C'est La Vie

At the entrance to our street is a house called C'est La Vie.  Many houses in Barbados are given names as well as street numbers and C'est La Vie throws its hands up, just like the expression and pretty much throws in the towel.  This house is abandoned and has begun to be reclaimed by the wild.  You can tell from the outside, but my new, adventurous neighbors decided to take a peek...inside, I mean.


  I am sure by now you can tell that I don't go into haunted houses.  Don't like being outside in the dark.  And I for sure am not walking into an abandoned house in Barbados that looks like it has been home to the monkeys, mongoose, drunks and squatters, with vines and overgrowth and a rotting swimming pool.  Huge tadpoles and toads swam in the pool; there were swarms of mosquitos; and a birthday cake with candles, streamers and a banner welcomed phantom guests to a party. 

In the daylight, I dared enter its deteriorating gate to see what all the fuss was about.  The place has potential...and I bet it was once a nice residence.  But rumor has it that its owners are local people who want to make money on the place regardless of its pitiful state and refuse to invest in it in order to sell it.  They want to sell it alright, but as is.  Barbados was once a seller's market.  People were willing to pay for anything because the island was flush with British cash.  But perhaps this owner, as well as many others on Barbados, Bajan especially need to be reminded, there was a world economic crisis and people not only aren't willing, but are not able to just throw money around any more.  This is going to hurt a population used to a strong tourism dollar who were able to do so little and still reap benefits.  It will surely be a painful lesson.

C'est La Vie.




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