Bermuda!
Seven hundred and fifty miles southeast of New York lies the tranquil archipelago of Bermuda. Our huge ship, the Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas landed at the Royal Naval Dockyard, on the western tip of Bermuda. Lorraine and her two sisters and their husbands and I arrived on the 400-year anniversary celebration of Bermuda’s settlement.
The capitol, Hamilton, was filled with music and children marching to bands and the sound of drumbeats everywhere. Approximately 66,000 people live on the 20 inhabited islands of Bermuda.
Tourism has been popular since the close of the 18th century. Please don’t forget those wonderful Bermuda onions. Also, we saw men walking with well-pressed Bermuda shorts and knee-high dark stockings and comfortable old blazers. Very impressive.
The English traditions are deeply set into these coral islands. The Bermuda bobbies look like their English counterparts in London.
The English pound, however, has given way to the American dollar. Cricket is the game of choice in Bermuda. Nothing is more British than the ceremony of afternoon tea. Promptly at 4 p.m. they break out the cucumber sandwiches on white bread with the edges cut off. You can also get the Plowman’s Lunch (bread and cheese) with a pint of beer.
We were extremely fortunate to have hired James, the erudite Bermudian taxi driver for our tour of the main islands. He spoke non-stop of his homeland while he whisked us into serene neighborhoods of blooming beauty. He pointed out the royal Poinciana trees and pink oleander. Bougainvillea vines and lush roses are everywhere.
We traveled to the town of St. George on the other tip of Bermuda, while James narrated about every sight worth seeing. St. George was quiet compared to Hamilton. When our tour was over we all said a sad “ta-ta” to James and reboarded the ship.
The men immediately ensconced themselves in hot tubs while the women invaded the shops.
The ship was relaxing and Bermuda itself lends to a quiet ease.
Back to Bayonne and the mainland along with our jobs and duties.
