Natural jewel in the Caribbean

Endless white sandy beaches with a view of the turquoise blue sea, exotic flora and fauna and a diverse underwater world make Barbados a natural paradise like no other.

The hawksbill turtle lightly brushes my arm. Unexpectedly and gently. And then swims leisurely on. I hadn't even seen it coming. In Carlisle Bay Marine Park, she's not the only turtle I encounter in the crystal-clear waters of the capital Bridgetown. A glance at the seabed confirms that I have landed in a lush natural landscape: Darting around the wreck of the ship "Bajan Queen", which sank in 1919, are shimmering silver tarpons and small, bright blue parrotfish. On the catamaran called "Cool Runnings", I am only a few kilometers away from the marina in the city center. From the boat, we have a view of Pebbles Beach, a beautiful, centrally located beach. Here, white sandy beaches are kissed by the gentle waves of the turquoise Caribbean Sea and lined with stylish restaurants and cool bars. Behind it stands a simple building from the 1950s. It is the official residence of Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, who was ranked among the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2022. Her portrait even graced the cover of the issue.

Comprehensive climate and environmental protection: Mia Mottley is known for her national and international advocacy of comprehensive climate protection. In the island state, which is particularly threatened by rising sea levels and hurricanes, fuel emissions are to be reduced by 70 percent by 2050 and every house in the republic is to be equipped with solar panels in the near future. There are also financial incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles. 100 million US dollars will be invested over the next few years to preserve the diverse flora and fauna in the coastal region.

The country is also promoting its eco-initiatives in tourism. Holidaymakers can take part in the "Sea Turtles Project" and help to increase the sea turtle population by helping recently hatched turtles into the sea. While the animals were hunted for their shells and meat until the 1990s, the population is now slowly recovering. "We have between 600 and 800 turtles on the island," explains Carla Daniel, director of the project, proudly. Another project where the helping hands of tourists are welcome is the "kitchen gardens". To counteract soil erosion, vegetable gardens are planted on public and private land. Travelers can help with cultivation and harvesting and get to know both the inhabitants and the island's vegetables. The most robust vegetables that can even withstand cyclones include manioc, taro roots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and lemongrass. Support is also needed when planting trees. This is because one million new trees are expected to sprout from the ground in the country over the next few years.





Fascinating tropical flora and fauna: I explore the flora and fauna on a tour of the island. It turns out that the reforestation of the landscape, which has been shaped by decades of monoculture sugar cane cultivation, is beginning to bear fruit. And what is standing around in the meadow between the trees? A goat! "But not a goat! It's a sheep!" my guide Omar explains to me. The brown, short-haired "black belly sheep" really do look very similar to their spirit-bearded cousins. There are lots of little green monkeys swinging around in the trees on the island. The cheeky green guenons with their cute faces were originally brought to Barbados from West Africa hundreds of years ago.

I am also particularly impressed by the racehorses at the Garrison Savannah racecourse. Almost every day, grooms bring the noble animals from their nearby stables to Carlisle Bay for their morning bath. They even allow some enthusiastic spectators to sit on the back of the thoroughbred horses for a few minutes. Only under their guidance, of course. In the central highlands of the island, we are whisked away deep into prehistoric times. In 1970, the wonderful world of "Harrison's Cave" was discovered here - a unique, 2.3 km long limestone cave system with many millennia-old stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites protruding from the floor. In addition, crystal-clear water flows down from breathtaking waterfalls and forms deep emerald-green pools. Interpersonal contacts that go beyond ordering a cocktail at the beach bar are in demand. Barbados is a very safe country - so go for it! On a trip in one of the many minibuses that do the rounds of Bridgetown, I quickly strike up a conversation and am impressed by the open-heartedness of the people. The sounds of bashment soca, with keyboards setting the rhythm, emanate loudly from the open windows.





Pop star and national heroine Rihanna is a role model for many Bajans: Rihanna Drive leads to the simple house with a green façade where the pop star lived as a child. "Shine bright like a diamond" is the name of one of her most famous songs. Was she already dreaming of shining like a diamond here back then? "We only know her here as Robyn," explains a curvy neighbor in the simple rum store on the corner. Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, is a great role model for many Bajans - as the islanders are also known. The Clara Lionel Foundation, named after her grandmother, supports climate protection projects and awards scholarships to young people with good ideas. Rihanna often takes part in the Kadooment Day parade on the first Monday in August. It is the finale of the six-week "Crop Over" festival, which celebrates a successful sugar cane harvest. People dance through the streets of Bridgetown in colorful feather costumes.

