a night of chaos

Harbour Nights are a weekly affair of family fun during the summer here in Bermuda. Hamilton's Front Street closes down from about 7:00 to 11:00 pm every Wednesday as local talent, arts & crafts, & singers & Gombey Dancers make their weekly appearance for all to enjoy. It's a miniature street festival, if you will.

This past Wednesday was the first of many Harbour Nights for 2007. But this first ended in chaos & panic as a couple of horses broke free from their owner & took off with the carriage making a straight beeline for the crowd that littered Front Street. About 19 people, tourists & locals including children were injured.

Now the government is looking to ban horse carriage tours that operate in town. Many have voiced their opinions that these horses, while may be well tended to by their owners, are working in the summer heat, traffic, noise & pollution. That's enough of a toll to eventually spook a horse & set it off at anytime. No one knows what set these particular horses off, but this is not the time to shrug off an incident like this even though it's a first time occurrence. Unfortunate for the horse carriage tour operators & owners, but an incident like this cannot be casually dismissed.

Here's a shot of a couple of beauties we were passing by on South Shore Road on Easter Sunday. Pretty aren't they? Even I was wary as I went up to pet & feed them, for their height & sheer towering presence made me feel like a dwarf. Curious fellows they were, that's for sure. Left me wishing I knew how to ride a horse!

fire house

My mom calls houses in Canada matchstick houses. It could be a mansion but it would still be a matchstick house. Frames that are built out of wood because it's the cheapest & most economical method as Canada's forests are brimming with lumber to serve just this purpose. Mom says she can't believe we paid so much for a house that's built out of wood. We came from a land where houses were built out of cement, just like in Bermuda. Looking at a Canadian home with it's brick facade you wouldn't know that what lies beneath is drywall, fiberglass insulation & wood frames. Canadian buildings, schools & offices, however, are different. They're built like any other, out of cement, with steel frames. I'm sure this situation is the same across Europe, northern parts of America or anywhere with sub zero temperatures.

So, ever seen a house on fire? No, TV does not count. About four years ago, on the coldest day that winter had yet to see, our Toronto neighbours' house caught on fire. Now these are town homes. Very tricky situation. It took firefighters a while to hook up the hose to the hydrant & start dousing the flames & that was because the temperature was about -20 deg C. The water that trickled off the house, froze on the ground before it got a chance to get to drain off. A couple of public buses were brought in for those evacuees to get in & stay warm. Firefighters were racing against time to save the one raging house but more importantly to douse out the flames before it spread to the attached town homes on either side. On this cold night, I was mesmerized standing out there in my pajamas. It was freezing & I couldn't move. It was amazing how quickly that fire took hold, spread & blazed, devouring that one house. Those flames were raring to go. In the end all that remained was the brick facade & the frame attached to either side of the town house. Everything inside was destroyed.

I just read a blog comment that made me realize that except for in town, there are no fire hydrants in Bermuda. Which means during the unfortunate incident of a fire at your home, the fire department relies on your neighbours' tank water to douse out the flames. Should this worry you? The time it takes the firefighters to hook up their hoses to the neighbours tank to the time the flames are given a good watering. Probably not, as Bermuda houses are built out of cement. Although, it would be good to have content insurance if one's renting. One had also better be in good standing with their neighbours if one expects them to say yes to the use of their tank water in fiery situations such as these. But then again, they're not really going to say no, are they?

food for thought

If you're a gourmet cook & are looking forward to continuing along that same thread here in Bermuda, you will be disappointed some upon a trip to the grocery store. There are some things that are just not available here & if by some remote chance they are, they will cost you an arm & a leg in the process. One example: Spices! If this is an integral part of your cuisine then you may want to stock up before you hit the island & take note, this is something that you are allowed to bring onto the island. Or if you're visiting family or friends on the island surprise them with a self made spice basket. They will thank you for it! But it would be worthwhile to find out their favourite few before you go spicing up your shopping trip.

If you lack the culinary skills or the patience, then panic not for there's plenty of restaurants to cater to your international taste buds. Over the past few years, the restaurant scene has had plenty of additions from Thai & Japanese to Arabic & Indian cuisine. But what if you're looking for something authentically Bermudian? One has to know that Bermuda's cuisine is a blend of English, Carribean & African dishes that have been borrowed & modified over the years. While I won't go so far as to say it's hard to find something authentically Bermudian, there are some dishes that are unique to this island.

We start off with the Bermuda Fish Chowder, found at most restaurants, is one dish not to be passed. Cassava Pie is a sweet melt in your mouth explosion! This island also boasts a multitude of fresh Rockfish, Wahoo & its own lobster (during lobster season), so be sure to try at least one of these delicious varieties. Locals are huge on shark & love making hash out of it. Of course, no island would be complete without its share of rum & Bermuda does have its very own, Gosling's Rum, available island wide at any liquor store or for half the price at the duty free at the Bermuda airport. But wait, I'm not done. One place to visit is the Swizzle Inn where they are famous for their Rum Swizzles, also known as Bermuda's national drink. Well, what else can you expect from an island? They've got to have at least one national drink. Go easy on the Rum Swizzles though, this is one strong drink that'll knock your socks off, if you're not careful with your consumption!
An afterthought:
I wonder if Canada has a national drink - if it did it'd probably be a Molson.

earth day!

