
Nine Mornings – A St. Vincent and The Grenadines Christmas Tradition
Christmas time in St. Vincent and the Grenadines was special in the 1970’s. Work was at a slow pace and in early December I began to hear about Nine Mornings. This tradition started almost a hundred years ago when the local Catholic Church held early morning services on the nine days before Christmas. On the…

Return to El Calafate & El Chalten – Argentina 2016
Robel Sur was a welcome sight after a long and tiring 32 hour journey to El Calafate. This was my second visit to El Calafate and El Chalten and my third to Argentina. A few more houses have been built in the area but we still received the same warm welcome. I do not think…

Parque Nacional Torres del Paine – Chile
I removed my pack from the bus and asked the driver where the Refugio Torres was. He replied that this bus did not go there and we should have changed to the shuttle bus at the entrance to the park. That was 12 km back! We had to wait there and be picked up on…

Operation Golden Gun
It began years ago at the headquarters of the Barbados Regiment in Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies, when a sailor on a visiting USA Naval vessel decided that the Regimental Saluting Cannon would make a suitable souvenir. That was 26th February 1956. Shortly after the sailor returned to the United States, an anonymous cable was sent to…

Old Doll. The Matriarch of Newton Plantation
The book “A Kind of Right to be Idle: Old Doll, Matriarch of Newton Plantation” by Dr. Karl Watson is published by The Barbados Museum & Historical Society. It is on sale at the Museum shop and other good bookstores. This small book makes interesting reading. It gives the history of a family of slaves…

The Great Outdoor Challenge (TGOC) 2016
The 18:20 from Glasgow Queens Street to Mallaig halted at Garelochhead because of a fire close to the tracks. I joined the crew and passengers enjoying the sunset. It was a clear evening. Looking at the surrounding mountains I recalled some of the highlights of my previous years. In 2012 walking along Loch Leven in…

Adam Straughn (Straw) Waterman (1803 – 1887)
Adam Straughn (Straw) Waterman was born a slave in 1803 in either St. John or St George. Probably on one of the estates owned by the Drax Family. He got his freedom before emancipation. Adam married Nancy Hannah at St. John’s Parish Church on 2nd November 1835. Some sources say she was an outside daughter of…

Run Barbados Marathon Weekend 2016
The Run Barbados series of races in 2015 ,under new management, saw the highest number of entries in the past 8 years. The Run Barbados Weekend in 2016 will be even bigger and better. The marathon winners from 2015 will return to defend their titles. Jess Draskau (Denmark) who will run the marathon at the…


