The Crossing-Bermuda

We arrived in Bermuda around 8:30AM Thursay March 25 for a stay for the day. Bermuda to my surprise is really a chain of islands or archipelago of 138 islands, some no larger than my MINI Cooper. Captain Juan Bermudez discovered Bermuda in 1503 but the action started when Capt George Somers a British mariner suffered damages on the reefs in what is now St. Georges Island and declared Bermuda a British colony. Today it is a British protectorate but fully governed through the Bermuda Parliament and nine parishes at the community level. The Parliament Building sits right on Front St where the S.S. Mariner docked:


Security for the Bermuda government officials was quite relaxed as I was able to walk the grounds and enter the Parliament building without seeing any security guards. I was even able to photograph the VW belonging to the Chief Justice sitting in his personal car port. The Opposition Leader was provided a parking spot out on the lawn! Seems the bipartisan spirit is in tatters everywhere.






If you click on either photo you can read
the parking spot placard. Seems one could leave a pipe bomb message without much effort.



We spent about 4 hours touring the city of Hamilton, St Georges Island where Bermuda was founded and the Island waterfront along 5 parishes. It is a spectacular setting with all the small bays and inlets plus the ocean waterfront.

We lunched on Bermuda chowder at this St. Georges waterfront bistro. One could adjust chowder with either a sweet rum or highly spicy vinegar. It is a beautiful quaint waterfront spot.




Bermuda has an exceptionally high living standard and at last count had the highest GDP per capita of any economy in the world. It creates its wealth by hosting over 4000 financial service and insurance firms based on a favorable tax and legal climate. Bermuda has passed through 5 phases of development since its founding in 1610: salt harvesting, farming, shipbuilding, tourism and now financial services. Our guide claimed they introduced potatoes to the US. So who introduced us to the Bermuda onion?

The two islands are scattered with spectacular homes for such celebrities as H Ross Perot, Michael Bloomberg, Italian Premier Bertolosconi and of course Michael Douglas born in Bermuda. I shot a few waterfront photos as we sailed out of Hamilton Harbor:


Again if you click on either photo you can get a closer look at your future Bermuda home.





Our next stop is Funchal, Madiera Islands. Directions are simple: turn right outside the Harbor, go directly east for 2500 miles and turn left into the Funchal Harbor! Our 90 degree heading has only varied a degree or so for the last two days. We will be at sea for five days before arriving at Funchal at 8AM on March 31.

More from Funchal.

Lee