Today is Earth Day. If you stumbled upon Google today you would have seen this.
Google posted in the form of an iceberg that is partially under water - melting. A smart way to signify & bring to our attention the current state of the earth & her environment - Global Warming. Good one guys!

If you did managed to catch Oprah on Friday, the topic of her show was Going Green. Ordinarily, I am not a huge Oprah fan but somehow the TV was tunned to her show. I don't know how that happened but I was glad. There's lots of ways you can make difference. Please visit the link & click on the many other links to find out how you can go green. It's time to get on that green wagon!

A lot of kids growing up today suffer from allergies, asthma or some sort of respiratory illness. Growing up, I had never heard of asthma or allergens, until my move to Canada whereupon I realised what a common place these aliments are among children & teenagers. Many children here in Bermuda suffer from the same ailments like the rest of North America. But what is it about the environment today that encourages the presence of these ailments among the very young?

One would be quick to blame the air, the smog or the ever increasing pollutants in today's environment but perhaps the answer lies close to home. A couple of years ago, I watched a documentary about boy who suddenly developed a severe case of allergies. The doctors could not figure out the root cause & after months of tests there was still no answer to be found. His mother then decided to take matters into her own hands. She began to keep a journal of everything that she did all day. A few weeks into her documenting, she noticed a pattern. Her son's allergies were full blown at beginning of the week, about the same time she cleaned house. And then the realization that it was the cleaners, just regular household cleaners that she was using to get her place squeaky clean. Well, she went into overdrive: she rid her house of all the cleaners she could possibly find & began to research into all natural cleaners, launching herself into a multi million dollar business. But I digress. The end result was that once upon making the switch to all natural cleaners, her son's allergies disappeared.

Practically the same situation with the couple that appeared on Oprah's Friday show. Their son was diagnosed with respiratory problems with the beginning signs of asthma that landed him in the hospital. A bit of research later they came across Shaklee, a line of all natural cleaning products. They switched & liked the products so much that they bought the company. Seriously? I digress again, the point is that their son recovered after the switch.

All natural cleaning products are just the way to go it seems. Whether it's Shaklee or Seventh Generation, these all natural products are better for the environment, all the while creating a cleaner environment for you. All those dyes & perfumes in regular petroleum based cleaners are just creating a toxic environment at home, especially since with the aircon or central heating we tend to air our homes less & less. The result: we exist in our own self made oven.

So what should clean really smell like? Nothing. Clean apparently, has no smell. That's the way it should be, the good old natural way. So, why is it we have the sudden urge to light a scented candle when we smell nothing upon entering a room? What is this urge we have to making our interiors smell like lemons or some other scent?

a change in plans

Well, it was only a matter of time. Rosie's summer gay cruise, All Aboard will not be coming to Bermuda. Her cruise company stated that if there was just one protest, the cruise would be cancelled & America would be told why. While I missed prior articles, I did manage to catch this one.

So will this end up hurting Bermuda & her tourism industry? Not so much. Here's what Rosie had to say on her R Family Vacations website. Interesting! This definitely gives us an insight on Bermuda's views & acceptance of the GLBT community. The Premier sure did save Bermuda from any backlash by welcoming Rosie & co.

However, I am disappointed for the children. A chance to see beautiful Bermuda! Unfortunately a chance lost. All because of the few protests by a few minority religious groups, Bermuda will now miss out on the tourist spending boost it could have received. And it would have been a significant boost.

how many people does it take to change to a CFL bulb?

PEOPLE!
We're all witnessing the havoc Mother Nature is unleashing the world over, thanks to global warming. It's a warning that cannot be ignored. There's one thing WE all can do to lower greenhouse gases. I've written about it before & all it entails is taking a trip to your local hardware store. If you haven't yet changed that incandescent bulb & made the switch to the a CFL spiral bulb, now is the time. It's time to get involved & do you part to reduce greenhouse gases. Don't be discouraged by CFL's. They're great! We've been using them for years & would never go back to incandescents. Here are some reasons why making the switch will make a difference & leave you feeling happy:

CFL's are a huge money saver compared to the standard incandescents. They last longer too!

If every household were to change to just one CFL bulb, we could lower the equivalent emissions that are produced by millions of cars. That's a lot of reduction!

CFL's are now also made to produce soft ambient lighting, just like an incandescent bulb. Just look at the different varieties before picking one.

If you think a CFL is not as bright as an incandescent, get one that generates the incandescent equivalent of 60 watts. It's bright enough! Trust me. Any brighter and you'd be wearing your sunglasses at home.

When switched on, a CFL takes about a minute to warm up to reach it's brightest potential, so please have a little patience.

Don't dispose off your CFL's in the trash due to the presence of mercury in these bulbs which makes it work! Please take them to your hardware store to be recycled.

To my Bermudian residents: if you haven't indulged yourself in a CFL yet, please do get some on your next trip to the US or Canada, or just look for the gentleman selling them at the corner of Reid & Burnaby.

To my Indian residents: Check out this dude featured on the Project Porchlight site! Since you guys already use fluorescent lighting this post may not really apply. But I did get to see family in Dubai making the switch, which is pretty darn neat.

