The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
Gathering of gratitude for Pastor Andreas Thode - Apr 4, 2009 - 2:07:36 PM
Grand Bahama Labyrinth - On Saturday, 28th March, in brilliant sunshine, there was a very special Celebration Walk and Blessing of the Labyrinth with Pastor Andreas Thode and his wife Nancy.
It was Pr. Thode who first introduced 'The Labyrinth as a Sacred Path' in a sermon preached at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in February of 2007. Shortly after this, he brought over from Florida on the Discovery a canvas Labyrinth which was walked by the public in the garden of O.S.Church during the weekend of 16 - 18 March 2007. This marked the begging of exhaustive studies carried out by the Sponsor of the G.B.Labyrinth, Barbara Chester.
Pr. Thode had formerly been a regular visiting Preacher at O.S.Church; he was delighted to embrace many old friends who...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
See the Garden of the Groves & visit the Labyrinth by Pedicab! - Apr 1, 2009 - 6:34:35 PM
Grand Bahama Island - If you recently visited the Garden of the Groves you might have thought you were in South Beach or New York City's Central Park. You would be seeing the newest edition to the Garden, a Pedicab. What's a Pedi Cab? Well, it looks like a large tricycle that can carry up to three passengers.
Cindy Wilson, a native of Grand Bahama and Jerry Hill were enjoying another one of those popular musical events at the Labyrinth at the Garden of the Groves. It had been a moving concert given by very talented local performers who had donated their talents in aid of the Humane Society of Grand Bahama. After the performance Cindy and Jerry were walking to the open-air restaurant at the Garden. They noticed several elderly ladies sitting on one of the many park benches. As it turned out they had difficulty walking the paths and thus could not enjoy the full beauty of the Garden...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
Enjoy the Smooth Sounds of the Sax at the GB Labyrinth - Mar 21, 2009 - 10:50:45 AM
Grand Bahama Labyrinth - Come out on Saturday, March 21st to a special cocktail hour at the Labyrinth at the Garden of the Groves from 6pm and enjoy the smooth and easy listening sounds of the saxaphone played by Ricardo Major.
Be soothed or meditate on a keepsake 'Love Quote'. Walk the path in peace - renew and relax...YES, it is still ON despite the weather!
Tickets $5 - advance purchase please. Available at the Garden entrance, Italian Specialty, and Radiant Health Centre. Tickets at the door $10 (Friends of the Garden, $5 secured)...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
Music Under the Moonlight at the Grand Bahama Labyrinth - Mar 10, 2009 - 11:20:18 AM
Grand Bahama Island - Enjoy Music Under the Moonlight by Dutch Divas Production on Wednesday March 11th at 7.30pm for on the Grand Bahama Labyrinth in the beautiful Garden of the Groves.
Tickets are $10.00 in advance or $15.00 on the night. Friends of the Gardens $10.00 secured price. All funds to support the Grand Bahama Labyrinth. Tickets are available at Garden of the Groves, The Cutting Garden, The Radiant Health Centre, The Humane Society and Italian Speciality Imports in Seahorse Plaza.
Enjoy beautiful voices of Grand Bahama in a programme of great hits from Theatreland's favourite Musical Shows.
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
A Labyrinth Walk of Love - Feb 14, 2009 - 12:26:24 PM
Love is in the air, in the heart of Grand Bahama at the Garden of the Groves.
Join us at the Grand Bahama Labyrinth for a magical night under the stars with champagne, candle lights and music for walking and dancing.
It seems very appropriate to many of us that we should come together and focus on Love for all creation.
Love is a great healer, and combining our energies on our beautiful Spiritual Path will surely be of great benefit to each of us, our
Island and our Planet.
Valentine's Saturday, February 14th from 6:30pm.
Loving donations to the Labyrinth accepted. Suggested : $10.00..
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
Welcome to the Grand Bahama Labyrinth - Jan 18, 2009 - 8:47:28 AM
One of the finest places in The Bahamas to commune with nature, the Garden of the Groves, now also houses a beautiful recreation of an ancient sacred path — The Grand Bahama Labyrinth — where visitors of all faiths can walk and reflect on healing, peace, meditation, prayer, our connection to the Divine, and our connection to one another.
This historical monument was founded and created in 2008 by Barbara Chester and the Community of Grand Bahama Island, with the invaluable help and creative guidance of Robert Ferre & Judy Hopen of Labyrinth Enterprises, Limited.
Find out about visiting the Labyrinth and read the Founder's Message within...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
The GB Labyrinth set a perfect stage for the “Circle of Life” fundraiser - Jan 14, 2009 - 12:28:58 PM
Under the watchful eye of a brilliant moon, the Grand Bahama Labyrinth at the Garden of the Groves was the stage for the dancers and singers performing under the canopy of the night sky on Saturday, January 10th 2009.
The Eldon-McGlone production called “Circle of Life”, in support of the Grand Bahama Humane Society, dazzled a large crowd of approximately 200 people. Viewers circled the Labyrinth either in lawn chairs, on blankets or even stood to watch a show that is a first for Grand Bahama, and most definitely a first of many performances to come at the Grand Bahama Labyrinth.
The night was a fascinating mix of ancient and modern rhythms and movement, passionate singing, and heartwarming images of animals through the modern technology of the interactive screen display...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama
Hand feeding sharks in Grand Bahama Island (VIDEO) - Dec 30, 2008 - 9:30:52 AM
DIVE Travel TV goes to UNEXSO on Grand Bahama Island to learn how to hand feed Sharks and also put them into a state of tonic. Come along for the adventure and see if we keep all our fingers.
In this video, expert Cristina Zenato of UNEXSO explains how to shark feed before the dive. You will also see the outfit that must be worn before the dive.
Watch as the host, Denny Willis feed sharks, surrounded by many sharks at one time, and even pet a shark in a state of tonic.
VIDEO Produced by: Bottom Time Productions
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
Christmas Blessings from Barbara Chester at the GB Labyrinth - Dec 21, 2008 - 4:32:22 PM
Our beautiful Grand Bahama Labyrinth is now celebrating its very first Christmas, and at this beautiful time of the year, I invite each and everyone in our community to visit our Labyrinth in the resplendent Garden of the Groves to enjoy the blessings of this Christmas Season. A joyful Carols Around the Labyrinth party will take place on Sunday, December 21st at 4pm and everyone is invited to attend. Families are encouraged to bring a blanket to sit upon.
I would remind you all that the Path of the Labyrinth is a spiritual tool for healing and peace.
It represents a personal journey to our Creator, and a symbolic destination path.
The first Christian Labyrinth represented ‘the way’ to the temple in holy city of Jerusalem...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
The Dedication of the Grand Bahama Labyrinth - Nov 5, 2008 - 6:49:10 PM
Grand Bahama Island - On Saturday, November 1st, the new Grand Bahama Labyrinth was Dedicated at the Garden of the Groves. People from the community gathered around the Labyrinth to listen to Reverend, Dr. J. Emmette Weir of Our Saviour Lutheran Church give the invocation. Musical selections were performed by the Bishop Michael Eldon High School Paradise Pans, Hazel Springer and Erica Weir of the Regency Singers accompanied by Lois Desaulniers, and Susan Jensen-Sweeting. Welcome remarks came by the founder of the GB Labyrinth, Mrs. Barbara Chester (see below) and remarks were also provided by Mrs. Erika Gates, president, Bahamas Parks, Gardens and Recreation (see below). Martha Cartwright read a scripture. Bishop Sobig Kemp, president of the Grand Bahama Christian Council led the official act of dedication standing in the center of the Labyrinth.
