When COVID slammed the brakes on travel, my daughter and I chatted regularly about taking a trip together to the Caribbean. It’s challenging to finish a conversation when we get together for family dinners or country walks as her small children have other ideas. When travel restrictions eased, we zeroed in on Barbados as it fit our mutual love of active adventure along with good food.
Staying at the O2 Beach Club & Spa on the ocean was a luxurious treat. With an oceanfront room and several pools to choose from, we didn’t want to leave the property at all, but with so much to see on the island, we explored the resort and the island in equal measure. The rooftop Brisa bar on the 8th floor became our hangout as it has its own pool and bar service with hot snacks. The bar near the oceanside pool made the best Basil mojitos, which I would pick up on the way to Brisa and enjoy alongside a snack of grilled vegetables.
At Earthworks Pottery studio the first morning, we met David Spieler, one of 12 artisans who make pottery in the studio that his mother started over 40 years ago when she moved to Barbados from Canada. After touring the studio, we took turns making bowls. When David showed us the ropes, it looked as seamless as drawing a breath, however it wasn’t as easy as he made it look but we enjoyed the process and were both quite proud of the finished product.
Open Kitchen was the next stop for a delicious lunch, neither of us wanting to eat much as we were ziplining next. My daughter, Sara, had never ziplined before, so I challenged her to embrace my motto “feel the fear and do it anyway” as I had gone many times in different countries.
After our arrival at Chukka Adventures and a safety chat with guide Malakai, we headed up steep steps to the high platform. “I think I’m going to be sick,” Sara said, as she peeked over the edge seeing only treetops and a deep valley. Our guide mentioned that she would be fine on the next four. She replied, “Oh no, I thought there was only one.” The rest were easier and when we finished, she said she would definitely do it again.
Travelling together and sharing passions is what made every day colourful. We both love exploring farmer’s markets, so we made an early start to Brighton Farmer’s Market for breakfast and shopping. Our first stop was Samarah Jewellery, a local jewellery maker. Meeting the creator and learning the backstory adds to the experience. For us, the ideal souvenir is to buy authentic locally made mementos, ones that support local artists and their craft.
We had lunch and a tour at PEG Farm and Nature Reserve. It’s an impressive and unique business concept by visionary Paul Bourne who started it over nine years ago with a business background, but no agricultural experience. Standing for People, Environment and Growth, PEG is on leased land that was home to abandoned sugar cane and now combines biodynamic farming, free range animals, educational programming and retreats with a backdrop of lush tropical scenery.
Over a delicious and locally sourced lunch, Paul regaled us with stories about his days as World Champion of rally car driving, and I told him, with my hand on my heart, that I had always wanted to go in a race car. He said that he would make a couple of calls to see if he could make it happen to which I gasped. The next morning, we met up with him at Bushy Park Raceway.
After signing consent forms, I was fitted for the suit and helmet. The helmet was cushioned by a full balaclava, and it still fit tight to ensure my head wouldn’t move at all. Once we got to the pit, I was strapped into the very low seat. The steering wheel came off to allow Paul to slide in much more smoothly than I. Sara took a video of the car racing around the track, her worried laughter heard over the roar of the race car. After six laps, the pit crew pushed us back in as the cars don’t have a reverse. I took off my helmet, shook out my hair, and Sara asked immediately how it was. “Amazing,” I said, “I would go again right now if I could.”
Late one afternoon we took a sunset tour on a Calabaza catamaran. Snorkelling together was a novel experience for us and Sara’s excitement was infectious. As I slipped into the water, she guided me towards large sea turtles, rays and a huge tarpon; a lovely, choreographed snorkel. On the sail back, the skies opened up with torrents of rain that turned into a double rainbow, an ideal ending to a beautiful day.
Driving along the rugged coastline to Andromeda Gardens, we came across the “Soup Bowl,” which fittingly describes the carved-out landscape of the beach in the “Bathsheba” area. The immense rock formations add to the craggy beauty of the beach. Sara threw off her sandals and leapt in between the huge rocks with the beautiful ocean view just beyond.
We then walked through nearby Andromeda Gardens, which felt like walking through a living children’s book with enormous and whimsical plants and trees. The huge gardens have over 500 plant species and is the oldest and largest garden in Barbados. Downloading their app guided us through the garden allowing us to learn details about each plant or tree.
One memorable morning we set off for Mount Gay Distillery where we were signed up for a basic history tour. Rumal Jones with honey brown eyes and endless historical anecdotes along with a wicked sense of humour offered us Planters Punch even though it was only 10 o’clock in the morning. I mentioned it was a bit early and he replied, “Drink what you can, not what you want” as he slid a brightly coloured glass of deliciousness across the bar. When I commented on the strength of the Planters Punch, he quipped, “The reason it’s called a punch not a tickle – they hit you hard but just don’t tell you when.” After a tour of the property, we headed back to the tasting room and tulip shaped glasses were served. Instructed to hold it at the base like a professional and tip to the side to look at the colour, Rumal said, “No swirling, if you shake it up, you’ll piss it off.”
Bursts of laughter exploded between me and Sara at unexpected times like gifts. We often chatted over dinner about our day and what the best bits of it were for each of us, sharing laughs or moments. After dinner one night, feeling quite tired and just thinking about going to bed, Sara asked if I wanted to go to the beach to look at the stars. Knowing this was a rare moment I replied quickly, “absolutely.” It was time to hit the beach and the stars above twinkled brighter than ever.
IF YOU GO:
Where to stay:
O2 Beach Club & Spa is ideally situated on the island to tour different areas and relax beach or poolside when the opportunity is right.
We flew direct to Barbados with Air Canada and having Blu Isles entry and exit service made us feel like celebrities and expedited our entry through customs and immigration. The return flight with Blue express granted us entry to the lounge with drinks, snacks and wifi. Our very personable driver, Shawn, was also with Blu Isles. The service was flawless with transfers daily to everywhere we went.
Open Kitchen: great menu, bright and light with on-trend décor with a home goods store upstairs. Recommend the veggie pizza.
Local & Co: this delightful large restaurant in Speightstown focuses on local organic food. Grab an outside table with a fabulous ocean view. The menu is so extensive it’s difficult to choose. They deal with dietary restrictions beautifully.
Champers: one of the best restaurants we ate at. Oceanside linen covered tables and a menu that features locally sourced seafood and vegetables. The coconut pie is what dreams are made of. Dietary restrictions are handled incredibly well.
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