Where to go for a romantic retreat in beautiful Barbados
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Arriving in Barbados we have no need to rush — no need to worry. Checking in at The Crane Residential Resort, our bags are whisked away, and we're welcomed with a tropical rum punch elixir to let time … slow … down.
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Beyond the limestone walls that surround the heritage-inspired architecture of the courtyard and carp-filled fountain, is a suite of grandeur. Floor-to-ceiling cedar doors reveal hardwood flooring and mahogany furnishings, including a handcrafted four-poster king-sized bed, and then there's the fully equipped kitchen and Jacuzzi in the marble and coral stone bathroom. Wooden shutters open up to our own private pool and patio with a view of the windswept ocean, frothing the cliffs on which we are perched. So this is why people come here … a romantic seclusion in the most historic hotel in the Caribbean.
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Protected by a coral reef, warm Tiffany-blue waters lather the soft pink sands of the property's cove. Sipping rum with pineapple juice and nutmeg from a freshly cut coconut while sampling today's catch of a meaty grilled, lightly spiced marlin, we're absorbed by the serenity. On this beach, there is no concern about crowds or noise, and we come and go carefree. Going, we weave along cobbled paths through landscaped gardens and cascading pools. Shall we visit the spa? The fitness centre? Play tennis? Or go for a swim? The debate comes to a mellow halt, when all options are trumped by the sweet smell of waffle cones from the village café. Our cool scoop of 'sweet indulgence' is composed of Mount Gay rum, Irish creme, chocolate cake, cheesecake and coffee. Total bliss.
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While we laze in the water snorkelling, enormous turtles approach along side us. It is incredible to feel them as they swim by. Seduced by the aquatic views we go deeper, for a dive with Roger's Scuba Shack. Lead by the most happily relaxed instructor imaginable, we glide along the sea floor through multiple shipwrecks teaming with cosmically coloured fish and coral. Before the drive back through sugar cane fields to the Crane, we tour the oldest rum distillery in the world, Mount Gay Rum, to taste the island's ubiquitous liquor: warm, smooth, blended notes of banana, vanilla, almond and mocha.
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Dining at the Crane features the island's top-rated restaurants showcasing the bounty of the sea. Beginning with a 'gospel breakfast' at L'Azure, we forgo a morning coffee in lieu of this uplifting choral serenade. Poolside lunch at The Carriage House, overlooking the bay, we satisfy our craving for local Bajan Flying Fish in salt bread and a crisp salad. With the ambience of a Venetian piazza, D'Onofrio's offers a snack of individually sized, crunchy Barbadian pizza of salmon, black mussels, calamari and shrimp. Dinner on the veranda at L'Azure, directly above the cliffs, the sun sets over the ocean while we share a salad of tamarind glazed snapper with papaya, pineapple salsa, mixed greens and sprouts in a cumin vinaigrette. Succulent Bajan herb infused pork tenderloin with Four Square spice rum reflects an array of Caribbean flavour, while delicately crusted parrotfish topped with plump, spiced shrimp is a delectable showcase of local warm water fish.
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As the sun dips below the horizon, whistling frogs chime from the bushes ushering in the starry night. Aside from its stunning beauty and elegant design, the warmth of this place is in the subtleties of the hospitality. Live music plays from the saloon-styled Bar 1887, where happy hour seems to know no clock. Here, we have escaped and feel replenished.
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Vancouver Sun
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- Vancouver Sun
Your guide to the baffling world of duty-free shopping
Duty-free stores are known for indulgences: alcohol and cigarettes, pricey face serums and chocolate bars that can feed a family of six. But these uncertain times of tariffs could cast the global retail outlets in a new light. No longer just an airport diversion, could they help keep your bathroom vanity, armoire and snack drawer well-stocked? 'People associate them with perfumes, chocolates and alcohol, but there are many other things available in duty free that could be a good deal,' said Becky Blaine, a travel editor with The Points Guy, which in 2019 compared the prices of 13 items in 50 duty-free shops. The first airport duty-free store was a 'gimmick,' said Scott Laird, a travel writer who has covered duty-free shopping. An Irish visionary named Brendan O'Regan hatched an idea to sell tax-free items to passengers stuck at Shannon Airport while their transatlantic planes refuelled. The kiosk, which opened in 1947, sold Irish whiskey and other local souvenirs. Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Travel Time will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'They got an exception from the Irish authorities on local taxes on various products,' Laird said. 'So they were able to sell more by offering those products cheaper because they didn't have the local taxes. And that has taken off.' Duty-free retail is now a global juggernaut, worth $86 billion in 2019, according to the most recent publicly available data from the Duty Free World Council, an industry advocacy group. Airport stores around the world, from Detroit to Dubai, stock their shelves with international brands, plus a sprinkling of homegrown companies. 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Vancouver Sun
