Bahamas

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For a change, and upon request, I didn't attend Cup Match in Bermuda this year for my birthday. I went to the Bahamas instead. We stayed at the Wyndham Nassau resort in a room with a balcony and great views overlooking poolside and the ocean. The food at the Wyndham was mostly mediocre and overpriced; though best at the grill restaurant outside, despite the constant battle with flies. The bartenders at the swim-up bars made pretty good drinks, though little conversation.

Fortunately the vaunted Fish Fry (actually kind of a strip mall of presumably locally-owned restaurants) was nearby with really good fare at reasonable prices. The macaroni and cheese was just like my mama used to make!

A short bus trip downtown yielded the usual souvenir market, crammed with shoppers fresh off cruise ships buying fake designer bags and sunglasses, souvenirs made in China and presumably local stuff woven from straw. We went to Senor Frog's, a popular hangout with the cruise ship crowd, it turns out, and drank large glasses of sweet alcoholic concoctions with cruisers who'd perhaps had a few too many.

Back at the Wyndham, we had full access to the Sheraton next door, and a lot more fun at their pool scene than at the Wyndham's. There were regular trivia contests, aqua aerobics and other classes in the pool, and sometimes a DJ at the Wyndham pool. The beach was nice, the ocean fantastic; bath water-warm and clear. I don't think I've ever spent so much time in the ocean. There were kayaks and jet skis for hire.

The highlight of the trip was a daylong excursion via speedboat to a cay a couple of hours away. The beach and ocean there were also idyllic. We fed sharks the remains of our included buffet lunch, took a hike, and did some snorkeling off a sandbar; it was all well worth the sunburn. For a place I'd never really considered going, this has turned out to be one of my favorite locales.

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