All those congregated were invited to then walk the labyrinth at the completion of the ceremony, many for their first time. Refreshments provided by the Grand Bahama Ministry of Tourism were served at the Lofty Fig Deck...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama Island showcased at the Bank Atlantic Centre (VIDEO) - Oct 17, 2008 - 2:00:37 PM
The enclosed 30-second Grand Bahama Island promotional video will be featured at all upcoming hockey games at the Bank Atlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is an initiative of the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board.
Grand Bahama Island is full of adventure – swim with dolphins, dive with sharks, kayak through mangroves, snorkel through the world’s longest surveyed underwater cave system, tee off in the ‘golf capital of the Caribbean’ and horseback ride on long stretches of sand and surf.
Click to view this informative and inviting Tourism spot...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama
Archaeological testing of Freetown Cemetery & Reconnaissance of Freetown - Aug 20, 2008 - 4:34:44 AM
In September, 2007, the LAMAR Institute dispatched a team (Dan and Rita Elliott) to Grand Bahama Island to conduct archaeological work on the Freetown Cemetery and Freetown settlement. This project was divided into two phases. The primary goal was to “ground truth” the results from an earlier Ground Penetrating Radar survey of the Freetown cemetery and its surroundings that was conducted in July, 2007 by Dean Goodman and Kent Schneider.
This phase consisted of creating a detailed topographic map of the site and all above-ground cultural features and excavation of nine 2 m by 1 m test units on a variety of features and non-feature areas. The second phase of the project was a brief reconnaissance of the Freetown settlement, which is an abandoned settlement located west of the cemetery. This village, which is thought to date to the 1830s and lasting into the 1960s, consists of a series of ruins and archaeological deposits now vegetated in jungle. The LAMAR Institute technical report on these investigations is available in .pdf format by clicking below:
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
An Update on the Grand Bahama Labyrinth - Jul 20, 2008 - 12:57:36 PM
Grand Bahama Island - A Labyrinth is a sacred healing tool; a place of beauty where you can reconnect with your Divine Creator, Mother Earth and your own soul.
It is a place to calm, centre and rebalance your body and mind and receive guidance and blessings of love and peace.
A Labyrinth can be walked, skipped or even danced…..it provides a quiet, holy place – a nirvana - for reflection, meditation, supplication and celebration.
Labyrinth Walks will soon be starting with some special facilitator guidance available.
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama
The Return of The Garden of the Groves - Jun 18, 2008 - 5:09:02 PM
Grand Bahama Island - The Garden of the Groves, founded by Wallace Groves in 1973 and owned by the Grand Bahama Port Authority, was considered one of the finest botanical Gardens in the Caribbean before the hurricanes of 2004. The gardens were devastated and they have sat untended since then, that is until two wonderful people decided to bring them back in order in November 2007. Erika Gates of Grand Bahama Nature Tours and Michelle Hanson formed Bahamas Parks, Gardens & Recreation and have been working diligently as the dynamic duo on the return of the Garden of the Groves. The Grand Bahama Port Authority committed to fund the restoration up to its re-opening, at such time Bahamas Parks, Gardens & Recreation will begin leasing the property.
Besides extensive tending to the fauna and foliage, damaged buildings have been removed and nine new pump systems for waterfalls, circulatory ponds and fountains were purchased and installed by the Port Authority...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
The Creation of the Grand Bahama Labyrinth - Jun 18, 2008 - 11:27:10 AM
After many days of hard work, combating very inclement weather conditions, the new Grand Bahama Labyrinth at the Garden of the Groves is nearing completion. Labyrinth expert Judy Hopen, from Labyrinth Enterprises (Missouri) arrived on Grand Bahama Island the weekend of June 7th to begin the process of creating a
beautiful full-scale sacred 'Chartres' Labyrinth.
Greg Farrington of Entech Services began leveling the ground and poured concrete for the 50'x50' octagonal base in early June.
