Comments on: About Me

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:07:54 +0000

Hey Jane!
I’m a contributor on the NileGuide travel blog (blog.nileguide.com), where we write about all things “savvy traveler” related. NileGuide.com is a custom trip planning website where travelers can research, plan and build a free custom guide for their trip. I came across your blog recently and really loved your writing about living as a local in Barbados. I think the content of your blog is great, and would love to organize a link exchange. If you’re interested, we would put a link to your blog on our Travel Links page to give our readers some content on the daily life in Barbados, and hopefully you could link to our Barbados trip planner (nileguide.com/destination/barbados) or blog on your sidebar so people have information if they are looking to travel to Barbados. I think this link exchange would really benefit both our readers!

Sincerely,
Rachel Greenberg
rachel@nileguide.com

By: Jane Shattuck Hoyos

Jane Shattuck Hoyos — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Lois, hello. Yes, I am Brooks’s sister. It’s been two months since she left; I’m not doing well, firing on too few cylinders these days, suffering much depression. Would you please let me know how you knew Brooks? I miss her so much. Please e-mail me at PlanetBarbados@gmail.com. Thanks. xo Jane

By: lois cowan

lois cowan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:25:36 +0000

hellow jane…are you brooks’ sister?…we are in maine after my spouse had an orgna transplant…had heard from brooks after she moved to south beach—then got entangled with our own lives…i spoke with her twice and it was clear she wasn’t doing well…we feel terrible…please write and tell us what happened…and what about her pups?

thanx

By: planetbarbados

planetbarbados — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:36:10 +0000

Yes, Lois, it’s such a shame but Olives has closed.

You can subscribe to my blog very easily by going to it, http://OneLoveBarbados.com, and clicking on the subscribe button. Then it will arrive in your e-mail box automatically.

Keep the faith … there’s still great food here! Also .. economic downturns can’t last forever ………….. um, right??

By: Lois Swanson

Lois Swanson — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:44:15 +0000

Thanks for answering. As you get updates you may want to e-mail me as I don’t always check this website. I heard also that Olives had closed. Is this true? I know Calabaza will close for a month but that’s just for refurbishing and then they will reopen mid-July for lunch and dinner.

Lois

By: planetbarbados

planetbarbados — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:25:44 +0000

Lois, hello. Thanks for writing. We are deeply saddened by Alfred’s death. He was known as a perfectionist and created something very beautiful in South Sea. Rumors have been rife for months concerning the financial health of the restaurant. A notice out front states that the restaurant will be closed for awhile. It’s very difficult to get reliable information. I will keep you posted about it and Whispers and other restaurants on the island as I learn things.

There will always be fine dining in Barbados because there is a demand for it, even if that demand waxes and wanes with the economy. The Fish Pot, The Tides and The Cliff come to mind, all fabulous places to dine.

By: Lois Swanson

Lois Swanson — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:42:56 +0000

Hi Jane,

I came across your website for the first time today. I am shocked and saddened at the death of Alfred Taylor from Southsea. Seems like you had an inkling of trouble back in May and I’m sure that was part of the cause of his death. Can you tell me anymore about the restaurant’s future. Also wondering about Wispers and any other restaurants on the island. We’ll be back in October and I hope some of the top restaurants are still open.

Thanks for your help. Lois

By: planetbarbados

planetbarbados — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:04:42 +0000

Mark, nice to “meet” you. Thanks for reading my blog. I see you’ve added yourself to my Twitter account, too. Say ..if you ever figure out what Twitter is and what it does for anyone, would you please let me know?

For a man to have fonder memories of Barbados than Paris really says something! Now that’s a compliment!

By: Mark Couch

Mark Couch — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:21:09 +0000

Discovered your site quite by accident, but love it, even if it makes me quite jealous! Having retired from the Foreign Service there are a lot of nice places I have worked around the world, but my years in Barbados were my favorite, even more so than Paris. There’s nowhere else on earth quite like it. But, I’ll be back, I don’t want to miss another Crop over!

Cheers,
Mark

By: planetbarbados

planetbarbados — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:38:00 +0000

Hello, dad! Glad you’re healing nicely – great news. Anytime you wish to write, my personal e-mail address is PlanetBarbados@gmail.com.

Take care and heal fast!

By: your father

your father — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:02:40 +0000

Hi, Janie Bear! Brooks gave me your address. I love your web site. My total right knee replacement is healing nicely. (This ain’t for sissies) Please keep in touch. Lou and I would love to see you and meet your husband when you tire of heaven and want to come to your birthplace. My house is your house. Boulder is a bit more convenient than Ruby Ranch. We’re glad we moved. Cheers and love, JBS

By: Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup: Thoroughbred Trash?

Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup: Thoroughbred Trash? — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:42:26 +0000

[...] About the Author of PlanetBarbados [...]

By: planetbarbados

planetbarbados — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:36:11 +0000

THANK YOU! I feel like I’m living in Spam Hell. I didn’t know how to fix it … I thank you for giving me the solution! I’ll do this right away (if I can figure out how). xx

By: Ashmita Maharaj

Ashmita Maharaj — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 05:55:44 +0000

My god, please also excuse my horrible typo!

By: Ashmita Maharaj

Ashmita Maharaj — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 05:55:00 +0000

Activate your askimet spam guard in Wordpress .. The bots have discvored you.

