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Feb 19, 2009

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Jan 08, 2009

?Barbados has been a part of my life since 1964 and I have been visiting ever since. I first visited this island at the behest of a dear friend, Nina Marsden, of Sutton who, in my mind, should have been an honorary member of the Barbados Tourist Board.
Her advice was very convincing and I have always been grateful that Nina sat me down and gave me her Barbados lecture. I took her advice and since then I refer to Barbados as my second home.
Once I stepped on the island I never wanted to go anywhere else for my winter vacation. Since then I have visited all of the Caribbean islands on cruises and found them very enjoyable. They all have at least one endearing feature that would beckon a person to return. Barbados has it all.
Very friendly people who look on tourism as a business, not a nuisance like you will find on some islands. One is welcome from the time you arrive until you leave. Nothing seems to be too much trouble, whether they are giving you directions or ideas how to enjoy your stay. It's not unusual to ask directions and hear, “Just follow me”, and the motorist will drive four or five miles out of his way to deliver you right to the door of your destination.
It’s understandable visitors/tourists are welcome because we take nothing from the Bajans and contribute much-needed foreign exchange. There is no such thing as a private beach in Barbados. Fifty feet around the entire island is public lands unlike many islands (and our own lakes in Ontario) where buying a building lot gives one the rights to the water’s edge.
Thus when the Queen, or members of the Royal Family, visit the posh Sandy Lane Hotel they find themselves sharing the beach and the sea with the locals. Be they black, white, swimmers, sunbathers, or kids enjoying a game of beach ball.
It is not unusual to walk the beach and say hello to Pavarotti, David Frost, Lloyd Webber, just to name a few. Tiger Woods was married here a few years ago.
The number one advantage, in my mind, is the water that comes out of the taps. It is as safe, or safer, than we enjoy at home. Few islands will allow you to drink a glass of lovely cold tap water without getting sick.
Barbados has a wonderful social scene. Lots of clubs and bars feature fine dining and, in most cases, dancing to live music on a nightly basis.
Frank Collymore Hall boasts a continuing lecture series where world-class lecturers give free talks to filled seats on a continuing basis.
I had never known polo until I came to Barbados. But with several well-groomed polo fields I found it a wonderful fast-paced sport and the tea and sandwiches at break time seems like such a civilized thing to do.
January sees a week-long International Jazz Festival. Over the years some of the top jazz stars have entertained a crowd of thousands outdoors on Farley Hill, the location of the Harry Belafonte film Islands in the Sun many years ago.
In two weeks the world famous Holder Festival begins. A month of nightly performances featuring acts brought in from around the world. Always a sellout and like most Barbados events it's picnic time. People bring their cooler loaded with goodies including champagne, wine or a good supply of cold ones. Intermission - which lasts about a half hour - is one huge picnic from the $250 front seats right back to the $30 bleachers. Wonderful - and no police looking over your shoulders saying “tut, tut”.
Horse racing is very popular on the island, and the track is busy most Saturday afternoons. Unlike Canada, the inside of the track is free for viewers and it is often crowded with vendors, card and bingo games, or the famous three-shell games where, regardless of how hard you stare you never seem to be guess the right shell that is covering the pea.
In other words, everything the Bajans do is party time. Even the churches give that impression because on a Sunday morning drive you find yourself being entertained with those lovely spirituals sung to the top of their voices.
And then there are beaches. Wonderful, long sandy beaches with the deep blue Caribbean Sea welcoming you for a long swim or just a splash in the friendly waves.
My editor is always asking for a report on bunny watching. It's a wonderful pastime. However, it's not as good as it used to be. With all the fast foods, fat in our diets and a lack of exercise, a lot of the bunnies appear more like a gathering of beached whales. Oh well, you can't have everything - although Barbados gets very close.
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Great having the internet to keep in touch with the folks and what is happening back home. Love getting e-mails, however, on occasion I would sooner not receive the bad news.
An e-mail last week from Jack Ballinger informed me that our dear friend Bob Cherry had died. Bob was the victim of a serious lung disease, which made the last months of his life a very unpleasant experience for Bob, his family and his friends.
For newcomers to Uxbridge the name Bob Cherry will mean little. But to those of us who lived through the wonderful early years of the championship Uxbridge Black Hawks hockey team the name Bob Cherry brings thrilling memories to your ears.
Bob was a hockey player extraordinaire, blessed with more talent than one person deserves. He had a competitive spirit second to none and many will remember the Hawks being down by two goals with a couple of minutes remaining.
Bob would jump onto the ice, twirl around, and there wouldn't be an Uxbridge fan who didn't believe that Bob would tie the game and, on many occasions, score three goals and win for the home team.
To see him take a pass and dipsy-doodle through the opponents and deke the goaltender right out of his pads was a sight to behold. I will always be grateful that I was around to enjoy his talents. Right to the end Bob displayed that team spirit.
I was privileged to visit Bob recently in his Gravenhurst home before his death - once with Jack and again with Ken May.
These occasions we arrived with a “what do you say to a friend who is dying” attitude. Not to worry. We weren't in the room two minutes before Bob showed his “entertain your friends” attitude and had us laughing with his quick wit and sense of humor.
I just hope God has an artificial ice arena because it will be no time before Bob has organized a team and will be winning championships by scoring a ton of goals against the devil himself.
Bob will be missed. But he will always be remembered.