Last November, on our first trip with film in eight years (#filmroadtrip: Road Test – Anguilla), we learned a lot of lessons. One of my missions on this trip was to correct at least some of the mistakes I made. So on this #FilmRoadTrip: Road Test – Barbuda & Antigua, I tweaked a few things, shot more film, and was pretty pleased with the results. As always, though, there is still room for improvement. The Film Kit Traveling with a lot of gear is not easy. I wanted to shoot both medium format and 35mm, along with my digital, but I wanted to watch the weight. I knew that on…
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The folks at Jumby Bay tell us that the resort is named after the Antiguan “jumbee,” a “playful spirit.” Some reading on the origins of the “jumbee” or “jumbie” tells us that in some of the islands, the jumbee is a vindictive, mischievous spirit, and that you should take precautions, such as placing piles of sands or knotted ropes outside your door to occupy the spirits so that they do not trouble you. The spirit of Rosewood’s Jumby Bay, Antigua, is anything but malevolent or vindictive. The spirit of Jumby Bay is playful, joyful, and celebratory, and offers gracious hospitality to all those who come to visit. If you have read…
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I’m not really a big “activity” person when it comes to vacation. As long as I have a nice beach and beautiful water to swim in, I’m pretty much set. So when I found myself looking forward to what “the Concierge recommends” in the morning “Jumby Journal,” I kind of surprised myself. Not being one to look for things to do, I was excited to see what was “on the menu,” and had a really good time joining in. We were on the island for only three days, but we were able to participate in loads of fun activities, which left us exhausted, but really happy. Here are just some…
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It seems too simple to call it “food and drink” at Rosewood’s Jumby Bay, Antigua. It was like fine dining at every meal, and a wide variety of cocktails at each of the resort bars. Let’s start with breakfast. Served daily at the Estate House restaurant, you have a variety of choices at the buffet, a menu of breakfast favorites, along with a menu of daily specials. My son’s breakfast was the same every day – – a plate of freshly baked croissants, usually five of them. The rest of us varied our choices, although it was hard not to order eggs benedict every day. I loved the crab cakes…
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We’ve stowed our carryons, hopped on our bikes, and it’s time to tour Jumby Bay Island, home to Rosewood’s Jumby Bay! Let’s head toward the Estate House, where you’ll have breakfast, catch a drink in the afternoon, and dine at the formal Italian restaurant in the evenings. The Estate House was built in 1830, and was the heart of the sugar plantation which once operated on the island. The Estate Bar is located upstairs, and is where you’ll find the weekly rum tasting (more on that later!) Stop by the early 18th century sugar mill. What you see is the base of the windmill, which crushed the sugar cane. The…
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Jumby Bay’s welcome cocktails have cooled us off and it’s time to check out our rooms. We booked two Rondavel rooms, one for us and one for the teenagers. Our rooms were located in one building, but are not connected, affording complete privacy from one another. They are located in between the Verandah and the Estate House, two of the three dining areas on the resort property, and are an easy walk to either. Each room is round in shape, with the bathing and dressing areas located behind a partial wall which sits behind the bed. There is a seating area off to one side and a desk and mini-frig area…
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Welcome to Jumby Bay, Antigua! “Welcome” seems far too common a word to express the greeting you get at Rosewood’s Jumby Bay. It’s not just a custom upon arrival of guests. It even goes farther than an expression that they are happy to see you. At Jumby Bay, it’s like a big hug from your favorite aunt or grandmother, who not only is thrilled to see you, but will do everything within her power to make sure you are happy. That’s the kind of welcome you get at Jumby Bay. From the moment you depart your airplane in Antigua, you are greeted by a representative to walk you through the…
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“Look for the propane tanks.” Those were the directions to Codrington, Barbuda’s only grocery store. Barbuda was not known for having a lot of signs, probably because everyone already knows where to go. Codrington is the only settlement on the island, and home to the vast majority of islanders. It is not “designed for tourists,” and some people may be put off by that fact. But if you want to see how people really live, and explore a colorful village with friendly people and loads of animals, it’s worth a visit. We took a water taxi over from Lighthouse Bay, arranged for us by the resort staff. We really should have…
