Bermuda
Bermuda is divided into 9 parishes, like counties. Note that Hamilton, the main hub for Bermuda, is not in Hamilton Parish. The island is also divided into East End and West End, which each of these having a distinctive vibe. Hamilton is somewhere in between.
The entire island is all of 21 square miles with a population of 60-65,000. Wherever you go, you are surrounded by bays, harbors, sounds, channels, and of course the Atlantic Ocean. The views from just about everywhere are incredible. The bodies of water are dotted with moorings for sailboats, motorboats and all manner of water vessels.
The architecture is mainly colonial/Mediterranean with even brand new construction being built in the same manner with brilliantly colored stucco and white limestone roofs. As Bermuda only receives approximately 55 inches of rain annually, they are very careful with water conservation. The limestone roofs serve as a filter for the rain water which is channeled into each house's water tank.
The currency is the Bermudian dollar with a 1:1 exchange to USD. There is no tax.
Transportation
There are no cars rented to foreigners with the primary means of tourist transportation being the efficient bus and ferry system which run regularly. Pink poles next to bus stops or even randomly built into the side of the road, signify bus stops leading to Hamilton (city center), whereas blue poles lead to St. George's.
Another option for tourists, which we chose, is to rent a motorcycle, called a moped, scooter or cycle. Most rentals deliver to your destination. We used oleandercycles.com. They were extremely efficient, delivering our cycle to our somewhat remote location within 45 minutes of contacting them. There are several options to choose from. We chose the Deluxe Scooter since we had two riders. The cost is approximately $50/day and that includes helmets and roadside assistance. There is also a mandatory $30 fee per rental.
IMG_4782 by
luvto travel, on Flickr
I have driven a jetski, and am pretty good at the racetrack, but nothing could have prepared me for riding a motorcycle. In Bermuda, driving is on the left since the driver is on the right (in cars, obviously) which was a completely new experience. Couple that with treacherously narrow streets, roundabouts on just about every corner, and hills and valleys and bends and twists and no regard for the meridian line, and you could see while I was a total wreck the first time I tried riding. My dw jumped off the back just as I almost rode up a wall on a narrow alleyway. After a while I got the hang of it and we ended up enjoying it immensely.
The posted speed island-wide is 35 kph which comes to just 20-25 mph. Im not advocating dumping the law but just for your personal safety, bear in mind that every other motorist will be passing you at 50 mph on a double yellow line irrespective of posted speed limits. Come to think of it I don’t think of it, I don’t think I saw a police officer the entire time I was there.
Shopping
The term sticker shock is of course relative, but I believe it is universally accepted that $5/dozen eggs is on the steep side of things. $13 for a 7.5 oz. shampoo. $4 for a liter or seltzer. You get the gist. There is a small chain store called MarketPlace, which carries many ShopRite branded items (at outrageous prices) where we did most of our grocery shopping. There are only locally owned businesses in Bermuda so don’t expect to find a Walmart, CVS or anything of the sort. I was short a pair of pants and spent a small fortune for a mediocre pair of sweatpants at Gibbons.
I actually asked my host how the local population affords these prices. He claims that Bermuda has a 100% employment rate, and so, hardly any people living below poverty line. Now I don’t know whether that’s true but youd be hard pressed to find cheap anything. As an aside, the main industry is insuring insurance policies. Boooring….
After loading up the groceries in the little metal basket in the back and tying them down with bungee cords, we were off.
