Barbados offers World Cup spirit wrapped in the country’s scenic beauty and rich history

By K.R. Nayar
Bridgetown, Barbados

Going to a country known for its natural beauty for the Super Eight matches is truly very exciting. The panoramic view of Bridgetown from my window seat of the American Airlines flight, as the plane hovered to land, wiped away the tiredness of the early morning flight from Miami.

 

The panoramic view of Bridgetown from the plane 

For the first time on this World Cup tour, I got the real feeling of having landed in a country hosting a World Cup. The bus we boarded to go to arrivals terminal was decorated in World Cup colours. As we walked into the arrivals terminal, it felt like we were being beckoned into the world of the World Cup. Cut outs of the legendary West Indies all-rounder Gary Sobers and the late Malcolm Marshall were placed at the entrance.

 

Cut outs of Gary Sobers and Malcolm Marshall at the arrivals' entrance  

A scribe alongside me remarked, “This place is the Mumbai of West Indies cricket.” It was an apt observation as I realized I had landed in the place that gifted us legendary players like Frank Worrell, Charlie Griffith, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, and many more, apart from Sobers and Marshall.

 

Pillars at the airport proudly displaying Bridgetown as the host for the final

Just before immigration, a huge white cricket ball announced the World Cup action here. The whole airport was adorned with World Cup banners. All pillars in the airport proudly announced that we had arrived in Bridgetown, which is also the home of the ICC T20 2024 final.

 

Clyde Walcott roundabout 

On our way to the hotel, our taxi passed the Clyde Walcott roundabout. Apart from being an outstanding player, not many may know that he was the manager of the West Indies team that won the World Cup in 1975 and 1979. The taxi driver talked all the way about cricket and said that he was a great fan of the Afghanistan team. Many West Indies fans believe that Afghanistan plays fearless cricket like the Clive Lloyd-led West Indies team.


A huge white cricket ball announces the arrival of the World Cup to Barbados 

Indian passport holders do not need a visa to enter Barbados. So all that the immigration officer asked me was the purpose of my visit. When I told him I had come for the World Cup, he greeted me warmly. “Will the West Indies win the World Cup this time?” he asked with a smile. With Pakistan out of the tournament, many here are hoping to see a West Indies-India final.

 

Cricket and rum go hand-in-hand here 

As we drove along, I saw a billboard saying, "Cricket plus Rum is Barbados" in many prominent places. I was curious to know more about this since I hadn’t seen it the last time I was here for the 2007 World Cup. Soon I learnt that Barbados is known as the birthplace of rum. Mount Gay distillery, founded in 1703, is believed to produce the oldest rum. 

 

Shanti's Rum and Roti restaurant 

As we were looking around for a restaurant to order lunch, I spotted this place called Shanti’s Rum and Roti Restaurant. In a place where rum was born, consuming it is very likely to give one Shanti (peace).

 

Dustbins with a message 

Many of the dustbins on the road had the message: “Clean thoughts, clean living, clean nation. Keep Barbados clean.” I think it would have been interesting if they had added “clean hitters of the cricket ball”, since Barbados is the venue for the World Cup final.

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