Tropical loos in Hunte's Garden

When I shared the loo with a garden in October, I didn’t realise that this would become a thing. But it has, and here’s the post to prove it, and there’s another one to come too, but that’s for another day. Today’s Loo Series is from Hunte’s Garden in Barbados, and the garden was a special one, very special.

The garden itself is in an unusual sink-hole like gully and you’re invited to work your way down, around and through the garden before returning to the entry level again, where there’s yet more to discover. Hidden away on the entry level, along from one of the many seating areas, where the loos.

Rustic and simple, but entirely functional, and in keeping with the garden too.

And as is becoming customary, there was an opportunity for a picture in the mirror - I think the most tropical background so far, and probably to come.

And if I thought the loos were good looking, the view as you emerge back into the garden, well that was just sublime.

Just looking at this picture now, I’m back in the garden in my mind. I can hear the music which was playing throughout the garden, I can feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, though of course I’m wearing many more clothes than on our visit. This garden is one of, perhaps my all time top to visit garden, it’s one that I felt a complete emotional connection to, in a way that I’m not sure I have before.

I can’t wait to share the rest of the photos from our visit, and if you visit Barbados you must definitely go and visit for yourself.

What a difference a month makes

* This post contains an item gifted by Tesalate

As I blew home earlier this evening along with, or rather what felt like against, the remnants of Storm Brendan I couldn’t help but think how different things were a month ago. And how much warmer.

A month ago we were in Barbados, where the temperatures didn’t drop much below 25 degrees, even in the evening. We were just starting to establish our routine for the next week or so; breakfast on the balcony, sun loungers by the smaller whirlpool-pools, which offered a bit more shade and respite from the sun as we read books and counted the number of planes landing on the island. A soak in the whirlpool when it got a bit toasty, lunch in the restaurant and back on the sun loungers.

You get my drift.

But it’s not our usual sort of holiday. Though it was much needed. We last went to Barbados in 2013 for a friend’s wedding, and after a pretty full on and less than ideal time at work. As it turned out when I went back to work at the start of 2014, redundancy was on the cards and it was very much welcomed. This time our trip was preceded by a stressful period at work for MOH, and of course, as these things do, he promptly caught a cold.

I love a bit of sun. Him not so much. So while a cold in the sun isn’t any fun (for anyone) it did mean we spent more time than perhaps I was anticipating. Which in turn meant my new Tesalate beach towel got plenty of use. Sadly not actually on the beach, as the sea was too fierce and was lapping up against the hotel’s boundaries, but it definitely brightened up my day, and my sunbed.

I do like a bit of colour, and here was plenty of colour - I loved it.

But it wasn’t just the colour I loved. It’s compact, and really does fold down to a size that’s about the same size as one of those A5 size paperbacks that you can buy in the airport shops before you leave the UK. And despite my misgivings about getting it back into its pouch, it was easier than I thought.

Now this seems obvious, but I’m going to say it all the same. It worked as a towel too, clearly not one of those white, fluffy, luxurious types, but as a drying yourself after a dunk in the pool. The fabric was absorbent, and given it’s lightweight - and the heat of the sun - dried quickly.

My only misgiving?

That’s not having an Instagram husband, and despite having lots of attempts, there’s few photos that are shareable. In fact there’s few that aren’t blurred or have some random person walking past in the background. And there’s none where my hair is pristine - that’s sunbathing hair for you right there.

I’m pretty sure though that my Tesalate towel drew admiration from other hotel guests, including MOH. He had a magic towel, which was chunkier in its pouch, and about a third of the size of mine. And no, I didn’t swap!

But I am buying one for our holiday in June.

I don’t think I can give the Tesalate towels a better endorsement than that. We’re not heading back to the sun - unless the weather in the UK plays ball - but we are heading to a cottage in the Lake District with its own hot tub. The ‘instructions’ say to bring your own towel, and to be perfectly frank, there will be little room in the car for two more traditional beach towels. These are proper sized towels that take up little room, work as normal towels, and so will be perfect.

MOH thinks he’s getting free reign on the design, but there’s so many lovely ones to choose from, that I’m less sure about that. But don’t tell him just yet!

* With thanks to Tesalate for providing a compact and lightweight beach towel for the purposes of this review.

Christmas trees in Bridgetown

We got braver for our second trip into Bridgetown, skipping the taxi and taking the local bus instead. If you’ve been to Barbados you’ll no doubt be familiar with the Reggae buses, which seem to have multiplied since our last visit. We used these regularly to head up to St Lawrence Gap and visit one of the many restaurants there, but they go all the way into Bridgetown, and for the same fare too.

That fare was 7 Barbados Dollars for the both of us, which is quite different to the forty US Dollars for a cab back from the port, which was our first trip to the capital - I’ve not shared that here yet, but will share more from our day on the Spirit of Discovery later in the month. The Reggae buses vary in age, decor and friendliness - while none are unfriendly as such, some are more welcoming and used to tourists. The one we flagged down for our Bridgetown trip, was friendly, newer than most and had the most ornate interior we saw.

So we lucked out. In many the windows are wide open and the breeze is welcome in the 30 degree heat, though in one I was convinced if the driver were to brake quickly I’d more than likely be out of the window. Thankfully there isn’t too much braking quickly, unless of course, a new far is spotted!

The buses turnaround in Bridgetown and the advice from our hotel was that we were there when everyone else got off. Not bad advice really, though we weren’t 100% sure as there was that stuttering of people getting off earlier as the traffic slowed. It’s true you can never get lost on Barbados, not just because it’s a small island (it’s just 21 miles long and 14 miles wide) but because the Bajans just won’t let you get lost.

Once off the bus we were heading towards the Mount Gay Rum Distillery, which we knew was on the sea front and further along from the port, and so we followed the crowd mostly and kept the sea to our left.

Simple as that.

And along the way we saw some great buildings (see above), walked through the commercial centre heading into a department store briefly - it was just like a department store at home, and just like the stores at home, MOH coughed and spluttered through the cosmetic and perfume department on the ground floor.

In Independence Square we wandered around several of the Christmas trees on display - there were over a hundred 10ft trees set up by the Barbados Defence Force, with each tree representing a Commonwealth country. Given the heat, not even I was up for wandering around them all, which I know MOH was pleased by - and remember, we were also on our way to a rum tasting at the distillery, so other things might have been on my mind.

We did stop and admire some of them though, and notice their similarities and differences to each other, and to our decorations at home, which this year stayed firmly put away.

THE GAMBIA

CAMEROON

BARBADOS

LESOTHO

Looking more closely at the decorations on the Cameroon tree, the stars looked to be made out of cardboard tubes, squished into shape. The wooden ornament wouldn’t look out of place on our tree, and had we seen any decorations like these to buy, I’m pretty sure we’d have left with some.

I was intrigued by the figures on the Lesotho tree, which were large - though admittedly on a 10ft tree you can manage with large decorations. On closer inspection I realised they were Kings, several more than the three Wise Men in the nativity, but again, how many of our tree decorations are factually correct in numbers?

On even closer inspection I spotted a headless King, which while a shame, showed just how they were made. A two litre fizzy drink bottle painted and clothed in fabric. Who’d have thought such an everyday item would be given such a regal makeover?