Barbados: 50th Birthday; Key Silversea Port

Since Barbados seems to be a key Silversea port where many of their Caribbean cruises start and/or finish, I thought this might be of interest for sharing here. Also, many on these SS Boards seem to have had many great experiences in Barbados. From the Daily Mail travel section in London two days ago, they have this headline: "Happy Birthday, Barbados! The island is set to celebrate her 50th anniversary of independence".

Here are some of their story highlights: "Next year marks Barbados’ 50th anniversary of her independence from the British Crown. Following the establishment of the first English settlement at Holetown in 1627, Barbados remained a British colony for more than 300 years. Its independence on November 30, 1966 was marked by the raising of the Barbados national flag. Ever since, November 30 has been a national holiday."

Interesting history and background!! We super enjoyed visiting Barbados for two full days in connection with our Amazon River-Caribbean "adventure" earlier this year as detailed and connected on the live/blog noted below. We got to Barbados a day early and our 17-day Amazon River cruise completed its journey on this historic island. That allowed us another day to see more on this island.

In this story, they also note: "Next year’s celebrations will be running throughout November, and will include sports competitions, fairs, community events and religious services. On Independence Day itself a grand parade is held, usually at the Garrison Savannah, site of the original independence ceremony in 1966. One of the highlights will be the decorative lighting of Parliament Buildings, Independence Square, the Independence Arch and businesses throughout the capital Bridgetown, using blue and gold, the national colours." Sounds like lots of fun and excitement.

We really enjoyed our time in Barbados, experiencing its people, the history, character, its natural settings, etc. Below are a few of my visual highlights and details from being there.

Full story at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-3246379/Happy-Birthday-Barbados-island-set-celebrate-50th-anniversary-independence-join-in.html

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 28,972 views for these postings.

When we arrived Saturday in Barbados, this was the scenic beach and sunset view near our hotel. Look good? Liked being the Caribbean for the first time!!:

Before boarding the ship, we did a three-hour private tour with a Barbados cab driver. He took us all over this historic and scenic island, including to the top where the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea come together. Is this dramatic and scenic? Does my wife’s smile say it all?:

Here are a few more visuals samples from our tour around Barbados. This includes their Parliament building in main downtown, my wife loving this stop at one of their top beaches, visiting their historic St. James church during a Sunday morning service and going through one of their older towns along the coast. Saw Sandy Lane, probably the top local hotel (priced accordingly as out of our financial league). Saw their golf course, fancy clubhouse dining with its spectacular views, etc. Lots of nice homes in this and many other areas of Barbados.: