Food in Barbados

Barbados is a jewel in the Caribbean islands, and has much to offer to visitors. One most of these things is one’s food. When we come to hear and feel about cuisine and exotic tropical taste, one place stands out, Barbados. Having a mix of tropical atmosphere and the sweet sense of exotic and mouth watering taste surely gives a whole new definition to dining.

Let me start off by introducing to you the national dish of the famous island. Cou Cou and Flying Fish has made this little Caribbean island stand out among the rest. The first recipe is an exotic and sophisticated blend of cornmeal, okra and tomatoes with an accent of salt, peppers and the famous Bajan hot sauce. Meanwhile, flying fish is abundant in this location since it thrives well among the warm waters that surround the island. This dish is commonly served fried or steamed, depending on your choice.

Fish here in the island is a common choice for food since the place clearly is full of aqua culture resources. People have created and come up with different kinds of recipes that use fish as its main ingredient. Another one of their famous cooking inventions is the Bajan Macaroni Pie and Flying Fish. This unique recipe is the Bajan’s own version of Mac and cheese.

This time, let’s talk about the famous thirst quencher. It’s called the Mauby drink. It’s a carbonated drink made from the bark as well as the leaves of a Colubrina arborescence tree. Although there are already a lot of commercialized carbonated drinks in the market out there, Mauby still stands out as a symbol of the Caribbean island’s pride. This drink can be of an alcoholic nature as well as a non-fermented drink. It is consumed as a cold drink in most cases. So team up your flavorful meals with this native drink and get to feel the whole tropical experience of being in Barbados.

For those having the notion that food in Barbados are almost all hot and spicy, well, let me enlighten you on that. Actually, not all Barbados food is hot and spicy. As a matter of fact, one of the islands well loved delicacies is coconut bread or sweet bread as what they usually call it. Its flavor and taste is best described by three words, sweet, sweet, and sweet! The bread is accentuated with a bit of coconut filling inside before it is cooked in the oven. While this delicious treat is being cooked, it gives out the aroma of sweetness all over the place. This will surely make you crave for more.

Here’s a rare delicacy that would surely give off that exotic taste you have been looking for. Get to experience the local specialty of the island, Sea-Egg. The sea-egg is commonly known as the sea-urchin. This local delicacy is considered rare since harvesting of these eggs is controlled by local government officials due to the depletion of its resources. But don’t fret; these exotic eggs are available when they are in season. So if you happen to be in Barbados, don’t forget to check out this dish.

When it comes to food, Bajans have been known for two things: alcohol and cake. Rum Cake or also known as Great Cake has been a favorite among the locals of this island. A combination of beer and rum, this dessert would top your great food experience in Barbados.

All these food and delicacies would surely fill you up not only with a satisfied belly, but with a rewarding and complete tropical experience in the island of Barbados.

Barbados Shopping

Barbados is known for its duty free shopping especially on the popular street Broad Street. On Broad Street you should expect great stores to do your shopping.

There are a variety of stores to choose from when you’re shopping in Bridgetown.

Some of the stores on Broad Street are:

Bionic Shop is one of the stores which have great clothes to choice from. This store is a men store and it sells everything like tuxedos, shoes, belts ties etc. If you are looking for a stores a bit more casual in terms of shoes you should check out Shoe Locker also at the top of Broad Street.

If you want basically everything in one place should check out Cave Sheperd. This store is located in the middle of Broad Street. It has three floors. On the bottom floor is where you would find beach wear, shoes and also a music store. The second level comprises of clothes for both ladies and gentlemen. The third floor has sports attire and things for the kitchen. On this floor you would also find a restaurant. This restaurant is very popular with the locals and you should really try it when you’re in cave Shepard.

Other shopping malls on this street are Mall 34 and Norman Center and if you get hungry these are several restaurants to satisfy your taste buds.

If you are shopping for jewelry Broad Street is the right place to be. Some of the jewelry stores located in Barbados is:

1. Little Switzerland
2. Colombian Emeralds
3. The Royal Shop
4. Diamonds international

If you want to take home a souvenir you could find it in the Pelican Craft Center, the airport and also the Bridgetown Port. Pelican Craft Center is a great avenue to get local arts. It is located in front of the Bridgetown Port and should only take like five minutes to walk.

Shopping is not only in Bridgetown but also on the west coast and south coast. The shopping areas on the west coast are Sunset Crest Shopping Center, Chattel House Village etc and all of these are located in Holetown, St. James.

On the south coast you would find Sheraton Centre, a branch of Cave Sheperd and Quayside Center.

Medical Care in Barbados

Barbados is fortunate to have highly skilled medical personnel but those practitioners often do not have access to state of the art equipment. With few exceptions, the medical expertise and bedside manner of Barbados’ physicians is on a World class level. It is highly recommended for those visiting Barbados to be proactive in selecting a course of action should the need arise.

What are your choices?

The Government owned Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) is Barbados’ only full service hospital, with intensive care facilities, located just outside of the capital Bridgetown. It also has a reciprocal arrangement for British nationals on the National Health Service (NHS) scheme, where you would be treated and cared for in a Public Ward. Be advised that QEH is often crowded and the wait can be long and sometimes frustrating if your medical needs are not deemed to be of immediate attention. Telephone 436-6450 or 511 for emergency dispatch.

FMH Emergency Medical Clinic is a private accident and emergency medical centre. Located in Belleville, St Michael, this facility offers X-ray, MRI and care for serious but not life threatening injuries. FMH is open from 8 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. and will handle most emergencies or refer patients to the QEH as needed. Telephone 228-6120.

BayView Hospital, a privately owned and operated facility, with seven private rooms and four four-bed semi-private rooms, has been operational since 1989. Situated on the outskirts of Bridgetown and within close proximity of many leading hotels, BayView Hospital offers private non-emergency medical care in a variety of fields including cardiology, dentistry, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery, plastic surgery and urology. However, you must be admitted under the specific care of a physician who holds admitting privileges at this hospital. Please call 436 5446, or visit their website BayViewHospital.com.bb for more information.

A new state of the art, privately owned facility has opened its doors on the West Coast – Sandy Crest Medical Centre in Sunset Crest, St James. This ultra-modern complex offers 24 hour comprehensive emergency and non-emergency care service, x-ray, ultra-sounds, CT technology (by the end of the year), access to an ambulance service, 24-hour pharmacy access, as well as an asthma bay. This emergency clinic has employed the services of five of the island’s leading emergency room practitioners, one for every shift. Please call 419-4911, or visit their web site SandyCrest.net (under construction) for more information.

The island has two private ambulance services, Island Care Ambulance (246) 435 9425, and Get Help Ambulance Service (246) 438 4357, and the QEH Ambulance Service (246) 436 6450 or 511, all of which are located in the Bridgetown area. However, there is a QEH Ambulance service out of the Arch Hall Fire Station in St Thomas, to service the West/North coast of the island. In extreme cases, patients will be air-ambulanced to either Canada or the USA.