Tag Archive for 'Barbados'

Heads Up: Rum Day is October 16

Published on October 7, 2010 in Baby Boomer. 2 Comments Tags: , .

Or August 21, or October 21. It’s kind of like International Procrastination Day or International Doobie Day.
Whatev, dude!

Just to keep things on the up and up, I will be commemorating International Rum Week next week in Barbados.

BTW:  We burned the house and all our belongings. The Dodge Magnum Hemi Station Wagon was totaled in a massive collision with a rogue tobacco wagon.

Maker's Mark Kayak on top of Smart ForTwo Cabriolet

I am taking our Smart and my Maker’s Mark kayak with us.

The dogs have not been fed, wormed,  or vaccinated. I have mistreated them horribly so they are vicious and hate the sight of anything with hands and arms.

There is nothing left of our homestead – so unless you have a real hankerin’ for some burned up bluegrass sod, that’s about all that is left to steal. Just move along you pirates, there be better bounty at the neighbors.

I have been honing my skills as a Rum Drinker in preparation. Dulling the Bourbon buds if you will. I’m finding a sincere appreciation for my creation, the Sierra Mist Sister Twister (four of these and you’ll be looking at nuns a whole new way):

In a 24 ounce souvenir cup…

  • 12 ounce can of Diet Sierra Mist Cranberry
  • 4 ounces of pineapple juice
  • 11 ice cubes
  • Cheapo rum to the top

My rum of choice in Barbados will be the bottle in front of me – remember: I would rather have a free bottle in front of me than a pre-frontal lobotomy.

I will be tasting the Mahiki brand since

The taste is medium weight in flavours, with vanilla, baked banana and sweet raisin with a long and sweet finish.

This long aged rum uses a blend of pot and column distilled rums to ensure it has a long and sweet finish.

It has then been aged in Bourbon and Madeira casks in order to create a full-bodied rum which can be enjoyed on its own, with a mixer or as a more elaborate cocktail.

Barbados is the home of Mount Gay rum and I will fulfill my duties as a Kentucky Colonel to check their distillery and dutifully scoff at their methods and proclaim

Hey Bubba! Watch This! I’m drinking Gay rum!

…as I chug their finest rum with nary a whisper of a breath as it goes down my gullet. Rum is only 40 proof! Kiddy drinks with umbrellas!

Living in and Loving Tropical Kentucky

Published on July 31, 2010 in Baby Boomer. 5 Comments Tags: , .

We’re now getting about a leaf every three days on our banana tree. It’s fun, and pretty amazing. One day a greet shoot will appear, a few hours later start to unroll and then the next day a new leaf will show up. The leaves will be all droopy in the blazing sun, but a short thunderstorm or a heavy dew perks them right back up.

Jaysus, what a life: I’m thrilled over banana tree leaves. Gadzooks!

We’re going to Tropical Barbados in October! Sorry to brag about that, but I am excited about snorkeling, ziplining, scubaing, and swimming with sea turtles!

Rum! Forest! Rum!

Banana Tree June 20, 2010

Banana Tree July 31,2010

We Will Probably Pick Barbados over Biloxi, Gulfport, Orange Beach, Pensacola, et al.

Published on July 18, 2010 in Baby Boomer. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

It will be a Bulbous’ birthday soon.

The Big 4-0.

She got her love of travel and adventure from us, so we figured we needed to haul her and St. Todd deCubbville to a destination to celebrate her getting really, really old.

We have a budget, she has a flying time limit of three hours. Living in the garden spot of Florida, means anyplace in the Gulf Coast region or the Caribbean is a possibility.

We have taken a few road trips with them and had a ball every single times and came home with memories we still laugh about.

The first “real” destination proposed was California taking U.S. 1 and CA 101 along the coast. But adding up the cost of a car rental, the price of gas in CA and all the friggin’ fees and taxes, flying four of us to our take off point, then lodging and eats would exceed our budget by a lot.

A cruise was on the table, but Bulbous decided what she really wanted was to veg on a beach and snorkel and not be on a schedule. Nancy is a bargain-travel genius and soon had us shopping around CheapCaribbean.com.

We’re close to booking a five night stay in Barbados for the four of us to celebrate the Big 4-0.

But it just as easily could have been Biloxi, Gulfport, Orange Beach, Pensacola or any other of the regions that are hurting for tourists.

But I’m tired of all the whining by resort and restaurant owners about how vacationers are staying away in droves.

Hear this: I am not criticizing those who make their living on the water or from what grows in the water or what is harvested from the water.

I just hate it when the Tee Vee news features some motel or restaurant owner whining about the loss of business.  Tip: We can fly to Barbados from Miami, stay in a 3 star hotel (that’s the equivalent of a Comfort Inn, Drury Inn, Clarion, etc. in the states) for about $500 each. Flight, hotel, and breakfast.

So where are the deals along the gulf coast? All I’ve heard and read are the “we’re open” and “no oil guarantee” and “boo-hoo, everybody is canceling their vacations to this area… woe is me!” Oh yeah, and they brought Jimmy Buffet in for a one-day concert.

I haven’t seen any convention and visitors bureau on the gulf coast region put together a five night package for $500 per person.

We loved Biloxi when we saw the tall ships. We think Orange Beach is very attractive. Loved Bay St. Louis, and Pass Christian.

But IMHO, these hotel and restaurant owners are suffering from “victimitis” and don’t want us there. They can collect from their insurance company – or better yet - from BP for lost business.

Just yesterday the British company refused to grant Florida a further $50 million grant to allow the state to promote its beaches.

The oil-giant has already given the state $25 million, a fund officials claim has now run dry.

Easy money.

Barbados yes!

Biloxi, no thanks ya’ll – unless you get your act together and launch CheapGulfofMexico.com.