Saturday, July 18, 2009

Bermuda Day VI

I didn't get around to finishing the Bermuda blog posts. It was kind of a strange week. We had to move from one location to another due to the excessive rain causing mold and mustiness. Bermuda is known for being so humid you have to heat your closets to keep your clothes from rotting, but in recent weeks they have been getting an unusual amount of rainfall. The mold and mustiness factors were through the roof; my wife had a great deal of difficulty breathing in our original accomodations, so we had to move to newer accomodations right along the harbour front.


We didn't get to do much outdoor stuff, either, as it rained pretty much every day. We did make it to the dock yards on the 1st of July, but it rained constantly and I was in a pretty foul mood. I hate being out in the rain. However, there were some very interesting things to see at the the dock yards, and it would have been even better if we could have strolled about without squelching with every step. To get to the dock yards (at the opposite end of the island from St. George, where we were staying) we took the Express Ferry. I don`t do well on boats, but it`s a double-hull ferry, so the ride was pretty smooth. The best part of the Express Ferry is that it didn`t breach 5 knots. It was the most wonderfully slow Express ride I`ve ever had. Too bad it rained the whole way and we had to stay under cover with the windows closed. At all events, we were soaked, and I was snarky, but it was still worth the effort.

We took a bus from the docks to `town`, or Hamilton. That was a treat. You get to see so much more by bus, and nothing is particularily far from anything else, so bus travel is practical. It can be a bit unnerving if you aren`t used to 2-lane roads, twisty hills and valleys, and left-hand drive. One driver we had was very competent, but seemed more eager in terms of speed than other drivers. It was a bit harrowing at times, but we just aren`t used to it. Overall you can`t beat the bus system in Bermuda - they are all air-conditioned, everyone is of course polite, and it`s cheap.


We met up with my cousin and his girlfiend in Hamilton; he has been fortunate enough to work in Bermuda for 14 years. We dined in an Italian restaurant; the food was fantastic, the service was excellent, even though the place was jammed. One thing they do in Bermuda is incorporate a gratuity directly on your bill, so in effect you have already tipped by paying the amount due. There is room for additional tipping on the receipt, if you are so inclined. I am not inclined, usually.

Bermuda is a destination we will reach again, despite being rained on all week and not making it to a single beach. I am not a beach person, but you don`t go to Bermuda without at leasting going to one beach; they are the most beautiful beaches in the world. Next time we`ll hope for better weather and get to the beaches. We`ll also rent `bikes`(motorscooters) from one of the many `Liveries`.

No comments:

Post a Comment