The pink beaches and brilliant waters in Bermuda are truly stunning. I have never seen that many colors of blue in one place. Turquoise, cobalt, and navy up against the brilliant blue and puffy clouds of the sky.
Bermuda
Bermuda Part II: Get Lost Bertha!
I am beginning to feel like I am bringing bad luck to my vacation destinations. Since we visited Northern California in May the wildfires there have wreaked havoc including one that is doing untold damage to Big Sur. We have our fingers crossed that Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn will survive.
And now, just a week after our trip to Bermuda, Hurricane Bertha is bearing down on the island. What people do in a location like that when a Hurricane shows up I have no idea. It didn’t really seem like there was anywhere for residents to flee to.
These pictures were taken in the Southern part of the island where the majority of the best beaches are. Also the scene of a disappointing snorkeling expedition. First, there wasn’t really much to see underwater. I think I saw maybe four fish. Apparently Bermuda is better for divers who like exploring shipwrecks, but being so far north in the Atlantic the reef life was pretty boring. But perhaps the worst part of the expedition was a vomitous boat ride out to the reef. The combination of being in the sun in a wet suit and the rocking of the boat made this snorkeler more than a little queasy. The embarrassment of hurling over the side of the boat in front 20 other people was mitigated by the physical relief in doing so.
Bermuda Part I: St. George
We had a wonderful long holiday weekend in Bermuda. Neither of us had been there before and were really bowled over by how beautiful it is–and only 2.5 hours from DC by air. Right smack in the middle of the Atlantic this fish-hook shaped country is an amazingly picturesque place to spend four days. The re-insurance capital of the world, the island has plenty of money flying around with financial services outpacing a somewhat stagnant tourist industry. No doubt not everyone benefits from the prosperity. How can the middle or working classes afford housing in a country where the average home price is about $1.3 million? Although the island is starting to feel the pains of (over)development the style of the housing fits so pleasantly into the landscape it doesn’t feel overdeveloped.
Unfortunately Bermuda has a spotty record on welcoming gay and lesbian travellers. Rosie O’Donnell’s R-Family cruises dropped Bermuda as a stop when island churches threatened to protest the gay and lesbian cruise. Similarly a Bermudian was recently sentenced to 7 years in prison for attaching a gay resident with a machete to the face. However if you are not a gay traveler, but just a traveler who happens to be gay (i.e., you aren’t looking for gay clubs, beaches, etc.), then you shouldn’t miss out on this jewel of a destination.
The pictures here are of St. George on the eastern most tip of the island. It is a pretty little town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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