By: planetbarbados

planetbarbados — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:26:21 +0000

Hahaha, I understand the French are way screwier with administrative things than pretty much any other culture. I have been in Paris on numerous occasions when the whole city shuts down for a strike or a protest march down Champs Elysees. You’re so right: patience is key. In all of life. In that, I have my work cut out for me. Thanks for the reminder. Thanks for your visit to my blog and your comment, Barbadienne.

By: Barbadienne

Barbadienne — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:07:36 +0000

Lovely story
I will follow your blog to see your transition.
Barbados is indeed lovely and you will enjoy your life there but patience is the key esp in banks on Friday. Shopping during public holidays and some governmental offices.
I am elsewhere now and I realise how great Barbados is in terms of administrative issues.
Be patient Jane and enjoy your new life in Barbados

Missing Barbados and dealing with French administration
wanna exchange?

By: planetbarbados

planetbarbados — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:19:58 +0000

Fascinating. For anyone who wants it, here’s the source of this on Wikipedia. To summarize, the origin of the term “Bim” as a nickname for Barbados could be from any of the following:

Slaves: “my people”
Literary context: “goddess”
1868 Agricultural report: “county of England, Bimshire”
1652 Daily Argosy, Guyana: corruption of politician’s name, “Byam”

Thank you, Jo Ann. Reading your research made me all at once sad that there ever existed a slave trade here (I always choke up when I circle the Bussa roundabout) and at the same time proud of this country’s rich history.

By: Jo Ann

Jo Ann — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:08:10 +0000

From Wikipedia – Another name associated with Barbados or her people is “Bim” or “Bimshire”. The origin is uncertain but several theories abound, the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados follows the Dr. Richard Allsopp theory, which is that “Bim” was a word commonly used by slaves and that it derives from the phrase “bi mu”[3] or either (“bem”, “Ndi bem”, “Nwanyi ibem” or “Nwoke ibem”)[4] from an Igbo phrase, meaning “my people.” In colloquial or literary contexts, “Bim” can also take a more deific tone, referring to the “goddess” Barbados.[citation needed] The word Bim and Bimshire are recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary and the Chamber’s Twentieth Century Dictionaries. Another possible source for “Bim” is reported to be in the Agricultural Reporter of 25 April 1868, The Rev. N Greenidge (father of one of the island’s most famous scholars, Abel Hendy Jones Greenidge) suggested the listing of Bimshire as a county of England. Expressly named were “Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, and Bimshire”.[5] Lastly in the Daily Argosy (of Demerara i.e. Guyana) of 1652 it referred to Bim as a possible corruption of the word “Byam”, who was a Royalist leader against the Parliamentarians. That source suggested the followers of Byam became known as Bims and became a word for all Barbadians.[6]

By: planetbarbados

planetbarbados — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:35:34 +0000

Thanks. I hear you on this … I had a Lexus in the States, made by Toyota as you know, and loved-loved that car. Thanks for reminding me how much I loved that Toyota … damn fine car.

By: planetbarbados

planetbarbados — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:34:14 +0000

Warm rain is romantic to walk in Cold rain is a recipe for misery! Gotta luv Bim. Do you know where that nickname Bim came from, by the way? xx

By: 199

199 — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:36:43 +0000

I too, would find that so funny, especially, as I positively, loved walking in the warm rain in Bim, as a child!! Slightly, less so in the UK!!

That’s my people for you, Jane!! Bajans!!

Lord!!

Now, Jane and Greg, if I can engage your ’serious-minds’ for a moment: Jane, especially, as an American, how would you consider it’s been possible for a black, AFRICAN American to become the first black President of the US, ahead of a descendant of an ex-slave American, who’ve been there for far longer, of course!! It’s the question which nobody else has the guts to ask, much less answer or prognositcate upon, so if you also, feel unable to answer I’ll quite understand!!

Best wishes to you and Greg!!

By: Ian Bourne

Ian Bourne — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:04:26 +0000

Toyota or rust – do not use anything else!

By: Jane Shattuck

Jane Shattuck — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:14:32 +0000

Good idea, Raphael. I’ve always been a fan of buying slightly-used cars. I’m casually looking around for one. One issue in Barbados is that only a few makes of cars can be easily maintained and serviced.

For instance, I checked out a Peugeot and a Volvo that were for sale, but finding a mechanic for these is hopeless. I need to get a Suzuki or Toyota …

By: Raphael

Raphael — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:17:09 +0000

The 100-300% duty on cars is there for a reason… remember the already terrible traffic? Hopefully, your complaints are now down to 2 overall Why not get a second-hand car?

By: Jane Shattuck

Jane Shattuck — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:49:02 +0000

Thank you, Robert, and same to you, Happy New Year! Thanks for the specifics on Barbados’ location as well. It sits outside the archipelago of islands, so a lot of people have trouble imagining where were are. I’m always amused (and miffed, I admit) when I see a map and Barbados is not even on it!

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:16:55 +0000

An island in the Atlantic about 300 mi (483 km) north of Venezuela, Barbados is only 21 mi long (34 km) and 14 mi across (23 km) at its widest point. It is circled by fine beaches and narrow coastal plains. The highest point is Mount Hillaby (1,105 ft; 337 m) in the north-central area. From a bajan here in Phoenix via Toronto. Was there recently in September or I should say, always there. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND.

By: Jane Shattuck

Jane Shattuck — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:08:00 +0000

Once upon a time an American princess fell in love with a handsome Barbadian man. The Barbadian man took the princess away to his home in the faraway tropical paradise of Barbados. The island hasn’t recovered yet … Hey mon, this chick’s becoming a Bajan!