18 - Sunday, August 15, 1999 — North Shore News

north shore news

Photo Toni Bissett

SUNSET at the Gap on Barbados — the eastern-most isiand of the West Indies offers breathtaking views from its white sandy beaches.

Caribbean is

Natasha Plingen
and Toni Bisset

IN a world shifting
toward the impersonal,
a visit to the islands of
the Caribbean can be a
step back ia time.
Nowhere is this more evi-
dent than on Barbados a small
island off the coast of
Venezuela. Nightloving
tourists can mingle with locals
at . Baxter’s . Road in
' Bridgetown, sampling local
food and music.
Bajan’s, as locals call them-
_ selves, are a yery open and
friendly people. Their welcom-
of nature gives you 2 glimpsc
of something, special and rarely
tten — it is said that over
ae of first-time travellers
return to Barbados.
Barbados boasts the best of
both worlds with it’s beautiful
= white sandy beaches on the
south coast and it’s rugged
Adantic coast linc. This cast-
ern most island in the West
’ Indies offers some of the most
| breathtaking views — best
‘taken -on the drive to

Bathsheba — a miust see).

For watersports enthusiast,
Barbado:; offers a wide range
of activities including world
class surfing, championship
cricket, and horseracing at the
famous Garrison Savannah.

One of the best times to
visit the island is during the
justiy-famous Cropover festi-
val, a month-long celebration
which showcases some of the
best Caribbean music and
dance.

With = farge colourful
parades and entertainment
from performers from all-over
the West Indies, this festival is

best enjoyed with a bottle of

famous Cockspur rum and a
plate of flying fish.

Just a stone’s throw (or a
spectacular sail away) from
Barbados, a necklace of 32
islands and cays make up the
unspoiled islands of St.
Vincent and the Grenadines.

The natural beauty of St.
Vincent and the Grenadines
has not been overrun or com-
promised by tourism. St.
Vincent itself is a lush volcanic
island, just 18 miles north to
south, 1] miles wide, with a

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mountain range forming the
spine of the island where La
Soutriere, St. Vincent’s awe-
some volcano looms 4,000
feet above sea level.

Divided into nwo distinet
coastal regions, the islands’
western coastline is giited with
black and yok! sand beaches,
lapped by the Caribbean Sea.
The many black sand beaches
on the isiand are said to have a
therapeutic elfect, relieving
arthritis and other painful con-
ditions. It is said that all you
need to do is bury yourself
neck high in the sand and your
pains will go away — the neg-
ative ions inducing a state of
mild cuphoria.

The cultural diversity of St.
Vincent and the Grenadines
creates a unique society.
French, Creole, Portuguese,
and West Indian influence

See Cuba page 19

fands roll

NEWS phato Paul McGrath
DURING fast month’s Caribbean Days Festival Travel
Time International awarded a grand prize of a trip for
two to Cuba. The winner Monica Uribe (centre, with
her children Santiago and Juliana) accepted the prize
from Super Clubs’ Steve Koth, and Travel Time's Toni
Bissett and (missing from photo) Natasha Plingen.

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