Bermudaful - Review
When your boyfriend asks you if you want to go to Bermuda, there is only one answer.
Before I get to the subject of this post I feel like I need to provide some framework. Normally I don't post negative stuff on this blog (I have a private blog for that), but in an effort to be more transparent (inspired by Colleen Nichols), I feel as though I have to touch on some of the significant events of last week. It was a mentally challenging week to say the least. A beautiful girl I knew from high school committed suicide, a sister of a best friend (who I consider to be like a little sister) was informed she had to get chemo. And then getting through the dark cloud of what I call "D-Day", which is my diagnosis day, the day I was diagnosed with cancer BOTH times (weird, that it happened the same day, I know). And for shits and giggles, my ceiling in my guest bathroom was leaking profusely. But in the midst of this miserable mayhem, I was warmly invited to take a trip to the island of Bermuda with Brett (said boyfriend). Having that adventure to look forward to was seriously what got me through that week. But it really goes to show how good traveling is for the mind, soul, and heart.
I've done some traveling, and seen some beautiful places. I've been fortunate enough (as in, I worked my ass off to get to go) to visit a bunch of different islands in the Caribbean. But I have to say, Bermuda is without question the most spectacular tropical island I've been to so far in the North Atlantic. We spent a long weekend there, and it was a nonstop blast.
There's going to be a LOT of photos in this post... but, can you blame me?
We both arrived on Friday, and within two hours of my arrival we were already on our fabulous host's (Brett's boss, Marty) boat and snorkeling. From there, it was dinner, where I was introduced to some Bermudian classics - wahoo, which is a delicious fish that doesn't really taste like fish, and a "dark and stormy" (rum and ginger beer), which was dangerously good. The night was capped off at Swizzle Inn, which is famous for, well, swizzle - a fruity rum punch. By the end of the night, I could start to feel the stress of the week melting off of me. It was magnificent.
Saturday began with another fun boating adventure that took us to two snorkeling spots. We saw lots of fish, and captivating coral. The water was so clear. It was also slightly cooler than South Florida's water, which was refreshing! After a full day of snorkeling bliss, we primped and then went out for sushi at Beluga Sushi for dinner which was outstanding. I was feeling risky so I ordered one of the rolls that had no description, The Sammy Roll. We both thought it was seriously phenomenal. After that, we went out and about Hamilton (the downtown area) and had some drinks at a few places, as well as an indulgent rum cake.
The next day was I think my favorite. We started the day at Elbow Beach - it was a wide beach that boasted the pink sand that I had been dying to see with my own two eyes. Its beauty literally took my breath away. The water almost erred on the side of neon. Bermuda has its very own shades of blue. Sure enough, the sand had this dazzling but subtle pinkish hue. When I picked it up with my hands, I could see the little flecks of pink. The sand is also some of the softest sand I've ever felt. It was absolutely spectacular.
Elbow Beach
I thought for sure Elbow Beach was the pinnacle of the beach experience in Bermuda. But then we scootered (best mode of transportation on that island, btw!) to Surf Side Beach, and kept walking until we got to Horseshoe Bay. As we walked, we passed several of these little beach alcoves that were separated by giant rocks. It was like a series of mini private(ish) beaches. Below are a few shots of different spots.
#nofilter
We eventually got to Horseshoe Bay. It took a while because I haaaad to stop and take pictures and swim at each alcove - patience points for the boyfriend. Although Horseshoe Bay is a bit touristy, it doesn't discredit the beauty of it. See for yourself...
Horseshoe Bay - love the swirls in the water.
At Horseshoe Bay, there is this "mountain," that is really just a couple of huge rocks (where I took the photo above and below from). But people climb it and get to take in gorgeous views, snap photos, and some folks even jumped from the rock into the ocean. I would have loved to do that, but the water was a bit choppy, and I didn't have sneakers to jump with - but I suppose that's another excuse to go back!
View of the other side from on top of "the mountain".
The next day we decided to change things up and opted to use bikes instead of the scooter. It was a fun way to get from place to place - though, after one particularly intense "hill," I quickly learned how to use the gears! We biked through the town of St. George's and went over to Fort St. Catherine's. There, we refueled having a scrumptious outdoor lunch at The Beach House.
Fish sandwich on raison bread on the left (weird sounding combo, but it's actually pretty good!). Nicoise salad on the right with huge chunks of tuna! I'll let you guess which one I ordered.
Equally as impressive as the food was the view...
Hakuna Matata...
After lunch we walked across the street to the fort itself, and decided to get tickets ($7/each) to get inside. The fort portion was cool, nothing too crazy to be totally honest - but the views... I mean... (see below).
Best looking fort I've ever seen!
After taking in the sights, we went to the beach to cool off for a bit, and then we biked back into town. We stopped for some iced coffee, popped into a few shops, and then made our way back to Marty's. However in true Dana fashion, I had to stop along the way to take photos, and to pause in general to enjoy the scenery I was surrounded by. When we got back, we enjoyed an excellent fondue dinner with Marty, and then hit the hay relatively early.
I loved all the boats and brightly colored homes in this area.
The next day was the day I was dreading - the day I had to head back home, to reality. My flight wasn't until late afternoon, so we were able to sneak in a bike ride to couple more beaches. The spots we went to on Tuesday were almost totally empty, and simply gorgeous. I was really trying hard to slow the clock down at that point. I was relishing every single second until I had to go the airport, where I fantasized about being stuck in the Bermuda triangle. I concluded that the Bermuda Triangle theory is merely a myth that people have used to escape whatever their reality was to stay in paradise. I can't say I blame them. ;)
Ah, Bermuda, you treated me so kindly. I can't wait to go back.
Special thank you to Marty who was our gracious host, boat captain, chef, and master storyteller.
Other observations:
Bermudians are extremely friendly.
Make sure you use a scooter to get from place to place, and if you're up for sweating, ride bikes!
The sun is intense - be ready to apply SPF400 a few times per day, and drink tons of water!
Bring old sneakers so you can jump from "the mountain" at Horseshoe Bay.
Know that the swizzle is strong! ;)
