Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

Sugary sand and turquoise seas are always familiar bedfellows for photo ops, but I love this memory of Barbados because its visual composition -- the angles of sea and sky, clouds and seaweed -- remind me of duality of this island nation that kept me captivated. This beach near the fishing village of Oistin's was virtually deserted, yet five feet behind me the street was alive with throngs of revelers taking in the annual fish festival. Calypso music blared over loudspeakers and vendors beckoned, hawking great big Dora the Explorer balloons for kids and boozy beverages for adults. I found the island to be both serene with its liquid blue panoramas and fiery with its Friday night fish festivals. Though its "Little England" roots include pints of Guinness and polo ponies, Barbados's West Indian vibe of Mount Gay rum, frangipani scented winds and the glorious Caribbean remain a treasured memory.