As Grantley Adams International Airport recorded its busiest commercial day for the year on Saturday, there were plenty of Barbadians who were home for the holidays.
Among them was Richard Caesar, who once worked at the Nation Publishing Co. Limited before migrating to the United States, where he joined the Air Force.
Caesar was with his family – wife Courtney, who is also in the US Air Force, and children Adam, four; three-year-old Amelia and Abram, one.
“This is the first time they get to meet their family,” he said, as his mother Sandra Thorpe held her grandson Abram close.
Caesar said the military family was stationed in Japan for the last couple of years, so it was next to impossible to come home sooner. However, as luck would have it, they recently moved back to the states so he said it was the perfect time to come home.
As for their plans, he said: “Honestly, other than seeing the family here, not a whole lot. Maybe some ‘touristy’ things, but my wife will probably be in Oistins every week for the food.”
Waveney Middleton was relieved to finally be away from the “chaos” of the airport and the cold in Canada. She met her sister Wynell Philemon and her niece Sariyah Pope, whom she credited for getting her here.
“I’m here to be back with family, especially my niece, who has been video-calling me daily to come home,”
she added.
Middleton said it was -2 degrees Celsius where she came from, with “snow up to my ankles”, so it was “fabulous” to be in some sun. She admonished Bajans to stop complaining about it.
As for her plans, she knew exactly what she was going to do: “I’m going to party, spend time with family, see the sights, drink rum punch and eat black cake, black cake and more black cake.”
Destini Clarke was also in from Canada and was met with a warm reception by her mother Jackie Bynoe and uncle Mark Sealy. She has not been home in two years and had a full itinerary planned.
“I’m looking forward to some good Bajan ham; going to the beach, as I have not touched sand in two years; maybe go to a party and attend my godson’s baptism,” she told the DAILY NATION.
With luck, Clarke said she would be back for Crop Over 2026.
The last time Christianne Ward was in Barbados, it was for Crop Over 2024. She said her schedule did not allow her to attend this year’s festival activities, but she was home for Christmas, in from Philadelphia,
United States.
“Basically, the plan is to spend time with family and eat – especially macaroni pie, pudding and souse and Chefette,” she said.
However, her plans did not include tourist spots, and vacation was for relaxing on the beach, not traipsing all over the place, she pointed out.
Dr Alfred Sparman was a happy man as he welcomed his daughter Alissa home. The delighted duo said they planned to see the sights together and eat a bellyfull.
“I’m going to take her to the beach or we may see the Animal Flower Cave; she likes things like that. I’m so excited, there’s nothing like having your daughter home with you for the holidays,” he said.
Alissa said her wish was to eat some pepperpot and bread, which her father was more than willing to prepare. (CA)
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