Barbados

After a night spent hurtling through tempestuous seas, we docked at the very calm Bridgetown, Barbados. Actually it is only the seas that are calm here, for there are FIVE huge cruise ships in port alongside our tiny little Silver Whisper. Each vessel holds over 3000 passengers; the Whisper has 310, the population of the country is 280,000, and every single one of those passengers seems to be on the streets. Our heads pound with repetitive calypso blasted across the water, and while we are praying to rejoice in the rich diversity of our fellow travellers, we haven’t quite succeeded yet.

We left the port to visit two old Anglican parish churches, St. John’s (1836) and St. James’ (1847). Both were spotless; both had loyal Altar Guilds at work preparing for tomorrow (Sunday); both had parishioners available to answer questions and praise their parish. In the photos you will see the fiber optic lighting of the cross beams in the nave, the organ pipes suspended in a chest, an intriguing light sculpture in a chapel and an inscription on a tombstone. On the indoor plaques our hearts were touched by praise of long gone clerics - my favorite: “He served the Lord with gladness.” Following the church tour (inevitable, right?) we had a fabulous lunch at Daphne’s on the beach. The menu: grilled barracuda (no bones, no teeth). It was delicious!