A Holiday Makers Guide To Barbados

What makes a place like Barbados the top choice for holidaymakers? How is it possible that when one mentions an ideal holiday hot spot they mention Barbados or one of the Caribbean Islands? Is it perhaps the relaxed warm tropical weather, or the friendly locals who can only but address you with warm embraces and affectionate smiles? Not all locals are this intimate, however it is a fact that the locals of Barbados are known to be extremely welcoming and are only too happy to share their cultural entertainments with any tourist or first-time explorer of the island.

One can only expect many of the Barbados hotels to be just as welcoming and luxurious as the island itself. Barbados hotels stand out from any other hotel in the Caribbean Islands because of the fact that they have a culture of their own. It is true however, that this island has also seen many resemblances to the English culture, whereby many tourists will recognise as it is more prominent in the architectural designs. People of Barbados are formally known as Barbadians and although they speak their own English dialect the people here call this Bajan language.

Barbados hotels are scattered across the island, representing the comfortable warm and serene atmosphere that is Barbados. One thing that many people do not see is that they also resemble an escape away from the realms of familiarity in that it draws you into a world of activities, water sports, exotic cuisines and much more. Furthermore, this is a top destination for wedding celebrations and honeymoons, making it a demanding place to visit.

History

This island may appear to be a good holiday hot spot quite literally; however Barbados is filled with a diverse and eventful history. The island was once believed to have been inhabited by the Amerindians, who had travelled by canoe from Venezuela. There are few extracts and artefacts found to confirm the early settlers; however following settlers appeared later and were known as the Arawaks. This group practised agriculture, and grew cotton and corn, which became the main attraction of the island. Their main tools and devices for survival were hooks and nets, which seemed to keep the people living a peaceful life on the island.

However, the peaceful race was conquered in 1200 AD by the cannibalistic and seemingly powerful Carib population. The Carib people however did not survive for much longer as the Spanish people came to Barbados in 1492, where eventually through disease and slavery the Carib people were wiped out. The Spanish however, did not colonize the island, but the Portuguese did in the 16th century. They named the island Los Barbados which meant the bearded one on account of the number of fig trees.

The English settlers would later colonize the island in 1625, where unlike the Spanish and Portuguese they would immediately claim the land in the name of King James I. Wealthy or affluent citizens were granted settlement on the lands, which meant that soon after the island would be used to make money and trade goods. One of the things grown and traded were the corn and sugar cane plantation. Citizens from West Africa were brought in to work the plantation lands and bring wealth to the English settlers; however natural disasters in the mid 1700s prevented this continuing.

This then lead to the abolishment of slavery in 1834, some people had continued to work the plantations in exchange for accommodation. Former slaves began to take on important positions on the island, which further resulted in the official freedom of the Bajan people in 1838. Barbados had claimed its full independence with the Bajan people freed from forced labour. The subsequent years followed with Barbados making profitable money on the sugar cane industry, however during The Great Depression the level unemployment increased reducing the quality of life. The English had by this time stepped in to aid the Bajan population and rejuvenate income as it was before.

By 1966 Barbados claimed its official independence with the Bajan people taking full control of the islands affairs and increasing tourism making it the main lucrative source for income on the island. In the last fifty years or so, Barbados has seen a steady flow of tourism and a positive increase in a melange of different cultures and friendly neighbours.

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