May 2012 bermuda.com guide

bermuda.com guide | may 2012

gu覺de MAY 2012

We love a parade!

Celebrate our heritage on May 24

Shopping, sightseeing, dining, culture

Free

contents

Photo of Shelly Bay by Tony McWilliam

Our best beaches – see pages 42 & 43

n Arts

n Practicalities

overview 30 & 31 galleries & shows 15 talent show 6

health, customs etc 53-57

n Children

n Religion Catholic services 60 & 61

where to go 36-39

n Shopping

n Events

flex the plastic 64-77 made in Bermuda 78-80

heritage parade 6 calendar 10-15

n Sightseeing

best places to eat 84-93 local recipes 94 & 95

beaches 42 & 43 day in St George’s 16 east to west 17-29

n History

n Sports & activities

n Food & drink

old coins 32 & 33 best sites 34 & 35 shipwrecks 46 & 47

golf, tennis etc 40 & 41 snorkeling, fishing, diving 44-49

n Money

n Transportation

on a budget? 62 & 63

airlines 53 bus info 54 n Nature bus schedule 57 Bermuda in bloom 50 & 51 ferry info 55 our harmless critters 57 stay safe on a scooter 52 taxis 56 n Nightlife where to party 81-83

n People minister’s welcome 4 island weddings 58 & 59 2 bermuda.com guide

n Weather what to expect 57

Co-publisher & advertising manager: Lisa Beauchamp, lbeauchamp@bermudasun.bm Tel: 278-1850 Co-publisher & editor-in-chief: Tony McWilliam, tmcwilliam@ bermudasun.bm Tel: 278-1860 Design & Layout: Creative Circle Media Consulting Accounts: Donna Vesely Tel: 278-1831 Delivery: Lloyd Somner Cover photo by Kageaki Smith.

Contributors: Don Burgess, Chris Burville, Dale Butler, Amanda Dale, Bryan Darby, Andrew Dobson, Meredith Ebbin, Lance Furbert, Jack Garstang, Lisa Greene, Simon Jones, Sarah Lagan, Jamie Macmillan, Terri Mello, Mikaela Ian Pearman, Kageaki Smith, James Whittaker Special thanks to Alison Outerbridge, Jan Card and the Bermuda Dept. of Tourism. bermuda.com guide Published by The Bermuda Sun a subsidiary of MediaHouse © Bermuda.com Ltd. Printed by Island Press Ltd. Web: www.bermuda.com Information and services contained in the guide are believed to be correct at the time of printing; however, prices and times may be subject to change without notice. The Bermuda Sun Limited makes every effort to ensure accuracy but accepts no liability for errors or omissions.

Reproduction in whole or in part by permission of the publisher only.

© david yurman 2012

Silver Ice® Collection

FOR EVERY SPECIAL OCCASION

55 & 71 FRONT STREET & 16 QUEEN STREET, HAMILTON WATER STREET, ST. GEORGE’S CLOCKTOWER MALL, DOCKYARD ALL MAJOR HOTELS • TEL (441) 295 2351

welcome to bermuda On behalf of the Bermuda Government and the people of Bermuda, welcome to our island paradise.

With breathtaking pink-sand beaches, iridescent turquoise waters and friendly people, our Island retreat will seduce your senses and bring a new meaning to the word �vacation.�

Bermuda is where rich history, diverse cultures, exceptional natural beauty and romance meet. In addition to our beautiful beaches, Bermuda has a thriving arts community plus an abundance of activities to keep you entertained during your stay.

During your stay, I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy our premier shopping establishments, play a round of golf, visit one of our renowned spas or spend an evening in one of our many fine restaurants.

However you choose to enjoy your Bermuda vacation, I am certain you will have a memorable experience.

Once again, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Bermuda, I trust you have a wonderful stay and we look forward to welcoming you back to our shores very soon.

Sincerely, The Hon. Wayne L. Furbert, JP, MP Minister of Business Development and Tourism

4 bermuda.com guide

cover story

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Colourful floats will be among the key attractions at the Heritage Day Parade on May 24.

Tap dancer will help to usher in summer season May is Heritage Month, set aside to celebrate our history and diverse culture. A host of commemorative and sporting activities are scheduled throughout the month. The highlight is Bermuda Day — May 24 — a public holiday that features a half marathon, cycling race, a parade in Hamilton and Bermuda fitted dinghy races in St. George’s Harbour.

A few days before, on Friday, May 18, Bermudian tap dancer, singer, and alto-sax player Mitchelle Trott will take to the City Hall stage in a multitalent show, along with 14 fellow artists.

This extravaganza of Bermudian talent is called ‘Heart Beat is the Rhythm’ and with the featured band DIA (Devils’ Isles Apocalypse) taking centre stage, Mitchelle promises to mesmerize the audience with his talent.

Continued on page 8

6 bermuda.com guide

cover story

May 24 features a Half Marathon Derby

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Dazzling: Tap dancer Mitchelle Trott will perform at City Hall on May 18.

Continued from page 6

Back in 2008, Mitchelle received a standing ovation when he opened the Bermuda Jazz Festival with Alicia Keys and Beyonce on the bill. This was followed up in 2010 with another star turn, when Toni Braxton was a guest artist.

He has performed in Boston and Toronto and draws from 21 years’ experience on stage.

For the May 18 show, Mitchelle will 8 bermuda.com guide

bring back memories of his American dance heroes Savion Glover and Gregory Hines. Bermuda’s leading showman and living legend Gene Steede will come out of retirement to be a part of the show and his jokes and ballads are sure-fire crowd pleasers. See page 12 for ticket details.

The show is just one of a host of events this month that help to usher in the new summer season.

As the sea temperature rises above 70, islanders dig out their bathing suits and snorkel masks, many boats gets their first big run out of the year and all the amenities are up and running again for visitors to enjoy.

See pages 10-15 for a full rundown of what’s happening across the island.

As we look forward to the sunny months ahead, we also take a poignant look back.

The origins of our Heritage Day Parade on Front Street (May 24) stretch back to England and Queen Victoria’s birthday and it evolved from Empire Day into Commonwealth Day. But its modern incarnation came about after civil unrest here in the 1970s; a black British politician, Lord David Pitt, suggested an annual celebration to enhance race relations.

The parade you’ll see on May 24 is certainly diverse, with majorettes, calypso queens and marching bands performing alongside native Indians, school floats and our beloved Gombey dancers. Enjoy!

• Dale Butler, a Progressive Labour Party MP and author, contributed information about MItchelle Trott for this article.

what’s on

The summer fun begins n Charity dinner May 4 ‘Rich Person, Poor Person’ fundraiser sponsored by the Peace and Social Justice Committee of the Roman Catholic Church.

Music and raffles. Fairmont Hamilton Princess, 7pm. Tickets $120, from www.bdatix.bm

n Dance showcase May 4-6 In Motion School of Dance, 15th Annual Dance Showcase, featuring students of tap, jazz, ballet and modern. City Hall Theatre, Hamilton, 2pm matinee, 7pm evening.

Call 292-7615 or go to www.inmotion.bm.

n 25th Annual Catlin End-to-End May 5 Walk, cycle or run the length of the island to raise money for seven local charities.

Swimmers, rowers and horse riders also take part. For entry information go to www.bermudaendtoend.bm or call 2926992 or e-mail ete@logic.bm

n Jazz Photo by Kageaki Smith

The Heritage Day Parade is a spectacular and colourful event in Hamilton on May 24.

events n City Arts Festival May 3 ‘Art in the Dark’ features a happy hour, art vendors and live entertainment at City Hall, Hamilton. Arts galleries will also be open.

5:30-8:30pm. See www.cityofhamilton.bm

May 5 The Legendary ‘Tootsie’ Bean Trio performs at Pembroke Community Club, joined by six of Bermuda’s finest saxophone players.

8pm. Tickets $50, tel. 505-3409 or e-mail ddbutler@logic.bm

n Walking tour May 6 The ‘Face of the Pond’ tour is the first annual Dr Pauulu Kamarakafego memorial lecture.

Starting at the Victor Scott Primary School

Compiled by Amanda Dale. Listings are subject to change. For the latest, contact the numbers provided/websites or visit www.bermuda.com.

To submit a listing, e-mail Amanda Dale: adale@bermudasun.bm or call her on 278-1854

10 bermuda.com guide

what’s on

Use pink bus stops for travel into Hamilton,

parking lot, speaker is Llewellyn Emery.

3-5pm. Free. For tickets tel. 292-1681.

n Summer Sundays in the Park May 6 Live music from Soulful Expressions.

Refreshments. Victoria Park, Hamilton, 3-8pm. Free. See www.cityhall.bm/events

n French cinema May 8 The L’Alliance Francaise des Bermudes ‘Cine Club’ presents Beautiful Lies. $5 members, $8 non-members, $3 students. See www.alliancefrancaise.bm for details.

n Glow worms boat tours

n Dressage May 12 The Bermuda Dressage Group Show at the National Equestrian Centre, Vesey Street, Devonshire. Classes for riders and horses.

Free for spectators. Tel. 333-3702 or go to www.bermudadressagegroup.com

n Music and curry May 12 Soca (calypso) Chutney Fete ‘n’ Curry Night at Moon Nightclub. Roti, dhal ‘n’ rice, curry chicken, massala lamb and more. Music by DJ D’General. 9pm-3am. Tickets $30, from Kit ‘n’ Caboodle or on the door. Tel. 5322824 or e-mail mtnt21@hotmail.com

May 8-9 Bermuda’s glow worm produces bioluminescent displays during mating. From May to November, two or three nights after the full moon you can witness this phenomenon after sunset. Tickets $50 or $35 for members. Tel. 292-7219. www.buei.org

n Heart Beat is the Rhythm

n Raw food talk/workshop

n Bermuda Day

May 9 and 16 Fiona Couper-Smith explains how raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds can help your diet. E-mail laserenaspa@thereefs. bm or tel. 239-0184.

n Opera on film May 12 Verdi’s La Traviata on the big screen. The Gilbert & Sullivan Society presents the Metropolitan Opera in HD, featuring Natalie Dessay, Matthew Polenzani and Dmitri Hvorostovsky. 5pm, Italian with English subtitles. Tradewinds Auditorium, Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.

Tickets $35/$30 students, from www.gands.bm or on the door.

n Folk music May 12 Alice Stuart, US blues/folk singer-songwriter, performs at the Bermuda Folk Club.

7:30pm, Spanish Point Boat Club. $10.

See www.folkclub.bm or call 291-2070.

12 bermuda.com guide

May 18 Live music show with local artists, including tap dancer Mitchelle Trott (see page 8) and local legend Gene Steede. City Hall, Hamilton, 8pm. Tickets $35 from Chewstick, Kit ‘n’ Caboodle and Rock Island.

May 24 The day many Bermudians take their first swim of the year. A half marathon is followed by a parade in Hamilton, with majorettes, floats and Gombeys. Elsewhere, expect road races and fitted dinghy races. See page 6.

n Beating the Retreat May 30 Music and marching formations by the Bermuda Regiment Band and Corps of Drums, and the Bermuda Islands Pipe Band and Dancers. 8:30pm, Front Street, Hamilton. Free.

n Harbour Nights Wednesdays Entertainment, arts and crafts, souvenir stalls, children’s activities, refreshments.

7-10pm, Free. Front Street, Hamilton. www.bermudachamber.bm

n The People’s Market Saturdays Food stalls, seniors’ café, fresh vegetables,

what’s on

and blue for heading away from the city clothing, Bermudian crafts, baked goods, jewellery and entertainment. CedarBridge Academy, 9am-4pm. Free. Tel. 735-2215.

n St George’s Olde Towne Market Saturdays Local foods and produce, arts and crafts and a pedlar’s market. 11am-4pm, Water Street, St George’s. Free.

n City Market Saturdays Organic farm food and produce, homemade and baked goods, jewellery, honey and more. 8am-12pm, free. Corner of Washington and Elliot Streets, Hamilton.

n Golf Mondays and Thursdays Visitors’ Tournament — Visitors are invited to play at Port Royal Golf Course, 9am-12pm. $110 for 18 holes, including cart, $25 for club rentals. Book in advance at 234-0974.

n Book Babies Thursdays and Saturdays For ages six months to three years.

