Things I Thought I’d Never Tolerate for a Second .. in Barbados
Good morning! Such a lazy girl I am, husband Greg at Westmoreland playing golf and me lying in bed after a lovely morning solo swim in the sea .. my bedroom windows are flung open wide, warm breeze wafting through. How I adore the rhythmic sound of the gentle waves kissing our little beach!
My room with a view … ahh Barbados! (Um, I haven't made the bed yet …) (Photo taken with my iTouch.)
Don’t be too jealous. There are many, many things you have that I don’t nor may ever see on our Caribbean paradise of Barbados. Indeed, I never would have imagined I’d learn to tolerate some things that I tolerate quite well, such as:
Gekkos
Two nights ago Greg called out from my bathroom, “Janie, you have a gekko in your bathroom.” Normally, I would have raced in with a broom and urgently requested (nice word that, “requested”) my he-man husband inch it out through the window.
Instead, I didn’t get up from my laptop. I called back, “Where is it exactly?”
Greg: “Um, right now it’s above the Holly Trew painting.”
Me: “How big is it?”
Greg called back: “I’d say about 3 inches.”
Me, thinking, “Awwwwwwww … how cute, a baby!”
I got up and went to the bathroom to see for myself. Poor little guy was petrified of us; he was turning the bright pink of my bathroom walls. I was so, so glad I didn’t bring in the broom; I would have given him (the gekko) a coronary.
I didn’t shoo; I cooed. And I left the bathroom window open all night so the little fellow could come and go as he pleased.
Progress: After nearly 3 years in Barbados, I can co-exist with a 3-inch gekko.
Weird cheese.
I love cheese. Stores devoted to bringing in cheeses from every corner of the world are some of my favorite haunts in San Francisco. A cheese I dream about is Manchego … sheeps’ milk cheese from Spain.Gosh I love that stuff. A thin slice of Serrano ham paired with a slice of Manchego cheese … ahhh!
In Barbados, Anchor rules. Anchor’s a brand name of cheeses imported from New Zealand. They’re good. The problem lies in the lack of variety … uh, How do you like your cheddar?
So my darling Greg brought home a cheese he saw at Big B grocery the other day, hoping it would delight his cheese-y wife. It’s Pepper Jack-flavored “pasteurized process cheese food alternative with jalapeno & red bell peppers.” Seven long lines of type contain words describing what it’s made of. Slices are individually wrapped.
After it sat in our fridge for a few days unopened, Greg picked up the package and mused, “I wonder … Where do you think does that stuff come from?” He couldn’t find info re its origin on the package. My guess? A chemical factory, same place they make FunYuns et al.
This morning, after a week in our fridge, I dared unwrap one. (I didn’t need to worry about it going bad; this stuff could easily surpass my lifetime.)
I unwrapped a slice, put it on a plate … it’s very thin; it’s shiny. The product is sticky to the touch and stretches like those thera-bands you do exercise with. I peeled it off the plate, rolled it into a curl, and took a bite.
It’s delicious. Completely delicious. Standing in the kitchen, I ate two stretchy squares of something akin to cheese.
Progress: Life does not begin and end with Manchego.
And that’s all from paradise, everyone! Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading.
xox Jane
P.S. Okay, they’re not much … BUT, if you love Barbados or are curious about Barbados, or if you just want to burn through 3 minutes of time, please check out my little videos on my YouTube channel. I’m covering my favorite spots on the island first … and will branch out from there. Any requests, please let me know and I’ll add it to my list of places and activities to make videos of. (I’ve recruited one of Greg’s sons to help me shoot Barbados’ Aerial Zipline … Me do it? There’s no way, no bleepin’ way …) 🙂
3 Responses to “Things I Thought I’d Never Tolerate for a Second .. in Barbados”
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Ahh don’t be jealos folks but in 6 WEEKS and my wife and I have this view! I would love to see Gekko in our bathroom. I would love to see my Elaine’s reaction. 90 here in Boston today. looking forward to meeting you Jane!
Gotta love those little lizards. Here is south Florida we have our share of little creatures. I love them. Its just a little reminder to me that I’m not in Kansas anymore.
Cheers!
Pepper Jack normally comes from the USA, although I don’t know about this one specifically. Its a derivative of Monterey Jack.
Proper cheese comes from France.
There is a fairly decent selection at Supercentre at Warrens. Have you tried that?