Phase one of the process was marking the pattern out on the concrete. Judy brought special tools for this and used Sharpies to mark the base. Only socked feet were allowed on the surface during the creation of the labyrinth. In phase two, the very timely process of meticulously marking all the lines with masking tape. This was a challenge as many millipedes enjoyed the surface and had to be continuously swept off. Phase three was covering the entire area with plastic and cutting out the area to be painted with resin, creating a large plastic stencil. Phase four is applying the coloured resin to the open areas...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama
The Owl Hole Project - Jun 3, 2008 - 11:38:50 PM
Owl Hole is the larger of the two cave entrances that make up the Old Freetown system on Grand Bahama Island. It is a textbook quality example of a limestone sinkhole, formed by the collapse of a section of a cavern’s roof. Entry via Owl Hole cuts almost 3000ft off the swim to access the cave passage to the north, which extends for an additional 2000ft with the possibility of further discoveries enlarging the known cave still further. The cave lies on land owned by the Grand Bahama Port Authority, which has been content to leave access largely unregulated for many years now.
In 2004 it came to my attention that Owl Hole would benefit from a little work to help conserve the cave environment as well as improve access and diver safety, while introducing a system of cavern lines and signage which would bring the cavern zone towards what international divers could expect to find in other parts of the world.
We set ourselves certain targets including...
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
Grand Bahama Labyrinth Announced - May 7, 2008 - 12:43:59 PM
Grand Bahama Island - On Friday 2nd May, one week after Claudette Dean’s brilliant art exhibition of ‘Lumiere’ the Freeport Art Center was again lit up brightly, but this time crowds gathered to listen to an enlightening talk and experience the Labyrinth
facilitated by Mrs. Barbara Chester.
The floor on the Freeport Art Center, painted with a basic circular seed labyrinth lit by candles which illuminated the circular path set the mood for a knowledgeable and enthusiastic summary on labyrinths ending in an exciting announcement and introduction of the upcoming Grand Bahama Labyrinth to be completed later this year.
Barbara’s passion for Labyrinths was ignited by her coordination of a guest labyrinth brought in courtesy of
Our Saviour Lutheran Church
here in Freeport via
the Labyrinth Society in Boca Raton, Florida..
.
News :
Ministry of Tourism Updates
Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island named Best Destination by TripAdvisors Inaugural Traveler's Choice Desination Awards - May 4, 2008 - 1:09:35 PM
Freeport, Grand Bahama Island was chosen as a Best Destination Top 25 Latin America/Caribbean by TripAdvisor® in the 2008 Travelers’ Choice® Destinations Awards. In its inaugural year, the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Destinations Awards honor the world’s top destinations, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travelers.
Only TripAdvisor’s Destinations Awards represent the opinions of millions of travelers. The winners were determined by a combination of TripAdvisor’s travelers’ favorite places and overall popularity on TripAdvisor.
“Determined by millions of travelers, the Travelers’ Choice Destinations Awards are unique because they single out not just popular places but truly exceptional places that enthrall travelers and keep them coming back...”
The Bahamas Boasts :
Grand Bahama :
Grand Bahama Labyrinth
An Introduction to the Labyrinth - May 2, 2008 - 9:01:35 AM
Grand Bahama Island - You are invited to an introductory talk on the Labyrinth. Presented by Barbara Chester and surrounded by Claudette Dean's Lumiere exhibition now underway, the talk is free to the public and will be held at the Freeport Art Centre on Friday, May 2nd at 7pm.
Ms. Chester will speak about Labyrinths and discuss the Grand Bahama Labyrinth which will be located at the Garden of the Groves later this year.
A labyrinth has been painted on the floor of the Freeport Art Centre, so participants will be encouraged to experience walking the labyrinth. The first Christian labyrinth is in the magnificent Cathedral of Notre Dame de Chartres, France. It became a model for most church labyrinths thereafter. The Grand Bahama Labyrinth at the Garden of the Groves will be a replica of...
|