Please check out these links & get informed & involved. Time's running out!
CFL on Wikipedia
Canada's Project Porchlight
America's One Billion Bulbs

Thank You !

Horseshoe bay

As the weather warms up every corner of Bermuda, summer is inaugurated by the plane & boatloads of tourists, first timers & repeat visitors, vying & raring to go for a taste of an island vacation. Almost all will visit Bermuda's most popular & celebrated beach, Horseshoe Bay. It's also reputed to be one of Bermuda's most beautiful as well. Shaped like its namesake, Horseshoe Bay is also very well equipped sporting a snack bar, rental & changing facilities. It's for this reason that Horseshoe is incredibly littered with tourists on any given summer day, with a flurry of activity that makes this beach come alive like no other.

Horseshoe Bay also has a couple of signs up to warn visitors of what to do in a couple of common occurrences (rip tides & jellyfish stings). This is the only beach with the signs up & necessary as it's the most popular beach. However, it's a couple of good tips to keep in mind & memorize when visiting any beach anywhere in the world.

i never vote for anybody, i always vote against!

Hubby was reading an article last week which suggested that ex pats should stay out of Bermuda's politics. Now some may take offense to this saying that ex pats deserve the freedom of speech that is afforded to everyone else on the island. While it's all well & good that one would want to be educated, informed & perhaps a bit involved in & about local politics, I agree with the article.

I think it's the same situation anywhere you go. I highly doubt that ex pats in America are all worked up about the Bush Administration & the war or that ex pats in Canada are apt to be concerned about the constant state of elections that the Liberals & Conservatives find themselves battling in. These issues are of no concern to ex pats. Why would they be, especially since ex pats have no voting rights in the country where they reside. There's a reason we're called Guest Workers.

barracuda

How many fish have a tune or a song that it's associated with? Ok, maybe Jaws is one but I can think of just one other. The Barracuda! You know the song right? You must. Everyone's heard it. Unless you're of the later generation & are not given to listening to the oldies.

While I haven't seen one live & I'm not sure I want to, the Barracuda is sometimes seen around Bermuda's rocks & but definitely the further out you go. They are known for their fierce looks complete with sharp canine fang like teeth. Just look at it, fierce is right. This was taken at the Aquarium. The song does not do much for the Barracuda's image either as it evokes a sense of mystery, danger & caution. Barracuda's are meat eaters & are highly inquisitive about what swimming in & around their waters. Startle one & it will probably attack you thinking you're prey. But we've been told that Barracuda attacks are no more common that shark attacks. Barracudas are hunted though, not for their meat for for sport.

During one of our snorkel sessions last summer, SharkBoy was all excitement as he spotted a Barracuda just beyond the rocks at John Smith's. He ventured out further after giving us the news to check out this game fish. It wasn't long before he returned saying the barracuda began to circle him & so he decided it was time to leave. But that's not the first time Barracuda's have been spotted in that vicinity. So perhaps a little caution should be exercised when snorkelling in deeper waters at John Smith's. While Barracudas generally won't attack unless they're provoked, who's to say? Better safe than sorry, right?

what's a jackfruit? you're about to find out...

In the last couple of years, Bermuda has evolved into a melting pot of guest workers. The island has seen an increase in ex pats from India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines & Africa, making Bermuda quite diverse. And everyone’s getting along fabulously, I might add. Some of the Filipino & Indian guest workers are employed in the hospitality industry while others are employed in various Accounting firms. Filipino Chefs are also employed at Marketplace (the local grocery store in town) & their presence is reflective of what’s on the shelves. I’d imagine they have a certain say in what they think the grocery store should indulge in when it comes to international foods & so exotic items from the Philippines & Thailand & the far East have become more prevalent.

Yesterday was a day of sorts, but the good kind. I stepped into the grocery store in town to get a few things & what I found just about pleased me to no end. Among the cans of Lychee, were also tins of Jackfruit. I was much too excited because I used to eat this when I was a kid, in India when they were in season. It’s been years since I’ve eaten some Jackfruit, so I didn’t hesitate to pick up a can. During our Dec ’05 India trip, I did not get to indulge in this fruit at our family's ancestral plantation for while it was on the tree, it was nowhere near grown to it's full size. But I did manage to take a picture to remind me of the younger days! Fast forward to now.

Looking at the can of Jackfruit (this one a product of Thailand), I was skeptical as it was tinned because the Chinese Jackfruit available in Toronto wasn’t as sweet & didn’t quite taste like the Indian Jackfruit. And that wasn’t even in a can. Well, the memories came flooding back as soon as I opened this can. The air was perfumed with the sweet smell of Jackfruit & as I turned around to show Hubby, he reached for the camera. Apparently the expression on my face was priceless. He said I looked like I was about to cry. Ok, maybe that’s true. But it tasted so good, even though the syrup it was in had a certain amount of sugar added. It still tasted just like I remember. Hubby also got his first taste. Yay! Jackfruit is now available in Bermuda. If you’ve never tasted this fruit, I definitely recommend trying it. For you island residents, it’s stacked on the shelf by the dairy products at the Marketplace in town. If you try it, come on back & let me know what you think.

Getting back to the increased diversity on the island, as I stepped out of the grocery store yesterday, a friendly Bermudian nods at me as I pass by & says ‘Namaste’ (Hello in Hindi). He even proceeded to join his hands Indian style as he said it. I laughed & stopped to chat with him, for I thought it very endearing. His willingness to learn & integrate different cultures is all too reflective of the changes taking place on this small island.

the bermuda lily

The Easter Lily, aptly named is used today as a symbol of Christ's resurrection. The lily also symbolizes purity. Churches all over the world are decked with these lilies on Easter Sunday, also serving as a remembrance of loved ones that have passed on. It was, however, not always known as the Easter lily but rather by another name - the Bermuda Lily.

Some interesting facts about the Bermuda/Easter Lily:
- To prolong the life of your lily, remove the yellow anthers in the middle of the bloom.
- If the yellow staining pollen gets on fabrics or clothing, do not rub it off but rather use sticky tape.
- Keep your cats away from the Bermuda/Easter Lily plant as its leaves are considered poisonous & can cause kidney failure in felines.

The lily originated from the southern islands of Japan & was then introduced to Bermuda via England in 1853. Back then Bermuda was much an agricultural land & production of the Easter lilies took off by leaps & bounds. So much so, that the lily was christened the Bermuda Lily. But when a virus killed off most of the crop, production moved to Japan. The Bermuda Lily was also introduced to America (southern coast of Oregon) during WWI by an American soldier, to be grown as a hobby. Japan still continued to dominate the lily market but with the breakout of WWII & the attack on Japan, lily exports to America ceased. By then the lily growing hobby in America grew to a commercial business. Now the area along the California-Oregon border is responsible for 95% of the world's Easter Lily production.

While the lily is no longer known as the Bermuda Lily, it's still grown here, although on not so large a scale. During spring, one can see fields of Easter Lily shrubs & by close to Easter these shrubs have given way to fields of perfumed white lilies. Locals can be spotted selling lilies by the buckets for those who prefer a bunch or a single stalk.

If however, you're buying a potted Easter Lily plant, don't trash it when the lilies have bloomed & the plant has died down. Plant the pot in your garden where the bulbs will lie dormant until next spring. If you're dubious about whether they will spring & bloom the following year, consider this. The Easter lilies I bought years ago in Toronto still rise up every spring after lying dormant in the frozen ground over winter where Toronto temperatures can dip to -20 C. Amazing isn't it?

hot cross buns & cod fish cakes

Growing up, Good Friday has always been a day of fasting & observance with the 3:00 pm Good Friday Service that culminates in the giving out of hot cross buns. The nursery rhyme I learned as a child, always comes to mind on this day.
Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns
One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns
If you have no daughters, give them to your sons
One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns

Here in Bermuda things are done a bit different. The Good Friday Service takes place at 7:30 pm to allow for Bermuda's traditional kite flying during the day. Originally, the kites would not be flown until after 3:00 pm but now the day begins with families & their kites at parks & beaches, weather permitting of course.

Why kite flying & why on Good Friday? It all started when a local Sunday school teacher had trouble getting his students to understand & visualize Christ's Ascension into heaven & so launched a kite shaped in the likeness of Christ to better demonstrate what he was trying to get across. While Ascension is known to take place 40 days after Easter, the kites are now flown on Good Friday. The traditional Bermuda kite's frame still emulates the shape of the cross reflecting what Good Friday is all about. Some kites have long tails, available in various different colours & sizes.

Another Good Friday tradition, along with hot cross buns is cod fish cakes. Families here are busy prepping the night before indulging in creating batches of cod fish cakes. That was MsStopYourNoise's answer when I asked her yesterday what her plans were. Today she brought over some of her homemade fishcakes & hot cross buns. They were delish. Thanks MsStopYourNoise for sharing your country's traditions with us!

mum's the word

Bermuda is so small an island that inevitably people find out about other people's business. Makes sense for an island that houses 60,000+ people; someone's bound to know someone who knows someone. The ex pat community is even smaller. With the island being so competitive a place especially among the ex pat community, you best keep things quiet until you're satisfied with your final results & are ready to share. Try as you might to keep things under wraps, there's always a mole.

For example:
Being offered a new job does not guarantee that you have it until your work permit gets approved. And that could mean waiting for weeks, months in some cases. It can be a very stressful & frustrating time. There's nothing worse than the waiting game. And it's no source of comfort that the reason for the endless wait is that Bermuda's immigration always seems to be overloaded with work permit applications & so, are constantly reported to be backlogged.

Or another example:
Do not even think about discussing things when you're out & about. You'd best find a quiet place to dialog the events of your work day for you never know who's passing by. You can forget about mentioning names. It's funny how many times people avoid trying to mention names when relegating stories, but inexplicably the name is dropped. An innocent mistake that's caused no harm if the name means nothing to you...

Or another:
You've recently met someone you don't like. Pissed you off have they? Too bad! Suck it up & don't even think about sharing & naming names. You never know who knows who on this island. Sometimes even newcomers have friends in high places.

