Gym's Ramblings: Winter 2022 - The Amazon Expedition: Barbados

Rum Cocktails!

Barbados

Since crossing the equator in the mouth of the Amazon, the Insignia had been three days steaming north on the Atlantic. Beautiful Bridgetown, Barbados would be the next port of call.

The Barbados is different than the other islands of the Lesser Antilles. It is not a volcanic island. It is formed by the build-up of coral reefs on the continental shelf of South America. It is about 160 kilometres east of the chain of volcanic islands that line up along the subduction zone of the Atlantic plate, that slides under the Caribbean plate.

Gym always likes to sign up for at least a half-day tour on these stops, to try to discern whether he might make a return trip someday. Almost immediately, he began to develop a warm feeling for this place because this tour began with several generous tots of rum! Wham, right at the first stop, a lesson was conducted on what great cocktails you can make with delicious Mount Gay rum. Gym remembers the first recipe quite clearly, it was 3 portions of Mount Gay dark rum mixed with 2 portions of Mount Gay light rum in a jug of ice. No fruit juice, no soda, no bitters but it really is quite tasty. Gym who has never been a rum guy, started to become a believer. From there, a traditional Mount Gay Rum Punch was served, a more complex mix of ingredients and presto, Gym had had the perfect start to a tour of the Barbados.

Incidentally, Mount Gay has been producing rum since 1703 and has won many awards around the world. They are a big sponsor of the chi-chi sailing crowd and their ads are noticeable at major regattas everywhere. One of of the biggest advertising coups ever was when Daniel Craig shunned a vodka martini in the 2006 movie, Casino Royale, for a Mount Gay Rum with soda.

They same guy that mixed the cocktails led us on a guided tour through the Sunbury Plantation House. It is a well-maintained planter’s estate from the 17th Century. This 350-year old house is furnished with period furniture and artwork and is said to be the finest example of a well-maintained planter’s estate from the peak of the sugar cane producing era. At the end of the tour a third Mount Gay cocktail awaited us before we had to get back on the bus.

The next stop was Tropical Garden Barbados, a well laid out garden of winding paths that was bordered by sugar cane fields. Mrs Gym added dozens of pictures of flowers to her enormous collection that takes up fully half of the iCloud.

The final stop was on Gun Hill Station. This viewpoint has a spectacular panoramic view from the top of the tower. Way before the internet, British soldiers used flags and cannons to signal each other, at different high points on the island, of approaching enemies and sales at Costco.

Gym really got a good feeling about Barbados from this short tour. It was clean, green and welcoming. Maybe next time he and his dear wife want some time at the beach, they will spend a couple of weeks back in the Barbados.

Next stop would be St. Vincent, 200 kilometres to the northwest. It is interesting to note that in April, 2021, Mount La Soufriere on St. Vincent erupted and the wind blew the plume of ash right over the Barbados. The natives had to shelter for a few days to protect their lungs. The upside was that the ash fertilized the soil in Barbados and the locals say they could tell the difference in 2022.