the hood

For those of you not aware of what the words 'The Hood' represents, it's colloquial for a really bad area, the kind that's riddled with crime on any given day. Growing up, I was not familiar with the term 'the hood'. Where I came from they were just called bad areas. Bombay's was Grant Road (I still remember that one, although this has probably changed). I can't remember Dubai having one (I'm sure one exists). Then I got to Toronto & that's when 'The Hood' was introduced. Toronto's hood would be Jane & Finch, an area to avoid at certain times. And every big cosmopolitan city has it's own hood!

Bermuda while not a city, has one too. In fact, that's the first question expats ask when they're apartment hunting. What's the place to avoid? Expats from Toronto will inquire: Where's 'the hood' in Bermuda? Well folks, Bermuda's hood sits on the northern end of Hamilton near Court Street. And it's not known as the hood. It holds it's own, Bermuda style. Said fast, it's known as Back-O'-Town (as in Back of Town). Endearing isn't it? Oh fear not! Bermuda's hood is not the same as Toronto. Most tell me that Toronto's hood is becoming ever more violent. Sometimes we manage to catch it on the news on City TV here. But caution & common sense should prevail in any hood. You wouldn't want to be walking around Back-a-Town all by yourself during the dead of night. Although, we do drive by there practically every morning. We've found it to be our 'get into town faster, avoid the morning rush route'. Every thing's different in the light of day!