In your big hometown city back home you could tell Tom, Dick & Harry & none would be the wiser. In Bermuda, 'Ex pat discretion is advised', as Tom, Dick & Harry may know each other very well indeed!

wind in the willows

Hubby's nephew & niece (The Poser & Smoochie) in Georgia are experiencing their first spring since their move from NY. They are not liking it, complaining that their allergies are worse in GA than in NY. I really do feel for them. I don't know what it's like to grow up with allergies. Hubby says it's a royal pain or at least it was when he was growing up.

For you allergy sufferers that are going to be vacationing or moving here to Bermuda soon, fear not. Bermuda is virtually ragweed free & pollen from other weeds are blown out to the sea. One of the benefits of being a small island. That pollen has nowhere to go but yonder, littering the waters, where it's probably nibbled up by some small fry. However, you're not out of the woods yet. Extra care must be taken as Bermuda's damp climate does give rise to mold & mildew indoors, if your place is not properly & adequately ventilated. But this is something that can be easily practiced. Besides, who doesn't love a good island breeze?

back on the island

Oh, how I missed the water....

when the clock strikes 1

Toronto. Girls night out. In desperate need of gas. And so, while at the gas pump in the wee hours of Saturday morning, Kate couldn't figure out why the heck I was laughing while filling up. Until I redirected her attention to the pump where I guess someone was inclined to want to make a few corrections to the pie chart no doubt commissioned by the government. I couldn't resist not taking a picture.

And as soon as the tank was filled, a truck pulls up for its nightly routine. That's a public worker sanitizing the garbage/recycling cans. I can tell you I feel a whole lot better knowing this takes place every night all over the city. The things that take place on Toronto streets when no one's watching!

I have to say, this camera phone, courtesy of Hubby, sure is coming in handy.

fill 'er up

We creatures of comfort get satisfaction & contentment in the everyday familiar. So, when we're back in Toronto, I reckon a dose of my hometown familiarity is apt to make up for lost time. But there's one thing that's unfamiliar & uncomfortable in the big T(dot) this time around.

Gas prices! Apparently, the Nanticoke refinery in Ontario was temporarily shut down due to a fire in February. This caused gas shortages all over Ontario, which only resulted in further price gouging. Gas prices rose to an all time high of a BUCK a litre (or when translated to Bermuda & US measurements about $3.78 CDN a gallon. While we took in this news in Feb, we figured this would blow over by the time our trip came around March end.

Not so! The Nanticoke refinery is back online, but prices at Toronto's pumps have yet to see a decline. Add to that many gas stations are reportedly still out of gas & have been forced to shut down. While the government should be stepping in to relieve some of this pressure it's not about to for perhaps two reasons. About half of all gas earnings are directed to the government in the form of fuel tax - so the higher the price the more tax earnings for the government (and since when does any government not like more money flowing their way). The other reason might just be that the government is hoping the high gas prices will encourage more to turn to public transportation therefore alleviating traffic woes & smog that plagues Toronto. (Personally, it's reason #1 that's more plausible for when has any government been concerned about lining their policies for the good of the environment).

Think this does not affect you? Mull on this: domestic & international flights taking off from Toronto will pass on their refueling costs which will show up on your airfare. The other harsh reality that many are facing is that these prices are being reported to be steady through the summer. For those of you who are not aware, summer is the season for weekend trips to the cottage up north, long drives across the border during long weekends & many road trips of the sort. So, you can see how this is going to be a problem.

In Bermuda, I barely pay attention to our weekly gas expenditure, nonetheless I'm sure it's about less than $10 USD to fill up the scooter. Here in T (dot), however, I am definitely feeling the pinch. We've been driving around all over visiting family in my dad's fuel efficient Tracker & despite this, a temporary $10.00 gas fill up barely registers on the fuel gage, where before it was moderately enough to feed the hungry auto beast.

it's my party

It's doubly good when you're able to celebrate your birthday with your family & friends back home - which is what I did today. Yes, we are back in T. for a week. It's not as warm as Bermuda but it's not that bad either. My mom's been complaining that the cloudy weather has been a like persistent cold that will not let up anytime soon. But I say we brought the warm Bermuda weather with us & sunshine was not guaranteed. Now I am all set to use my gift certificates & shop the town at my favourite stores so I can stock up on this season's styles. But Lord knows I am running out of closet space.

if these walls could talk

I came to a realization today as I was cleaning the walls of our place. Cleaning the walls you say? Yes, sometimes a necessity depending on where you live & with what kind of paint your walls are adorned with.

Bermuda's damp humid climate causes a problem for many, especially in the winter. Winter months are not supposed to be accompanied with high levels of humidity but unfortunately for this island, it does. This at times affects the walls inside your home, causing condensation to form & along with the dust in the air, it makes for an interesting tinge. The best way to get rid of this unwelcome gradual change is a good spraying of equal parts water & bleach. A few friends have told me that this has to be done to their ceilings not their walls, but I wondered why I had to render this treatment to my walls as well.

Well, here's my epiphany: Ordinarily walls are painted with a semi-gloss to a high gloss paint (which is great when you have kids - easy cleanup). The higher the gloss the more the shine. On the opposite side of the spectrum having flat or eggshell paint on your walls is a magnet for permanent fingerprints & existence of every day living. Ceilings are, however, always painted with flat paint base. Besides, who'd want to look up at a semi shiny ceiling anyway. Well at our place (which I love for many things including its ocean view) our walls are painted with a flat paint finish - a magnet for condensation & dust during high humidity months. So, even if you do run your dehumidifier, be prepared to bleach your walls once in a while. That is if you have white walls with a flat paint finish. But I guarantee your ceiling will need a spray of bleach, at least once in a while. Ordinarily, I abhor white walls as I am all about colour but I have learned to live with the white that surrounds me. The humidity & its effect is the nature of Bermuda's climate, just be prepared. Now my walls sparkle & I feel good, save for the lingering 'scent' of bleach in the air.

so, who really won?

Cricket update! Bermuda lost against India today. Apparently, India scored 431 runs & set a record of the most runs scored in a match. Ok, we all knew who was going to win this match. Even the local kids down the street were with me on this one! But, had India lost against Bermuda, I would not have been able to show my face around here. Not because India's better & Bermuda's not (we are still talking about cricket teams). It's because Bermuda is a relative newcomer to the international cricket scene as a team. India's team has far more experience under its belt, having played at many many cup matches, so losing to Bermuda would have NOT been an option & oh! so shameful.

But the one thing, I noticed about Bermuda is even though their team lost the match, the local news made it a point to highlight all the positives about Bermuda's play in the match today. And highlight it did, for a good few minutes & with such gusto. Watching the news, you would have thought Bermuda actually won the match. For a split second there it even threw me off, left me scratching my head & wondering: I thought Bermuda lost?!? Yet, isn't that such an admirable thing to see - that your country cares not if you win or lose but how you play the game!

gibbs hill lighthouse

The Gibbs Hill Lighthouse is Bermuda's famous most landmark. Built in 1844, it's the oldest iron cast lighthouse in the world. Climbing up its 185 steps will yield you spectacular views of most of the island. While the lighthouse stands tall at 117 feet, the hill it stands on is about 245 feet above sea level. For the past little while the steps leading to the top of the lighthouse was under construction but not anymore, giving you no excuse to make that trek up to the top. And when you're all tuckered out, the Lighthouse Tearoom makes for an excellent stopover be it breakfast or lunch.


The lighthouse also has a 1,000 watt bulb along with a trough of 1,200 pounds of mercury that the bulb sits & revolves in. So, when you're at the top, look out for it. This may mean climbing up the steps reserved for the maintenance personnel, but no one really pays attention to the signs anyway. However, I was too engrossed with the fabulous island view. So I missed it. Twice. Although, next time I will take a moment to pay particular attention to the mercury & the mega watt bulb. It's not often that you get to see the inner workings of a lighthouse.

aww shucks

Cricket fever is everywhere! Thursday's match between Sri Lanka & Bermuda yeilded a win for Sri Lanka. The only reason I know this is because friends were talking about it, asking me if I watched it. Umm no. But maybe I should, eh ?

I called my maternal grandmother's brother (Uncle Lewis) today. He's the big 75 today & the only one left from his generation. He's also the only 75 year old I know who still rids his scooter! The entire family ganged up on him with birthday wishes from the seven countries that we're spread out in. During our conversation he told me he's been watching the cricket cup matches. Of course, being born & brought up in India & still residing there, he's ought to be an avid cricket fan. He said Bermuda's been playing pretty well (which I don't know much about). But I have to say that definitely put Bermuda on the map. I am sure more are aware now of where Bermuda's proximity is to the rest of the world & they'll probably be amazed - tiny island in the middle of nowhere.

Uncle Lewis did mention that every time he sees Bermuda on the screen or its team mentioned, he is reminded of me. Awww shucks! So now I HAVE to start watching the matches. Or at least I feel I have to...

march break madness

March break is an exciting time for kids & their parents as they leave the still persistent winter & head to warmer destinations such as Florida, the Caribbean & Bermuda for a week of fun in the sun. So, the island has had quite a few March breakers this week. Whilst at the beach, we noticed a some college students enjoying the fine weather we've been having. Dying to go in the water but hesitant to do so, at first anyway. But they did, eventually, even though the water was not warm enough to warrant a swim in Bermuda's beautiful blue. Hey, it may be warm enough for them but it's definitely not warm enough for us residents.

May 24th, also known as Bermuda Day is the official day that Bermudian men don on their Bermuda shorts for the rest of the summer. It's also after that date that most Bermudians they tend to venture out into the water. Hubby & I don't wait that long, though. The water is too tempting, beckoning us at every turn on South Road. So, we tend to do a couple of tests runs before the 24th & might I say it works out just fine, every time!

the 2 year mark

As of Monday, it's been two years for us here in beautiful Bermuda. Neither of us noticed the anniversary date & I don't know how that happened. But in taking a moment now to look back at the past, I remember the most pressing thing that we were worried about when we first landed - finding a decent apartment & having about a month to do it in. Since Hubby had already started his then new job two days later, the onus was on me. I had to be proactive as soon as e-moo posted their rentals for the day because the good ones would be snatched up before I'd even had time to blink.

Due to the huge demand, landlords are able to be picky & choosy about whom they want renting their space. Words like 'Professional non-smoking couple' are ones that landlords like to hear. A question we'd often get asked is if we're married. You see as Bermudians are very religious, there are some that refuse to rent to unmarried couples. Being betrothed does not count either. Of the 10 apartments we looked at, only two ventured to ask about our marital status. Two that I can remember.

However, if you have pets it is difficult to find a one bedroom rental. Dogs or cats, it doesn't matter. You will more than likely have to rent a two bedroom house which can cost an upwards of $3,000 USD per month or houseshare. So, if you're planning on bringing the beloved canine or feline family member, I'd suggest you leave it behind. The move & the transition will be a lot less aggravating for all parties involved, meaning you & the pet. It's not so easy for your pet to adjust to a new place, a new sub tropic environment especially while you are away at work for the better part of the day. Friends have also told me that dogs here catch fleas fairly easily & the vet visits here don't come cheap if your pooch or kitty needs to make a trip to the doctor.

For the most part, however, if you do get a place with an ocean view, it's a good thing. For those of you looking to move to Bermuda & would like to have a clearer picture of the rental market, here's the link. Good Luck & Happy Hunting!

the paid maternity leave controversy

Maternity leave is so vital & essential to new parents, especially to new mothers. But this varies among countries around the world. Maternity leave in the Middle East is about anywhere from 45 days or more depending on the country. I remember this being an issue with my aunts when I was growing up. They'd complain that 45 days was not enough. Course not! What's 45 days?

Bermuda offers three months maternity leave with pay across the board. I've heard of a generous few companies that offer even more trying to stay in line with their parent companies. But this is rare. Depending on the nature of the job, most companies are reluctant to offer any additional maternity leave, unpaid as it may be. This option, if it were available, is tricky for expats because of the time limit issues with their work permits. The three month maternity leave can also come as a surprise for some Canadian & Brit expats expecting it to be on the same playing field as their home country.

For many American expats, however, paid maternity leave is a positive & significant benefit than compared to their homeland. Surprisingly, America is the only industrialized first world country that does not offer paid maternity leave to its employees. While that is standard across the board, there are some corporations that make exceptions. For the most part, employers are unwilling to compensate new mothers or fathers for this critical time off. They believe that people should be financially responsible, prepared & not depend on the government or their employers for parental leave of this sort. This coming from America! Shocking eh, especially considering so many third world African nations actually offer paid maternity leave to its new mothers.

Perhaps it is for this reason that Americans (& Bermudians too) are shocked when they find out Canada's maternity leave period is slated at a year with the option available to either parent. That it's only compensated at 55% of regular pay doesn't seem to phase anyone a bit. Who cares they say - one year is amazing just to be able to stay at home with your baby & get paid for it even if it's only 55%. Fair enough. No complaints here.

However, if they're impressed with Canada's maternity leave plan, they'd be even more so with Sweden & Norway, who offer paid maternity leave for 18 months. Bulgaria tops the list offering its working employees TWO years paid maternity leave with the option of an additional year of unpaid leave. Now that's sweet!

links: parental leave rights

just when i thought

I just discovered that Blogger lets me transliterate in Hindi! I think it's one of the only languages available at the moment. At first I couldn't fathom why they chose Hindi as one of their first. But then I remembered a couple of things. Hindi evolved from an ancient Indian language named Sanskrit (the Indian equivalent of Latin). Sanskrit is the language known to be most compatible with computers. Ta Da! That & Hindi is the second most language spoken language in the world about 333 million. Even the Arabs in Dubai speak Hindi, due to the large presence of Indian expats.

Anyway, just when I thought Google could not get any better! Of course, at first I was really excited about the transliteration feature. I thought I could put my dormant Hindi language skills to some good use & sharpen my brain in the process. But it's not as easy as I thought it would be. I have to type what I intend to get across phonetically in English. Blogger then magically transliterates words into Hindi. There's a few obstacles in my path. Because Hindi is a third language for me & even though one that I am fluent in, my style of writing would not be the same as it was in English. Besides, other than some family & friends who know the language, who'd read it anyway? And what the heck would I write about?

In other interesting news, Canadian singer Avril Lavigne has released her latest single, Girlfriend, in eight languages (Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese). While she does not speak a second language she spent hours studying the various languages to get her song right. She stopped the buck at Hindi. Apparently, the language & the rhythm didn't match & that after Portuguese, Hindi is the hardest language to learn. Some Indians are not happy. They feel they've been shafted yet again. Ha Ha Seriously? I can't help but laugh. You know Bollywood (the Indian film industry) will rip that entire song, as it's been known to do to many other popular Western tunes. Hang in there my fellow Indians, you'll not only get the entire song, but probably soon.

So just to try out the transliteration feature & show you what it looks like:

मुजे अबी ही मालूम पडी की मै हिन्दी की बाशा मे यहा लिख सकती हुं।

It's definitely challenging. For those of you who would like to read more, check out my new addition. It's all in layman terms, nothing fancy or flowery & probably with a ton of errors. I hope to get better with each passing post.

for the love of cricket

The 2007 World Cup Cricket match will be held in the West Indies this year from March 13th - April 18th & Bermuda is one of the countries that's slated to participate. For the first time as I know it, Bermuda is actually offering direct flights to the Caribbean (which is not the norm). Many are making plans to travel to the West Indies & everyone's excited as they cheer on hoping Bermuda will win. Hey, you never know!

America does not understand the fascination & the hype that goes with cricket, but then again I am sure that the Commonwealth countries reciprocate those sentiments when it comes to America & baseball. Bermudians love cricket naturally - a love that they have inherited from the mother land, England. I used to be in the know about cricket, but after moving to Canada, baseball pretty much took over. And even though Canada does have its own cricket team, I have long since forgotten how cricket works. While I do remember the rudimentary of rules, I'd probably draw a blank if you were to ask me anything specific.

However, the commentary & plays of a cricket match, any cricket match, takes me back to my childhood days. Lazy sunny days where the Cricket Cup Match is all that anyone would be talking about. My grandparents & parents were ever so engrossed in the matches that would last the entire day. India's favourite country to beat would be Pakistan. Oh! those matches would yield excitement like no other. I'm sure many kids here are experiencing the same cricket fever that I did. Memories being created as families get together to watch Bermuda take on other countries. Who would Bermuda love to beat? Maybe England? If I were into cricket now, who would I root for? India, Canada or Bermuda?

In further cricket news, Nike India has unveiled its new ad. What's interesting is that the jingle is not in the official Indian language of Hindi. It's in Konkani - a mixture of a couple of Indian dialects & bits of Portuguese - spoken by Goans who originate from the previously Portuguese ruled Goa. It's also the second language I learned after English & it's so neat that it's the chosen one for the jingle. And while I'd translate the jingle that reflects the Goan style of music, I am a bit lazy to do so at this point. But enjoy!

let the show begin

You must all know by now how much I love fish, especially the tropical kind.

Well, presenting my very own & first Bermuda's Marine Life Slideshow. Enjoy!

This link is also posted on the left under Bermuda Sun Links. Keep checking for more slide shows of all things Bermudian.

pretty in pink

Except for my years in Canada, I grew up with the sand at my feet, but never with sand so pretty as Bermuda's. And I say pretty because it's pink. It's not the coral that's the contributor, but a single celled animal known as foram (or the red foraminifier to be exact), pink in colour & growing on the underside of rocks. Once the foram dies, its pink skeleton is eroded & washed away to join the ranks of other particles like snails, shells & white sand. It is the foram that gives Bermuda's sand its pink hue & sand of this caliber is quite rare. Scotland is reported to be the only other place in the world with sand similar to Bermuda's.

While not all of Bermuda's beaches sport this pink hue, most do, especially at Warwick Bay (big chunks of pink there) but the sand all over the island is soft on your feet. And the government does a pretty good job of keeping this sand clean. During the summer months the sand is cleaned regularly of seaweed & litter. We found this lone little fella at John Smith's Bay. He couldn't decide which direction to head into but he was camouflaged quite well & content sitting pretty in pink. Except for those yellow legs that give him away!

a different cuppa java

Kopi is the Indonesian word for coffee. Luwak is the Indonesian word for the Civet cat. What's interesting is when these two words are combined to form a rare, very expensive & exclusive gourmet coffee that's making it's way into the world. Adverts for this coffee runs along the lines of 'From Cat to Cup' or 'The Purr-fect Cup'. But all play on words aside, why would an animal be associated with coffee?

There's a Thai restaurant in town & while I was lunching there last week with Newt & his colleagues, they directed my attention to a menu placard that was on our table advertising Kopi Luwak - a rare coffee with only 300 kgs produced annually. It also featured a picture of the tree hugging Luwak & went on to state that this was the animal responsible for contributing to the uniqueness of this coffee bean. But the explanation went no further as to the how - so customers were left to their own devices of whether they wanted to venture into the realm of this new coffee. So what if someone went ahead & treated themselves to one & found out about the inner makings of this coffee later. I bet they'd be upset. I know I'd be and here's why....

The Luwak's favourite food is the coffee cherry which it ingests, bean and all. Apparently it's the enzymes in the Luwak's digestive system that are absorbed by the coffee bean giving it its distinct flavour. Once the process is completed, the bean is excreted, the only way it can naturally, it's then collected by farmers. Once cleaned of the Luwak's feces (you see where I'm going with this), the bean is then roasted & ground for all you gourmet coffee lovers to enjoy. Are you kidding me? If it's going to come out of an animal's something, it should be priced next to nothing. Either that or someone's got to make this animal work overtime to make the laws of supply & demand work in our favour. Needless to say, I am no coffee drinker, but if I were, I'd certainly not want my coffee that way. The bean could be bleached for all I care, it still wouldn't make me change my mind. And I care not for how exclusive its taste is.

The restaurant didn't bother to disclose further facts on how the Luwak was completely involved in the process of this coffee bean. Oh wait, I know why. Perhaps that mere fact would be a deterrent to customers actually trying out this expensive cup. It would make people's imaginations start to wander. Hmm what is that unique taste they may ask. Or the thought that they hope those beans were cleaned down really good. Just you wait - some big shot is going to try out this coffee, find out the hows & whys later & waltz in to sue their pants off. But then again I've heard you can't really sue anyone here in Bermuda.