Bermuda National Youth Library, Church Street, 9:30-10am. Tel. 295-3104, e-mail library@gov.bm

n Animal storytelling Fridays Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo. Ages 2-4 at 11:15am, 5-7 at 4:15pm. Free.

Tel. 293-2727, e-mail info.bzs@gov.bm

n Fun with Kids Wednesdays and Saturdays Art, songs and games with children underfour, accompanied by parent or guardian.

Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art, 10-11am. $7 members, $10 non-members.

Tel. 236-2950.

n Storytime Saturdays Free stories and crafts for ages three and older. Bermuda National Youth Library, Church Street, 10:30am. Tel. 295-3104, e-mail library@gov.bm

n Hands-on craft Tuesdays and Sundays Demonstrations on chair rushing, lace making, beaded tassels, lathe turning. Bermuda Craft Market, Royal Naval Dockyard, 1-4pm. Tel. 292-1681.

n Bermuda Perfumery Mon-Sat Founded in 1928. At Queen Street, St. George’s, 10am-4pm.

Tel. 293-0627. www.lilibermuda.com

n Dockyard Glassworks Daily Glassblowing and rum cake at Dockyard, 8am-5pm. Free. Tel. 292-9447.

tours n City of Hamilton Mondays to Fridays Join Town Crier Ed Christopher on a walking tour. Meet at City Hall at 10:30am.

n Bermuda National Gallery Fine Arts Tour Tuesdays Take a guided tour of the national art collection. 10:30-11:30am. Free. At City Hall, Hamilton. Tel. 295-9428. www.bng.bm

n Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute Tuesdays Guided tour through the wonders of the ocean. 2pm. Adults $12.50, seniors $10, children 6-17 $6.50, children under six go free. www.buei.org

n St George’s Mondays to Thursdays Learn key moments in the island’s history.

Meet at the Town Hall, 10:30am. Free.

n St George’s Historical Re-enactments Mondays to Thursdays, and Saturdays Take a journey back in time. 12 noon in King’s Square, St George’s. Free.

bermuda.com guide 13

what’s on

Bermuda’s motto, Quo Fata Ferunt,

n St Peter’s Church tours

n Sessions House Tour

Mondays to Saturdays The oldest Anglican church in continuous use outside Britain, it’s official new name is St Peter’s, Their Majesties Chappell. 10am-4pm, free. Sunday Worship 11:15am. York Street, St George’s.

Mon-Thurs (& Fridays when House is not in session) Tour Parliament and Supreme Court. Show up anytime between 10:30am and noon or 2:30 and 3:30pm. Walk up to Parliament Street entrance of Sessions House to meet the Sergeant-At-Arms. Free. Parliament Street, Hamilton. Tel. 292-7408.

n Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo Thursdays The Curator’s Tour, 1pm. BAMZ, Flatts Village, Hamilton Parish. Adults $10, children and seniors $5, under-fives go free. Tel. 293-2727, www.bamz.org

n Walking Club of Bermuda Sundays May 6: Botanical Gardens, Berry Hill Road entrance, Paget May 13: Modern Mart, South Road, Paget May 20: Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse, Southampton May 27: John Smith’s Bay, Smith’s All walks free, meet at 7am.

Tel. 737-0437 or see www.walk.free.bm

n Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences Tour Wednesdays Hour-long guided tour of this marine research centre. 10am. Free. Biological Lane, Ferry Reach, St. George’s.

Tel. 297-1880. E-mail info@bios.edu. www.bios.edu

n Carter House Saturdays 17th century house detailing history of St David’s Island. Southside Road, St David’s.

Free, donations welcome. Tel. 293-3960.

Browse on the Beach Roam with the network trusted by over 11 million people in 31 countries.

Prepaid SIM cards are also available. www.digicelbermuda.com +1 441 500 5000

The Bigger‚ Better Network.

Roaming charges will apply.

14 bermuda.com guide dbda-roaming-4x3.indd 1

3/1/12 4:03 PM

what’s on

means ‘whither the fates carry us’ n National Museum of Bermuda Open daily 9:30am-5pm, last admission 4pm. Adults $10, seniors $8, children 5-15 years $5. Royal Naval Dockyard. Tel. 234-1418. e-mail marmuse@ logic.bm. www.bmm.bm

n Bermuda Historical Society Museum Mon-Wed and Fridays 400 years of Bermuda history. Library building, Queen Street, 10.30am-1pm. Free.

n Verdmont Museum Wednesdays Antiques including cedar furniture and portraits. Adults $5, children $2, open 10am-4pm. Verdmont Lane, Smith’s.

Tel. 236-7369. www.bnt.bm

n Camden House Tuesdays and Fridays The official residence of the Premier.

Located in the Botanical Gardens, Paget, 12-2pm. Free. Tel. 236-5902.

n Bermuda National Trust Museum at Globe Hotel Wednesdays and Saturdays Bermuda’s role in the American Civil War. Adults $5, children $2. Open 10am-4pm.

St. George’s. Tel. 297-1423. www.bnt.bm

n Tucker House Museum Wednesdays and Saturdays 18th century merchant’s house. Adults $5, children $2. Open 10am-2pm. St. George’s. Tel. 297-0545. www.bnt.bm

n St. George’s Historical Society Museum, Printery & Garden.

Mon-Thurs and Saturdays Historic home with antique furnishings and artifacts. Open 10am-4pm, $5.

arts n Bermuda National Gallery To May 25 — Bearing Witness by Richard Clive Saunders. Out & Bad by

Ebony G Patterson.

Ongoing — New Acquisition Highlights.

Work by Carl Broemel, Bessie Gray, Kathy Harriott, Donald Kirkpatrick, Bill Ming, Chesley Trott and Henry Liam Ward.

Re-Interpreting the European Collection.

Work by James Cooper, Louisa Flannery, Charlie Godet Thomas, Titus Kaphar, Sunell Lombard, Lynn Morrell, Alan C Smith and Sharon Wilson. Free. Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm, and Saturday, 10am-2pm.

City Hall, Church Street, Hamilton.

Tel. 295-9428. www.bng.bm

n Bermuda Society of Arts May 3-23 — Bermuda College Art Show 2012; Colour Explosion II by Karl Sternath; Mixta III

by Angela Gentleman; work by Alan Waring.

From May 25 — Members’ Photographic Show 2012; May EG by Nahed Eid, Milton Hill and Ami Zanders; 2012 by Ami Zanders.

Free. Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm, Saturday, 10am-2pm. City Hall, Church Street, Hamilton. Tel. 292-3824. www.bsoa.bm

n Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art A Rock and An Ocean — Artwork from the permanent collection.

From May 3 — Captain Musson Exhibit.

From May 4 — Work by James TooGood.

Monday to Saturday, 10am-4pm, Sunday 11am-4:30pm, $5 admission, free for members and children under-12. Wheelchair accessible. Botanical Gardens, Paget. Tel. 236-2950. www.bermudamasterworks.com

n World Heritage Centre Historical exhibit and film, and charity shop.

Queen’s Warehouse, Penno’s Wharf, St. George’s. Monday to Thursday & Saturday, 10am-4pm, $5 adults, $2 children. Tel. 297-5791. www.stgeorgesfoundation.org

n Bermuda Arts Centre Exhibits by local artists. Free. Monday to Sunday, 11am-4pm. Dockyard. Tel. 2342809. E-mail: artcentre@ibl.bm. www.artbermuda.bm

bermuda.com guide 15

Your personal invitation to There are very few places in the world where a town has survived and functioned essentially unchanged through 400 years to the present. There is only one in the New World. This is The Towne of St. George in Bermuda. For all that Bermuda is so noticeably a ‘Different World’ than America our roots are tightly intertwined. In 1609 the ship ‘Sea Venture’ grounded just off St.George in a storm. She was on her way to Jamestown — then a St.Peter’s. The Oldest fledgling settlement — and carried the new Governor of Virginia. functioning Anglican Church in the New These were the first Bermuda residents as it turned out.

World.

They spent the next year building a new ship to complete their journey. The Deliverance then proceeded on, laden with survivors and food to sail up the Chesapeake to Jamestown just in time to save the settlement from starvation. This is just a glimpse into the profound historical importance of St.George to our American cousins. The relationship continued through the era of the Declaration Deliverance.Built of Independance and later the tragedy of the Civil from scratch by the War and actually continues to this day. shipwreck survivors From a historical perspective what makes would be the saviour of Jamestown in 1610.

St.George so unique is that nearly every building is original. These are not reconstructions in a theme village, the town The Tucker is genuine in every respect. The 20 plus major buildings protected by House. Nathanial the Bermuuda National Trust in St.George, along with the town’s desTucker’s part in the Gunpowder Plot is ignation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s close relationships not well knowwn. with Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg all attest to how rare and valuable it is. This is the oldest continuously working settlement in the new world.

Unhurried

Unspoiled

Uncommon

w

SOMERS WHARF Shopping & Dining Complex, Water Street www.somerswharf.com 10

16 bermuda.com guide

The finest in jewellery, figurines, crystal and gifts at guaranteed duty free prices

(441) 295-1729

11

7

A 400 year Journey back to A visit to St. George should start at the World Heritage Center where a diorama and short film will set the stage. Self Guided walking tour maps are available there. After that we recommend The Tucker House Museum, The Globe Hotel (and Confederate Museum) The Globe Hotel. A and neighboring St. Peter’s church. center of intrigue and Around noon, keep an eye out in the Town high politics during the Revolutionary and Civil Square where gossips are occasionally ducked wars in America. on the ‘Ducking Stool’. A photograph of a family member in the Public ‘Stocks’ is a must.

The small but lovely Somers Garden Park is worth the short stroll if only because of it’s beautiful Traditional Bermuda Moongate arch.

A little further will take you to the “Unfinished The Ducking Stool. Thrice Church” and the “Gunpowder Cavern”, both weekly at noon gossips are discouraged from their sinful of which have interesting stories attached and ways in the town square.

Bridge House - the home of a Governor of Virginia in the 1700’s. Nearby too is the Mitchell House, home to the St.George’s Historical Society Museum and the Olde Print Shoppe.

Weekends are special in St.George.

The atmosphere in the Town is the antithesis of the hustle and bustle which is the The St.George Historical tempo of modern life. Saturday is Market Society Museum and the Print Shop.

Day with the Olde Towne Market each

The World Heritage Center. At Penno’s Wharf at the Western end of Water Street — The best place to start your visit.

The Unfinished Church. Originally planned as the Cathedral in the Capital. Victim of Political Intrigue.

The Towne of St. George

Saturday from 11am – 4pm, from April to the end of July. Street vendors and buskers from all over the island bring their wares to St.George in a mixture of country fair and flea market that is the perfect reason to stroll after lunch. Sundays in St.George are tranquil and relaxed and proudly so. The morning Service at St.Peters - or any of Market Sundays. our many houses of worship - attracts locals and An eclectic cross of visitors to a weekly gathering which is as refresh- European Promenade and Street Fair. ingly different as is the Town.

Visiting St. George can start with a morning taxi tour ending in the town in time for lunch or take a fabulous ferry ride from Hamilton or the Dockyard. The journey east by one of our famous pink buses is just as scenic.

Lunch or dinner can be spent relaxing on the patios of the Tavern By

The Stocks. Minor offenses against the public morals were punished by exposure to ridicule and tomatoes!

A Free attraction.

Bridge House. home to Governor Barrett of Virginia in the 1700’s

The Sea overlooking the waterfront, whilst enjoying a meal of the fresh catch of the day or a delicious dish from their international menu.

Then stroll west to the World Heritage Centre to get your bearings and pick up walking tour maps and guides and set out to see Pilot Darrell’s House and the Old Print Shop, Somers Gardens and the Forts from St.Catherine’s to Gates’.

Like most of Bermuda St.George is an explorer’s delight and not a packaged experience. Curiosity and interest are the only necessary equipment for an interesting day or three!. For those who would rather ride than walk, the Mini Train Tour is an hour well spent. For the Aquatic, bring your mask and snorkel (or rent them on-site) and head for Buzz-on-the-Beach at Tobacco Bay. Safe in all but the worst of weather for sunbathing to scuba with beach equipment rental and a cafe all just 10 minutes walk from the Town.

Shopping is eclectic to say the least: Bemuda’s own Perfumery; Vera P. Card for Duty Free Savings on Jewelry, Figurines and Crystal; Churchill’s for fine cigars and Dark-n-Stormy fixins; Robertsons Drug Store for the usual and very unusual in Childrens Toys & Books and Sweets and Cosmetics; and the Dockyard Glassblowing branch store for Bermuda made art glass and famous Rum Cakes or the Somers Wharf Complex for a little of everything from Art to Lingerie! Bermuda Linens & Gifts Offers a fine selection of linens, and fashions and gifts for women and babies, in Bermuda and online. The Island Shop features exclusive and original hand-painted ceramics by Barbara Finsness that capture the colourful architectural and natural features of Bermuda. Yachtsmen heading out on their travels need to stock up on bulk supplies at More 4 Less – water, snacks, tinned goods, cleaning supplies, paper goods – can be purchased at the discount warehouse located on Old Military Road.

After all that — a scenic ride home is the perfect ending.

Unhurried Unspoiled Uncommon.

Unhurried

Hand made Glass art and souvenirs & Bermuda Rum Cake Free Tasting!

Saturdays are special!

11am–4pm in Kings Square and on Water Street.

Dockside Glass & Rum Cake (441) 297-3908

A Kinder, Gentler Time.

The Olde Towne Market 6

8

So much more than a Drug Store

(441) 297-1828

5

( 441) 297-1514

By the SEA says it all.

Tranquil, beautiful; Lunch, cocktails, dinner

Unspoiled

Exclusive and original hand-painted ceramics

by Barbara Finsness

Uncommon 1

•

on York Street.

Could brandy and cigars be anywhere else.

(441) 297-1650

The Tavern by the Sea 3

Written and designed by the businesses of St. George’s and on behalf of the entire community, who extend a warm invitation to visit our town for a day.

2

(441) 297-3305

Monday–Saturday 8am–8pm Sunday 11am–5pm

4

12 Old Military Road, St. George Phone: 297-0293 9

N

Rd

Burnt Ho use

Colle ctors Hill

us ew ay The C

R

un d

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12

R d

Rd

So uth Ro a

rid ge Rd

C

M

Ve sey

Ha rrin

No rth Sh ore Ro

y Ba

Hors es

ry

ng

use Road

Hu

ay eB

ap Gr

Ligh

Ro ad

Black Watc Pass

Rosemont Aven u

Som erse e ro

o

Ro

So uth Road

21

Fort Popple

22

Te Roa xas

32

So uth sid

d

St. David ’s

Clea rw Turt ater Be le Ba ach y

d oa Pay nte

o nS gto

Som me rsa ll R oa d

d

Castle Island

n oa Tucker’s Tow R d

Tucker's Town

Points of interest

SMITH’S PARISH

DEVONSHIRE PARISH

20

Nonsuch Island

Ferry stops Hamilton Ferry Terminal Lower Ferry Hodson’s Ferry Salt Kettle Darrell’s Wharf Belmont Rockaway Cavello Bay Watford Bridge Dockyard St. George’s St. David’s

's th

ad Ro

Airport

Crystal Caves

i Sm hn Jo Bay

33

ad

Road ayle

uth So

Road Spring Devon

38 39

Rd

et Tee Stre

B

37

34

S

s Ro ark

H

on hill Bright

yR Valle d ge Oran

le Midd

Rd

31

Fort Cunningham

oa

St .M

19 L.F. Wade International

23 27

s vil’ l De Hil le Ho

Street

erm itag e

err yH ill R d

Road dreds un

l Hil rs rke Ba

rs Pa

Frog Lane Montpelier Rd

h ac Be de fsi ch ea yB rle Ma

r Su

ng

Lo ick rw ay Wa B

ve Co 's on Bay bs e Jo ehol on St oe

sh rse Ho Bay

WARWICK PARISH

35

rive yD G rape Ba

Ro a

Sto we Hill

Road

41

s Rd White Sand s Rd hael’ Mic St. d Beach R Bda

Ord

La ne

h ac Be h ow ac Elb al Be r Co

ad South Ro

e mb

e ho

ands Road Rockl

tho

r Pass Khybe

62

South Road

o7 ad N e Ro Trib

Tribe R oad No3

Church R d

h Bay

Churc

Spice Hill Rd

un sc o

1 d No Rd Tribe Roa d

Rd

ad Middle Ro

SOUTHAMPTON PARISH

60 61

F3

57 36 58

F2 40

PAGET PARISH

s Hill Cobb’

Ridd ell’s Ba y

F5

D

d

Hill

d No6 Roa Tribe

LITTLE SOUND

Road Longford

Rockaway

le kR Industrial Par

F6

ad Ro our Harb

on sL ane

er Rd t Fing Poin Rd ngham Trimmi

HAMILTON HARBOUR

Belmont

F7

Front Street

er’s Lov d oa ley R Val

u yal G olf Co rse R d

55 56

F1

Ferry Terminal

F4

d le Roa Midd

Rd ach Be

CITY OF Happy Valley Road HAMILTON

42

Please see detailed map

ay rges B Geo

ad No. 6

d ay R W hale B

Wha WestBay

Hawkins Island

venue dar A Ce

d Wreck Roa

GREAT SOUND

63

59

e

Po d int Shares Roa

Palmetto Road

Marsh Folly Road

Smith’s Island

CASTLE HARBOUR

Devil's Hole

Gates Fort

C aho w

HARRINGTON SOUND

Flatts Harrington H Village

Road North Shore

F12

vi d’s R oa d

Please see detailed map

e

h

S t. Da

Blue Hole ll Hi

ad

28 29 30 Flatts Bridge

PEMBROKE PARISH

No rth Sho re Ro ad

a

Rd rs

Cavello Bay

ur ch R d

Shell Beacy Bay h

lty ira m se Ad Houark P

Heydon Trust

Somerset Bridge

ey Whitny Ba

Spa nis

F8

Fort Scaur

Port

Spanish Point

SANDYS PARISH

Road

t in Po sh rk i an a Sp P

Fr ac tio us St .

h

Sound View

64

Pompan

Rd Old

Watford Bridge

65

Trib

Lagoon Rd

Boaz Island Wharf

68 F9

Scotts Hill R ad o

HAMILTON PARISH

Dockyard

oad tR oin hP

66

67

F10

Bailey's Bay

C ity Trin

Long Bay Ln

d oa tR

Mangrove Bay

b am

oad

Rd

Rd

18

R Kindley F ield

17

1

F11

Coney Island

or dn Ra

n Da

iel s Head

oad ar R lab Ma

Martello Tower

Please see detailed map

71 69 75

Somerset Long Bay

ad Ro F erry

Town of St. Georges

W ellington S t.

r’s ope Islan Co d

S

Royal Naval Dockyard

oad rR nde Pe

E

et Bay Road ull

Gate s’ Ba y

oa d ry R

Atlantic Ocean

ST GEORGE’S PARISH

Ba r

W

Achilles’ Bay Fort St. Catherine

Toba cco Bay

1-17 See St. George’s Map, page 18 18 Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences

19 L.F. Wade International Airport

20 Carter House

21 Great Head National Park

22 St. David’s Lighthouse 23-27 Bailey’s Bay

28 Bermuda Railway Museum

29 Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo

30 Flatt’s Bridge

31 Devil’s Hole Aquarium

32 Spittal Pond

33 Verdmont

34 Palm Grove

35 Montpelier Arboretum

36 King Edward VII Hospital

37 Botanical Gardens

38 Camden

39 Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art

40 Waterville

41 Paget Marsh 42-55 See Hamilton Map, page 24

56 Fort Hamilton

57 Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute

58 Johnny Barnes Statue

59 Government House

60 Warwick Pond

61 Christ Church

62 Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse

63 Somerset Bridge

64 Scaur Hill Fort

65 Heydon Trust

66 St. James’ Church

67 Springfield Community Centre & Gilbert Nature Reserve

68 Somerset Village 69-75 See Dockyard Map, page 29

71 National Museum of Bermuda

see the sights

Photo by www.MOONGATEPRODUCTIoNS.COM

The always-cheery Johnny Barnes, who greets commuters every weekday morning.

‘Good morning, I love you!’

Let Johnny lead the way He’s the ultimate ‘morning person’ and a warm greeting from folk hero Johnny Barnes is the ideal way to start your sightseeing tour. Every weekday he’s at Crow Lane roundabout from 6am to 10am, showering city commuters with waves, blown kisses and a smile that could melt the heart of even the most jaded traveller. We begin our tour in the historic former capital, St. George’s. Wherever you go, don’t forget to greet all you meet: as Johnny reminds us each morning — it’s the Bermuda way!

Using our maps It’s easy to find your way around Bermuda.

There are four main arteries: South Road runs along the south shore, North Shore Road hugs the north shore, Middle Road runs through the centre of the island and Harbour Road follows the inner harbour, across from Hamilton. Each road brings

you into the city of Hamilton. Key attractions are numbered on our maps and described in the text. Use our large pullout map (between pages 16 & 17) for an island overview; for a map of St. George’s, see page 18, the City of Hamilton on 24, and Dockyard on 29. Also, ‘W’ at the end of a listing denotes ‘wheelchair accessible’. bermuda.com guide 17

see the sights

Silk Alley was named after the swish of 13 14

Old Rectory

le Al

12

y

F Ferry

1

Prin ter s

15 To Gates Fort

T

Silk All

St. George’s Club

Rose Hill Street

Tucker House Museum er Wat

ey All

ne

St. Peters Church

ey

lo ay

un

State et House tre kS or t e Y Bridge House tre of 9 gS ke Kin Du et 10 Water Stre 2 Stocks Bermuda 6 8 Town Hall t National Trust e e tr Museum King’s rk S o Y f eo Square Duk Police Station Ducking Stool Post 4 3 Office

t Peggys Aun

eG On

s La Maid

17

rs Alley

16

SOMERS GARDEN

t. eS id g Br

Old

The Bermuda Perfumery

11

y lle

A

y lle Queen Street

Aunt Nea’s Inn at Hill Crest

Bro ad A

Duke of Kent Street

ead Thr and

T Taxi

eet Str ce ren Cla of ke Du

le Need

ST. GEORGE’S

To Unfinished Church & Fort St. Catherine St. George’s Historical Society Museum Printery & Museum

et Stre

7 Sir George Somers Statue

Deliverance

Ordnance Island Cruise Ship Terminal

World

5 Heritage

ST. GEORGE’S HARBOUR

Centre

Cruise ship terminal

Penno’s Wharf

Parishes In 1609 the survivors of the English wreck of the Sea Venture struggled onto Bermuda’s shores, well short of their intended destination of Jamestown, Virginia. By 1615 the Somers Island Company was developing Bermuda and exploiting her natural resources.

The island was surveyed and what is now St. George’s Parish was set aside as public or company land. The remainder was divided into eight tribes or parishes, named after the principal shareholders in the Somers Island Company. These were, from east to west: Hamilton, 18

bermuda.com guide

Smith’s, Devonshire, Pembroke, Paget, Warwick, Southampton and Sandys.

Along with St. George’s, they have become the nine parishes of Bermuda.

ST. GEORGE’S PARISH Bermuda’s oldest town, St. George’s, was founded in 1612 and became a World Heritage Site in 2000. It was our capital until 1815, when Hamilton became the capital.

1-17 are on our detailed map above.

1 St. Peter’s Church, Duke of York St., is the oldest Anglican church outside the British Isles. Open Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm, Services Wed 7:30am, Sun 11:15am. Sug-

F

ladies’ petticoats as they walked. gested donation of $5 per adult. Call ahead for group visits. Tel: 297-2459 2 Bermuda National Trust Museum at the Globe Hotel, corner Duke of York St. & King’s Square. Built by Governor Samuel Day, circa 1700. The offices of the Confederate agent, Major Norman Walker, were housed here during the American Civil War (1861-1865). The museum highlights Bermuda’s American Civil War involvement along with a video presentation ‘Bermuda: Centre of the Atlantic’. For opening hours tel. 236-6483 or 297-1423. Closed on Public Holidays. Admission: adults $5, children (6-18 years) $2. Gift Shop. *Combination tickets to all 3 museums $10 (#2 Bermuda National Trust Museum, #3 Tucker House, #33 Verdmont).

3 Tucker House, Water Street. Built in the 1750s. Henry Tucker, President of the Governor’s Council, moved here in 1775 and his family stayed until 1809. On view are antique heirlooms from one of Bermuda’s oldest families and a room furnished as a tribute to Joseph Rainey, the first black man to be seated in the U.S. House of Representatives. The cellar houses a permanent archaeological exhibit. For opening hours tel. 236-6483 or 297-0545.

Admission: adults $5, children (6-18 years) $2. *Combination tickets to all 3 museums $10 (#2 Bermuda National Trust Museum, #3 Tucker House, #33 Verdmont).

4 St. George’s Post Office, open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. Tel. 297-1610 5 World Heritage Centre, at Penno’s Wharf in the Queen’s Warehouse, circa 1860. History is brought to life through the St. George’s Foundation’s restoration of this building. Enjoy the Orientation Exhibits Gallery, ‘A Gateway to Bermuda’ and film ‘A Stroll through St. George’s’. Open Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm. Adults $5, students $2. Tel. 297-5791. Also home to Second Hand Rose Charity Shop. W 6 Stocks & Pillory and the Ducking Stool re-enactment at King’s Square. See the ‘gossiping wench’ get ducked in the

see the sights

harbour at noon on Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs & Saturdays.

7 Deliverance, a full-scale replica of the ship built by the Sea Venture castaways to take them on to Virginia. Located across the bridge from King’s Square, on Ordnance Island, open Mon-Sat, 10-4. Adults $3, children $2. Tel. 297-0045.

8 Town Hall, facing King’s Square, the meeting place of the Corporation of St. George’s. Open 9am-4pm, Mon-Sat except holidays. W 9 State House, above and behind the Town Hall, one of the oldest stone buildings on the island, dating from 1620. Originally the seat of government, now a Masonic Lodge. Open Wednesdays, 10am-2pm, May to November.

10 The Bermudian Heritage Museum, junction of York & Water Streets, showcases accomplishments of black Bermudians.

Open Mon-Fri, 10am-3 pm. Entry $4. Tel. 297-4126. W (lower floor only).

11 St. George’s Historical Society Museum, Printery & Garden, Featherbed Alley. This historic house, a museum since 1922, features cedar furniture, paintings, and other local relics along with a replica of an early 16th-century Gutenberg press.

Open Mon-Thur & Sat, 10am-4 pm. Adults $5, children $2. Tel. 297-0423

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Say cheese: The Stocks used to be a cruel form of public punishment, now they’re a fun photo opp.

bermuda.com guide 19

see the sights

Just wide enough for a mast, Somerset

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Enjoy the tranquility of Somers Garden, the perfect spot for a leisurely stroll.

12 The Old Rectory, Broad Alley, behind St. Peter’s Church. Captain George Dew built this Bermuda cottage circa 1699. A private residence owned by the Bermuda National Trust. Exterior viewing only. Tel. 236-6483 13 Unfinished Church. Top of Duke of Kent St. This magnificent Gothic revival structure was meant to be a replacement for St. Peter’s Church. Started in the 1870s it was beset by financial difficulties, parish infighting and a damaging storm. It was abandoned on the eve of its completion.

14 Fort St. Catherine, off Barry Road.

19th-century fort contains cannon, guns, military exhibits. Open Mon-Fri, 9:30am4:30pm. Last entry at 4 pm. Adults $7, children 5 to 15, $3 (must be accompanied by an adult), seniors $5. Tel. 297-1920 W 15 Gates Fort dates from the early 17th century. Originally a small sea battery of three guns. Open during daylight hours.

16 Somers Garden, Duke of York Street.

British Admiral Sir George Somers was shipwrecked in Bermuda in 1609, continued

20 bermuda.com guide

his journey to Virginia and then returned to the island in 1610. When he died in Bermuda his heart was buried here and his body was taken to England. Open daily 7.30am-7pm 17 The Bermuda Perfumery is located in historic Stewart Hall, 5 Queen Street. For more than 80 years, the Bermuda Perfumery has been creating and manufacturing perfumes and all are made on the premises. Take a free tour and sample unique fragrances. Open Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm. Tel. 293-0627 Refer to the large pullout map.

18 Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences,

Ferry Reach. On Wednesdays at 10am, visit this world-renowned research station. Take a free tour of the laboratories, grounds and learn about ongoing projects. www.bios.edu Tel. 297-1880 19 L.F. Wade International Airport 20 Carter House. An historic stone structure thought to be the oldest dwelling in St. David’s. Admission $2. For opening hours Tel. 293-5960

Bridge is the world’s smallest drawbridge.

21 Great Head National Park. At the end of Battery Road, St. David’s, lies a 20th-century abandoned fortification surrounded by open spaces, plus a Lost at Sea Memorial.

22 St. David’s Lighthouse. Stands at the top of Lighthouse Hill Road. Open Mon-Fri 7.30am-4pm except June, July & Aug, open Mon-Sun 10am-4pm, tel. 236-5902.

HAMILTON PARISH Named after James Hamilton, second Marquis of Hamilton, an original member of Somers Islands Company.

Refer to the large pullout map.

23 After leaving the Causeway go up Blue Hole Hill to the junction of Wilkinson Ave & North Shore Rd. You are now in Bailey’s Bay. 24 Blue Hole Hill Park. Located just over the Causeway, the park joins Walsingham Nature Reserve and Tom Moore’s Jungle and provides an excellent walking trail with caves and fish ponds.

see the sights

25 Crystal Caves, 8 Crystal Caves Rd, Hamilton Parish. Formed more than 30 million years ago, Crystal Cave Road was discovered in 1905 when 14-year-old Bernard Wilkinson stumbled upon a cave opening.

He was later lowered down the 140-foot drop where he saw the magnificent crystal stalactites and stalagmites that surround a clear 55-foot deep lake. Tours 9:30am4:30pm year round. One cave, adults $20, children (under 13) $8, (under 5) free. Combination tickets, adults $27, children (under 13) $10, (under 5) free. Last combination tour starts 3:45pm. Tel. 293-0640 26 Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Church Road. The Anglican Church of Hamilton Parish offers a scenic and tranquil respite from sightseeing.

27 Tom Moore’s Jungle, Bailey’s Bay. Woods surrounding Tom Moore’s Tavern are a must for nature lovers. The poet Tom Moore spent happy hours writing his verses here. Tours are available for groups via the Parks Dept., Tel. 236-5902.

GOVER NMENT OF BER MUDA Minis tr y of Economy, Tr ade and Indus tr y Bermuda Post Office

The Bermuda Post Office is pleased to offer “Diamond Jubilee”, a series of six stamps. This collection of commemorative stamps spans Queen Elizabeth’s reign. These stamps will be released on 9 February 2012. First Day Cover $6.00, cost per set $4.35, FDC souvenir sheet $4.00, souvenir sheet $2.50, souvenir sheetlet $4.35.

Available at the Bermuda Philatelic Bureau.

For more information please e-mail philatelic@gov.bm bermuda.com guide 21

see the sights

Mark Twain: “I’d rather be in Bermuda.” & Sayle Road. A National Trust museum built about 1710 in the Georgian style, Verdmont houses our finest collection of antique Bermuda cedar furniture, porcelain, portraits, children’s furniture and toys. A new exhibit highlights the people who lived at Verdmont. For opening hours tel. 2366483 or 236-7369. Closed holidays. Adults $5, children (6-18 years) $2. *Combination tickets to all 3 museums $10 (#2 Bermuda National Trust Museum, #3 Tucker House, #33 Verdmont).

Photo by Tony McWilliam

Spittal Pond, home to herons and many other birds, is a haven for nature-lovers.

SMITH’S PARISH Named after one of the nine chief investors of the Somers Isles (Bermuda) Company, Sir Thomas Smith.

Refer to the large pullout map.

29 The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo boasts native fish, exotic reptiles, free-flying birds, and pink flamingos in a beautiful, colourful setting. Exhibits include ‘North Rock’, a 140,000-gallon replica of a local living coral reef, and ‘Islands of Australasia’, the interactive ‘Discovery Cove’, new ‘Madagascar’ exhibit and scenic ‘Coastal Walkway’. The Natural History Museum focuses on the island’s geology, native biodiversity and habitats. Open daily 9am-5pm. (last admission 4pm). Adults $10, children (5-12 years) $5. Tel. 293-2727 W 30 Flatts Bridge. Wander across to quaint Flatts Village with its magnificent views of the Inlet and Harrington Sound.

31 Devil’s Hole Aquarium. No longer in use.

32 Spittal Pond, South Road, this 64-acre reserve is part of a necklace of wetlands along the south shore, providing a diversity of habitats and a wide variety of birds, especially during migration seasons. Owned

by Bermuda National Trust and government’s Parks Dept. Open daily dawn to dusk, admission free. Tel. 236-6483 33 Verdmont, corner of Collector’s Hill

22 bermuda.com guide

DEVONSHIRE PARISH Named after William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire.

Refer to the large pullout map.

34 Palm Grove, South Road. Wellmanicured private estate has an unusual bas-relief ‘water map’ of Bermuda, an aviary and many varieties of palms. Open Mon-Thur 8am-5pm (closed holidays).

35 Montpelier Arboretum, Middle Road.

A tranquil retreat featuring a wide range of island trees and plants.

PAGET PARISH Named after William Paget, 4th Baron Paget de Beaudesert.

Refer to the large pullout map.

36 King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, Point Finger Road. See page 55. Tel. 2362345 37 Botanical Gardens, Berry Hill, Point Finger & South Roads. Open daily sunrise to sunset. Enjoy hundreds of well-marked flowers, shrubs and trees. Admission free.

On Tue, Wed & Fri mornings free tours at 10:30am, departing from the car park outside the entrance to the Visitors’ Centre, weather permitting. Visitors’ Centre usually open 9am to 1 pm, Mon - Fri. W 38 Camden, South Road, in the grounds of the Botanical Gardens. Official residence of the Premier, used for official functions Continued on page 25

n!

o cti a r tt ea

se

Am

ust

An adventure awaits...

Explore two floors of interactive exhibits.

Great for all ages!

BUEI

Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute 40 Crow Lane, Hamilton • www.buei.org Open 9am - 5pm Weekdays, 10am -5pm Weekends

24 bermuda.com guide

oad ille R La-V Par-

ud Berm

iana

Road

ad

PARK

Chamber of Commerce

Ferry Terminal

Albouys Point

Royal POINT Bermuda Yacht Club PLEASANT 43

BARR’S BAY PARK

Queen Street

44 Flag Pole

treet Front S

Burnaby Street

ay Ro 42 Pitts B

Wesley Street

46 45

Bus Terminal

No 6 Passenger Terminal

Reid Street

51 52

Church Street

Cathedral

Victoria Street

H.M. Customs

Cenotaph

54

The Cabinet Building

Sessions House

53

Dept. of Tourism

Front Street

Reid Street

55

56

57-58 Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute

Fort Hamilton

d py Valley Roa

Fire Department

Ha p

King Street

PAR-LAVILLE PARK

Church Street

47

48

50 VICTORIA PARK

Dundonald Street

Court Street

49

City Hall

Victoria Street

Park Road

Dundonald Street King Street

Historical Society Museum

I Visitor Information Centre

T Taxi

HAMILTON

see the sights Bermuda’s capital city, Hamilton, is

antipode to Perth, Western Australia.

see the sights

Continued from page 22

only. Open Tues & Fri noon-2pm, weather permitting.

39 Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art, includes Bermuda inspired work by Winslow Homer and Georgia O’Keeffe, plus changing exhibits. Open Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sundays 11am-4.30pm, closed public holidays. Adults $5, children under 12 free. Homers Café open 10:30am-4pm Mon-Sat. Afternoon Tea served 2-4pm, Thursdays and Saturdays. Tel. 236-2950 W 40 Waterville. An elegant house, built circa 1725, now the HQ of the Bermuda National Trust. See the Bermuda Rose Society’s showcase garden and the Mary-Jean Mitchell Green Memorial Garden & Gazebo.

Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, admission free.

Tel. 236-6483 41 Paget Marsh and Boardwalk, Paget Parish. Lush 25-acre nature reserve, a joint project of the Bermuda National Trust & Bermuda Audubon Society. The pond and marsh attract many birds. Open daily, daylight hours, free. Tel. 236-6483

Everyone remembers their first kiss

PEMBROKE PARISH Named after English aristocrat William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke (15801630). Home of our capital city of Hamilton since 1815.

Refer to large pullout map and see our detailed City Map on page 24 42 Barr’s Bay Park, on Hamilton Harbour beside the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club on Pitt’s Bay Road. Sit in the sun and watch the boats sail by. W 43 Point Pleasant Park by the waterfront, Albuoys Point, next to the Ferry Terminal.

Relax on a bench, bring a picnic lunch. W 44 The Birdcage, a photogenic traffic kiosk at the corner of Front & Queen Streets.

45 Perot Post Office, Queen Street. An architectural gem and a handy spot to buy stamps, transport passes, tickets and tokens. Credit cards accepted. Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Tel. 292-9052 W

RESERVE YOUR DOLPHIN SWIM TODAY! Call 234-4464 or visit dolphinquest.com

A portion of the proceeds from Dolphin Quest supports vital marine education, conservation and research.

bermuda.com guide 25

see the sights

Car rentals are not permitted in Bermuda.

Continued from page 23 46 Bermuda National Library & Histori-

cal Society Museum, Queen Street. Set in the gardens of Par-la-Ville Park. Library open Mon-Thurs 8:30am-7pm (July & Aug until 6pm), Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm (closed Sun, July and Aug).

Tel. 295-2905. Museum open 10am-2pm Mon-Fri (May–Oct); 10:30am–1pm Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri (Nov–April); closed holidays. Free.

Tel. 295-2487 W 47 City Hall, 17 Church Street, one of Hamilton’s most beautiful public buildings.

Houses City Hall Theatre, the Mayor’s Parlour and Corporation of Hamilton offices.

Tel. 292-1234. The Bermuda National Gallery is on the second floor (tel. 295-9428), featuring both historic and contemporary local and international art. Open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-2pm, closed holidays.

Guided tours Thursdays, 10:30am. Free.

Also home to the Bermuda Society of Arts Gallery, which hosts rotating exhibitions.

Open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-2pm, closed holidays. Free. Tel. 292-3824 W 48 Central Bus Terminal, Washington Street, close to City Hall. All routes serving

Hamilton arrive and leave from here. See pages 54 and 57.

49 Par-la-Ville Park, Queen Street, Hamilton. A haven for relaxation in the middle of our bustling city. W 50 Victoria Park, Cedar Avenue. Lovely park created in the 1880s to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. W 51 Anglican Cathedral, Church Street, a neo-Gothic city landmark. Open 8am-5pm.

The cathedral tower, with panoramic views of the city, is open 9am-4pm Mon-Fri. Audio tours $3, tower entry $3. Sunday service at 8am and 10am. Tel. 292-4033 W 52 General Post Office, corner of Parliament & Church Streets. Open Mon-Fri 8am5pm, Sat 8am-noon W 53 Sessions House & Jubilee Clock Tower. The House of Assembly meets Fridays at 10am. Visitors are permitted in the gallery; dress appropriately. Tel. 292-7408.

The Supreme Court is located on the lower floor of the Sessions House, visitors are permitted. Tel. 292-1350 W 54 The Cabinet Building, Front and Parliament streets. Here the Senate (our upper house) meets Wednesdays at 10am. Visitors

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Lush Par-la-Ville Park is located in the heart of the city, at the foot of Reid Street.

26 bermuda.com guide

DISCOVER A PART OF BERMUDA

THAT’S OVER

30

MILLION YEARS OLD

AND STILL GROWING Visit www.caves.bm for more details.

The Crystal Caves are a world of delicate splendour with magnificent crystal stalactites and stalagmites, each surrounding a clear lake.

Come see the Crystal & Fantasy Caves, an exquisite world that Mother Nature began over 30 million years ago.

HOW TO FIND US: BUS ROUTES 1/3/10/11 | JUST OFF WILKINSON AVE 8 Crystal Cave Road, Hamilton Parish CR 04, Bermuda | 441-293-0640 | info@caves.bm

see the sights

Use pink bus stops for travel into Hamilton

are permitted. Fronted by the Cenotaph on Front Street, a memorial to war veterans, and Sally Bassett statue. Tel. 292-5501 55 Bermuda National Library Youth Division, 74 Church Street. Open Mon-Thurs & Sat 9am-5pm, Fri 10am-5pm. Tel. 295-0487 56 Fort Hamilton, approached by Victoria & King Streets & Happy Valley Road. A restored fort, its moat is filled with native plants and shrubs. Spectacular views of the city and harbour. Open daily 9am-5pm.

Free. W 57 The Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI), a 15-minute walk from the city centre, on East Broadway. Features two floors of interactive exhibits revealing the mysteries of the ocean. Experience deep-sea exploration through the eyes of world-renowned explorers including Bermuda’s own Teddy Tucker. See artefacts and treasure recovered from shipwrecks around Bermuda. Gift shop and waterside restaurant, The Harbourfront. Open Mon–Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-5pm.

Last admission 4pm. Members free, adults $12.50, seniors $10, children (7-16) $6, children (under 6) free. Tel. 297-7314. W 58 Johnny Barnes Statue. Just down the road from the BUEI, a life-size statue of our unofficial ambassador of goodwill, Johnny Barnes (see page 17), by sculptor Desmond Fountain.

59 Government House, North Shore Road & Langton Hill. The imposing residence of His Excellency the Governor.

WARWICK PARISH Named after Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick (1587-1658). Centrally located with many beautiful beaches along the South Shore.

Refer to the large pullout map.

60 Warwick Pond. Take a walk on the interpretive woodland nature trail in this nine-acre nature reserve, with Bermuda’s second largest fresh water pond. Open daylight hours.

61 Christ Church, historic Presbyterian Church dating back to 1719, one of the oldest in the western hemisphere.

SOUTHAMPTON PARISH Named after Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton (1573-1624). Boasts many beaches including the most popular, Horseshoe Bay Beach.

Refer to the large pullout map.

62 Gibbs Hill Lighthouse provides pan-

oramic views and there’s a restaurant, too, The Dining Room. Lighthouse open daily 9am-4:30pm. Adults $2.50, children (4 and under) free. Tel. 238-0524

SANDYS PARISH (Somerset) Named after English aristocrat Sir Edwin Sandys (1561-1629). The western-most parish, made up of five islands.

Refer to the large pullout map.

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Fun for kids: Many of the exhibits at the BUEI are interactive.

28 bermuda.com guide

63 Somerset Bridge is the smallest drawbridge in the world; just wide enough to let the mast of a sailboat pass through.

64 Scaur Hill Fort, Somerset Road. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Great Sound and Ely’s Harbour. Open daily 7:30am-4pm, free.

Grounds open 24 hours. Tel. 236-5902.

65 Heydon Trust, 43 acres of meticulously preserved grounds, filled with indigenous

see the sights

and blue for heading away from the city.

Royal Naval Dockyard T Taxi

Dockyard Glassworks & Bermuda Rum Cake Company

Bermuda Clayworks

Snorkel Park Beach

74

Maritime Lane

Storehouse Lane

Cloc ktow er P arad e

THE CAMBER

75

69 Watersports Centre

Clocktower Shopping Mall

70

Victualling Yard

Dockyard

DOCKYARD GATE

Bermuda Arts Centre

Camber Road

THE KEEP

76

73

Bermuda Craft Market

Commissioner’s House

National Museum of Bermuda

Visitor Information Centre

Dolphin Quest

72

71

No rth

Dockyard Marina

Arm

Ferry Stop

Visitor Information Centre

Cruise Ship Terminal

KING’S WHARF

Visitor Information Centre

plants. The tiny, exquisite chapel was built in the 1620s. Open daily, dawn till dusk, free.

66 St. James’ Church, the Anglican church of Somerset, has a graceful spire and imposing walkway.

67 Springfield Community Centre & Gilbert Nature Reserve, Somerset. This National Trust Property once comprised a small plantation. Springfield, the old mansion with buttery and slave quarters, dates back to 1740. Five acres of walking trails.

68 Somerset Village overlooks charming Mangrove Bay. Stop for a meal or some shopping.

69 Enter the Royal Naval Dockyard through stone gates. This major attraction includes the Clocktower Mall, a Craft Market, the Bermuda Arts Centre, restaurants and entertainment — all housed in restored naval buildings.

70 Dockyard Visitor Information Centre is near the fast ferry dock. Open daily, 9am5pm. Tel. 238-4842 71 The National Museum of Bermuda includes the Commissioner’s House, which exhibits our rich nautical history and extensive artefact collections. Open daily,

HERITAGE WHARF

9:30am-5pm, last admission 4pm. Adults $10, senior citizens $8 and children 12 and under free, if accompanied by an adult. Tel. 234-1418. W 72 Dolphin Quest Bermuda, Dockyard.

Enjoy an extraordinary encounter with dolphins. Open 9:30am-4:30pm daily. Reservations required. www.dolphinquest.org Tel: 234-4464 or toll free 800-248-3316 73 The Craft Market in the Old Cooperage features Bermuda cedar work, candle and jewellery making, pottery, banana dolls and many other crafts, with demonstrations by local artisans. Open daily 9am-5pm and until 8pm when cruise ships are in port. Tel: 234-3208. W 74 The Bermuda Arts Centre features studios housing various artists and exhibits which change every few weeks. A shop offers an extensive range of locally made gifts, paintings, sculptures and a wide print selection. Open daily 10am-5pm (closed Good Friday & Christmas Day). Tel. 2342809 W 75 Clocktower Shopping Mall boasts a delightful collection of boutiques and branch stores in a charming, covered mall. W

bermuda.com guide 29

arts

Photo by Kageaki Smith

The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art is home to an impressive collection of locally inspired works.

Our vibrant arts scene

By Sarah lagan | Bermuda’s arts scene is diverse and vibrant.

There are galleries east, west and in the city — here’s a quick guide: n The Bermuda National Gallery Home to three permanent exhibitions — The African Collection, The Bermudian Collection and The European Collection. There is also a rotation of work by local and international artists. Its current ‘Reinterpreting the European Collection’ invited eight local artists to offer their own take on a historical artwork of their choice. City Hall & Arts Centre, Hamilton. Tel. 295-9428.

n Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art Masterworks prides itself as “the pre-

30 bermuda.com guide

eminent museum of Bermuda Art” and Bermuda is the subject for many of its works.

The gallery hosts the annual Charman Prize and has an Artist in Residence programme that sees international artists offer their interpretations of island life. There’s a gift shop and a café. Botanical Gardens, Paget. Tel. 236-2950. www.bermudamasterworks.com

n Bermuda Society of Arts Known affectionately as “the people’s gallery”, BSoA features everything from professional artwork to the work of schoolchildren and prisoners. It is made up of four separate galleries including the main space, The Onions Gallery. The gallery plays host to some 50 shows per year reflecting all walks of life. City Hall & Arts Centre, Hamilton. Tel. 292-3824

arts

Most famous sculptor: Desmond Fountain n National Museum of Bermuda Well worth a visit for those interested in our history, culture and heritage. Exhibitions and displays range from Bermuda’s Defence Heritage, The Slave Trade and The Royal Navy Collections. Local artist Graham Foster’s epic mural, depicting the history of Bermuda, is not to be missed. Dockyard.

Tel. 234-1418. www.bmm.bm

n Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard If you are lucky, you might meet some of Bermuda’s artists who are residents at the Arts Centre in Dockyard including Jonah Jones and Christopher Marson. You will get a good feel for Bermuda’s stunning natural landscapes through the ever-changing collections by the Plein Air Painters of Bermuda. Dockyard. Tel. 234-2809. www.artbermuda.bm

Masterworks The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art is home to an impressive collection of over 1,200 pieces of Bermuda inspired art, including such famous artists as Georgia O’Keefe, Marsden Hartley, Winslow Homer and Albert Gleizes. Local artists also exhibit throughout the year. The museum shop sells prints and original local art, and Homer’s Café serves a wide selection of baked goods, lunch items and afternoon tea on Sundays.

To learn about Bermuda’s culture and history there is no better venue than The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art. Museum is accessible with ramps and an elevator. Café and museum open Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm and Sundays, 11am – 4:30pm. $5 admission, free for members and children under 12.

Closed most public holidays, check www.bermudamasterworks.com

Monday-Saturday | 10:00am - 4:00pm Sunday 11:00am – 4:30pm museum is accessible with ramps and an elevator.

The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art is home to an impressive collection of over 1,200 pieces of Bermuda inspired art; some by such famous names as Georgia O’Keeffe, Winslow Homer and Albert Gleizes. The museum shop sells prints and original local art, a perfect keepsake to take home! To learn about Bermuda’s culture and history there is no better stop on your vacation itinerary.

Located in the beautiful Botanical Gardens, five minutes from Hamilton, the museum is on three major bus routes (1,2 & 7) and is clearly signposted from all entrances.

at masterworks Hours of operation

Monday - Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm Sunday, 11:00am - 4:30pm afternoon tea

Sunday, 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Sandwiches, paninis, salads, quiche, soup, hot lunches, baked goods, specialty coffees, afternoon tea and even picnic baskets to go! serviced by

we also offer a range of bakery products that are gluten free The Botanical Gardens • 183 South Road Paget, DV 04 • Bermuda Tel: (441) 299-4000 • Fax: (441)-236-4402

www.bermudamasterworks.com bermuda.com guide 31

historic treasures Coins bear the hallmarks of our eventful past

One of the exquisite coins that has been fashioned into a keepsake by Walker Christopher Goldsmiths.

By Jack Garstang | From the early sixteenth-century, Spanish ships returning from their colonies in Central and South America embarked on the hazardous task of shipping their precious cargo from the New World back to the Old. They used Bermuda as a landmark, but some ended up stricken on our outer reefs.

Many ships carried silver and gold, mined and minted into coinPhotos by Kageaki Smith

Skilled work: At Walker Christopher Goldsmiths, coins are painstakingly crafted into unique items of jewellery.

32 bermuda.com guide

age in Mexico, Bolivia and Peru and destined for the Spanish treasuries of Cadiz and Seville.

Juan Bermudez found Bermuda in 1505 Surviving crewmen were sometimes able to salvage their cargo but storms and hurricanes took their toll on many ‘treasure ships’ well before they caught sight of Bermuda.

Salvaging from wrecks was tough.

But Richard Norwood, hired as a diver in a futile search for Bermuda pearls, invented the Bermuda Tub in 1612.

This primitive diving bell, made from a weighted wine cask, could be lowered over a wreck site and enabled a diver to stay underwater for 45 minutes.

In 1641, it was used to recover silver from The Concepción, which came to grief north of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic), carrying tons of silver and gold.

In 1715, the Spanish Plate Fleet sank in a hurricane off Florida. While the Spanish were salvaging, their base camp was raided by privateer Henry Jennings, who fled with 120,000 pieces of eight. He retired to Bermuda to live the life of a gentleman.

Sea salvaged coins still have strong appeal; the law forbids you from keeping anything found at a wreck but you can find pieces of eight and gold doubloons for sale on Hamilton’s Front Street.

William Wivell of Walker Christopher Goldsmiths sets gold and silver treasure coins into handcrafted jewellery. While silver coins or “cobs” tarnish and become encrusted in coral (they are often found in clusters), Mr Wivell tells us “Gold coins remain the same as the day they went to the bottom of the ocean”.

Owning a significant old coin puts you in touch with the past, as coins bear the weight of history. n

historic treasures

Treasure coins from shipwrecks around the world, set in 14k and 18k gold.

WALKER CHRISTOPHER GOLDSMITHS

NO. 9 FRONT STREET, HAMILTON Telephone (441)295-1466 bermuda.com guide 33

history Our must-see historic sites

n National Museum of Bermuda The largest collection of artifacts and weapons in Bermuda. See slave artifacts, jewellery, silver coins, pottery, boats and large muzzle loading guns. Dockyard. Open daily 9:30am–5pm (last admission 4pm).

Tel: 234-1418

n National Trust Museum The Globe Hotel on the northwest corner of King’s Square in St. George’s was built in 1700 by Governor Samuel Day. It houses the Bermuda National Trust Museum, which features the exhibit ‘Rogues & Runners — Bermuda and the American Civil War’. For opening times, tel: 236-6483

n Verdmont A delightful Georgian style historic home at the top of Collector’s Hill, Smith’s Parish.

A superb collection of antique Bermuda cedar and mahogany furniture. For opening times, tel: 236-6483

n Bermuda Historical Society Museum Photo by Kageaki Smith

Interior of the magnificently restored Commissioner’s House at the National Museum of Bermuda.

By Lance Furbert | For an island of just 21 square miles, we pack in a lot of history. Bermuda’s superb historic sites and museums help tell our unique story but also help unravel the extraordinary saga of the development of English settlements in the New World.

Here are some of our best historic sites.

34 bermuda.com guide

Located in Par-la-Ville Park, Hamilton, it was the home of Bermuda’s famous postmaster William Bennett Perot. Exhibits include model of ships plus early Bermudian coins and silver. For opening times, tel: 295-2487

n Tucker House Tucker House, on Water Street, St. George’s, was the home of Henry Tucker, President of the Governor’s Council. Artifacts and portraits of the famous Tucker family include Thomas Tudor Tucker, the longest serving treasurer of the U.S.. Joseph Hayne Rainey, the first African American elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives, once ran a barber’s shop here. For opening times, tel: 236-6483

history

Bermuda is the oldest British colony. n Fort St. Catherine Overlooks Gate’s Bay, St. George’s, the landing place of the Sea Venture castaways in 1609. Features dioramas that highlight our early history, a restored magazine, weapons of all types (from pistols to large muzzle loading guns), and an audiovisual presentation on our forts. Open Mon- Fri, 10am-4pm, tel: 297-1920

n St. Peter’s Church The oldest Anglican Church site in continuous use outside of the British Isles. The first church on the site was built by Governor Richard Moore in 1612. Some headstones in the churchyard date back more than 300 years. Duke of York Street, St. George’s.

Open Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm, Sunday service 11.15am, tel: 297-2459

Photo by www.moongatephotography.com

At Fort St Catherine you’ll find a range of weapons on display.

original cedar furnishings, artwork and a working replica of a Gutenberg printing press. The kitchen garden and above ground water tank demonstrate features of n St. George’s Historical Society 18th Century Bermuda architecture.

Museum, Printery & Garden Bermuda.com ad:Layout 10:43 AMMon-Thurs Page 1and Open 10am-4pm, Located in Mitchell1/2 House, which dates 2 3/1/10 Saturday. Tel. 297 0423. from 1730, this historic house is filled with

National Treasure Bermuda Maritime Museum is now the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF BERMUDA, home to 500 years of Island culture and history. Explore exciting exhibits in our historic military buildings— and watch for many more as we grow!

Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandys Tel. 441-234-1418 • www.bmm.bm Open every day 9:30am–5pm (last admission 4pm)

NATIONALMUSEUM BERMUDA OF

Incorporating BERMUDA MARITIME MUSEUM

bermuda.com guide 35

for children

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Tobacco Bay is great for snorkelling – safe, shallow and lots to see underwater.

Great spots for youngsters

By TERRI MELLO | Sure, Bermuda is great for honeymooners and couples. Pink-sand beaches and turquoise water provide the perfect backdrop for a romantic getaway for two.

And then there are the rest of us, the ones with whiny toddlers or easily-bored grade-schoolers in tow. What can Bermuda offer us? The answer? Lots. Here are a few mom-tested suggestions.

36 bermuda.com guide

Our main beaches have lifeguards

for children

n Spittal Pond Nature Reserve Located on a spectacular stretch of shoreline in Smith’s Parish and kids love wandering along the winding trails, over the rocks and through the woods. You’ll see cows too, grazing at the entrance.

Great picnic spot.

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Get to see a small shark up close at the Aquarium.

n Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo (BAMZ) A must, whatever your age. Gaze at sharks and barracuda in the dramatic North Rock Tank, get close to giant tortoises and dip into the touch pool.

Leave time for the playground before you go (it’s just past the alligator and yes, it’s real!) Tel: 293-2727

n Dockyard Take the fast ferry from Hamilton. At Snorkel Park, kids can swim, splash in the fountains or use the playground. Dolphin Quest (tel: 234-4464) is a short walk away.

n Botanical Gardens An ideal spot to burn energy, five minutes from Hamilton. Explore the gardens and greenhouses, palm groves and grassy hills.

Kick a football, throw a Frisbee, bring a picnic.

n Beaches Next to famous Horseshoe Bay Beach in Southampton is what’s locally known as

bermuda.com guide 37

for children

Give the children a sweet treat at

Photo by Tony McWilliam

The shallows off Ferry Reach can keep inquisitive kids happy for hours.

Baby Beach. Turn right as you walk onto Horseshoe and you’ll find this beautiful cove, shallow and calm and perfect for little ones. Another kid-friendly beach is Tobacco Bay in the east end. Perfect for snorkelling and swimming with shallow water and protective rocks. Bathrooms and refreshments available.

n Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) hoto by Kageaki Smith

Kids will love helping you to paddle a rented kayak around a bay.

Explore the ocean without getting wet!

Stop in the seashell room and then take a simulated submarine dive to the lower level. Bring along a handful of American quarters for the little merry-go-round on the lower level. Tel: 292-7219

n Playgrounds No matter where you are, there’s a playground nearby. A few favourites include Shelly Bay (there’s also a kid-friendly beach here), Warwick Long Bay, Clearwater Beach (St. David’s) and Parson’s Road (Pembroke).

Photo by Terri Mello

Next door to Horseshoe Bay is ‘baby beach’, a safe and sheltered spot.

38 bermuda.com guide

n Palm Grove Gardens This free attraction near Ariel Sands Resort in Devonshire is rarely busy and offers

Bailey’s Bay Ice Cream Parlour

for children

beautiful scenery as well as an aviary with parrots.

n Tiny Tots at Masterworks The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art (in the Botanical Gardens) offers art classes for tots on Wednesday from 10am – 11am. Bring along your baby, toddler or preschooler for some art fun, story time and games. Members $7 / non-members $10. No sign up necessary, just drop in. Tel. 299-4000 for more details.

n At night…

We have three movie theatres and they often play animated features and other childfriendly movies. The Speciality Cinema and Grill (tel: 292-2135) and Liberty Theatre (292-7296) are in the city of Hamilton, Neptune Cinema (also 292-7296) is in Dockyard and Southside Cinema (297-2821) is in St. David’s. See the Bermuda Sun newspaper for movie listings.

If food’s the priority, kid-friendly eateries include LaTrattoria, Rosa’s Cantina (both on the city) and The Speciality Inn, 10 minutes outside the city in Smith’s Parish. n

Photo by Terri Mello

Spittal Pond boasts birds, trails, tide pools — and spectacular views. Ideal for a picnic.

bermuda.com guide 39

sports & activities

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Port Royal, home of the PGA Grand Slam and our most spectacular golf course.

Choose your sport

By James Whittaker | If you’re the outdoors type, you’ve chosen the right spot. Here’s a guide to what’s out there. See Bermuda.com for detailed listings. n Golf Bermuda has more golf courses per square mile than any other country in the world.

Some are private but many hotels can introduce their guests to clubs and arrange tee times.

From an enticing par-3 executive course to a championship-level course given the seal of approval by the PGA of America, Bermuda is a golfer’s paradise.

Our courses vary in difficulty and length, but all are blessed with beautiful scenery.

Be sure to toss a camera in your golf bag.

If you want to get the kids involved, there is a mini golf course in Southampton for young families; tel. 238-8800.

40 bermuda.com guide

Our golf courses: Belmont Hills, Warwick, tel. 236-6400 Fairmont Southampton, tel. 239-6952 Mid-Ocean, Hamilton Parish, tel. 293-0330 Ocean View (9 holes), Devonshire, tel.

295-9092 Port Royal, Southampton, tel. 234-0974 Riddell’s Bay, Warwick, tel. 238-1060 Rosewood Tucker’s Point, Hamilton Parish, tel. 298-6970 St George’s, St George’s Parish, tel. 297-1200

n Tennis Most courts are attached to hotels but another option is to play at the governmentrun tennis stadium, which has both clay and hard courts. It’s on Marsh Folly Road, a 10-minute walk from the centre of Hamilton. Open 8am-10pm Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm Sat-Sun. Courts are $10 an hour (double it under floodlights). Tel: 292-0105. n Water sports You can rent everything from kayaks,

sports

Babe Ruth golfed in Bermuda Boston whalers and windsurfers to Hobie Cats and jet skis.

Bermuda is the shipwreck capital of the Atlantic and a mecca for SCUBA divers.

