Bajan Sun Magazine - Caribbean Entrepreneurs Vol1 Issue 7 | Page 85

BAJAN SUN Bajan Sun Magazine SEPT 2014 RUM SHOP TALK T he first thing you should know is that Barbados is home to more places of worship per square kilometer than any other nation in the world. The second thing you should know is that there is a local rum shop within walking distance to each one. Some Bajans say this is why so many different religions are able to thrive harmoniously on the island. There are approximately 12,000 rum shops scattered across Barbados, but Bajans are very particular about what they consider a traditional rum shop. Some rum shops sell groceries, some have cafes and finer dining, but most simply provide the basics including seating, a bar and of course the booze. They are a local meeting place for friends of every social and ethic background to talk, drink rum and play dominoes. Heated discussions of cricket always abound in such as setting, but it’s nothing a shot of the world’s oldest rum can’t fix. The Bajan Rum Shop is an institution of the Village Life…and a Celebration of Barbados’ Heritage & Culture. Island life is simple in Barbados. The difference between a typical bar and a traditional rum shop is the price. Liquor and food are quiet a bit cheaper in the rum shop. Rum is usually bought by the bottle, with a container of ice and a bottle of water or chaser of choice, or drunk ‘straight’ if bought by shots. I went on an Island tour and they arranged for us to stop at a real local rum shop in the village of Bathsheba on the east coast. As I walked inside it was clear that I wasn’t on the typical tourist trail, but I was experiencing the true Barbados. The rum shop was comprised of one main room dimly lit through narrow barred windows with creaky wooden floors and walls covered in provocative advertising that would make most North Americans blush. The bar rested in the back corner of the room, cluttered with dusty bottles and lined with mirrored walls. Bajan Web Design Web Design  Domain Name  Email Accounts  Web Development  Graphic Design  Social Media  Web Support 85 B ajan Web Design Specializes in quality web design, web programming, flash design, Wordpress customization, SEO services and many more at a competitive rate. Here at Bajan Web Designs we are all about making your life as easy as possible. We don’t like how other agencies will baffle you with technical jargon to make them sound worth more than they are. This is why we have a new way of doing things. You the client get a specialist design and development team, working on your website for a simple clear cut price. Every website will be custom designed, developed and tested to the highest standards – except we won’t change our quote every other day. We have packages set up already so that you can decide what you want and how much you want to pay for it. Call: 245-6629 Email: [email protected] www.bajansunonline.com/MAGAZINE/ | [email protected] | @BajanSunOnline