A Caribbean Mystery

In 1964 author Agatha Christie wrote one of her marvelous mystery stories here in Barbados, and it was set here as well. She was a guest at the Coral Reef resort hotel near Holetown (originally called Jamestown).

A three-part TV series of the book was produced in 1989, starring Joan Hickson, to our mind still the best Jane Marple sleuth there has been on camera. We watched it when we were living in London, when it was first aired, and I blush to say that we have watched it several times since.

So here we are in Barbados, not staying in the Coral Reef resort because it is ridiculously expensive. But we could visit. 

It took about an hour and a half to get there by local bus, following a string of gridlocked local traffic on the only road, a distance of only about 20km! Island time indeed.

We walked the grand, treed, winding avenue, entered a lovely entranceway and moved to the terrace where we sat to enjoy both a marvelous view of the sea and a rather expensive cup of coffee and glass of juice. 

The place is unrecognizable from the film of course, having been almost entirely rebuilt, but the original bungalows that were in the film are still there. Martin bought a shirt in the gift shop, delighting to discover the shop keeper had been working there during the filming more than 30 years ago. 

"Whoa We're Going to Barbados"

That 1975 song by Typically Tropical has become a bit of a earworm.

I had never heard of it, but Martin, of course, introduced it to me by singing it incessantly until now I can't get it out of my head. 

We find ourselves now ensconced in a hotel that was built and expanded around the time that song was written. It is bright pink. And it has all we could want in a place to rest our heads after a red eye flight, and enough diversions to keep us awake until it is a sensible time to sleep.

And sounds to both lull and distract us. 

Chickens in the ramshackle, touristy village of St. Lawrence Gap behind us, roosters who don't know what time of day it is based on their constant crowing. A pretty sort of brown bird that sounds like a cooing wood pigeon in every balcony.  Rhythmic surf on the beige sand. Dry rustling palm leaves.

We explore, swim, walk, wade, try our hand at shuffleboard, drink tea (served at 4pm with cookies) and rum punch (served on Monday evenings at 6:30pm) - it feels like we have gone back in time to an Agatha Christie mystery set - we star gaze, dine, dance, and then finally, blissfully, drift off to sleep accompanied by a motley collection of songs played by a motely collection of cover bands drifting through the air from indistinct locations in the village.

 

And for your listening pleasure:

Paraphernalia

Travelling lightly through the world is one of our goals in life. Figuratively, yes. But literally as well.

So packing for trips of a longish duration (more than a month) requires considerable time and thought. 

We lay clothing options on our spare bed, adding and removing as we pass by, pausing with a critical eye. This trip is really three little trips in one, and each element requires something a little different than the other two.   

Not requiring winter clothes, nor bulky accoutrements for sports helps. In the end we have been able to get everything in 2 small carry on suitcases and 2 day packs. Time will tell if we chose wisely!

  

A Grand Tour

"Let's take a grand tour", he said.

"Let's reduce our travel carbon footprint", she said.

"I'll find something", he said.

"I know you will. You always do", she said.

Well, he did find something.

17 days crossing the Atlantic from Barbados to Portugal on a sailing ship is the correct answer to all questions.