Hard Coffee Queen St

Hard Coffee Queen St

Costa Rica Dark Roast Whole Bean Bag 12 Ounces (340 Grams) $9.95 Classic Gourmet Tradition Café Britt Dark Roast embodies the tradition of gourmet Costa Rican coffee. Aged red wine, figs and dried fruits mellow its robust aroma. Its full-bodied flavor of st

Hazelnut Coffee $8.49 Our 100% Arabica gourmet coffee is infused with the smooth and nutty tasted of fresh hazelnut. Whole Bean 12 oz.

Decaffeinated Coffee $6.49 A distinctive and balanced flavor for those who love the richness of a darker roast and the smooth flavor of a lighter roast coffee. Ground 13 oz.

Crescent City Blend® Coffee $8.49 A tribute to the rich, bold coffee served in New Orleans. Whole Bean 12 oz.

Dark Roast Coffee $6.49 The rich aroma of our original coffee blend will awaken your senses. Ground 16 oz.

Brazil Santos Bourbon Coffee $8.49 This delectable gourmet coffee yields an enticingly smooth cup with a rich aroma and mild acidity. Whole Bean 12 oz.

French Vanilla Coffee $8.49 A truly delectable and luxuriously sweet French Vanilla coffee you are sure to enjoy. Whole Bean 12 oz.

Pecan Praline Coffee $8.49 Our Pecan Praline flavored coffee is a truly delightful Southern treat. Whole Bean 12 oz.

Fresh-O-Lator® Coffee Canister $29.95 Our airtight canister will preserve the freshness of your favorite coffee.

Kenya Coffee $8.49 Bright acidity and fruity flavors combine for a wonderfully aromatic cup with a taste that maintains a refined winey character. Whole Bean 12 oz.

Around the World Gourmet Coffee Sampler $34.95 Explore four specialty coffees from distinctive coffee-growing regions around the world. Whole Bean Four 12 oz. packages.

Medium Roast Coffee $6.49 This extraordinarily aromatic and light-roasted blend produces a fragrant and mellow cup. Ground 16 oz.

Kona Blend Coffee $8.49 Our Kona Blend is light-medium roasted and produces a sweet and mellow floral tone. Whole Bean 12 oz.

Café Special® Coffee $5.99 Roasted medium-dark to a rich brown color for a distinctive café taste and aroma. Ground 12 oz.

Breakfast Blend Coffee $8.49 Ease into the day as we do down in New Orleans with the smooth and mellow flavor of our Breakfast Blend. Ground 12 oz.

Hard Tack And Coffee $12.3 Hard Tack And Coffee

New Orleans Blend® Coffee and Chicory $5.49 Indulge in a delicate combination of fine Arabica beans and high quality chicory that is steeped in the traditions of New Orleans. Ground 16 oz.

Louisiana Blend™ Medium-Dark Coffee $8.49 This blend of gourmet Latin American coffees embodies the distinctive flavor of Louisiana. Whole Bean 12 oz.

Mahogany Finish Queen Ann Traditional Coffee Table $326 Mahogany Finish Queen Ann Traditional Coffee Table

Coffee Candy Chews Bag 13.2 Ounces (376 Grams) $9.95 Between cups of brewed gourmet coffee, you can enjoy the essence of our premium beans with our coffee candy chews. While the majority of coffee candies are artificially flavored, we use only the

Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans Bag 6 Ounces (170 Grams) $9.95 Both coffee and cacao beans have a long history in Costa Rica. Hundreds of years ago cacao beans were first used as currency by indigenous tribes. Before the introduction of coffee in the early 1700s,

Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans Canister 7 Ounces (200 Grams) $9.95 Both coffee and cacao beans have a long history in Costa Rica. Hundreds of years ago cacao beans were first used as currency by indigenous tribes. Before the introduction of coffee in the early 1700s,

The Queen”s College Of St. Margaret And St. Bernard In The University Of Cambridge $24.95 The Queen”s College Of St. Margaret And St. Bernard In The University Of Cambridge

French Coffee Press 3 Cup French Press Chrome $16.99 Like many of the best inventions, the French Coffee Press seems to have resulted from an accident.  Legend has it that around the mid 1800s, the serendipitous incident happened on a hillside when

Madagascar – Outdoor Music Festival

How To Rid Your House From Ants

Many people are battling with ants in their homes and have never found a permanent solution to get rid of them. This article is going to provide details on ways to help you with your ant problem. Plus for some of you many of these tips may permanently get rid of these little creatures.

You can read comprehensive reviews of the 12 cup coffee maker right here.

The most effective method of wiping out ants is to locate their breeding ground and destroy the queen. Most people would assume this could be achieved without any problems, but that’s not the case. For starters finding the nest is never an easy task to begin with. The nest’s location could be deep in the crevices of your basement under some of your old possessions. Even in the event you discover the nest, it will be quite a job to kill the queen as she protects herself from outside chemical materials by hiding at the bottom of the nest.

Nonetheless don’t give up. It is of maximum importance that you never leave food or crumbs on counters or floors. The main reasons ants enter your home is because they see food, if there is no food they won’t be coming back. Consequently make certain you thoroughly clean floors and countertops each and every day.

The next thing you want to do would be to kill any scouts you come across in your home. Searchers are made to find food for the ants. After the scouts find any food and notify the rest of the colony, they all come to get the food. So you can see that if you kill every scout they won’t be able to to get back to the colony and tell them about the food. Also if you saw the spot that the scout traveled from clean the path that the ant took with an all purpose cleaner to remove the scent of the scout so no other ants can follow the scout’s scent trail.

Through the use of caulk to seal breaches and holes in your home, you can significantly reduce the number of ants that make it inside. Because the ants are really small, they can easily enter your home through small spaces. This is why you want to make sure your property is sealed up good and tight.

Diatomaceous earth is a great remedy for ant eradication. This specific natural product can kill ants that simply are in contact with it. As a result of pulling out all of the fluid in an ant’s body, this product triggers death for the ant. This is an excellent product to apply in foundation sections and basements of homes. It may even totally ward off ant infestations.

Lastly,, you most likely know that tossing rice at weddings has stopped being permitted. It’s mainly because when birds drink water soon after eating rice, the rice swells inside the birds and kills them. The very exact thing occurs when you give ants cornmeal. For a last resort, consider leaving plenty of cornmeal for your ants. Just go ahead and place plenty as close to the nest as you can.

I hope this article was helpful. For details about various other health and weight related topics for instance how to lose belly fat fast for women or how to lose thigh fat or even read reviews of the best appetite suppressants, make sure you take a look at our web site.

Barbados Naked

Barbados Naked

Welcome to my Barbados naked series. Here I will provide you with details of things to see and do on the island and recommend restaurants, bars and excursions that I have either experienced myself or had guests tell me just how good they really are. I hope that you find the information useful for your trip or research of the island and would be very pleased if you feel you could add anything to my information. If you do please do drop me a line at Admin@VIPvillas.com and we’ll look to add it to our ‘Barbados Naked’ feature for future readers. Please enjoy reading the articles which I will be posting weekly. The series starts this week with an introduction to Barbados, the main tourist knowledge points, some history and facts and figures.

Next week we’ll find out about restaurants and food on the island. I’ll be supplying details of the best restaurants in each town and district and giving you a flavour (if you’ll pardon the pun!) of what they offer. I’ll also detail some of the local dishes that you should try and while there.

Then comes activites. Barbados really does make the most of it’s weather. There are lots of activities to get engaged in from relaxing on the beach to the more energetic pursuits such as diving, watersports and or course golf.

Excursions follows that with a guide on what to do and when. This guide gives you all you need to know to actually ‘do it yourself’, so standby for a full breakdown of the island with contact details for excursion providers and tour operators.

You really can’t go all the way to Barbados and not sample the nightlife now can you!! Well click through during week 5 of my Naked Barbados series to find out which are hot and which are not. From beach bars to the high life of the West Coast this instalment has it all. Barbados naked it most certainly is!!

I have previously completed the top ten beaches in Barbados. Tune in to week six for an indepth look at the best beaches. I’ll be reviewing nearly all of them on the island so you can feast your eyes on those that the tourists don’t know about.

Week seven provides a calendar of events for 2009. Make sure you don’t miss a thning with an indepth study of all that there is going on in 2009.

And we finish in week eight. A whistlestop tour of all that is Naked Barbados!! I’ll round off my series for those specialist trips, getting married? Then tune in, fancy a nature trail? Then click through… it’s all here in this last ‘round up’ week.

So with no time to waste here is my opening piece. Please enjoy!!

FLIGHTS/GETTING THERE

Barbados is well connected to Britain and North America, and currently has a limited service from Continental Europe. With so many incoming flights it acts as a hub to other islands within the South Eastern Caribbean. This makes the island an excellent island hopping base if you intend on visiting other islands. VIPvillas.com can organise separate stays in luxury villas on more than one Caribbean island for you.

The following airlines serve Barbados:

UK:

British Airways from Gatwick

Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick and Manchester

Caribbean Airlines (former BWIA) from Gatwick using British Airways codeshare

BMI from Manchester.

Europe:

Martinair from Amsterdam

Condor from Frankfurt

USA:

US Airways from Philadelphia

American Airlines from New York & Miami

Air Jamaica from New York (JFK)

Delta Air Lines from Atlanta.

Canada:

Air Canada from Toronto

Regional:

Caribbean Airlines (former BWIA), Air Jamaica, LIAT, and American Eagle, which have flights across the Caribbean. Flights to the Grenadines are served by SVG air, TIA 2000 and Mustique Airways – the three airlines also operate together as Grenadines Airways.

ISLAND HOPPING

One very useful fact to know is that there are a number of flights from Barbados to the Grenadines, both as day tours and as transfers, that are known as ‘shared charters’. Practically speaking they run every day, but because they are run by charter airlines, rather than scheduled companies, they are not listed on the international computer systems. See below for the airlines that offer shared charter to the Grenadines.

REGIONAL AIRLINES

LIAT

Caribbean Airlines (former BWIA)

Air Jamaica

SVG Air

Mustique Airways

Trans Island Air/TIA 2000

Day trips to other islands:

Grenadines Discoveries

Fly to Union Island and join a Catamaran for a day sail, with snorkelling and swimming stops in Mayreau, Tobago Keys and Palm Island. $640 including lunch and drinks.

One day air tours to the Grenadines, St Lucia, St Vincent and Young Island, and Grenada.

If you would like to charter a plane, then they are available through:

St Barth Commuter

A local airline based in St Barths, which offers scheduled flights from there to St Martin/St Maarten and Caribbean private aircraft charters to islands all over the Eastern Caribbean. They have a fleet of five twin-engine planes and five specially trained (STOL) pilots with permission to land in St Barths.

SVG Air

A local Caribbean airline that offers charters to the Grenadines from around the region, often from Barbados, but also from St Lucia and Grenada, even from as far as Puerto Rico. SVG Air has around a dozen 5-19-seater planes and also offers island hopping and air ambulance services.

AIRPORT

Grantley Adams International Airport (airport code BGI, after Bridgetown, the island’s capital) is located approximately 10 miles/16km south east of Bridgetown city centre. VIPvillas.com have luxury portfolio of West Coast Villas in Barbados for you to choose from; they really are sheer luxury!

The airport has recently undergone a multi-million dollar expansion with the major phase completed in 2007. This included the construction of a new, much larger arrivals terminal which now houses 22 immigration work stations, five large luggage carousels and two duty free shops. The old arrivals hall has become part of an extended departure lounge and houses a new airside food court and retail concourse. Other facilities include a bank and postal services. Approximately four air bridges are part of the next set of improvements and there has been talk of enclosing the check-in area and installing air-conditioning.

PASSPORTS & VISAS

As a visitor to Barbados you will require a passport which is valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry, along with a valid return airline ticket. This now applies to all American and Canadian citizens, whilst British citizens are required to hold a full 10-year passport. American, Canadian, British and EU citizens do not require a visa for short stays. Other nationalities please check with the Barbados High Commission or with your travel organiser for entry requirements

LOCAL TRANSPORT

The bus system in Barbados is a good one and the fleet of blue and yellow buses (BM licence plate) reaches every corner throughout the island on a regular basis. You will need exact change for the buses and they stop only at official bus stops, which are marked either ‘To City’ or ‘Out of City’ in a red and white circle. The destination is displayed over the front windscreen.

The Government service is supplemented by privately operated mini-buses (B licence plate) that are painted yellow with a blue stripe down the side, and route taxis (ZR licence) which are white with a burgundy stripe. These buses do give change, and they also play local music (somewhat loud at times) and can be hailed down anywhere on route. Destinations are usually on a sign placed in the bottom left-hand corner of the windscreen, and routes normally painted on the sides of the buses. It should be noted that ZR vans are an adventure as well as a mode of transport. They tend to stop at the drop of a hat and travel at speeds which are not for the faint hearted. But then they’ll go out of their way to drop a granny with her shopping outside her house. Avoid travelling at peak times when buses are packed to the limit. The fare to any destination is Bds$1.50 one-way. Depending on the routes, during the week buses can operate from as early as 5.30am to as late as 12.30pm.

For more information on the Government Transport Service, telephone Barbados 436 6820

CAR HIRE

Hiring a car is an excellent addition to a visit to the Caribbean, but particularly so in Barbados because there is plenty to do and because the island is surprisingly good to explore. There are some delightful beaches cut into the cliffs of the south east, which make for an excellent day out and picnic, and the Atlantic coast is wonderfully dramatic. Getting lost in the canefields is almost par for the course, so don’t worry when you do. Just stop and ask and someone is bound to help. Finally, there are all the restaurants to visit in the evening. From an island perspective, cars are a vital aspect of local life. The Bajans would prefer to drive a few hundred yards to work than to walk and so there is actually a rush hour each morning and evening. There are a staggering 1719 kms of paved road network on the island.

A local driving permit is required to drive in Barbados. This costs Bds$10 and can be obtained from the car hire company when you hire the car, or at any police station. If you are visiting during the winter season and know that you will want a car then it is advisable to book it well in advance otherwise, due to demand, it will be impossible to get hold of one. VIP villas can secure excellent car hire rates for you; better than the main car hire companies. You must have held a licence for at least two years to hire a car in Barbados, and be at least 21 years of age and under 75 years of age.

Indicative prices can be found below.

2007-08 Stoutes Car Rentals Rate Guide in US$ per day/week:

Mini Moke Auto (4str) – 61/265

Jimny Jeep (Soft top) Auto (4str) – 69/320

Terios Jeep 1500cc (Hard top) A/C Auto (5str) – 85/420

Vitara Jeep 2000cc (Hard top) A/C Auto (5str) – 95/490

Rates are in US$, subject to 15% VAT and are valid 16 Dec 2007 to 15 December 2008.

Comprehensive insurance is included in the rental rate except for a deductible of US$1,500 in case of loss, accident or damage to the vehicles – regardless of fault.

A collision damage waiver (CDW) is offered to cover this deductible at a cost of US$49/week or US$10/day. Clients are charged for the petrol in the vehicles at the time of hire, and should return the vehicles empty. Child seats and booster seats are available for hire on request. Car hire rates, CDW, petrol, and extras such as child and booster seats are subject to 15% VAT. Payment is made for the hire at the time of delivery.

DRIVING & PARKING

Driving is on the left on Barbados, don’t forget your driving licence!

Generally speaking drivers are fairly courteous and, being quite conservative, they tend to abide by the Highway Code. However do be cautious going around roundabouts, as not all drivers know which lane they ought to be in. You will also need to keep an eye out for Z vans and minibuses which stop in the middle of the road at the drop of a hat. Try to avoid going anywhere during the rush hour, when all of the major roads heading into Bridgetown, Holetown and the South Coast tend to be back-to-back with traffic (the local radio stations have traffic reports during both the morning and evening rush hours). Almost every household on the island seems to own a car, and for those that do not there are plenty of families who have more than one. Some children still walk to school, so as there are very few pavements (sidewalks) you should drive with caution during the start/finish of the school day. Take special care when going around blind corners in rural areas.

Drink driving laws are being introduced so check for new regulations.

Seat belts are compulsory and failure to wear one attracts a fine of Bds$500. The speed limit in Barbados is 37 mph/60 kph except on the highways (55 mph/80 kph) and in Bridgetown (20 mph/32 kph).

PARKING

The parking fee for official car parks in Bridgetown, and at the airport, is currently Bds$1 per hour or part thereof, and $6 for the whole day. Tickets are issued on entering and payment is made on exit.

TAXIS

Taxis are widely available around Barbados (if you can’t find one just walk into the nearest hotel and they’ll find one for you), with taxi stands located at the airport, Bridgetown Harbour, and Bridgetown at Independence Square Lower, Broad Street and Heroes Square, South Coast at Accra Beach – Hastings Rocks, West Coast at Sunset Crest Shopping Centres 1 and 2.

Taxis are not metered. Instead the fares are fixed. However it is always a good idea to confirm the cost of your journey before setting off.

Rates by distance should not exceed Bds$2.50 per mile or Bds$1.50 per kilometre. The flat rate per hour is Bds$32, with waiting time Bds$7 per hour between 6am to 10pm, and Bds$8 per hour between 10pm and 6am.

MEDICAL

Generally the climate in Barbados is pretty benign and there are only a couple of issues that you can encounter here that are not in Europe or the States. Check that your coverage for polio and tetanus is up to date. There is no malaria in Barbados, but there are very occasional outbreaks of dengue fever – another mosquito-borne disease which happens after considerable rain. You should take normal precautions against mosquito bites. If you are susceptible then make sure to use insect repellent during daylight hours and after sunset.

Visitors’ prescriptions can be fulfilled by local pharmacies, following consultation with a local physician.

HOSPITALS

The medical facilities in Barbados are among the best in the Caribbean. There are eight polyclinics throughout the island and two hospitals.

The general hospital is Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Bridgetown which has 600 beds and operates a 24 hour A&E department.

There is also a modern private facility at the Bay View Hospital in St Michael which does not have an A&E Dept., however there is the FMH Emergency Medical Clinic in St Michael.

VACCINATIONS

Vaccinations are not required for entry into Barbados, though you may with to check with your GP prior to travelling. There is one exception, for travellers who have come from areas infected with of Yellow Fever, where a vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one (1) year of age.

ELECTRICITY

Domestic current will operate appliances designated for 115/230 volts AC, 50 Cycles, with 2-pin US style plugs and sockets.

TELEPHONE

Barbados has a pretty good telecommunications system and it has recently been deregulated so that mobile phones from abroad will work (though calls can still be pretty expensive). The networks are Cable & Wireless, Digicel and AT&T Wireless.

The international dialling code for Barbados is +1 246 followed by seven digits. When on-island simply dial the seven digits. If you are staying in a villa do check to see if the phone allows international calls, as some have debars, which will need to be lifted, and for which there is a deposit.

Internet services are available at most hotels, and some villas, plus a number of internet cafes have now opened. Cellular phones can be rented or a roaming feature can be added to your own mobile

Overseas phone calls can be made from any phone booth around the island, payment for which is by credit card or a local pre-paid calling card.

TIME ZONE

Barbados is 4 hours behind GMT and so during the winter it is four hours behind Britain and five behind the rest of Europe, and an hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the States. Barbados has no daylight saving time in the summer so the island is then five hours behind British Summer Time (six behind the rest of Europe) and on the same time as the eastern seaboard of the United States.

TOURIST INFORMATION

There are Barbados Tourism Authority information offices at the airport, between the arrivals hall before Immigration and the Departure Lounge, t 428 0937; at the Deep Water Harbour (where the cruise ships come in), t 426 1718; and at the BTA’s main office on Harbour Road, Bridgetown, t 427 2623.

Outside Barbados you will find BTA offices in the following places:

Britain: 263 Tottenham Court Road, London W1 P 7LA, t 020 7636 9448, btauk@barbados.org

Canada: 105 Adelaide St West, Suite 1010, Toronto, Ontario M5H 1P9, t (416) 214 9880, toll free 1800 268 9122, btapublic@globalserve.net

USA: 800 Second Ave, New York NY 10017, t (212) 986 6516, btany@worldnet.att.net; 3440 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1215, Los Angeles, CA 90010, t (213) 380 2198, btala@worldnet.att.net; 150 Alhambra Circle Suite 1000, Coral Gables, Florida 33134, t (305) 442 7471, btamiami@barbados.org

DEPARTURE TAX & TAXES

Departure tax is no longer payable at the airline check-in desk as it should be included in the cost of your airline ticket – please check your ticket to confirm this. This tax (passenger service charge) is payable by all passengers leaving the island (exempt for stays under 24 hours) and over the age of 12 years. The amount increased to Bds$55/US$27.50 on 1st February 2007.

Hotel and villa accommodation incurs a 7.5% government room tax and a service charge in Barbados, which is normally added to your bill (unless you are staying in an all-inclusive hotel). It can make quite a difference to the eventual price of your holiday, so if you are booking direct make sure you calculate it in when pricing up your trip.

A 15% VAT applies to most services including car hire, tourist attractions, restaurants, retail (apart from Duty Free items), excursions etc, but this is usually included in the published price, except for car hire rates, which are usually quoted excluding VAT so you’ll need to add it.

WEATHER

Barbados boasts that it has 3000 hours of sunshine each year. Certainly even within the Caribbean it has an excellent climate. Temperatures vary by just a few degrees across the year and because it is surrounded by sea the island rarely gets too hot, except occasionally in summer, particularly if it is still. Generally though, there is a breeze to take the edge off the heat. The best time to visit is in the winter, when the northern hemisphere is at its coldest in February, though this is of course the high season and the most expensive time.

The rainiest time of year is over the late summer months between August and late October. Often the sun comes back out after a shower, but occasionally a blanket of cloud will spin off a weather system in the northern hemisphere and may cover the island with cloud for a few days.

Barbados lies just on the edge of the hurricane belt, but has not been seriously affected in recent years.

WATER

Most of the water in Barbados is artesian water, rainwater that has soaked into the limestone structure of the land. Generally it is drinkable from the tap and tastes good, but in restaurants you will be offered a choice of bottled or local water. However, with so much pressure on existing groundwater supplies in recent years, a desalination (the largest in the Caribbean) facility is now in operation, which provides water for 20% of the island’s population, currently within the Spring Garden Highway area where the plant is located. Sandy Lane Hotel also has a desalination system.

Piped water was introduced to Bridgetown in 1861, and to commemorate the event an ornamental fountain, made in Britain, was erected in 1865 in what is now Heroes Square.

CHILDREN

In general children are well received in Barbados, but some of the smarter hotels have an age restriction policy at certain times of year, especially during February and March. Others offer special children’s programmes. Most villas are well geared up for children too. It is easy to find babysitters and they cost approximately Bds$20 per hour, plus transport home.

There is not an abundance of playgrounds in Barbados at the moment, however six of the Chefette fast food outlets now have Kids Zones (air-conditioned at Rockley) and each playground has slides, cars and rides and other activities and also cater for parties. Pizzaz pizza restaurant in Sunset Crest in Holetown on the West Coast also has its own playground.

Apart from frolicking in the sea and building sand castles, there are a number of child friendly activities available on island: the Barbados Museum has a dedicated children’s gallery with an exhibition called ‘yesterdays children’ in the Kidd Gallery, Folkstone Marine Park near Holetown is a recreational underwater park with a snorkelling trail, an interpretive centre and museum with marine displays and a saltwater aquarium, there is also a picnic area, tennis and basketball courts and a playground. The Barbados Wildlife Reserve is popular with children for the animals on view, as is Atlantis Submarine and Harrison’s Cave. The Barbados Golf Academy has an 18 hole mini course with special rates for 14yrs and under. There is a Drive-in Cinema near the Sheraton Centre, which also has an indoor cinema. Farley Hill National Park has a picnic and play area. See later instalments of Naked Barbados for further Child friendly activities in Barbados.

Adventure Beach at The Boatyard has kayaks, pedal boats, glass bottom boats, ocean trampolines, a floating rock climbing ice-berg, beach volley ball and snorkelling. Accra Beach in the Rockley area is another popular beach spot and is good for boogie boarding with boards for hire. Batts Rock on the West Coast (close to Calabaza Restaurant) has good swimming and snorkeling, plus a small children’s playground with slides, swings and see-saws. There is a parking area, picnic benches, shower and changing facilities, and drinks machine.

CORPORATE/INCENTIVES

Barbados has excellent facilities for corporate clients in all types of group, incentive and corporate travel and events. The island has good international and regional air links, making it easy to get to. Where accommodation is concerned, some of the VIPvillas larger villas can make ideal settings for smaller groups. Especially those that come staffed with chefs.

For meeting facilities outside of the featured properties note:

Sherbourne Conference Centre, St Michael, t 467 8200

www.bcslbarbados.com

Multi-level conference and event facility with 164,000sq ft of meeting and exhibition space, for trade shows, conferences and special events of up to 1200 persons, seated theatre style in the largest room. Eleven meeting rooms, five break-out rooms, two foyers and two dining rooms, mass media facilities and state of the art telecommunications equipment, infrared Simultaneous Interpretation System

Frank Collymore Hall, Central Bank Building, Bridgetown

The Grande Salle, at 61′x 29′, can be used for exhibitions, art showings and meetings, with five large & eleven small screens. The Meeting Room seats 70 and is equipped with presentation and projection equipment.

WHAT TO PACK

Consider the following items when packing for a trip to Barbados:

Adequate sun protection, high factor sun cream, sunglasses, hat/cap and a lightweight beach-shirt/blouse/t-shirt; suitable beach and walking shoes; mosquito repellent containing DEET suitable for use all day; cream for insect bites. Also consider and adapter plug, film and batteries for camera; toiletries; beach mat/towel; preferred brand of coffee/tea; small torch.

Clothes – lightweight cotton clothing, with elegant/casual attire for evenings. Note that most good restaurants and top hotels require that men wear long trousers and shirts in the evenings, not shorts, flip-flops or t-shirts. During the festive season people tend to dress up and a few of the more exclusive establishments may request jacket and tie. Women may wish to pack a lightweight wrap or jacket during the winter months, as the evenings (Jan/Feb) sometimes feel cool after the heat of the day.

You should be aware that it is an offence for anyone, including children, to dress in camouflage clothing in Barbados. It is also an offence to bring in meat products from the UK.

BANKS

International and local commercial banks operating in Barbados include the Bank of Nova Scotia/Scotia Bank, Barbados National Bank, First Caribbean Bank, Caribbean Commercial Bank, Royal Bank of Canada and The Mutual Bank. The Central Bank of Barbados has been in operation since 1973. The island also offers offshore banking and insurance services.

Bank opening hours are Mon-Thurs 8am to 3pm and Fri 8am to 5pm. Most banks are closed on the weekend, but the Mutual Bank has two branches that open until 7pm on Fridays and until 2pm on Saturdays, and the Caribbean Commercial Bank opens from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. ATMs are located across the island, including the airport, harbour, some petrol stations and shopping malls. Note that ATMs will only give out Barbados Dollars (not US Dollars) and some charge for overseas cash transactions.

Banks require customers to show their passports when cashing traveller’s cheques. You will need to show a transaction slip as well if you wish to convert Barbadian dollars back to your home currency.

CURRENCY/CREDIT CARDS

The currency of Barbados is the Barbados dollar (Bds), which is fixed to the US dollar at a rate of US$1.00 = Bds$1.98 (some street/beach vendors may do a straight 2 for 1). All prices on island are quoted in Barbados dollars, with the exception of hotel rates which are in US only, and duty free items where the local Bds$ price is shown alongside US dollar price. US dollars (notes only) are accepted throughout the island, however you will often find that the rate of exchange will not be as favourable in hotels, supermarkets and large stores as that in the bank.

CREDIT CARDS

Most of the major credit cards (including debit cards) are accepted anywhere that deals with tourists on a regular basis. Do not expect local bars or small local restaurants to accept them (if in doubt double check in advance), but you will find that the larger supermarkets often do. It is worth noting that certain credit cards may attract an additional charge.

Next week I’m covering restaurants and food on the island so make sure you click through to read it. I will detail specific restaurants and include contact details for them so put that together with the taxi numbers and you’re on your way!!

 

 

 

A few Instructions For Parenting The Difficult Teenager.

Helpful strategies every parent of a teenager should know

It is not uncommon for people parenting teenagers to fee that they hardly recognize their child once they hit those teenage years. Parents frequently ask themselves where did my sweet innocent child go? Every parent is faced with the trials and tribulations of their children becoming teenagers it’s a fact of life. To make this transition a little easier on you, try putting into practice the following hints on parenting teenagers.

Parenting teens is difficult, don’t make the mistake of losing control. Losing control when you are upset with your teen only reinforces the same behavior in your teen rather than showing you are the adult. It may not seem like they want it but most teens still need your guidance. When you feel angry or confused, take a deep breath and try not to react. Whenever possible put some distance between your child and yourself. You need to be on a more even keel before you resume a discussion unless your teen is going to do something dangerous. Parenting teenages means that you must keep your composure and maturity when interacting with them. It is most important when parenting teenagers that you set a good example for them. Parents often do not practice what they preach. For example if teenagers see their parents getting drunk or high, they are not likely to follow their advice to avoid this behavior. Similarly, if parents typically swear around the house, it’s almost inevitable that teenagers will do them same, even if they’re told not to. So set the example you want them to follow.

Parenting teens often requires you to be the parent and now allow some things. When you don’t approve of their actions it’s imprtant that you reinforce to them that you still love them and care about them even though their actions aren’t pleasing. Don’t use anger as your tone when you have to set limits they disagree with. You don’t want to make issues of discipline personality clashes with your teenager. You don’t want them thinking the rule is made simply because you are angry. You have to maintain the position as the parent who knows what’s best, but who still loves their child. This is not always an easy task, but it’s one of the challenges of parenting teenagers that must be dealt with.

Parenting a teen age child isn’t easy by any means but communication can help make it easy. Sometimes it takes patience and a willingness to look at things from the teenager’s point of view, even if you don’t agree. Parenting teenagers can be made easier with this information.

Parenting can be problematical. To help combat the teenage years get your children involved in calm activities with the family unit. Like reading a book. One can even teach them to read with the proper phonics curriculm. Demonstarting phonics is not hard.