Blogs from Bermuda, North America - page 8

This was a public transport day. We began by taking the bus into Hamilton to the ferry dock. The morning was clear and sunny, which showed the bright pastel buildings at their best. These too had been warehouses and still displayed the names of some of Hamilton’s founding families, such as Smith and Trimingham. The ferry we took sailed a gentle circuit around the inside of the big “hook” of land that is southern Bermuda. (There is a high-speed ferry to Docklands, also.) We disembarked in Somerset to walk most of the way to Docklands, along the final southern portion of the Railway Trail. Somerset is a lovely green semi-rural area. There were a number of fields (small by our standards) of market vegetables such as kohlrabi, suey choi, red cabbage, fennel, etc. In the local ... read more

This morning a four-hour bus strike greeted us, which should have affected the taxi services, but we were able to get one on the street to take us to the Botanical Gardens. There Tim led us around the gardens, employing his unique combination of informing and questioning, which really does help information sink in. We saw another banyan tree and an India rubber tree. Nearby were a few wild chickens and a rooster. These little groups can be seen all around the island, escapees from domesticity. The succulent and cactus garden was particularly attractive. The tiered beds were constructed of the un-oxidized pale-gold limestone that is characteristic of Bermuda. Under the translucent protective roof, a bright glow showed off a hundred or more plants, some in flower. The palm and palmetto garden was spacious and appropriate ... read more

After a long sleep, I enjoyed the breakfast things left for us in the room. The caterer doesn’t work on Sundays, and the hotel restaurant was closed. At 11:00 we met as a tour group near the pool, a few steps from my room. Tim Rogers is our guide’s name. He and his wife are the only full-time guides on the island. She is Bermudian; he was born in England and came to Bermuda to work when Thatcher’s cutbacks hit universities. He was originally a botanist but is now one of those people who are well-informed in many fields. Every question was answered thoroughly, simply and with good humour. Our group consists of a former school teacher named Bev (met on the plane), a well-retired woman on her first walking tour “alone” named Ruth, and an ... read more

This is me in Bermuda. Anna Laura and I were there for almost 10 days. The sea was amazing clear and the reef provided hours of fun watching all the coloured fish and trying to avoid the jellyfish. AL was a bit of a nerd, and spent all the time at the seminars, but I managed to escape and retreat to the beach for most of the day!... read more

Bermuda is as beautiful as all the pictures I've seen! The water is just so incredible. This crystal jewel blue is the only way I can explain it. Breathtaking really. We have 7 amazing days to spend here and I am not going to waste any time. We went to Tabacco Bay beach the second we got here. It was quite a hike but we did it. I would say it was a two mile hike up, down, and around curving streets and pathways. I had both the kids in the stroller and Grammy Peg pushed Robby and I pushed Meg. What a work out first thing in the morning. The beach did not disappoint! What a great find. The beach was empty because the locals have not hit the beach scene yet this time of ... read more