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Ireland's Rebel City offers a delicious deep dive into the past
As we power walked through the teeming centre of Cork, late for our meeting with Angela Newman in Daunt Square and uncertain if we could even find her, my phone buzzed with a message: 'No problem. Can't miss me. I'm wearing a bright yellow cape.' She did stick out in the crowd, not just because of the cape but the lace up bodice and woollen dress much like that of an Irishwoman from a bygone age. All part of her routine in leading us on her 'Hysterical Histories' walking tour of this storied city, the second largest in the Republic of Ireland. Asked if the Corkonians are sensitive about being compared to Dublin, Newman answered with a grin: 'No, because we know we're better. We always thought that we were deserving of being the capital rather than them.' Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Travel Time will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Leading us down Grand Parade, past the statue of independence hero Michael Collins and the monument to Irish uprisings, Newman recounted how the city is also known as Rebel Cork; it is always the last to give up in various battles over the centuries, even if it had an unfortunate tendency to back the losing side. Modern Cork is a handsome, vibrant university town, bisected by the picturesque River Lee, with bustling pubs and a hot restaurant scene. Even if it lost out to Dublin as the seat of the national government, it has another title it proudly claims: Ireland's food capital. 'We really do have high standards,' said Newman. 'Actually, even last week I was in London with my 14-year-old son and he was, like, 'the food here is awful.'' Cork has a wealth of locally-produced food, beef, dairy and vegetables from the surrounding countryside and seafood from nearby fishing towns. All are on display in the English Market. Dating from 1788, it is the oldest covered market in the British Isles, aisles jammed with fishmongers laying out the catch of the day, butchers with meat from farmers down the road (including the Cork specialty, spiced beef) and cheese mongers selling a wide variety of local product. 'For a small place there is an amazing cross-section of small, artisan family run food producers, many of whom have been acknowledged on the world stage,' said Paul Lane, executive head chef at the River Lee Hotel and known as one of the best cooks in a town replete with them. Lane has known many of the producers for decades, with delicious results on his menus in The Grill Room. My daughter and I demolished Irish fillet steaks, while my wife enjoyed locally caught Dover sole. Afterwards, I appreciated how the hotel's bartender was able to make an astute recommendation of an Irish whiskey as a follow-up to our feast (Powers 12-year-old, made at the distillery in nearby Midleton). The River Lee Hotel was our elegant base for our visit, located right beside the waterway that gave it its name and a short walk to the centre of the city. Our fourth-floor room offered a panoramic view over the river and cityscape. A central part of the Cork food story can be found at the Ballymaloe House Restaurant, a 40-minute drive out into the lovely countryside. We met JR Ryall, head pastry chef, whose dessert trolley took the top prize in its category in the 2019 World Restaurant Awards in Paris. Over tea and scrumptious slices of his coffee cake, Ryall told us the remarkable story of the restaurant's founder, Myrtle Allen. She opened Ballymaloe in the family's farmhouse in 1964, with minimal advertising so as to not attract gossip from the neighbours. With little formal training but natural cooking talent, Allen's mission was to champion the excellent local produce. She elevated it with sophisticated technique, making her a pioneer of the farm to table concept. 'The idea was that you could make a French bearnaise sauce, but with Irish butter it might taste better than in France,' said Ryall. Now Ballymaloe has an international reputation, and the associated cooking school is training the next generation of chefs. Anyone visiting Cork should consider the short drive out to the picturesque port town of Cobh (pronounced Cove), the last port of call for the Titanic before the famous vessel met its tragic fate. Cobh was also the point of embarkation for hundreds of thousands of Irish who fled the country during the desperate days of potato famine in the 1840s and 50s. The Cobh Heritage Centre offers a vivid glimpse into their ordeal, a moving experience for those of us descended from those emigrants. Afterwards, it was well worth enjoying a Sunday roast in the nearby Titanic Bar and Grill, gazing out at the sea and wondering what your ancestors thought as they pulled away from the shore all those years ago. There are several trains a day from Dublin to Cork, with a 2.5-hour journey. Along with Angela Newman's walking tours, there is also a Hysterical Histories dinner theatre show at the Amicus Restaurant. The River Lee hotel is part of the Irish-owned Doyle Collection of luxury properties. Rooms in the off season start at about C$360/night. Goldie is a fish restaurant recommended by JR Ryall. Along with the lovely restaurant, Ballymaloe House has 32 rooms, with bed and breakfast starting at about C$530/night in the off season. The Cobh Heritage Centre is open seven days a week, year round. The Titanic Bar and Grill is just down the street and is next door to the Titanic Experience , where guides lead you through stories of the passengers. Sean Mallen's visit to Cork and Cobh was supported in part by the Irish Tourism Board and the Doyle Collection, neither of which reviewed the article in advance.
