Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Silver Point Villa Hotel
(Barbados - Accommodations)

A trendy little place.

I visited Silver Point Villa Hotel in late January 2009 (without an overnight stay). The hotel was a little bit difficult to find but you know you’ve arrived when you see the very large bright orange plant pots. If you’re coming to the hotel from the airport or you don’t know the island very well then it’s probably best to get a taxi.

The first thing that struck me about the hotel was the fantastic deck area. It’s filled with lovely bright white days beds that were filled with guests. It was a beautiful day and there were lots of wind surfers and kite surfers making the most of the breeze. The bar is well stocked and the alfresco restaurant area was cool and contemporary. After soaking in the view, the lovely sunshine and the refreshing breeze I went to view the rest of the hotel. The rooms are clean and relatively spacious but the bathrooms were a little bit on the dark side. Some of the hotel rooms are situated across the road which is not evident from the website. At the time of my visit the new reception area, spa, gym and gift shop were under construction.

Silver Point Villa Hotel is a trendy little place but it does feel quite far away from civilization and you might well feel stranded if you were without a car. In my opinion, it’s the ideal place to stay if you want to have a week lying in the sun and doing very little.

Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Zen
(Barbados - Restaurants)

The view at Zen is breathtaking as is the food.

The view at Zen is breathtaking as is the food. I stuck to the Japanese menu; the food was beautifully prepared and presented and utterly delicious. Zen’s downfall is its slow service. After I was seated, my waiter took a drinks order which took 40 minutes to arrive despite the fact that the restaurant was half full. My party ended up having to pour our own wine which is something that I would overlook were the prices cheaper. Zen aims to give brilliant service and fails to deliver. However, the overall experience was a good one and I’d recommend it if you love sushi and you’re a patient person.

Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Cafe Luna
(Barbados - Restaurants)

Very relaxed and incredibly romantic.

Café Luna is an absolute gem of a restaurant. I visited in February 2009 after several recommendations and was not disappointed. The ambience is wonderful, very relaxed and incredibly romantic. There are fabulous star shaped lanterns dotted around the perimeter of the restaurant that cast a wonderful soft glow across the alfresco dining area. The tables all have utilitarian hurricane lamps instead of candles and are covered with simple crisp white table clothes.

The extensive menu has lots to choose from and it was quite difficult to decide what to eat! I would highly recommend the smoked dolphin and marlin to start, followed by the pan seared lamb. Try to get a balcony table; they have the best views of the sea. If you’re able to, make a reservation when there’s a full moon so you can enjoy your meal whilst bathing in the moon’s lunar rays……bliss!

Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Waterfront Cafe
(Barbados - Restaurants)

In the evenings, go for the food and the music.

The Waterfront Café is popular with Bajans and tourists. The food is consistently delicious and the service is always wonderful at this lively little restaurant. I’ve been to the restaurant countless times with family and friends. It’s always a popular lunch destination after a spot of shopping on Broad Street; the atmosphere is unlike any other. Bridgetown is a lively little capital city and the restaurant seems to feed off of its energy. In the evenings, go for the food and the music. There are performers every night, all very different but enjoyable and entertaining.

If you’re in town then make sure you stop in at the Waterfront Café. If anything, go for a quick drink and an appetiser to stave off your hunger and watch the world go by.

The building which houses the Waterfront Cafe was once a busy warehouse, it’s now a busy restaurant!

Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Scarlet
(Barbados - Restaurants)

A lively bistro and cocktail bar.

Scarlet is a lively bistro and cocktail bar that did not fail to impress. The bar is entirely air conditioned so probably not a good choice if you want an alfresco meal. However, the staff are friendly and accommodating so it’s a great choice for a decently priced meal in trendy surrounds. I booked a late table for four at 9.30 and unfortunately the previous table hadn’t yet finished their meal. There were seats available at the bar so we got tucked in and enjoyed our delicious food. My only comments would be that although the appetisers are very tasty, they’re somewhat on the small side and there aren’t that many dishes for vegetarians!

If you just want to pop in for a cocktail I’d highly recommend their signature drink, the Scarlet Rocks.

Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Sitar
(Barbados - Restaurants)

The best Indian restaurant in Barbados.

The Sitar is one of the most popular and best known musical instruments from India; likewise, Sitar restaurant is the most popular and in my opinion the best Indian restaurant in Barbados. When I want an authentic curry, I go to Sitar. It reminds me of a curry house on the world famous Brick Lane in London. It doesn’t have a view of the sea since it’s on a street corner but the atmosphere is friendly and most importantly, the food is delicious. Two of my favourite dishes are the tandoori lamb which falls of the bone when it emerges from the oven that was specially imported and the butter chicken, sweet, fragrant and absolutely delicious. I’ve had lots of great nights at Sitar, it’s all about sitting round a table having fun and sharing different dishes – get a group of friends together and go, you won’t be disappointed.

Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Zed’s Surfing Adventures
(Barbados - Sights & Activities)

I was incredibly nervous about learning

I went for my very first surfing lesson in early 2009. I was incredibly nervous about learning and couldn’t imagine how I was going to stand up on a surf board! During my childhood, I spent countless hours sitting on the beach watching the boys surf but I’d never tried! I arrived at Surfer’s point and was greeted by Zed’s sister Melinda and Bob the dog who is estimated to be ‘about 15’ and is also known as the friendliest dog in the world! I told Melinda that I was worried (to say the least). She looked at me, smiled and said not to worry because I would get up on the board and surf.