The backdrop for the festival couldn't be more picturesque. The historic center of the city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as the British started the conquest of the New World from the garrison in the 17th century. An art installation in Golden Square Freedom Park commemorates the fact that many innocent people died in the process. This was inaugurated on 29.11.2021. The following day, history was made in Barbados: The island nation bid farewell to the constitutional monarchy on November 30, 2021 and Prime Minister Mia Mottley declared the country a parliamentary republic in the presence of Prince Charles. At the same time, Rihanna was elevated to the status of national heroine. However, when the pop diva comes to Barbados, she doesn't spend much time in Bridgetown - although the nearby south coast is home to luxury hotels such as the long-established Hilton, the dignified Sandals and the luxurious O2. The pop icon prefers to retreat to her estate within the One Sandy Lane Residences on the west coast. Sandy Lane is located in Holetown, where other 5* hotels are also located.





Mount Gay - the oldest rum distillery in the world: Finally, I visit Mount Gay, the oldest active rum distillery in the world. Barbados was the largest sugar producer in the world in the 18th century. One of the waste products of industrial sugar production is molasses, from which rum has been produced in the Mount Gay distillery since 1703. Mount Gay rum gets its aromatic taste from the distillation of the fermented molasses in copper Alambiques. The Eclipse brand tastes of cinnamon and nutmeg, while the Black Barrel variety is somewhat smokier. Like the government and the entire island state, rum production is also headed by a woman: Trudiann Branker is the first woman in the company's history to hold the title of "Master Blender". "The time is over,
when rum was only suitable for cocktails," she explains confidently. She wants to train spirits lovers to become "sophisticated sippers" - who learn to appreciate different types of rum for their great taste.
taste of their own. Well, cheers then!



CC tip Wyndham Grand Barbados
Sam Lords was a wild pirate. At the beginning of the 19th century, he hung lights in front of his villa on the beach in Barbados so that the crews of arriving ships would believe they had landed in Bridgetown. However, the ships wrecked on the reef in front of his estate and he collected the flotsam from the sea. The beach is still illuminated today, but since last year the all-inclusive hotel Wyndham Grand Barbados, Sam Lords Castle Resort & Spa has been perched above it. The hotel with 422 oversized rooms and suites has four pools, some of which are designed like lagoons. The cabanas are the perfect place to relax. The resort is set in extensive grounds, with several tennis and pickleball courts available for active vacationers.
www.wyndhamgrandbarbados.com


Barbados
The 430 km² republic lies north of Trinidad and south-east of Martinique. In contrast to the islands of the Greater Antilles, where there is sometimes no bathing weather in winter, the temperatures in Barbados are consistently around 30 degrees Celsius and the sun shines for 3,000 hours a year.
www.visitbarbados.org

Restaurants
■ Eco Lifestyle Lodge, Bathsheba
The young chef Alisha Stoute creates top-quality healthy cuisine at this wellness resort. Her gluten- and lactose-free specialties deserve Michelin stars. She serves crostini with homemade cottage cheese made from cashew nuts and pumpkin fritters with yoghurt and muscat sauce. These delicacies are accompanied by a grapefruit blisstini. www.ecolifestylelodge.com

■ Oistins Fish Fry, Bridgetown
On Friday and Saturday evenings, young and old, tourists and locals flock to Oistins for the fish fry market. In the fish fry in this suburb of Bridgetown, guests sit on simple chairs in a very informal setting.
in this suburb of Bridgetown and enjoy freshly prepared specialties such as grilled lobster or fried breadfruit. The national dish of Barbados - flying fish - is also a must when you visit the fish market. On the stage in the
the center of the market, live bands provide a good atmosphere.

■ Zemi, Bathsheba
Gayle Talma and Kenny Hewitt have opened the "Zemi Café" with their daughter Ella in the relaxed village of Bathsheba on the wild east coast of Barbados. Visitors enjoy the wonderful view of the waves while savoring "Bilimbi Sour" cocktails. The fruit of the cucumber tree brings a pleasantly fresh note to the hot day. In addition to this unusual fruit, the menu also includes coconut-crusted barracuda, pork belly in rum marinade and a delicious guava cheesecake.
www.instagram.com/zemicafebarbados

■ Champers, Skeetes Hill, Bridgetown
Delicacies with French influences are served in the exclusive St. Lawrence Gap district. A tropical fruit chutney is served with the chicken liver pâté and crab meat is added to the crêpes au gratin. Vegetarians will love the roasted cauliflower and goat's cheese tart.
www.champersrestaurant.com

■ Cobblers Cove, Speightstown
In what is probably the most romantic hotel on the island, the restaurant can certainly hold its own with the no-frills eateries in the area. On the pretty terrace or right on the beach, gourmets can enjoy a cucumber cold dish with coconut milk and duck breast in port wine and thyme sauce. www.cobblerscove.com

■ Cocktail Kitchen, St. Lawrence Gap
If you want to really let it rip in the evening, head to St. Lawrence Gap, a suburb of Bridgetown. Here, the young Caribbean top chef Damian Leach reinterprets "Bajan Cuisine". He serves fried bread tree fruit with lobster and a risotto with smoked black belly lamb.
www.ckbarbados.com