here in New Jersey to find the fruits and vegetables of the season. We cook most of the meals we eat, seldom go out for dinner, and use fresh ingredients whenever we can. It makes quite a difference in the overall quality. The Cheapside Market makes the farmers markets at home seem very small by comparison!

I took the ZR to Bridgetown, hit the grocery store for some juice, then walked to the end of Broad Street and crossed through the park to Fontabelle Street, following it to Cheapside.

The market is located inside of a large building with open access from all sides. I walked in, immediately immersed in the hustle and bustle of the crowds purchasing produce from a seemingly endless number of vendors stacked end to end in crowded aisles. I encountered all types of fruits and vegetables that I’m familiar with; peppers, beans, yams, potatoes, bananas, coconuts, okra, cabbage, squash. Then, there were strange looking things I’ve never seen before.

I came to buy some fresh fruit, and the vendors were very helpful in directing me to find the fruit that I wanted. After mistaking a sliced up squash for a sliced up mango, the nice Bajan lady directed me to the stall next to her, where I bought several mangos. I also wanted bananas, and was sent to the far end of the aisle to buy a bunch. Everything is weighed on scales so you can buy as much as you like, or afford. The ‘Cheapside’ name is fitting as well, because I bought both the bananas and mangos for a total of $6 BDS (or $3 US).

Returning to the hotel with fresh fruit, part of me wished we had a kitchen so I could buy and cook some of the delicious produce at the Cheapside Market! Maybe next time.

TRAVEL TIPS:

Saturday is the busiest day at Cheapside. The market will be packed with vendors and all sorts of fruits and vegetables can be purchased.

Cheapside Market is located slightly east of the Princess Alice Bus Terminal. If you arrive at Princess Alice, walk towards Bridgetown and take the next north-bound street to Fotabelle Street and the market. If arriving at Fairchild or the ZR lot, make your way down Broad Street to the end, cross through the park, and continue on Fontabelle Street to the market.

Ask vendors if they have the fruit/vegetable you are looking for. If they do not, they will direct you to a stall that does. Prices are cheap (like the name!), don’t worry about haggling because you will be getting a better price than in a grocery store.

A Scholarly Fall Foliage Trip - Princeton

In my college days, many years ago now, autumn was always my favorite time of year to be on campus. It’s hard to say whether it was because the new school year was getting started, the leaves were changing, or the days were sunny and cool when you could sit outside and study. Something just always felt right about it!

Two years ago, Michele and I went north to the Palisades and Sleepy Hollow for a fall foliage day trip. Last year, we went west along the Delaware River. This year, we decided to try another unique location and decided on Princeton, home of one of the country’s finest universities.

The trip started out with a drive west, bypassing Trenton by taking Interstate 295 around the city to the Princeton Pike exit for Mercer Road.

Our first stop was at the Princeton Battlefield State Park, located on Mercer Road, a couple of miles from town. George Washington scored a big victory here on January 3, 1777 coming on the heels of his Delaware crossing and the battle of Trenton. We didn’t end up spending too much time here, the park was not really very impressive compared to Washington’s Crossing State Park that we visited last year. Other than the Clarke House and a few historical markers, it’s a large field. The foliage wasn’t great, most of the trees were either bare or had yet to change, and walking trails were lacking. The park also sits directly on busy Mercer Road. Worth a quick stop, more interesting things were ahead of us in Princeton.

Mercer Road took us directly into the center of town where it intersected Nassau Street, with the University buildings on one side and the town shops on the opposite end. It took a little bit of driving around with our map to get oriented with the campus, and finding a lot to park in at the University was an obstacle (either lots were for student use, or since there was a home football game that left the stadium lot out of the question). We noticed plenty of on-street parking meters near the train station and decided that was the best bet, pleasantly surprised at how cheap they were. At 30 cents an hour, the little bit of spare change I had with me bought us over two hours of parking.

The foliage at Princeton University was more vibrant than what we saw earlier, making for better photo opportunities as it blended with the unique architecture of the campus. Constructed in the Gothic, or Collegiate Gothic style, the buildings featured interesting combinations of gray stonework and masonry. We walked through the various quads along with students going about their weekend activities. The marching band had assembled outside one of the halls in preparation for the football game.

Michele and I spent the better part of a few hours taking photos of the campus. One particular highlight, the University Chapel, blended intricate stained glass windows with high cathedral stone arches. The library, and Alexander Hall also offered aesthetically pleasing stonework.

With time set to expire on the meter, we drove back into town and found the municipal parking garage to use for the remainder of the afternoon. A few blocks away was Triumph Brewing Company, and after a morning of walking around we were ready for some lunch and a refreshing beverage!

Michele and I have been on a bit of a brew pub tour throughout the state since she bought me the New Jersey Breweries book this past summer, and this was our first visit to Triumph. The entrance may be on Nassau Street, but it’s a walk down the long corridor before you’re finally inside the brew pub. The interior was nicely laid out with two bars, one on the lower level and one on the floor you enter, with a small dining area there and an upstairs dining area as well.

We ordered a sampler of the craft beers, and Michele was pleasantly surprised by the variety and taste (fewer bitter beers on tap) compared with the other pubs we’ve visited so far. She decided on the pumpkin ale and Gose (a German wheat beer) while I stuck with the more conventional IPA. We treated ourselves to a full lunch with appetizers (calamari for me and the meat and cheese platter for her), and a main course of lamb kebab for me and gnocchi as her entree. The food was excellent and reasonably priced, with good customer service as well. We decided to stop back later to fill up a growler of fresh beer.

On to explore the town, we encountered a mix of high end shops that catered to the wealthy area residents, mixed with college hangouts and places frequented by the less wealthy student crowd. The Princeton University Store carried every imaginable article of clothing and accessory with the school logo and in orange school colors. By coincidence, Michele’s top was orange and she received numerous compliments around town all day! I picked up a pint glass and shot glass from this store to add to our collection.

As our day finished up, we stopped back at Triumph for a growler of Oktoberfest Ale and came home to relax. Free from the worries of academic life that the Princeton scholars faced, I filled up my new pint glass and sat back to relax for an enjoyable ending to another great day trip!

TRAVEL TIPS

Princeton is best reached by car, or using NJ Transit on the Northeast Corridor rail line. Driving from the east, take I-195 to I-295 North, which becomes I-95. Exit on the Princeton Pike for Princeton and continue into town. From the west, take I-95 and the Princeton Pike exit. From the north, Route 1 south is the best option.

Princeton Battlefield State Park is located on Mercer Road, about two miles south from the center of town. Park is open daily and free.

Parking in Princeton can either be at the municipal public garage off of Chambers Street or metered street parking adjacent to campus The meters are a bargain at 30 cents per hour. Walking is the only method for exploring campus, you can explore on your own or sign up for a group tour.

Triumph Brewing Company is located on Nassau Street across from the University, with a full line of craft beers and full menu.

Tastee Sub Shop - A Lunch Fit For........A President!

Everywhere there are establishments that claim to be ‘World Famous’. Everything from restaurants and bars to electronic stores and car washes. But what does it really take to be world famous? Perhaps being known to people on several continents? Or perhaps maybe hosting dignitaries or world leaders?

On that note, it’s time to check out a little place called Tastee Sub Shop.

Michele introduced me to Tastee Subs not long after we first started dating. This little sub shop in Edison, New Jersey is her favorite and she was a frequent patron while living in the area, now making stops from time to time while in the area for a bite to eat. Tastee Sub Shop does one thing, and they do it better than anybody; they make subs. No pizza, no grill, just subs and bags of chips and sodas. And it’s all done in an assembly line manner - the first person takes the order and slices the meat, it’s passed to the next person who adds cheese, then the next who handles toppings, on to the next to last person who wraps it or puts it on the plate, and the final cog in the machine is the cashier. But the quick assembly is overshadowed by the supreme quality of the final product, all of the freshest ingredients cut and served same day.


This model for a small business success caught the eye of one particular person with a significant interest in how the economics and management of small business is conducted in America. On July 28, 2010 President Barack Obama visited Tastee Sub Shop to have lunch and discuss economics with local small business owners. Tastee Sub Shop was in the news and had served the President of the United States!

Michele and I decided to take a short road trip to Edison the following weekend for some subs where the atmosphere was still buzzing from the presidential visit. When we arrived at Tastee Sub Shop the line was roughly three times the normal volume and snaked around the store. With new fame comes new clients, and the crowd featured a mix of regulars and curious first timers. Despite the length of the line, it moved quickly in the normal method that Tastee Subs handles business, and the time spent waiting generally revolved around conversation of the President’s visit. The staff that was working and had also worked the day of President Obama’s visit shared their thoughts; the President was a very down-to-earth gentleman who was happy to meet them and listen to what they had to say, and brought a positive vibe to the staff.

When my turn to order came, I chose the #5 Super Sub (same as the President) and picked out a cold drink and chips to go with. As in all my previous experiences here, I had a fresh, filling, and delicious lunch.

Regardless if you’re the President of the United States or the guy or gal from the office or job site down the street, you’ll get great service and an excellent meal for a reasonable price when you stop by Tastee Sub Shop.

And they’re humble enough to not declare themselves ‘World Famous’.


TRAVEL TIPS:

Tastee Sub Shop is located at 267 Plainfield Avenue in Edison, New Jersey. Interstate 287 is the closest major highway to use to getting there.

Hours of operation are from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily.

Prices for a half sub are approximately $5.00, for a whole sub are $9.00. Chips, sodas, pickles, cookies and macaroni or potato salad are the only other menu items. The emphasis is on the subs!

A Ride on a ZR Minibus - The Island Roller Coaster

Traveling on a budget, most of your money is spent getting to your destination and paying for lodging. Now it’s time to get out and explore, but renting a car or hiring a taxi is out of the question. What other options are available? It’s time to travel like the locals, and with the locals, using public transportation.

Public transportation abroad is often very different from what people in the United States are used to. Americans are accustomed to the bus or the subway with fixed and reliable schedules, and also trains that operate in a similar fashion. When abroad, you may be dealing with vehicles that run erratic schedules, cram people in, suffer breakdowns, or drive like maniacs. Perhaps, it’s all of the above. But to have an authentic experience getting to your final destination, sometimes it’s necessary to literally get up close and personal with the locals.

In Barbados, there are three main types of public transportation; the government bus, the private bus, and the ZR minibus. Briefly, the government busses are colored blue, run on fixed schedules, and only accept exact change. The private busses are more laid back, play the radio, have a less fixed schedule, and can give change if you don’t have the exact fare. Then there is the ZR.....

A fleet of Toyota minibuses cruises the island, white in color except for a stripe down the middle and a number posted on the vehicle indicating the route number. The ZR (pronounced zed-r) shuttles people around the island on its own schedule. A route description is posted on the front windshield, for example, “Silver Sands via Oistins” in addition to its number. The minibus seats the driver, a front seat passenger who is sometimes the fare collector, a dozen more fixed seats for riders, and fold out seats to accommodate more. And they can always fit more as people double up and sit on the floor. The driver speeds between stops and will always pick up another passenger, because each one means another $1.50 BDS collected!

Which leads to a story of our first night in Barbados.

Michele and I took an almost empty ZR from the Coconut Court in Hastings where we were staying to Oistins early on Friday evening. I had my fish dinner, and as the food court started to crowd we decided to leave. At the bus stop down the street we joined a larger group looking for a ride out of Oistins. Private taxis pulled up and offered fares, with some takers, but I knew that some sort of bus would come shortly. It just happened to be a ZR.

As a few wary tourists looked on, we hopped on board the ZR and paid the collector our $1.50 each. A Bajan gentleman offered Michele the front seat, which in hindsight would be a mistake, and I climbed in the row behind with other passengers, a mix of locals and travelers. As a reggae mix on the radio provided the background theme, the sliding back door was thrown shut and we were on our way. The driver pulled out of the bus stop and hit the accelerator, flying past other vehicles turning off the highway and slowing only at the bus stops where he beeped the horn to find out if any more passengers could be picked up.

Between Oistins and St. Lawrence Gap the majority of the travelers had already left the ZR for their hotels, and a few locals had taken their place. Each stop abrupt; slowing quickly followed by speeding that threw us back and forth in the seats.

Past the Gap the pace really picked up as the driver flew through traffic, dodging and weaving, horn honking, music playing. Twists and turns in the road that slid me into the person beside me or forced me to grab the seat in front to prevent it. And the ride went on.

Traffic picked up, the driver didn’t slow down. The horn seemed to honk constantly and be the most effective tool to deal with the situation. As we rode up fast on a line of slowed traffic, the horn blared but the car in front couldn’t move. At the last possible moment the driver slammed on the brakes bringing the ZR to a halt, sending me flying off of the seat and into the rear of the seat in front of me before I bounced back and landed in place. We had narrowly missed the vehicle in front of us by inches!

With a collective sigh of relief, traffic began to flow and the normal business of honking the horn and picking up or dropping off passengers resumed. We were in the last 500 meters from the Coconut Court, the bus stop next to it was for us, so I called out “Next Stop!” and the driver hit the brakes for one last time on our ride. The door swung open and I rolled out of the back seat as Michele anxiously climbed out of the front. In a second the door slammed shut and the ZR sped off into the night towards Bridgetown.

