BARBADOS BIRTHDAY JANUARY 27- FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Relaxing on our porch.

The view from our Savannah Hotel restaurant.

One of those balconies on the right was ours. We had a third floor room.

This is where we swam.

Me in my sandbox. Isn't the world a grand place to play in?

The gate we went through to get to our beach.

The time we spent on Barbados was the perfect blend of going and doing

and sitting in the sun or swimming and relaxing.

I read 7 books while we were there.

It felt wonderful to eat and sleep whenever the spirit moved us.

One of the first trips we made was in a jeep.

Every parish had an Anglican Church.

It was way far down to the water. The view was breathtaking!

One.

Two.

Three.

This is the place where we saw blowholes.

Look at the blue sky and the blue water.

Palm trees and breeze off the Atlantic.

I sat and meditated here.

The water would flow in and out, sometimes forcing itself through the holes and shooting skyward- it could take your breath away!

Watching the water shoot upward reminded me of watching fireworks- sometimes you'd just hafta gasp: ooh! ah!

Everywhere you looked it reminded you to live in gratitude for living on such a beautiful planet where Creator made such colorful, beautiful scenes and I'd feel blessed.

You could walk out above these holes in the rocks and be surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic.

There were pools in the water that would fill up as the waves came in and empty between waves.

Everywhere you went you could see beaches. The island is only about 14 miles wide and 21 miles long.

This is a really and truly working windmill.

Another parish- another church.

The island's artistic version of Stonehenge.

This is a place where they used to hold Woodstock-like musical festivals.

The terrain here reminds people of Scotland or Wales.

Mudslides keep them from holding concerts here nowadays.

A flower we found on the ground in Steve's hands.

This is getting near the Soupbowl where people come from around the world to surf.

The island is made of coral.

These mushroom shaped rocks form when the water washes parts away making the stem looking part of the mushroom.

The mushroom rocks are on Bathsheba Beach.

There were vendors selling native crafts in the green grassy park here.

I bought a coconut and the guy whacked the top off with a machete.

I drank coconut milk right outta the shell looking at the scenery.

These are called candle flowers.

The jeep ride took us through the rain forest.

Tree roots would grow from up on the trunks and go down into the ground.

Being in a rain forest is a sacred experience.

This was the oldest sugar plantation house that we saw on Barbados.

There was Bob Marley music wafting up from trucks with loudspeakers drivin below in celebration of a parish election.

Our jeep driver guide wishes he could retire and build one of those infinity pools here.

A church so we must be in yet another parish.

We ate lunch on the patio of a plantation home here.

Old fashioned way of purifying water.

We had one of these on display at our hotel.

Water was poured into the coral bowl at the top.

It would drip down into the middle coral bowl

and then down into the bottom bowl

thus providing mineral enriched water for drinking.

On another day we made another trip to some beautiful gardens.

Steve and I wandered the trails in the garden.

Some trees grew beautiful white flowers.

Then we went to see the green monkeys.

These [sideways] signs tell about medicinal plants used by the slaves for natural cures.

Then we strolled through a nature park where we saw-

turtles...

monkeys...

peacocks...

There were deer, iquanas, snakes and you walked through this arbor to get to see birds of all colors.

This is the view from the catamaran we took to go snorkeling.

We had lunch catered to us aboard ship.

We went snorkeling and swimming in turquoise waters.

From the beach in our backyard @ the hotel we watched sunsets.

Our daughter Sarah-Star's birthday is May 21st.

They had posters like this posted all around the island.

We sat on the beach and swam alot

but we were always up for an adventure to explore and discover something new.

At the end of daylight there was always nother sunset.

At beakfast the birds would fly onto the tables to eat crumbs or sip milk from the cream pitchers.

These pictures were taken by our new friend who made me a hand painted dress.

Her shop was lovely- a feast of color and creativity for the eyes.

Just as soon as I find her business card I'll post info so you can go see her on Princess Alice Highway between Brigetown and Pelican Village.

From the beach bar at the Savannah Hotel you can see the gate that leads to the beach.

You can even swim up to the bar.

On the beach Steve could read while sailboats sailed by.

I could do my favorite thing to do in the whole wide world- read while soaking up the warmth of the sun's rays.

There were palm trees...

And sunsets at the end of each day...

Coconuts on the beach...

Beach fauna...

Each day had it's own particular sunset...

We went to the Gap and ate at Harlequins and then went again another evening to eat @ Pisces where the tables overlooked the water.

We were there for Bob Marley's birthday celebration. Even tho Steve couldn't stay up all nite & we had to head for the hotel @ 2 a.m.

We liked the restaurant Brown Sugar with its waterfall and greenery giving such good ambience for the delicious food. Our favorite food was flying fish and my favorite desert was a rice and corn pudding I ate twice @ the Neru Restaurant @ our Savannah Hotel. Yes! I ate lobster @ Brown Sugar for my birthday January 30th and we ate here again on Sunday nite before we flew out Monday.

We were happy campers with full tummies, hearts warmed with the gracious hospitality of the people we met, bodies tanned by the delightful sun and spirits lifted for having shared yet another Grand Adventure in one of nature's beautiful places.

How are things with you & yours in y'all's little corner of the world?

Please comment below and share your thoughts and feelings.