Bajan smiles and fresh fish in Barbados

A flying fish - official national fish of Barbados

Fresh dolphin (mahi-mahi) in Bridgetown fish market in Barbados

Barbados is filled with beautiful surprises and experiences, both in the ocean and on land. Photographer Guy Harrop was there recently, spending time with the locals in one of the busiest markets on the island in the capital city Bridgetown on the south west coast.

"Travelling in Barbados, and catching the brightly coloured reggae bus to the capital is an experience. It costs $2 Barbados dollars flat fee, crammed in standing or sat listening to the local soca reggae blaring loudly out the speakers - it was 6.30am and the driver was in a hurry. Time is money and the bus drivers on the morning routes across the island certainly don't hang around. You flag a yellow bus down, a conductor hastily beckons you on, you hop on, find a seat if you can and a conductor then comes round calculating fares giving change from his back pocket. Morning island life is fun and fast.

Bridgetown bus station is bustling, traders everywhere line the streets, fish cakes cooking in makeshift fat fryers, colourful fruits you have never seen, and an array of chillies to spice up the hottest appetite. Welcome to the capital where smiling people push supermarket trollies full of giant mahi-mahi, tuna, flying fish, shark,  kingfish - this is the hub they call Bridgetown fish market.

The first thing that struck me was the lack of smell and when the boats are literally 10ft away, fish does not get fresher than this. People queue up next to giant containers, rummaging through the ice to find the best cuts of fish, loading supermarket trolleys off to be weighed before loading up their vans/cars to then sell on to restaurants or smaller markets. Fishmongers skinned and filleted the larger fish with machetes, while the smaller flying fish were gutted and stacked in bowls for sale. On the dockside a man lectured the fishermen on the righteousness of God as they hosed off their boats. Bajan smiles everywhere, happy in their jobs."