(A word that still sounds strange to me. But not as strange as "wife". "Who's a wife? Me? Nooo shit.")
I had so much fun in Bermuda I didn't want to come home at ALL. Except to see my cats. But once I saw them I thought, "Yeah, could still be in Bermuda".
We had such good friends join us and had such great weather. There was a DELUGE the morning of the wedding.
Exhibit A
But by some miracle, the weather was perfect by evening when the wedding started. Cooler, less humid, and sunny with a slight breeze.
Exhibit B
So then we got married.
Exhibit C
And now we're back in Brooklyn enjoying the rare coolness of this August weather. I think my friend and I might have found another stray kitten at least a foster home which is awesome. I am starting my second baby quilt. Just finished washing the fabrics and will embark on cutting and finishing the last block if I ever get unpacked. Oh, lord what a bunch of crap I brought on this trip.
Someday I will learn not to over pack. I am getting better as I get older, getting more organized and such, but I still pack for EVERY occasion at least five times.
Usually when I come back to NYC after being away I'm filled with relief and let my breath come a little easier than it did before. Returning from Bermuda I did not feel this sense of calm. I felt ... sad.
Bermuda is this combination of quaint, gorgeous, old fashioned, and tropical. The roads are narrow and windy and transportation is a bitch. Hibiscus grow everywhere in many shades and the ocean views are incredible. Our cabana was literally OVER the tropical waters and the first thing I would see when I opened my eyes was the aquamarine sea through the doors leading to our balcony.
I sat in the evenings on our "terrace" reading in a plastic lawn chair, listening to the Caribbean waters and watching the horizon. Snorkelers would pass by, a boat would zoom out in the distance and occasionally I would see fish swim. There was always a breeze as Bermuda is the only land for 300 miles in any direction. North Carolina is the nearest land mass besides the cluster of islands that constitute Bermuda.
If you visit - I highly recommend a restaurant called Fresco's. It's located in Hamilton and is new. I went there with some friends and it was excellent. None of the food in Bermuda is cheap. None. If you want cheap, too bad, you can't get it. But you can go to the grocery store and live on PB&J to cut costs. If you're willing to go out to eat, stick with places that have fresh catches of the day. That is always the best meal on the island.
Fresco's is Mediterranean, dimly lit, and the wine selection, while expensive, is very good. I had the goat cheese tart with tomatoes and arugula which was quite good. My friend, Hillary, had the catch of the day cooked in a broth and served over rice with vegeables. Sounds plain - it wasn't. It was superb.
I've eaten at Blu twice in the past year and a half and while the food is quite good it's very pricey and the atmosphere is that of a family restaurant (i.e., loud sometimes and not as high brow as I like when I pay $150 for dinner).
We had friends over to our cabana and had cocktails while watching the sunset and making our own Dark 'n Stormy's. If possible, that is the way to go.
Don't expect to get around easily in Bermuda. The taxis are in high demand and the buses, while consistent, take a long time. The ferry is a good way to get around to popular destinations.
We also visited Mrs. T's Victorian Tea Room which was very quaint, if a little light on the scones and tea sandwiches. We double ordered tea sandwiches and were stuffed by the time we left and got a ride from one of the hotel staff who was kind enough to drop us at our resort.
Bermuda is famous for its rum - Gosling's rum - and its Barritt's ginger beer (my personal favorite and I've tried many) and hence its signature drink is the Dark 'n Stormy. If you haven't tried one then you must. I am not a rum drinker normally, but nothing says tropics to me like a nice, cold Dark 'n Stormy.
You can buy and bring home Bermuda Rum Cakes as we did. The naval dockyard, where the rum cake factory is, is a fun place to poke around and get mementos. It shares a building with the Bermuda glassworks where you can see the artisans at work.
If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive vacation close to the East Coat of the U.S., I highly recommend 9 Beaches. For just under $300/night you can get a cabana on a hilltop looking out over the ocean. All the cabanas are made out of heavy sailcloth so the winds keep you cool and during one of their many downpours you are dry and safe.
The food is decent, not great, but again that is true for most of the island. Their fresh fish is quite good and their pastry chef is excellent. Our wedding cake was a rum cake with chocolate layers, vanilla buttercream and strawberries on top. It was gobbled up.
9 Beaches is true to its name and has... you guessed it, 9 beaches on its premises. The main beach has a few umbrellas but is often more crowded. The smaller coves and beaches are more intimate and quiet, but do not have umbrellas and when you're fair-skinned that may not be an option in high summer.
The staff is friendly and helpful and the grounds has everything you could want out of a relaxed resort on a tropical island. It is not one of the fancier places to stay - i.e., you don't need a jacket and Bermuda shorts to dine if you're a guy, but that suited me and my husband. You can rent snorkel gear and sea kayaks at the 'surf shack'. The snorkeling is pretty good and there are a lot of colorful fish at the nearby coves and inlets at the many beaches. There is an island within swimming distance to the cabanas that has a lot of fish too, although the water can sometimes be a bit choppy on the windward side.
There is a shipwreck (Bermuda has a ton of them which was great for snorkeling and scuba diving) near the resort as well, but I would advise renting a small boat or kayak to get out there. There is a lot of boat traffic between the wreck and the beaches and the current out there is strong.
Enough about Bermuda and how I wish I was still there! I suppose it's a good thing that at least four of my friends has contacted me saying how depressed they are after returning from our wedding celebration. That, I believe, is the sign of a good party.