Once everyone who was taking a lesson had arrived at Surfers Point, we were introduced to our instructor, Junior. Shortly thereafter, we headed off to Freight’s Point to learn how to surf! At Freight’s Point, Junior showed us how to find the centre of the board, how to paddle, where to put our legs and then…..how to stand up! After we’d practised how to go from lying on the board to standing on the board, with a few extra practices thrown in by me for good measure, we were ready to go and catch some waves!

One by one, we all walked down the steps on to the tiny beach, fastened our ankle straps, jumped on to our boards and then paddled out towards the waves. When it was my turn to catch a wave, Junior instructed me to paddle towards him. He told me with great confidence that I was ‘gonna surf’. After telling me to paddle hard and then to stand up, I totally surprised myself – I stood up and surfed the wave in on my very first attempt! Needless to say, I felt absolutely exhilarated and I stood up every time on every subsequent wave that I caught. Junior was a great instructor, he was incredibly patient and knew just when to boost your confidence. If you want to learn how surf then you need to go to Zed’s Surfing Adventures. I think I may be hooked myself!

Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Welchman Hall Gully
(Barbados - Sights & Activities)

..filled with beautiful tropical plants and trees.

If, like me, you’re a nature enthusiast then be sure to visit the Welchman Hall Gully. It doesn’t take very long to cross Welchman Hall Gully but it’s a lovely walk and gives you a taste of what a Barbadian forest is like. Make sure that you hike up the steps near the entrance so that you can enjoy the unimpeded view of the east coast.

The gully is totally unique and is filled with beautiful tropical plants and trees. Towards the end of the walk it’s difficult to miss what would once have been stalactites and stalagmites before the roof of the cave collapsed to form what is now the gully. I missed the monkey feedings but nevertheless, I managed to get a good view of what could only be described as a very cheeky monkey who stared at me for ages as if to remind me that I was invading his privacy! If you drive to the gully in a moke, beware of the chickens that live near the entrance. When I got back to the car, not only was there a hen in the footwell on the driver’s side, there was also a freshly laid egg – apparently it’s a regular occurrence and is their way of saying ‘thanks for coming’!

Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Segway of Barbados
(Barbados - Sights & Activities)

The tour guides are brilliant fun!

I am a complete chicken and I was absolutely petrified when I saw the Segway’s lined up before me. I’d never in my life heard of a Segway and the only thing I could think about when I looked at them was how much it would hurt if I fell off! Thankfully, my fears were totally unfounded. The first half hour of the tour was spent learning how to get on and off of the Segway and how to manoeuvre it.

Once we’d mastered how to ride the Segway, we all set off on the tour of Cove Bay. I stayed at the back with one of our guides as I was perfectly happy to go slowly but surely. Our first stop was Cove Bay itself which provided a breathtaking backdrop for our first photo op. Afterwards we went whizzing across the fields for a view of Pico Tenerife, well, I say ‘we’ but I wasn’t quite ready to go whizzing anywhere just yet! As the tour continued we saw more great scenery, wild cliffs and savage waves. I also grew to feel more and more comfortable on my Segway and really started to enjoy myself!

If you’ve never been on a Segway then don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to ride one. The tour guides are brilliant fun and by the time the tour is over, you feel like you’re old friends. Segway of Barbados Tours not only affords you the opportunity to ride a Segway but shows you parts of Barbados that you would never imagine existed!

Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Polo
(Barbados - Sights & Activities)

Attendance is a must!

I’ve always been a fan of going to polo matches in Barbados. There’s nothing quite like watching polo in a sunny tropical location, people watching and sipping a cold Banks beer. Polo matches are largely frequented by Barbadians who are involved in the sport and hugely passionate about the game.

If you’ve never watched a polo match and are a fan of horses, people watching or sport then attendance is a must!

Karly Proverbs

Trendy Traveller,

Rank: 114

Bridgetown, Barbados.

Age: 36-50

Open Houses
(Barbados - Sights & Activities)

...there’s always something new to see and learn.

The Open Houses hosted by The Barbados National Trust are particularly popular with those who are interested in history or architecture. The Open Houses are steeped in history and they all have a story to tell. I’m a big fan of the Open Houses as there’s always something new to see and learn.

The Open Houses vary from year to year and showcase a variety of landmark Barbadian homes such as Ilaro Court. Ilaro Court was built in the 1920s and boasted Barbados’ first swimming pool; it’s now the official residence of the Prime Minister of Barbados.

One of the properties that I visited in January 2009 was Fisherpond Plantation House which was originally built in a simple Jacobean style. The house was extended at a later date and it is the extension which gives the house its Georgian appearance. In addition to the interesting architecture and the beautifully landscaped gardens, the houses are generally filled with interesting pieces which all have a story to tell. The dining room table at Fisherpond House was loaned to Government House for use during a state dinner in 1987 for HRH Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Barbados to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the island’s Parliament. If only the houses and their contents could talk!