Most days begin with coffee, but after that Tom and I walk. We’ve found that walking and public transportation – Zed Rs or the regular buses are the best way to experience life on the island and also stay in shape. We are up to about 8.5 – 9 kilometers (about 5 miles) a day walking

I know that I said most days begin with coffee, but along with that goes the squabbling of the parrots and the chirping of the tree frogs. The roosters that strut around the yards and streets add their boastful crowing to the morning’s cacophonous melody. The parrots don’t talk but make their voices heard with their raucous squawks.Tree frogs you’ve heard before and there are a plethora of them chirping morning, noon and night. These along with the rushing Zed Rs and other traffic during the day and the music, conversation and laughter from the local restaurants and bars in the evenings are the sounds of Barbados.

As I explained in my previous blog, Barbados is a fairly small island with a lot of people. The houses run from large mansions

to rows upon rows of tiny little homes and everything in-between.

There are 8 main highways (keep in mind that much of what is called highways here are narrow two lane roads. I think that they are called highways because they are paved whereas most of the other streets are gravel. Where a fair number of people own their own cars, the majority seem to rely on the public/private transportation systems i.e. buses, Zed Rs and taxies which there are in abundance. So narrow streets + lots of people = constant traffic – not a criticism just an observation of the busy island life.

It rains most every day here – short bursts followed by long periods of brilliant sunshine and so it goes throughout the day. Consequently the vegetation is lush and beautiful with flowers everywhere – bougainvillea,

hibiscus, water lilies

, portulaca, ginger, bird of paradise and so many more that I don’t know the names of – grow wild and everywhere along with every kind of palm tree you can imagine.

 

The clouds drifting across a brilliant blue sky, the lush growth, the crystal clear sea with its white sand beaches –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we are in

paradise!