Barbados- Washington Slept Here

George Washington not only slept here- he also woke up here in 1751 when he was 17. We visited the house where George and brother Lawrence (I have one of those!) stayed for 7 weeks. Lawrence had tuberculosis, and it was thought that the climes in Barbados would help him heal.

They were supposed to stay with the Faifaxes at their Barbados home, but the Faifaxes were sick, so the Washington boys found this place. (Lawrence later married Anne Fairfax, and George reportedly had something going on with Sally.)

Barbados was colonized by the British, highly fortified, and a key spot in the "Molasses, Rum, Slaves" triangle. George observed and learned about trade, military tactics, and other things that contributed to his becoming a military and political leader in the emerging United States.

40 years after GW's visit, the area became a British Garrison- 1789, with 4K British troops living here. The house became the headquarters of the garrison commander. During the rainy months, mosquitoes flourished, and so did malaria. In order to drain the vast area, miles of tunnels were dug to direct the water to the ocean. The tunnels were wide enough for us to walk through- but barely.

The home became a UNESCO world Heritage site in 2007

Back to the ship for some lunch, a nap, and some dinner. I found a good way to avoid the "too much food and I feel bad about leaving most of it" situation in the dining room. Shrimp cocktail for starter. Shrimp cocktail for main course. And some flan. Perfect!Read more