Elizabeth.Marley

Hi All,

We have been holidaying in Barbados for the last few years and like everyone else on this site we (my brother & Sister and my ten year old son) absolutely love the place! We’ve now persuaded my parents that, this is where we want to be, so on the 23rd of December 2007 we’re flying out for a long holiday. My parents haven’t been to BB before so, there’s a few things we would like to know:

Churches preferably a Pentecostal, for Sunday meeting and of course on Christmas day, a mixed crowd would be nice. Any suggestions?

Shops, as we don’t get into bb until Christmas eve I imagine will it be a mad rush to buy food for the following day, is it like the UK i.e. all shops are closed bank holidays?

Good Restaurants, which provide as both good customer care and good quality food.

Play areas, my son is ten years old and like most other children his age he just wants to play and have fun, any suggestions?

Car Hire, need to be able to fit five adults and a child in one car otherwise we will have to hire two cars, which isn’t cost effective.

Even though my sister and I have been many times before you would think I’d know the answers, unfortunately too much partying was done to even notice when the shops were open! With our parents with us this time, that changers things a little!

Thanks alot

Elizabeth

Belinda1974

Hi Elizabeth,

Sorry I can´t answer all of your answers, but for car rentals I am highly recommending Executive Rentals Barbados (executiverentalsbarbados.com), they have brand new cars in perfect condition, almost all fully loaded and if you book and pay in advance they give you very good rates. Ask for Stacy, I do all the rentals with her, she is great.

Elizabeth.Marley

Hi Belinda,

Thanks for that, I will have a look on the net today.

One other question!…. What, more I hear you say … Car parking/ traffic wardens, the reason I ask this is, I’m always getting parking fines here! so as I will be driving around this time just wanted to know the rules for leaving your car near a beach etc.
I’ve read that the roads are very busy, what’s it like to drive in bb compared to the UK, are their rules similar to ours? I.e. speeding etc.
Can you buy road maps? As I always get lost.

Many Thanks

Elizabeth

Belinda1974

Hi Elizabeth,

Don´t worry about parking fines here in Barbados, I only got one yet, in Bridgetown, and I parked in a signed non-parking zone......parking near the beaches generally is really no problem, if you are not doing the same than me in Bridgetown, you won´t get any parking fine here. The rules here are not that strict I would say....and what I experienced, the police is not targeting tourists like in Italy or Austria for example So don´t worry.

Traffic could be a problem if you drive on the highway in the morning (means until 10.30) and in the evening, also the coastal roads are heavy that times. Warrens is just horrible in the morning, often you are not driving a meter within an hour!!! But you will get used to it and after a while you know where you should drive to what time, also which backroads you can use if the area traffic is high.

I didn´t have any problem driving here, only the first days when I visited the first time was little bit strange, since I am from Austria where we drive on the right side. But now, after many visits, I feel totally comfortable with a car. Only at dark you have to take extra care while driving, because the people are walking on the roads, and often there is jumping somebody out within seconds, so at night it is quite dangerous, but the same, if you are here for a while, you get used to this too.

What I really like here is how drivers in Barbados treat each other with respect. In Austria nobody won´t let you out of a side road that quickly, here it is common that everybody stops when you see another car stopped for turning into a side road. I highly recommend this to you when you are driving, because everybody acts like this here, which is very nice I think.

mizzy

Hi Elizabeth

the best map to get your hands is free!!

get hold of the tourist guide, 'barbados in a nutshell' and it comes with a free handy size that will fit it to the smallest handbag!!

this is the best map and shows all the 'minor' roads so you can have a real adventure with this map getting round the island along with finding all the back routes to avoid the traffic jams! all areas and land marks are clearly labelled. it is the 'must have' map.

other larger free maps show main roads/routes however details are not so comprehensive for the smaller roads.

have fun driving!

mizzy

Elizabeth.Marley

Hi Mizzy,
Thank you, i think i know which one you mean, but can't remember where i got it from last time?
Do you how where i can get hold of the tourist guide?

Kind Regards

Elizabeth

mizzy

have always managed to pick-up at the the tourist info desk just inside entrance of cave shepperd, and on display racks in holetown. think though they may be readily available at other places around the island where this is a comprehensive supply of tourist leaflets.

Elizabeth.Marley

Any ideas on food shopping, as i mentioned above we do not land until 2pm on the 24th of December so we're a little bit worried that the shops wont' be open on Christmas and boxing day is this the case? Although thinking about it I do have a family friend, who owns a shop in St Phillip. Is it a mad rush on Christmas Eve? And what time do the shops close?
Restaurants open on Christmas day, anyone know of a good place to eat? Sorry but I need my traditional Christmas dinner with most of the trimmings, don’t get me wrong I love ma chicken, rice and peas.
What is the Traditional Christmas dinner in Barbados? Thinking about it I’ve never been to Barbados on Christmas day before it’s normally a few days after. So maybe I’ll try something different!

Any ideas you have I will be most grateful to hear from you.
Oh yes it would help if you knew where I was staying, near St Lawrence Gap.

Elizabeth

trutje

Elisabeth,
a couple of weeks before Christmas foodshopping is absolutely mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So imagine what it's like on Christmas eve!!! On Christmasday everything is shut and I believe also on boxingday,but I'm not sure..
Have a lovely Christmas in Barbados!!

trutje

What I would say is: KEEP YOUR DISTANCE!!!! They have the habbit of just to stop in the middle of the road, sometimes just to have a chat with someone they know on the other side!
And yes, Belinda, how nice and polite are they to let people cross or to let other cars through
But what used to annoy me a bit was how slow the pedestrians cross over I don't expect them to run but a bit of a pase would be nice
I've heard that woman do this slowly with a wiggly bottom to thank the driver So Linda, next you cross a road, don't forget!!

Elizabeth.Marley

Hi thanks for this information, although now i'm starting to worry when you say everything is shut does this include Restaurants as well? what about a little shop that sells milk and things? Well it look's like i'll have to take a few some provision in my case!!! I'll buy my Rum at the airport 1st things 1st

your 2nd comment regarding the road crossing, is this just a girl thing? if not i'll be sure to slow down and let the men cross the road

trutje

I don't know about restaurants but I presume they might have been booked in advance....
If you just need milk and things you could go to a petrolstation, some of them sell lots!


, I believe men just stare at you and smile, like they always do, the naughty buggers

Elizabeth.Marley

A question on Banking, What form of ID do i need to open a bank account, do i need a letter from my bank in the UK together with passport and ????
What are the best banks to join?
If i opened an account with a barbados bank can i transfer money into it without being charged? not sure what the chargers would be, but as we get charged for doing anything in this country it wouldn't suprise me.
Thanks
Elizabeth