Michele and I walked upstairs to our room. Her face was still was one of complete terror, but as for me... I was energized! All I could say to her was, “That...was..AWESOME!! I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt so alive!”

She disagreed.

During our stay in Barbados we used public transportation to explore the island, and rode the blue bus, the yellow bus, and other ZR taxis. While none of the other rides were as crazy as our first evening, traveling with the locals was a rewarding experience as we rode around the island in true Bajan style.





TRAVEL TIPS:

Public transportation in Barbados is cheap and reliable. The fare is $1.50 BDS regardless of the distance you travel on a single ride. This applies to the government (blue) bus, private (yellow) bus and ZR. However, it is often necessary to change busses in Bridgetown to get to your final destination.

All of the busses stop at the designated bus stops along the road. They will either be marked “To City” or “Out of City”, meaning to Bridgetown or away from Bridgetown. Exact change is required for the blue bus. The yellow bus and ZR will make change if needed.

The bus terminals in Bridgetown are the Fairchild Street terminal and the Princess Alice terminal. Each has specific routes. The ZR minibus arrives and departs from the transit yard in Bridgetown, which is roughly a 300 meter walk from the Fairchild Street terminal. The distance between the Fairchild Street terminal and Princess Alice terminal is approximately 1 km.

If you are claustrophobic, suffer from motion sickness, or have any similar issues, the ZR is not recommended. Wait for a blue bus to come along. To signal for the next stop on the ZR, either press the buzzer if one is available, knock on the side of the van, or call “Next Stop” to the driver.

Friday Night in Oistins, Barbados

It was the middle of the afternoon on Friday, first day in Barbados. Less than twelve hours earlier we were in New Jersey, and now we had traveled to an island only a few degrees north of the equator. It didn’t matter how exhausting the day had been, I wanted to go to Oistins!

Located on the southern tip of the island, Oistins is a small fishing village that attracts both visitors and locals to its famous Friday night fish fry. Nothing is fancy about Oistins, but it is a true example of an authentic Bajan (that’s the local term for Barbadian) dining experience. It should come as no surprise that fish is the main dish on the menu and any seafood fan will be satisfied, but enough other choices for the non fish eaters can be found as well.

Michele and I hopped on a ZR minibus and the ride to Oistins took about twenty minutes from out hotel. We decided to go a little bit earlier in the evening because I had worked up an appetite from the long day, and we wanted to beat the large crowds that would be showing up later. Not far from the bus stop where we got off were the plethora of vendor’s stalls, all with grills and fryers running at full capacity. Menus written on chalk boards in front of the stalls listed the choices and prices, and vendors generally always had tuna, dolphin fish, and of course flying fish among the selections. Waitresses working for the various owners stood by to take orders and seat patrons at the nearby tables.

I decided to order the grilled flying fish, part of the national dish of Barbados, and a side of rice and peas for my meal. We were seated at one of the nearby picnic tables; all of the dining in Oistins is outdoors in this relaxed atmosphere where we mingled with other folks from the UK, Canada, and USA. Dinner arrived a short while later along with Banks beer, the locally brewed beverage. I used the Bajan yellow pepper sauce with the fish; I had heard reviews of how spicy it was, but for me it didn’t seem over the top on heat and added a nice compliment to the fish. A long day of travel was rewarded with a tasty and filling meal!

After paying the bill, Michele and I walked around the area checking out some local vendors and crafts for sale. An outdoor stage was being prepped for musical acts to follow shortly, and the crowds were getting larger as more visitors and locals arrived in Oistins.


It had been a long day, and we walked back to the bus stop to take the bus back to our hotel, which is a story itself! I promised myself another trip to Oistins before leaving Barbados, and I returned during the week for more delicious seafood.

If fancy restaurants are your fare, don’t bother with Oistins. But if you want a tasty meal at a reasonable price in a relaxed atmosphere, don’t miss out before you leave Barbados!




TRAVEL TIPS:

Oistins is located on the South Coast of Barbados and is most easily reached using the No. 11 minibus for Silver Sands via Oistins. $1.50 BDS for the minibus. The blue bus on the south coast highway will also pass through Oistins.

Friday night draws the biggest crowds, along with entertainment on the main stage. For smaller crowds and more relaxation, go earlier in the evening on the weekend, or visit Oistins on a weeknight. Most vendors are open in the evenings throughout the week.

A full meal is about $20 - $30 BDS, which includes a main dish of fish or chicken and side dishes such as rice and peas, macaroni pie, and french fries. Banks, the locally brewed beer is one of the beverages of choice. Plenty of soft drinks are also for sale; ginger beer is a tasty island treat!