Sorry it’s been so long since we’ve gotten back to the blog. It certainly hasn’t been due to a lack of wifi access, but instead to a lack of time. We have been immersed in this wonderful island. The first few days we dipped our toes in St. George’s, checking out the historic sites, the narrow alleys, small gardens, and colorful cottages. Gary and Chris arrived later during our first week and they were our tour guides as we dove into the bustling capital of Hamilton, full of history, shopping, and entertainment. We used the impressive transit system including buses and ferries. We had a superb meal in a fine restaurant a big treat for us! We took Maia for a day-sail in St. George’s Harbour.
We have always thought of Bermuda as an expensive place, and for the most part, restaurants and shops are pricey, but the food and goods are first rate. Our neighborhood grocery store is a posh place, but we can hop on the bikes and get to a larger, less expensive supermarket in 10 minutes. Gary and Chris typically choose to stay in an apartment when they come to Bermuda. The price is much lower than a resort or even hotel room. They usually have a kitchen for making some of their own meals, and a pool or ocean access. This time their back garden included a lovely lagoon (see pictures). This seems to be the best way to stay in Bermuda, not just the way to stay on a budget. Bermuda may be on the exclusive side, but it is full of the most gracious people we’ve met along the way.
We were own our own once again when Gary and Chris headed back to the States, and now we are starting to visit the places they suggested from their years of visiting Bermuda. We visited Hamilton again, where we persuaded to be pose as tourists for a new tourism campaign; we stood in various parks with a model/tour-guide looking at maps, pointing and smiling. I guess we don’t pass for locals yet. We biked to the Blue Hole Park and hiked the trail riddled with caves and grottos which just got more and more tempting as we went along; we plan to visit the park again with a flashlight! Bermuda is a diverse landscape; it is full of charming villages, picturesque beaches, and historic forts, but there is also a very interesting geological side to Bermuda which is exciting to discover. We’ve planned to spend 3-4 weeks here, and I believe that will be just enough time to do all the things we’d like to do.
This is an exciting time nautically to be in Bermuda; boats are converging here on their way from the Caribbean to Europe, USA to Europe, or just from USA to Bermuda and back. We are a rare boat that came up from the Caribbean with the intention of going back to the USA, but I’m so glad we made this stop. We met up with the captain and crew of “Golden Daze” a boat we had been corresponding with about crossing the Atlantic together. Ken took us out to dinner and we had a wonderful time with them. We hope to have them over for drinks some evening, but the boats headed for the Azores are all already on their way, and “Golden Daze” will have to move on sooner than later. More and more boats will start to arrive from northern ports in the US, and I’m sure we’ll sail out of here with others headed for Newport, RI and ports north.
Sorry it’s been so long since we’ve gotten back to the blog. It certainly hasn’t been due to a lack of wifi access, but instead to a lack of time. We have been immersed in this wonderful island. The first few days we dipped our toes in St. George’s, checking out the historic sites, the narrow alleys, small gardens, and colorful cottages. Gary and Chris arrived later during our first week and they were our tour guides as we dove into the bustling capital of Hamilton, full of history, shopping, and entertainment. We used the impressive transit system including buses and ferries. We had a superb meal in a fine restaurant a big treat for us! We took Maia for a day-sail in St. George’s Harbour. 
We have always thought of Bermuda as an expensive place, and for the most part, restaurants and shops are pricey, but the food and goods are first rate. Our neighborhood grocery store is a posh place, but we can hop on the bikes and get to a larger, less expensive supermarket in 10 minutes. Gary and Chris typically choose to stay in an apartment when they come to Bermuda. The price is much lower than a resort or even hotel room. They usually have a kitchen for making some of their own meals, and a pool or ocean access. This time their back garden included a lovely lagoon (see pictures). This seems to be the best way to stay in Bermuda, not just the way to stay on a budget. Bermuda may be on the exclusive side, but it is full of the most gracious people we’ve met along the way. 
We were own our own once again when Gary and Chris headed back to the States, and now we are starting to visit the places they suggested from their years of visiting Bermuda. We visited Hamilton again, where we persuaded to be pose as tourists for a new tourism campaign; we stood in various parks with a model/tour-guide looking at maps, pointing and smiling. I guess we don’t pass for locals yet. We biked to the Blue Hole Park and hiked the trail riddled with caves and grottos which just got more and more tempting as we went along; we plan to visit the park again with a flashlight! Bermuda is a diverse landscape; it is full of charming villages, picturesque beaches, and historic forts, but there is also a very interesting geological side to Bermuda which is exciting to discover. We’ve planned to spend 3-4 weeks here, and I believe that will be just enough time to do all the things we’d like to do. 
This is an exciting time nautically to be in Bermuda; boats are converging here on their way from the Caribbean to Europe, USA to Europe, or just from USA to Bermuda and back. We are a rare boat that came up from the Caribbean with the intention of going back to the USA, but I’m so glad we made this stop. We met up with the captain and crew of “Golden Daze” a boat we had been corresponding with about crossing the Atlantic together. Ken took us out to dinner and we had a wonderful time with them. We hope to have them over for drinks some evening, but the boats headed for the Azores are all already on their way, and “Golden Daze” will have to move on sooner than later. More and more boats will start to arrive from northern ports in the US, and I’m sure we’ll sail out of here with others headed for Newport, RI and ports north. 
See you next Friday in Bermuda. Let me know if I need to bring anything for you. I will try to call you this weekend on Skype, as your Satellite phone really stinks....LOL
ReplyDeleteHey, still trying to educate the American people about the idiot they elected as President....here is a gr8 website with Anti-Bush stuff: http://www.stickergiant.com/page/sg/CTGY/antibush
ReplyDeleteI got a great one for my new car. It reads: TURN LEFT AT THE NEXT ELECTION - Smile...see you soon:)
Hello Mindy and Reinhart.....you don't know me, but I am a nice Jewish girl that has been dating your VERY liberal (smile) friend Andreas. I just sent him off this morning to go pack and shop to get ready for his trip to vist you in Bermuda. The reason for this comment is this....Andreas constantly tells me tales (ad nauseam) of his poor, "underprivledged" childhood where he had to walk home a mile in the snow to take his once weekly bath and have a cold dinner of one piece of salami and day old bread. Reinhart, could you please set the record straight and confirm or deny these tales???
ReplyDeleteI hope all of you have a great week together in Bermuda and you especially, Mindy, as he intends to be naked on the boat the entire week! Take care and safe travels!
Laurie
Forgot to mention one thing...if it weren't for that European-schooled friend of yrs, (which from what I understand is a MUCH better education than I received here at a stateside college) I would have never known where Milan was located...hahaha, Andreas.... :)
ReplyDelete