So the holiday comes to an end and we have returned to the land of the ankle biters. Our last expedition in Barbados took us to the race course at Garrison Savannah after which was named a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner. That was strange as we saw Shirley Heights in Antigua. That was the name of the 1978 Derby winner too.
There were seven races and we managed a third at best. Apparently the owner of the local corner shop gave out three winners but we were too late to talk to him so missed the opportunity to win a few dollars.
The big meeting is 5th March when they have their own Gold Cup. The trophy is flown in first class by British Airways apparently. I suspect the Sandy Lane Irish boys will be there.
Whether they will be at Twickenham on Saturday I don't know, but I am off there tomorrow, then over to Jersey for the funeral of El Tel. As sad an occasion as it will be, it will be a chance to catch up with a few of the City crew over a glass or two of red, as stories and yarns are exchanged. Quite a mixed emotional weekend.
Thursday 25 February 2016
Friday 19 February 2016
Irony
Sad news reached me today as I learnt of the untimely passing of Terry Le Carre, affectionately known as El Tel. I had just completed a round of golf at Rockleys Golf Club here on Barbados, a course El Tel probably played when he, too, visited the island.
El Tel was always the bookie when we were on our boys tours to the Algarve and it was his City trader influence which got me involved in the black art of spread betting and the dealing room language associated with it.
He won the Algarve Cup one year, from nowhere, and his joy and elation are emotions that stay with me still to this day. He also cleaned up on the book as he was probably 1-3 to win going into the final round!
We all gathered in Jersey for his fiftieth birthday not that many years ago and, as ever, he was the life and soul of the party. Little did we know that would be the final, final round. He became ill some while ago and fought stoically to the end.
He will now be reunited with Moose, and together they will make a formidable betterball in God's own global Open Championship. it does leave us short on characters here on the ground, El Tel, you will be hugely missed.
El Tel was always the bookie when we were on our boys tours to the Algarve and it was his City trader influence which got me involved in the black art of spread betting and the dealing room language associated with it.
He won the Algarve Cup one year, from nowhere, and his joy and elation are emotions that stay with me still to this day. He also cleaned up on the book as he was probably 1-3 to win going into the final round!
We all gathered in Jersey for his fiftieth birthday not that many years ago and, as ever, he was the life and soul of the party. Little did we know that would be the final, final round. He became ill some while ago and fought stoically to the end.
He will now be reunited with Moose, and together they will make a formidable betterball in God's own global Open Championship. it does leave us short on characters here on the ground, El Tel, you will be hugely missed.
Thursday 18 February 2016
Reggae,reggae
Today was an island trip sort of day. We got a reggae bus about lunchtime and travelled to Holetown and it cost 2 bajan $ each. That's a 30 minute trip from the SE of the island to the NW for 60p!
Our first sight to visit was a Barbados National Trust open house. They do one every week and this one was called Fairways and bordered the third tee on the Sandy Lane old nine. It was a five bed new build bungalow on the site of an old one. It was up for sale at B$7m and the agent was using the open day as a marketing opportunity.
Four of the bedrooms were in a separate wing and were identical in design and decoration. The master bedroom and living accommodation were very well played out, but The kitchen, large as it was, did not fit the needs of a busy household. One standard cooker An island work surface which too big, and no bbq pit or rotisserie.
There was a big pool and bar area but all in all it did not float our boat.
We then popped over to the Sandy Lane hotel, as you do, just in time for afternoon tea. Cakes, scones and sandwiches all very well presented and washed down with a drop of fizz.
Sandy Lane is owned by the Irish mafia, J P McManus, Michael Tabor and John Magnier They own the Coolmore stud and used to own a majority stake in Manchester United before they fell out with Fergie over his part in the race horse, Rock of Gibraltor. I doubt they own the hotel to make money, it's probably just a plaything, and somewhere to entertain. It was not as posh as we thought it would be, but the first guest we spoke to lived in Strawberry Hill, Twickenham! Say no more.
The day was rounded off with a few beers in Holetown followed by a steel band concert on the beach. It's their festival this week which celebrates their independence. Next year will be their 50th. They have parades, a tattoo and festival village. All good fun and a world away from the Sandy Lane residents.
Back to our hotel on the reggae bus and all tucked up for tomorrow.
Our first sight to visit was a Barbados National Trust open house. They do one every week and this one was called Fairways and bordered the third tee on the Sandy Lane old nine. It was a five bed new build bungalow on the site of an old one. It was up for sale at B$7m and the agent was using the open day as a marketing opportunity.
Four of the bedrooms were in a separate wing and were identical in design and decoration. The master bedroom and living accommodation were very well played out, but The kitchen, large as it was, did not fit the needs of a busy household. One standard cooker An island work surface which too big, and no bbq pit or rotisserie.
There was a big pool and bar area but all in all it did not float our boat.
We then popped over to the Sandy Lane hotel, as you do, just in time for afternoon tea. Cakes, scones and sandwiches all very well presented and washed down with a drop of fizz.
Sandy Lane is owned by the Irish mafia, J P McManus, Michael Tabor and John Magnier They own the Coolmore stud and used to own a majority stake in Manchester United before they fell out with Fergie over his part in the race horse, Rock of Gibraltor. I doubt they own the hotel to make money, it's probably just a plaything, and somewhere to entertain. It was not as posh as we thought it would be, but the first guest we spoke to lived in Strawberry Hill, Twickenham! Say no more.
The day was rounded off with a few beers in Holetown followed by a steel band concert on the beach. It's their festival this week which celebrates their independence. Next year will be their 50th. They have parades, a tattoo and festival village. All good fun and a world away from the Sandy Lane residents.
Back to our hotel on the reggae bus and all tucked up for tomorrow.
Tuesday 16 February 2016
15 men on dead man's chest....
There is great rejoicing in these parts as the West Indies cricket team has just won the U19 world cup. Cricket in the West Indies has been in the doldrums for many years as they've strived to replace the great teams of the sixties and seventies. Their strength was always a fierce bowling attack backed up by technically correct batsmen who could give the ball a right wallop when needsbe.
The tall potential fast bowlers have all diverted to basketball where the prospects and money are seen to exceed those of cricket. The American college system gain and Lords loss.
Some now see the T20 bastardised game as a tidy payday although Chris Gayle is hardly your perfect roll model. The Windows team for the world T20 tournament starting shortly, is in dispute with the West Indies cricket board and several players will be excluded if they do not sign their deals. Maybe they should field their new young stars.
The tall potential fast bowlers have all diverted to basketball where the prospects and money are seen to exceed those of cricket. The American college system gain and Lords loss.
Some now see the T20 bastardised game as a tidy payday although Chris Gayle is hardly your perfect roll model. The Windows team for the world T20 tournament starting shortly, is in dispute with the West Indies cricket board and several players will be excluded if they do not sign their deals. Maybe they should field their new young stars.
Monday 15 February 2016
Mutiny on the booty
As my geologist friend Stu points out Barbados is just a mudbank scrapped off the Atlantic plate as it dives down underneath the Caribbean plate. As I understand it that makes it the Caribbean equivalent of a hairgrip dropped down a sink. It collects all the detritus until it forms a mass big enough to be noticed.
Consequently the island is lush. It now boasts five golf courses where once were sugar plantations, it has tropical gardens and botanical species rarely found elsewhere and azure blue waters and palm fringed beaches. It is also home to the toosh, or beer bottom!
Now the significance of the lady bottom has not been lost on me, but it was only when SWMBO returned from her last trip to Tanzania that I learnt that the locals rate the lady bottom from 1 to 10 based on the protrude factor. An eight rating is apparently the best even when ranked against a 10, so Bo Derrick was not all she was cracked up to be.
So we are now viewing the locals here in a new light, but as long as I can rest me pint on it, an eight is fine by me!!!
