Understand

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Climate

The climate is tropical marine with little seasonal temperature variation. The islands experience hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October), and periodic droughts.

History

The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib Indians populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Electricity

Officially 230V 60Hz. Most outlets are the standard British type. Generally speaking, U.S. and Canadian travellers should pack adapters for these outlets if they plan to use North American electrical equipment in Antigua & Barbuda.

However contact your hotel and ask to be sure. Many places are now built to North American standards.

Also in use are non-grounded North American outlets. These require an adapter to work with plugs that have the third grounding plug. Older North American outlets may not be polarized (with one slot wider than the other). To remedy this, the wider vertical blade on a polarized plug may be filed down to match the width of the other. Otherwise, adapters are available which accept a polarized plug and adapt it for use with a non-polarized outlet.

Eat

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The national dish is fungie (pronounced foon-gee) and pepper pot. Fungie is a dish very similar to the Italian Polenta being made mainly of cornmeal. Other local dishes include ducana, seasoned rice, saltfish and lobster (from Barbuda). Local confectionaries include sugarcake, fudge, raspberry and tamarind stew, and peanut brittle. The various restaurants around the island sell both local and international food.

• Lunch might be anything that can be easily bought from a nearby shop, especially a bakery.

• Dinner will typically be rice,macaroni or pasta, vegetables/salad, an entree (fish, chicken, pork, beef etc.) and a side dish like macaroni pie, scalloped potatoes or plantains. Local drinks are mauby, seamoss, tamarind juice, mango juice and coconut water. Adults favour beers and rums, many of which are made locally.

Sunday is the day when the culture is most reflected in the food. For breakfast one might have saltfish, eggplant, eggs, bacon, sausages, or lettuce. Dinner may include pork, baked chicken, stewed lamb, or turkey, alongside rice (prepared in a variety of ways), salads, and a local drink.

Harmony Hall, near Freetown. It closes for the summer on May 6th. The best restaurant on the island.

Mama Lolly, Redcliffe Quay, St. John's. Vegetarian and vegan friendly home cooking.

Calabash, Redcliffe Quay's "Vendors Mall", St. John's. Vegan cuisine. Owned by a raw chef who used to work in New York.

The Roti King, corner of St Mary's Street and Corn Alley, St John's. Serves Roti, which is a West Indian dish of rolled Indian flat bread filled with hot and sweet curry and tamarind sauce.

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