See pages 44 & 45 for snorkelling and pages 46 & 47 for shipwrecks.

n Deep sea fishing With the deep ocean just offshore, Bermuda offers world class fishing. There are lots of pros ready to take you out — among them, Baxter’s Reef Fishing, tel: 234-2963. n Cycling Our coastal roads and the route of the old railway trail are great for bikers. You can hire bicycles at Wheels, tel: 292-2245. n Rock climbing Test your skills on the Rock Climbing Wall at the Olympic Club, Dundonald Street, Hamilton. Open daily, tel: 292-4095. n Bowling For a rainy day or a family evening out,

Hartley’s Reef Safari Having some advantages over scuba diving and many over snorkeling, helmet diving is the safest and easiest way to explore the marine environment. The undersea walk was started by Bronson Hartley in the 1930s. Off Somerset, his son Gregory continues the tradition of training and taming fish in the wild. Hold Leroy the snapper or Barack the grouper and see Diana the angelfish swim through a hoop. The helmet works like a glass turned upside down.

Your head stays totally dry, you can safely wear glasses or contact lenses.

Just breathe, walk and have fun. Tel: 234-2861. www.hartleybermuda.com. hartley@logic.bm have fun at Warwick Lanes in Warwick, tel: 236-5290. n

bermuda.com guide 41

beaches

Photo courtesy Bermuda Dept. of Tourism

Idyllic: John Smith’s Bay is popular with locals and tourists alike.

Best of the best

By JAMES WHITTAKER | Breathtaking beaches are Bermuda’s most

enduring attraction, from aquamarine pools and sandy bays to the famous pink sand of the south shore.

Pack your sunscreen, hats, towels and and use our guide to hit one or more of the island’s top ten beaches.

10 John Smith’s Bay: Off the beaten track in Smith’s parish, this popular locals’ beach is a little less crowded than the south shore destinations but still boasts soft sand and great swimming and snorkelling. The Harrington Hundreds grocery store is just a few minutes away by moped if you want to make your own picnic. L, B 9 Cooper’s Island Nature Reserve: A tiny peninsula on the eastern edge of the island, only recently opened to the

public, Cooper’s Island is actually a series of small coves connected by almost a mile of walking trails. The larger but less picturesque (it’s all relative) Clearwater Beach is right next door. B 8 West Whale Bay: Named for the humpback whales that migrate past Bermuda in April and May each year, this is as good a place for whale watching as anywhere on the island. The grassy cliff-top that borders this Southampton beach is a great spot for a picnic.

KEY: Bathrooms - B Rentals - R Café - C Lifeguard - L 42 bermuda.com guide

beaches

Our main beaches have lifeguards.

7 Snorkel Park: A great beach for families, out west in vibrant Dockyard.

There are inflatables for the kids to rent, great snorkelling for dad and beach loungers for mum. L, B, C, R 6 Warwick Long Bay: To truly grasp the beauty of Bermuda’s south shore, walk the length of Warwick Long Bay and clamber across the rocks, or take a detour over the sand dunes to Jobson’s Cove and Chaplin Bay. On a quiet day you will see more Longtails than fellow tourists. B, R (seasonal) 5 Shelly Bay: A parents’ dream beach, Shelly Bay boasts warm, shallow water, a soft sandy bottom and backs on to a playground and sports field. A favourite for kids and novice swimmers — and close to the bus stop. C, B 4 Church Bay: Swim with shoals of brightly coloured parrot fish among the pristine coral reef that pierces the water just yards from shore at this small south shore bay, widely revered as Bermuda’s

best beach for snorkellers. R, B 3 Elbow Beach: A half-mile of white sand boasting stunning views of the Atlantic, Elbow Beach, in Paget, is a playground for joggers, kiteboarders, beach volleyball players and SCUBA divers. There’s even a shipwreck within swimming distance of shore. You can join in the fun or just hire a deckchair and sit back and watch. C, B, R 2 Tobacco Bay: Famous for its stunning volcanic rock formations — natural sculptures that emerge from the glassy water — this picturesque, sheltered cove is also a snorkellers’ dream. A short walk from the old town of St. George. C, B, R 1 Horseshoe Bay: A crescent of soft, pink sand, lapped by clear blue water, fringed by sand dunes and bordered by sandstone cliffs, garnished with swaying palms — Horseshoe, in Southampton Parish, is the a must for every Bermuda visitor. C, B, R, L n

Photo by Kageaki Smith

The majestic arc of our famous Horseshoe Bay Beach.

bermuda.com guide 43

snorkel Our snorkelling’s fintastic

By Amanda Dale | Bermuda is a chain of more than 150 islands, islets and rocks, the coralline limestone peaks of an ancient volcano.

Here lie some of the most pristine coral reefs in the world, setting the stage for world class snorkelling.

The beautiful but shallow reefs are responsible for more than 400 shipwrecks, spanning five centuries.

You can expect to swim in waters of 24-30 degrees Celsius with a visibility of 25 metres in the summer months (May to October).

You will find superb snorkelling all the way around this 21 square mile island, but here are some of the best spots.

n Church Bay, Southampton It can be a little tricky wading in across the rocks, so wait until you are almost waistdeep in the water before you put your fins on. You will be rewarded by the variety of fish in and around the boiler reefs.

n Pompano Beach Club, Southampton

Photo by James Whittaker

Visibility in our pristine waters is outstanding.

Most South Shore beaches offer excellent snorkelling just a short hop from the water’s edge. But if you are feeling adventurous, hire a kayak at Pompano Beach Club and paddle out to the outer raft across the sandbar.

Tie up and swim out to the adjacent reef to experience some beautiful snorkelling.

n Tobacco Bay, St George’s This sheltered, sandy bay is ideal for families. Its rocky outcrops and ancient coral formations are buzzing with marine life.

44 bermuda.com guide

snorkel

You might see a spotted eagle ray n Snorkel Park, Royal Naval Dockyard The park has a sheltered bay and is ideal for families. Under the walls of the fort you will find hard and soft corals, juvenile fish and maritime relics. There are musket balls dating back to the nineteenth century and several cast iron cannons, dating from 1550 to 1800.

n The Constellation Snorkelling and dive operators can take you to Western Blue Cut to see two of our most famous shipwrecks.

The Constellation was the inspiration for Peter Benchley’s novel The Deep, which was made into a film in 1977.

This 192 ft four-masted schooner (built in 1918) served as a cargo vessel in World War II and was en route from New York to Venezuela in 1943 when she was swept onto the reefs and sank, in ten metres of water. Her cargo included hundreds of bags of cement, 700 cases of Scotch whisky and thousands of drug ampoules, many containing opium and morphine. The ampoules have all been removed but people can still see other relics of the cargo such as china cups, ceramic tiles and bottles.

n The Montana Just 15 metres away from the Constellation lies the Montana, built to run the Union blockade of the Confederate states in the US Civil war. The 236ft paddle wheel steamer sank in 1863 and now sits in three pieces with her bow relatively intact and her paddle wheels and forward boiler still discernable.

n The Vixen Another popular snorkel site, accessible only by boat. HMS Vixen was an Royal Navy gunboat, scuttled in 1896 to block a narrow channel off Daniels’s Head, Somerset, to prevent possible torpedo attacks. She sits in eight metres of water with a protruding bow and is home to many different species of fish.

Photo by Chris Burville

The stoplight parrotfish changes sex from female to male.

Fed by the waters of the Gulf Stream, Bermuda has many of the fish species found in the western Atlantic and Caribbean.

This includes parrotfish (stoplight, blue and midnight varieties), yellowtail snapper, coneys, bluehead and creole wrasse, rock beauties, the puddingwife, squirrelfish, foureye butterflyfish, damselfish, sergeant majors, trumpetfish and spiny lobster. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a turtle.

Also watch out for Bermuda’s indigenous species, such as the blue angelfish. n

SONNY’S SHIPWRECK SNORKELING Departs from Dockyard 9am, 12pm & 3pm 2hr Shipwreck Snorkeling Adventure www.snorkelbermuda.com Call or Text:

(441) 705-5555 bermuda.com guide 45

shipwrecks

Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse was only the 37

33

34 39

35

40

41

36

38

42

Atlantic Ocean

43 44 1

45

2

Royal Naval Dockyard

Somerset Long Bay Mangrove

46

t in Po lty ish an rk mira p Spanish S Pa Ad se u Point Hoark P

Bay ’

4

GREAT SOUND

48

Hawkins Island

50

h

ac Be

25. Beaumaris Castle 26. Collector 27. Iristo 28. Elda 29. Taunton 30. Eagle 31. Manilla Wreck 32. Cristobal Colon 33. Curlew

10

y Ba

ow

Both the old and more recent wrecks, scattered throughout the 200-squaremile reef system that surrounds the island, are protected by law against any unauthorized interference.

The more popular dive sites are easily accessed from the island by boat, with an average depth of between 30 17. Katherine 18. Pelinaion 19. Zovetto or Rita Zovetto 20. Sea Venture 21. Wychwood 22. Colonel William G. Ball 23. Richard P. Buck 24. Avenger

ry

ng ay eB

46 bermuda.com guide

Elb

10. Minnie Breslauer 11. Pollockshields 12. Apollo 13. Kate 14. Grotto Bay Barges 15. Warwick 16. H.M.S. Cerberus

g

Drydock Ramona H.M.S. Vixen Minerva Hunters Galley Mary Celeste Virginia Merchant 8. King 9. Hermes

n Lo

There are some four hundred wrecks to be found off Bermuda. The earliest date from the first quarter of the 16th century when the island became a landmark for Spanish ships sailing back to Spain from the New World.

ck

Elbow Beach Coral Beach 7 6 Surfside Beach 9 8 Marley Beach oe

Bermuda’s shipwrecks

DEVONSHIR PARISH

Hungry Bay ap Gr

WARWICK PARISH sh rse Hoy Ba

53

Chu

ay rch B

i rw Wa y Ba

5

PAGET PARISH

Hu

Rockaway LITTLE SOUND

SOUTHAMPTON PARISH

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

CITY OF HAMILTON HAMILTON HARBOUR

Belmont

ey Whitnay B hale W t s We Bay

52

PEMBROKE PARISH

SANDYS PARISH

49

E

S

3

51

N

W

second cast iron lighthouse ever built.

31

Stories of the sea

27

28

Five must-visit Bermuda wrecks: 26

29

25 24 22 Toba cco B Achilles’ Bay ay Fort St. Catherine ST GEORGE’S 23 PARISH Martello Tower Coney Island Airport

Bailey's Bay

Crystal Caves

15

Castle Island Tucker's Town

Smiths Parish 16 Sm hn Jo ay B

18

17

13

11

and 50 feet. Listed here are some of the better known wrecks, highlighted in the map above. Note that some wrecks are known by two, three or even four different names.

For further information, visit the scuba diving pages on our website: www.bermuda.com.

34. Madiana 35. Alert 36. San Pedro 37. Caraquet 38. Mark Antonio 39. Montana 40. Lartington 41. Constellation 42. Santa Ana 43. L’Herminie

n The Pelinaion (18) – This Greek steamer became a victim of WWII. The British had blacked out St. David’s lighthouse to stop the Germans from spying on Bermuda. But the ship crashed on the reef, where it still lies scattered. n The Cristobel Colon (32) — This Spanish luxury liner is the biggest of Bermuda’s wrecks at 499ft long. Its remains are spread across the North Shore reef. n The Hermes (9) – Extremely popular among divers as it is one of the few wrecks in Bermuda that remains fully intact. It lies in 80 foot of water off the South Shore. n The Constellation (41) – Jaws author Peter Benchley based his follow-up novel ‘The Deep’ around this wreck, which sank on the South Shore carrying a cargo of morphine and whisky to Venezuela during WWII.

's ith

12

Fort Popple rwate r Bea ch Turt 19 le Ba y

Clea

CASTLE HARBOUR Nonsuch Island

Shell y HARRINGTON B Beaacy SOUND h Flatts Bridge Devil's Hole

SMITH’S PARISH

Gate s’ Ba y Town of St. Georges Gates 21 Fort Smith’s 20 Island Fort Cunningham

14

HAMILTON PARISH

HIRE H

y

30

32

shipwrecks

44. Frenchman 45. Lord Amherst 46. Darlington 47. Mussel 48. San Antonio 49. Blanch King 50. Caesar 51. Airplane 52. North Carolina 53. Triton Ferry

n The H.M.S. Vixen (3) – If you don’t want to take on the challenge of scuba diving, the Vixen lies half submerged in shallow waters off Daniel’s Head, Somerset, and is easily accessible by snorkellers.

Local dive operators Blue Water Divers, Robinson’s Marina, Somerset, Tel: 234-1034 & Elbow Beach Hotel 232-2909 www.divebermuda.com Fantasea Bermuda, Albuoy’s Point, Hamilton, Tel: 236-1300 info@fantasea.bm Triangle Diving, Grotto Bay, near the airport, Tel: 293-7319 www.trianglediving.com

Don’t want to get wet?

Visit the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute in Hamilton, the National Museum of Bermuda in Dockyard and the replica of the Deliverance in St. George’s.

bermuda.com guide 47

fishing

Photo courtesy Bermuda Dept. of Tourism

Reel her in: There are ample opportunities to catch big fish off Bermuda.

Catch of the day

By James Whittaker | For novice fishermen looking for an exciting family day out or experienced anglers hoping to hook a monster marlin, the deep ocean surrounding Bermuda is a fertile hunting ground. More than 20 charter firms offer day-trippers the chance to try their luck.

Two volcanic sea-mounts, Challenger and Argus Banks, several miles offshore, are the focus of
attention for the small fleets of boats that idle out of pretty harbours every morning. Here, the powerful Atlantic currents push baitfish over steepling banks, attracting swarms of big-game fish.

Schools of tuna and wahoo offer rich pickings for anglers of all abilities. Other fish often caught on deep sea trips include amberjack, mahi mahi, bonito, little tunny and rainbow runner.

Local fishermen know their turf and will guide you to the best spots.

Some will let you keep your catch, but they are not obliged to do so. Boats are equipped with rods, tackle, bait, life-saving gear and toilets. Typically you’ll supply your own refreshments.

Charter prices for deep-sea outings, usually around $800 for a 48 bermuda.com guide

Many record gamefish are caught here. half-day or $1,000-$1,200 for the day (roughly $200 per person) cover gear, skipper and crew and if fish are biting, a couple of fresh tuna or wahoo steaks.

Along with amateurs fishing for fun, our waters also attract big-time anglers hunting the biggest, baddest fish in the ocean – the wild blue marlin.

Fierce, acrobatic and sometimes weighing in excess of 1,000lbs, marlin are the toughest fish to land — the Holy Grail for hardcore sports fishermen.

Almost all marlin are released.

For every fisherman that leaves with his Kodak moment there are more who travel home with nothing but memories and tall stories of the ones that got away.

Either way — most leave firmly hooked on Bermuda. n For more on fishing charters visit: www.bermuda.com

fishing

Baxter’s Reef Fishing ‘Life on the ocean wave’ is guaranteed to be great fun with Capt. Baxter aboard his 32–foot Cape Islander ‘Ellen B’. Apply the catch and release method or take your catch home for supper!

‘Ellen B’ is well equipped to accommodate the whole family, complete with ample awning on hot days and complimentary sodas. The captain, with more than 20 years experience on the spectacular Barrier Reef, will display his expertise and show even the ‘amateurs’ how to catch a fish!

You may enjoy a half-day or a full-day fishing. Parties of up to ten can be arranged. Capt. Baxter is always happy to oblige smaller parties by joining up with other small groups. Departing daily. Mangrove Bay public dock in Somerset. Tel: 234-2963 or 3349722. www.baxtersreeffishing.com

www.bermudareeffishing.com

bermuda.com guide 49

nature

Photo by Tony McWilliam

The Red Powder Puff, popular with bees, is quite rare and blooms in late winter/early spring.

Our spectacular flora

By Lisa GreEne | The winding roads of lush Bermuda provide a visual treat, with nearly every turn offering vividly colourful views of our subtropical flora.

Providing colour, privacy and wind protection, the hibiscus hedge is a common sight. Pink and red-flowered varieties are the most popular because they are easily grown from cuttings, but there are many others, too, featuring large single, semi-double and double flowers in a rainbow of colours.

Photo by Lisa Greene

Hibisicus flowers come in various hues and are found throughout Bermuda.

Oleander is another useful hedge for wind protection, with its flexible stems and leathery leaves. A profusion of pink flowers in the

summer is a bonus! But oleander is poisonous, so beware.

Royal Poinciana, seen throughout the island, is a favourite ornamental and 50 bermuda.com guide

nature

Endemic plants include Bermuda moss summer shade tree. Branches spread gracefully over roadways and lawns.

In the spring, bare branches seem to burst overnight into green ‘umbrellas’ of feathery leaves, followed by an eruption of large clusters of vibrant red flowers in early summer. It’s hard to imagine what Bermuda would look like without them.

Black ebony is a tree that shades many streets in Hamilton. In the summer it bears fragrant, powder-pufflike flowers that are followed by dimpled seed pods that give the tree its other common name of ‘women’s tongue’. The seeds rattle inside the dry pods when blown by the wind.

While in Hamilton, look for the Rubber Tree on Queen Street in front of historic Par-la-ville, home of the National Library. Another fine example grows in the Botanical Gardens alongside a magnificent Banyan tree.

Tamarisk shrubs, known locally as ‘spruce’, have feathery blue-green foliage that acts as a windbreaker — in 1839 Governor William Reid suggested that it be planted along North Shore for that purpose. Tamarisk bears delicate pink flowers.

Left: Tamarisk shrubs, known locally as ‘spruce’, have feathery blue-green foliage.

Below: A spectacular banyan tree at the Botanical Gardens.

Photos by Lisa Greene

Two iconic trees, unique to the island, are cedar and palmetto. The Bermuda cedar, actually a juniper, once covered the island’s hillsides, providing a vital source of timber. Today, the stateliest old trees preside over our graveyards.

The Bermuda palmetto, once a source of thatching for roofs, berries to eat and a fermented drink called ‘bibbie’, is today best seen at our marshes. Paget Marsh has a lovely boardwalk for visitors.

Casuarina, a tall, pine-like tree, was introduced to reforest the island after more than 90% of Bermuda cedars died from introduced pest infestations in the 1950s. The evergreen casuarina is now the dominant tree on our landscape.

Lisa Greene is the author of Bermuda’s Flora, Vol. 1 & 2, available in bookstores.

A free and delicious treat: Loquat trees bear fruit in early spring.

Photo by Tony McWilliam

bermuda.com guide 51

practicalities How to stay safe on a rental bike

By SIMON JONES | One of the best ways to see Bermuda is on two wheels.

Follow our tips to stay safe: • Hire from a reputable firm and check the bike is in good condition; • Helmets are mandatory — but useless unless they fit and are secured properly; • We drive on the left — just like the Brits; • Drive defensively and wear bright clothes to aid your visibility to others; • Wear sneakers or closed-toe shoes — topple off your bike in flip-flops and you could easily lose a digit; • The speed limit is 35kph; stick to it and don’t feel obliged to keep up with other road users; • Leave plenty of space between

yourself and other vehicles and don’t get too close to the curb; • Never turn around to look behind you while riding; • Never stop on a bend or a hill’s brow; • Drive slower when it’s wet; • When riding in a group, put the slowest rider at the front; • Traffic at roundabouts goes clockwise, so as you approach one, slow down and give way to vehicles coming from the right; • NEVER drink and ride; • On weekdays, avoid rush hour city traffic (7.30-9.30am and 4-6pm).

Wheels Cycles Moped & Scooter Rentals is at 13 Dundonald Street, Hamilton, tel: 292-2245 n

Wheels Cycles Ltd.

13 Dundonald St., Hamilton, Bermuda Tel: 441-292-2245 www.wheelscycles.com Email: information@wheels.bm Discover the beauty of Bermuda at your own speed with our easy to ride, Peugeot double seater scooter. Single seaters also available. * Open 7 Days a week * No deposit required * All major credit cards welcomed * No license required * Third party insurance included * Complete instructions & safety tips 52 bermuda.com guide

practicalities

Shark oil barometers forecast weather

Know your island

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Our ferries are fast and comfortable.

Your concierge might know an awful lot, but you can’t take her to the beach. Here’s a handy list of things you ought to know.

Information provided here is subject to change. For the latest, visit our website: www.bermuda.com. n Airlines Air Canada Reservations: Tel: 1-888-247-2262.

Flight Info: Tel: 293-1777.

American Airlines Tel: 1-800-433-7300.

Flight Info: Tel: 293-1420 AirTran 1-800-AIR-TRAN (247-8726) or 678-254-7999.

British Airways Reservations: Tel: 1-800-247-9297.

Airport customer service: Tel: 293-1944.

Continental Airlines Reservations: Tel: 1-800-231-0856.

Flight Info: Tel: 293-3092.

Delta Airlines Reservations: Tel: 1-800-221-1212.

Flight Info: Tel: 1-800-325-1999.

JETBLUE Tel: 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583).

Flight Info: Tel: 293-3608.

U.S. Airways Reservations: Tel: 1-800-622-1015.

Flight Info: Tel: 293-3073.

WestJet | Tel: 1-888-WESTJET (937-8538).

n Airport L.F. Wade International Airport (tel: 2932470) is located in St. George’s at the east end of the island. Allow 30 minutes from the city of Hamilton by taxi. Check-in two hours before departure.

bermuda.com guide 53

practicalities

Topless sunbathing is against the n Banks Normally open from 9am to 4pm, Mon-Fri. There are many ATMs across the island.

ATMs dispense Bermuda dollars which are tied at par with US dollars.

n Buses All bus routes serving Hamilton arrive and leave the Bus Terminal on Washington Street. (Refer to number 48 on the Hamilton map on page 24. See page 57 for schedule).

Cash fares require exact change. Dollar bills are not accepted. Adult cash fare is $3 up to 3 zones, $4.50 for longer journeys.

Tokens are $2.50 for 3 zone trips and $4 for longer trips. Transportation passes are available: one-day pass $12, two days $20, three days $28, four days $35, seven days $45 or one month, $55. For children (aged 5-16) cash fare is $2 and transportation passes range from $6 per day up to $22.50 for seven days. Children under five ride free. Tokens, tickets and passes can be used on buses or ferries and can be bought at the ferry terminal, the central bus terminal, hotels, post offices and the Dockyard Visitor Information Centre. (The fares listed here, correct at press time, are subject to change). Tel: 292-3851 • info@ptb.bm

n Business Hours Stores normally open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday. Many grocery stores open 1-5pm on Sunday, most other stores are closed on Sundays.

n Cars No car rentals are available in Bermuda but you can rent scooters and pedal bikes.

n Consulate The U.S. Consulate is located on Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, tel: 295-1342.

Open Mon to Fri 8am - 4:30pm. Consular services are provided on an appointment basis only. For details, visit the Consulate’s website: http://hamilton.usconsulate.gov or contact HMLUSCitizenQuery@state.gov.

For after-hours life or death emergencies

54 bermuda.com guide

practicalities

law here in Bermuda for American citizens only, contact the duty officer at (441) 335-3828.

• Honorary Consuls for other countries are also represented in Bermuda — see the telephone directory for listings.

n Communications Bermuda’s well-developed telecommunications infrastructure provides modern telephone, fax, Internet, cellular and cellularroaming services.

n Country Code U.S. & Canada — dial 1 plus area code plus no.

U.K. — dial 011 plus 44 plus area code plus no.

Caribbean — dial 1 plus area code plus seven digits.

n Currency & Credit Cards The Bermuda dollar is equal in value to the U.S. dollar; both are legal tender. Traveller’s cheques and credit cards are accepted at most shops, restaurants and hotels.

n Dress Code The dress code in Bermuda is conservative. Bathing suits and bare chests are not acceptable, except (for men) at beaches and pools. Casual wear is acceptable in restaurants at lunchtime. Some upscale restaurants require men to wear a jacket in the evening. Check the dress requirements when making reservations.

n Emergency Call 911 and specify whether you need police, the fire service or an ambulance.

n Etiquette It is customary to greet islanders with a ‘good morning’, ‘good afternoon’ or ‘good evening’ — Bermuda prides herself on civility.

n Ferries All ferries depart from the terminal on Front Street, Hamilton. Regular ferries cross Hamilton Harbour and faster catamarans visit Somerset, Dockyard and, and in the summer months, St. George’s.

Transportation tickets, tokens and passes valid for buses and ferries are available at locations including the ferry terminal, bus

Stay in touch Going on holiday is more fun when you can share it with the ones you love! