"I don't remember your name, but I remember your age." says the nine year old übersmart Bermudian neighbour kid to me today.
Didn't I say the kids here are super friendly?! Although, I think it's time to let him know about the 'Never ask or remind a woman about her age' philosophy!
I recently read that Bermudians are afraid of lizards. Is this true? I know some that 
are adverse to the presence of frogs but the fear of lizards is new to me. Some species of lizards are endemic to Bermuda, whereas others were introduced years ago, but none are harmful. Lizards don't bother me so much (mind you we are talking about the smaller kind). I'm a huge supporter of anything that will eat bugs. Besides lizards are so much more afraid of us that we are of them as evident by their lightning speed escapes when spotted (I got a lucky shot of the one on the right though). While I've never been one to handle a lizard or want to touch one, I've loved them because they're programmed to devour those pesky mosquitoes (such a nuisance when I was growing up in India). Incidentally, Bermuda does not have mosquitoes nor snakes. But ants are aplenty.
Many a times I'd like to talk about Bermuda's nitty gritty, but something holds me back. While blogs are a fabulous medium to express thought, educate oneself & broaden one's horizons, it can also be spell trouble for the author, depending on the content & location. I've heard of a case where a job offer was withdrawn after the employers came across the candidate's blog & were none to happy about the post with regards to the city that they were based in. Ridculous, I know!
Stat Counter is a unique site that tracks all you lovely visitors to my site. Worry not, other than the most rudimentary of info, I know nothing about you. Or so I'd like you to think! Of course I'm joking. The site actually does a great job of recording visitors that have come via any google searches. One particular search caught my attention - 'Expat fear in Bermuda'. Now while I'm apt to steer clear of any posts of a political nature, it's not due to expat fear but more so a precautionary measure. I have to say the general feeling due to a few incidents, freedom of speech is becoming somewhat of an issue among expats here in Bermuda. But I think that's just expat life, no matter what. Unless you're in Canada. You can say anything you want & we'll still be polite about. It's the Canadian way!
However, to give you an idea of what goes on in the political arena in Bermuda, I did stumble upon some very well written blogs by the island's very own. Sensitive issues like race discrimination, expats vs locals, Bermuda's politicians & their policies both proposed & implemented make for very interesting posts. A list has been compiled below & also appears on the left under OTHER BERMUDA BLOGS. Happy reading!
I don't know who made this list up but I stumbled upon it & it's too funny not to share. My favourites are the ones in bold
YOU KNOW YOU’RE BERMUDIAN WHEN...
This week saw the passing away of a prominent female political leader, Dame Louis Brown-Evans, who would have celebrated her 80th birthday today. To honour her & her life's work, Bermuda has decreeded a state funeral for Tuesday the fifth, and along with it a public holiday. A funeral route has yet to be planned. Many businesses are upset with the short notice of Tuesday being declared a public holiday, as they scramble to rearrange their schedules. Businesses in the tourist industry, are further upset that Tuesday will have them shelling out time & a half pay or double pay for their employees, if they are to remain open for the tourists (which is more than likely).
Reminds me of the passing away of any one of the Sheiks in Dubai or neighbouring emirates in the UAE, which would yeild a mourning period of anywhere from three to seven days, depending on the prominence of the Sheik. Businesses had to be shut down yes, but so did all the fun. Now the UAE is the most liberal Muslim country there is, but when they say a period of mourning, they mean it! The local channels would cease their regular programming & all that would be broadcasted were prayers & the Quran teachings. For those that couldn't afford the then very expensive satellite programming, video stores along with family get-togethers were the only option of entertainment for the next few days. Families would meet up, planning out the next seven days & taking turns hosting, but keeping it toned down on the outside for the most part. Once indoors, it was a different story. I'd imagine a lot has changed in terms of the mourning period. Still seems like a lot of restrictions I know, but all taken with a grain of salt.
So, what's it going to be like in Bermuda on Tuesday? I'm sure many will turn out to pay their respects to the deceased. Some may spend the day with their families, while others may hit the beach, weather permitting. It's a day off & no matter what you do it will definitely be overshadowed by the fact that this day off has been brought about by someone's passing away. And that's always a sad thing.
The cool island breeze whips through the curtains hanging in the window to traverse further into the room to meet the breeze blowing in by the open sliding doors adjacent to the window. I love that cross breeze ventilation, don't you? That's the beauty of an island breeze - keeps the humidity down. Of course, it helps when your place is higher up on a hill. Much to many of our guests' surprise, Air Cons are not required.
Although, we do suffer as the seasons change & what is ordinarily bliss during the summer turns into a miss in the winter, when our place is cooler & more damp than the norm. Heaters are definitely required.
But winter is a long way off & the appropriate attire has been tucked away to make room for summer's necessities. Besides the summer shorts, out come the beachwear, snorkel masks & beach mats. Now all we need is a summer song & maybe a hammock for the patio!
The Gombeys make their appearance on Bermuda Day & during the summer Harbour Nights, every Wednesday. Hugely popular among tourists & locals alike, they are Bermuda's very own cultural icons. The word Gombey is an African word meaning 'rhythm' & their dances, created by the slaves during the 17th century are borrowed from African, American Indian & Caribbean cultures with influences from the British Military & English Mummers.
Gombeys came about during the days of slavery. Many slaves were not allowed to partake in their traditional African dances & those that were, were brutally punished by their owners. That's when they incorporated the use of masks to hide their identities as partook in the Gombey festivities. With the masks, the owners could not identify which slaves were theirs, giving the Gombeys the liberty to dance to their heart's content. The hats are topped off with peacock feathers & are also colourful & elaborate much like the rest of the Gombey costume, which is heavily influenced by Native American tradition. Their capes are elaborate featuring mirrored glass placed to a certain pattern, much like the traditional clothing culture of Northern India. Today some have their costumes personalized to their liking, with one young dancer even featuring SpongeBobSquarePants on his hat & cape.
The main characters in the group of dancers are the Captain, the Chief, the Trapper & the Wild Indian, all playing their part to demonstrate oppression, combat & celebration with each dance having its own song. Some carry tomahawks & shields.
Gombeys are not exclusive to Bermuda. The West Indies is the inspiration for the Gombey dance as many of Bermuda's original Gombey dancers originated from St. Kitts. I love watching the little two to six year olds that take part in the Gombey dance, while the youngest ones unsure & perhaps a bit uncoordinated from the rest of the team, are definitely entertaining & lively to look at. Attached is a collage of Gombey shots taken at last October's Gombey Festival. In addition, for your viewing pleasure, VIDEOS of the Gombey's various dances are featured from Bermuda Day 2005, Harbour Nights - Summer 2006 & the Bda Gombey Festival - Oct 2006. Enjoy!
Bermuda at one point used to known as the 'Onion Patch'. This was many many years ago. In 1660, Bermuda got her first onion seeds from England & with its ideal soil & climate conditions, production of the sweet tasting onions began. They were also exported primarily & heavily to the US. The onions were so popular that Bermudians also began to be known as 'Onions'.
The trade did not last for long, however. Texas managed to re-create these ideal growing conditions & with its large mass of land was able to surpass Bermuda's onion production, eventually putting the onion export market out of business.
But the name has stuck around. So, when you come across a plethora of souvenirs featuring onions & are wondering why onions, now you know.
Now that beach weather has finally hit Bermuda, albiet a bit late, sunblock will soon be a mandatory accessory before we leave home to hit the beach. Bermuda's sun is very very intense & whether you plan on getting tanned or not, a beach umbrella is a must. Since we're at the beach almost every weekend during the summer, we're exposed to the sun a lot more than normal. But I hate wearing sunblock. I grew up under the blazing sun & never wore sunscreen until I came to Canada where upon, Hubby insisted I wear it. It's all too important, he'd say. But I'm fine, I'd tell him. I grew up under the desert sun & have never used it. Doesn't matter, he says. Now's the time to slap some on. And everytime I do slap it on, I cringe as it enters my pores, wondering what exactly is sunblock made of. It can't be good.
The sun is not so intense in Dubai or in Bombay. Sure one's a desert & the other is a sub tropical locale, with summer temperatures always passing the 35 deg C mark but yet no sunscreen. As a brown person, I have more melanin in my skin than the average white person. But even I've noticed the difference in the sun's intensity in Canada & Bermuda. With both these countries being at a higher latitude than Dubai or Bombay, the summer sun feels more intense here when the earth's axis tilts more to the north. Intensity is key. I can feel my skin 'roast' at a mere 25 deg C & so even I grudingly slather on the SPF to protect myself.
Since I'm at it, I figure I may as well go for sunblock, with the highest SPF I can find. The higher the SPF, the more the protection I can get against those harmful UV rays (apparently Bermuda has a higher concentration of UV rays). It doesn't prevent me from getting darker, not that I care. I love it when I get darker & usually it's by several several shades. The tan evens out my skin tone & makes those dark circles under my eyes blend in with the rest of my face. My friend, Kate is adamant that there does exist certain types of sunblock that will do just that - prevent you from getting a tan. But why would you want that ask my non-brown friends. They're just happy to get a tan without getting burned. Getting burned? Now that's a whole other story. Fortunately, not something I've experienced so I don't give it another thought, until our friends talk about how they spent too much time in the sun over the weekend, ending up badly burned in pain, looking like a lobster. At the end of the day they look at us & ask, why aren't you burned? You don't get burned, do you? Sorry my friends. There's not much I can say except that I really really wish you didn't burn either.
A while back, the Bermuda Post had a new mission statement about processing & distributing mail in a more efficient & timely matter. I can't get an exact quote because their site is down at the moment.
Hubby's cousin in Georgia sent us school pictures of her kids, ThePoser & Smoochie (Thanks Lady!). She mailed them from GA on the 2nd, it was processed in Bermuda on the 14th yet we only received it in our mailbox today.
So, what may I ask, was it doing for an entire week on the island before it got to us? Distribution should only take TWO days after processing. It's not that big an island!
I guess all in all it's not that bad. At least it got here & at least it got here before the May 24 Bermuda Day holiday.
The common misconception is that the island life is an idyllic life. But for many expats it's all in a hard day's work. Depending on who & whom you work for, your days can be long & many a time working on the weekends tends to be somewhat of a weekly routine, all with unpaid overtime. So, when Friday comes around, regardless of whether you're going to be working on the weekend, it's time to let loose. And Friday's Happy Hour is just the place to do that. Never mind that you may show up for work on Saturday with a slight hangover. Besides if you're not getting paid to be there on the weekend, does the state of one's mind really matter? Hotels & restaurants convert their outdoor spaces into an oasis of drinks, finger food & music. It's the place to meet, greet & network (for your own personal interests, of course). It's definitely the place to be to catch up with friends or especially if you're single & looking to meet someone special. (I've been told that this is the place where singles go to scout each other out). And why not? An island romance is just the right touch that can balance those work/life scales. Really, can there be a better setting?
The traditional office Christmas party is being rescheduled by many companies to a better suited time, the middle of the year. There are many reasons that companies are starting to adopt this change. Some speculate that an office party should not be linked to Christmas & so should not be called as such. But on this highly religious largely Christian island, I can't see that as being one of the reasons, especially when Grace is said before the buffet is opened for the evening (I was a bit surprised about this too). Others state the reason for the change is so that everyone is more likely & available to attend during the middle of the year as most leave the island during the Christmas season & are MIA.
Regardless of when it's held, I love the informal atmosphere of the formal office parties held here in Bermuda. Skits that mock the very essence of what the company is about or how efficient employees really are during work hours is a fresh take especially when the head honchos are present. And let me tell you, names are definitely dropped during the skit, but it's all in good fun. Discarding any inhibitions of office etiquette all the while not going overboard is a perfect medium of how one really ought to enjoy their company's annual bash.
And while companies do expect a certain modicum of behaviour, we've heard some horror stories of employees gone wild, dancing on table tops, crashing down & not leaving a very good impression of themselves & their ablility (or should I say inability) to handle their liquor. It's a rude awakening the next morning & a tough lesson learned when heading in to work on Monday morning.
This is why I can't ever have more than a couple of drinks. I really don't have a high threshold for alcohol & I wouldn't want to be known as that drunk person at the party. Besides, in my state of stupor, I could never trust myself to not do or say something ridiculous which would definitely come back to bite me, sometime or another.
Before I moved out of my parent's place, my mom & I would have our daily ritual of cooking dinner together. We'd often get home from work at the same time & so would begin our evening cooking & chatting about daily events, people we know, things of the past. Sometimes, we'd laugh so hard about something so silly, my brother Newt would mysteriously appear to find out what was so funny. He'd suddenly want to be in on our conversation.
Not much has changed since I've moved out. Sure we don't cook together anymore, but we still talk everyday, about everything & everyone. And since mom is quite internet savy it makes it easier to communicate. My Dad is sometimes amazed at the rate of speed that information gets to me before he's had a chance to tell me about it. So much so that he doesn't bother anymore. He starts off with: Well, I guess you already know or Well I'm sure mom's already told you. Sometimes, I have to pretend (at Mom's request) that I know nothing just to make Dad & Newt happy. But that doesn't even work anymore. Somehow they've caught on. Well they don't really read my blog so I can pretty much say what I want about them here & they'd be none the wiser.
I love that my mom & me are close. She had the same relationship with her no-nonsense mother & I grew up watching the same dynamic between my dad's sister & his mom. I would wish that when I grew up my mom & I would be able to have the same dynamic. And it's fun I tell you. Bitch sessions with your mom are the best. It just makes life more fun! Thanks mom for all the GOOD times! Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day.
Here's a little something I came across earlier in the week that I thought too cute not to share:
Responses from school children in the US.
Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you Your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between Moms & Dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but Moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.
HAPPY MOTHER's DAY!
It's my mom's birthday today. Happy Birthday Mom! I wish I were there to celebrate it with you!
It's also this blog's one year mark! I can't believe how much about Bermuda I have penned & wonder if I will ever run out of things to say. I also can't believe how quickly the year has gone by. But then again, time & tide waits for no man & the years are passing us by ever so quickly. In fact, this has been the topic of conversation with most of my childhood & high school friends whom I have recently been reconnecting with over Orkut & FaceBook over the past few months. Friends I haven't spoken to for at least 10 years. All have been remarking on how here we are 10 years later, 10 years older, still not knowing how time has flown by.
So, how do we make the best of things in the here & now? Live life to the fullest? Well, that's a start. We get so busy & sometimes making plans months in advance to fit our schedule, not knowing if we're going to be here next week. No one really thinks about it. And that's a scary thought. I'm not trying to be morbid but there's a reason for today's reality check.
The ill fated Kenya Air crash last Saturday left me shaking my head. No survivors. Thousands of miles away, on another continent, far removed from anyplace or anyone I know. Rescue efforts were on a couple of days later, which was being transmitted on BBC. So, I watched for about a minute & then changed the channel thinking (and I don't know why): No one I know would be on that plane. Or so I thought. This tragedy was about to hit close to home.
One of my childhood friend's husband was on that plane. A couple of days before the crash we were catching up & eventually began chatting about our husbands. When asked about hers, she said he was due to come home from his work that takes him around the world. Shock & disbelief reeled among the large group of us friends & family. Many of us, including me, had never met her husband, but heartfelt sympathies began to pour out to her from all corners. While she, along with her family deals with their loss, we are left with the stark reminder that life is much too short & unpredictable.
My friend, may you be comforted & strengthened by your memories of your husband & may he rest in peace.
Bermuda is so small an island, that many know not where it lies. Of course, the common misconception is that lies among the Caribbean Islands. Not so! Bermuda is so much more north of that collection of islands. It's the northern most island in the world that can support a tropical coral reef system. All possible because of the Gulf Stream - a current of warm water that flows from the south, that cordons off Bermuda from the US. The Gulf stream does more than support & sustain Bermuda's tropical life. Its existence protects Bermuda from most of the hurricanes that are en route to the US, thereby enabling most hurricanes to bypass this tiny tiny rock. Hurrah for the Gulf Stream!
So, for so many of you who ask me the location of Bermuda, here's your answer.
Can you really get lost in Bermuda? It's only 22 square miles & all roads lead to one of three. There's the North, Middle & South Road and no matter where you are you can pretty much bank on finding your way back to one these three, depending on where on the island you are. The names of all three road are self explanatory.
North and South Roads will yield you fantastic views of the water. Most of the north side of the island is rocky with perhaps a couple of exceptions. But the view is beautiful nonetheless. Beaches are existent on the south side of the island and this is the route you want to take if you've got visitors and want to show off Bermuda's beauty or if you yourself just want a welcoming sight for sore eyes. These views will render you speechless, either that or you'll be ooing and aahing through the ride. Don't forget to make those pit stops! South Road is also at a much higher altitude than the beaches are which makes the views even more spectacular. Pictures taken at this angle on a sunny day makes for lovely unbeatable photographic memories. But no photograph, regardless of the kind of camera used, does the water and its colours any justice. It's just something you have to see for yourself.
And finally, as promised, a slideshow of Bermuda's Beautiful Blues.
We were always taught to respect churches. After all it's a place of worship, the house of God. So, it was definitely interesting & oddly disconcerting when I first came across the concept of a converted church in Canada. Family in the Middle East & India reading this are probably shocked. A converted church?
Perhaps, this concept was new to me because growing up all I was surrounded by were Catholic churches & never heard of one needing to be converted into anything. It was always filled to the brim over the years - sections had to added to accommodate the change. So, I should explain that most of these Canadian conversions were of churches belonging to other denominations. When the congregation begins to dwindle due to relocation or other factors, it is decided that the church can perhaps be put to better use, instead of running on empty. Decided by whom? I'm not sure. Maybe the government?
So, what can you possibly convert a church into? Well, homes or lofts for one. Sold to developers, this makes for quite the hot property in Toronto. I've seen some of these converted churches & they naturally posses strong bones with such an old world charm, the wooden beams that seem to prop & support the high ceilings, the brick finish on the interior walls - just my style. Yet, somehow I just can't see myself living in such a space. I feel I'd be bordering on something along the lines of blasphemy with every conjured image of a congregation in worship, of a baptismal or marriage celebration, of a funeral service. This is what would hold me back & Hubby too, shares my sentiments.
Going from converted churches in Canada to an unfinished church in Bermuda. This Unfinished Church in St. George began its construction Gothic style in 1874 but was never to be completed. While it was meant to replace another older church, (St. Peter's Church) just down the street, financial difficulties delayed completion. Furthermore, the Anglican congregation then split, with the other half deciding to instead renovate St. Peter's instead. They say bad things happen in threes? Well, just as funds were finally accumulated many years later, the final blow was dealt. The church was severely damaged during a 1926 hurricane on the eve of its completion. The Unfinished Church is, however, beautiful & peaceful as it stands in its uncompleted form. It is a national historic monument in Bermuda & a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's also a part of the do it yourself walking tour of the town of St. George's, which encompasses many other historic delights.
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!
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?
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.
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?
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.
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 !
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.
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.
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?
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 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?
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!
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!
