Antigua & Barbuda

[Macca]

A couple of snaps from my recent hols.

First the obligatory 'view from the hotel balcony':

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/Antigua%20030.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/Antigua%20030.jpg.html)

Eric Clapton's House (you have to zoom in to the end of that peninsula to see it. I don't think he was home, musn't have realised I was coming...


http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/Antigua%20011.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/Antigua%20011.jpg.html)

Can't remember if this was a runined fort or a ruined platation. Ruined, anyway:


http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/Antigua%20004.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/Antigua%20004.jpg.html)

Hotel beach:

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/Antigua%20002.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/Antigua%20002.jpg.html)

And again

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/Antigua%20001.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/Antigua%20001.jpg.html)

Got the 'ferry' to Barbuda which is a small coral island about 40 miles north of Antigua. Like spending 2 hours on a mechanical bull, i would not recommend this trip if you get seasick:

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/Antigua%20029.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/Antigua%20029.jpg.html)

Frigate bird sanctuary on Barbuda. They breed here and on the Galapagos islands, apparantly:

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/Antigua%20027_1.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/Antigua%20027_1.jpg.html)

Deserted beach on Barbuda. They used to wrek ships here in the good old days:

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/Antigua%20019.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/Antigua%20019.jpg.html)



'having it large' on the beach on Barbuda:

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/Antigua%20028.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/Antigua%20028.jpg.html)

[struth]

not a topless chick in sight:(

[Macca]

It was all Yanks and Canucks; no trashy British birds getting them out ;)

[Firebottle]

You didn't even get them out yourself Martin by the look of it, don't you like the sun?

Looks like a nice place to visit, I take it you enjoyed the break.

:cool: Alan

[walpurgis]

Looks nice. Bet the heat came as a shock after being here.

[jollyfix]

Nice martin, is that a bottle of foreign export Guinness ( 7.5%) i spy in your hand?

[Andrei]

Brilliant Martin! Make sure you do some snorkeling. Oh, and by the way, don't start any cable discussions with the locals.

[Macca]

Nice martin, is that a bottle of foreign export Guinness ( 7.5%) i spy in your hand?

Yep good old foreign export, packs a wallop especially combined with the sun ;)

[Marco]

Nice pics, Martin! Not too dissimilar to Stoke, though……… On a Tuesday…… On acid…….. If you’re blind………………. :D

I see you decided against the gingham shorts ;)

Marco.

[Macca]

I see you decided against the gingham shorts ;)

Marco.

yeah - packed 'em but never wore 'em ;)

Seriously though the sun is merciless out there especially in the middle of the day. I burn in minutes if I'm exposed, even with loads of factor 30 P20 slapped on. Hence the cap and the tracky bottoms :)

[struth]

yeah best not to expose yourself;) i burn too, so if going a hol its more likely to be iceland tbh....not that i have a passport now

[Marco]

Have you given up the nudist beaches, then? Those little ‘pink bits’ do tend to crisp up quickly! :eyebrows:

Marco.

[struth]

i will field that.... i got a one of payment NOT to come back:eyebrows:

[Marco]

:lolsign:

Marco.

[ianlenco]

I was lucky enough to visit Antigua to watch cricket a couple of years ago. The people there were lovely and so hospitable. Here's hoping they recover quickly after the ravages of Irma.

[Macca]

Looks like it hit Barbuda pretty hard, 75% of structures are damaged.

Wouldn't put me off living there, though. Fabulous place.

[Marco]

And ultimately, you said you preferred Stoke!! :ner:;)

Very sad what happened in Barbuda, though. That sort of stuff (and any other forms of extreme weather) would definitely put me off from living there, as I like to live somewhere that's essentially safe, thus free from any risk of hurricanes, tornados and/or serious earthquakes.

But over and above that, I couldn't live in the Caribbean (as much as it would be lovely place for a holiday), as the lifestyle is simply too alien to what I'm used to, and I'm not a beach/excessive heat type person. Nope, give me Western Europe any day. I can see my final resting place ending up being somewhere in the hills of Tuscany! :cool:

Marco.

[Macca]

They are talking now about evacuating Barbuda before the second hurricane arrives. Very sad.

[Marco]

Indeed, it must be pretty scary essentially being a sitting target, with nowhere to run, just waiting to be blown into oblivion... Terrible. I guess evacuation is the only answer.

Marco.