Consequently the island is lush. It now boasts five golf courses where once were sugar plantations, it has tropical gardens and botanical species rarely found elsewhere and azure blue waters and palm fringed beaches. It is also home to the toosh, or beer bottom!
Now the significance of the lady bottom has not been lost on me, but it was only when SWMBO returned from her last trip to Tanzania that I learnt that the locals rate the lady bottom from 1 to 10 based on the protrude factor. An eight rating is apparently the best even when ranked against a 10, so Bo Derrick was not all she was cracked up to be.
So we are now viewing the locals here in a new light, but as long as I can rest me pint on it, an eight is fine by me!!!
Sunday 14 February 2016
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
We have finally docked in Barbados after a week island hopping in the Eastern Caribbean. Technology is suddenly so much better.
On our first day we were at sea as we travelled towards Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Next morning we were met by a friend of SWMBO's mum and her daughter. The daughter lives on the island so we got a locals view of the place. Hidden beaches, local bars and local drink. The painkiller cocktail was very yummy. Our tour ended at about 3pm when we joined the school run to pick up her 13 year old daughter. They are looking to move after 5 years there as the 13 year old has outgrown the place and needs some local mates. All good things come to an end sometime, usually for the sake of the children.
Next day saw us in St Martens an island that is half French and half Dutch. Our visit was confined to the Frencb half and beach time took priority. As well as our modest sized cruiser of 1200 people there was a Windjammrr with 170 souls andtwo mega ships with 10,000 people between them, all docked side by side. It was as if Canary Wharf had been laid on its side and towed to sea!!
Day three saw us burnt like lobsters and it was on the menu too. We were in St Kitt's where the weather got the better of us and curtailed our expedition . We missed the port bus to the beach we wanted to go to and the taxi fare was prohibitive so we chilled in a bar and watched island life go by.
Antigua allowed me the pleasure of a round of golf. Borrowed clubs and fast running fairways did not see me hotel form but it was a reasonable round. I played with a married couple to whom I appeared invisible, such was their self importance. Sadly you do get people like that in a golf club but I engineered him to end up at the bar so silver linings, and all that.
Antigua will be on our returns list to see the English harbour and Nelson's dockyard.
Our final stop was St Vincent although I am not sure why? Not too much to offer but was probably in the itinerary as a government requirement.
So all in all a good seven days made all the better now we are in Barbados and havens England beat Italy and Spurs beat Man City. The cricket did not go too well though!
On our first day we were at sea as we travelled towards Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Next morning we were met by a friend of SWMBO's mum and her daughter. The daughter lives on the island so we got a locals view of the place. Hidden beaches, local bars and local drink. The painkiller cocktail was very yummy. Our tour ended at about 3pm when we joined the school run to pick up her 13 year old daughter. They are looking to move after 5 years there as the 13 year old has outgrown the place and needs some local mates. All good things come to an end sometime, usually for the sake of the children.
Next day saw us in St Martens an island that is half French and half Dutch. Our visit was confined to the Frencb half and beach time took priority. As well as our modest sized cruiser of 1200 people there was a Windjammrr with 170 souls andtwo mega ships with 10,000 people between them, all docked side by side. It was as if Canary Wharf had been laid on its side and towed to sea!!
Day three saw us burnt like lobsters and it was on the menu too. We were in St Kitt's where the weather got the better of us and curtailed our expedition . We missed the port bus to the beach we wanted to go to and the taxi fare was prohibitive so we chilled in a bar and watched island life go by.
Antigua allowed me the pleasure of a round of golf. Borrowed clubs and fast running fairways did not see me hotel form but it was a reasonable round. I played with a married couple to whom I appeared invisible, such was their self importance. Sadly you do get people like that in a golf club but I engineered him to end up at the bar so silver linings, and all that.
Antigua will be on our returns list to see the English harbour and Nelson's dockyard.
Our final stop was St Vincent although I am not sure why? Not too much to offer but was probably in the itinerary as a government requirement.
So all in all a good seven days made all the better now we are in Barbados and havens England beat Italy and Spurs beat Man City. The cricket did not go too well though!
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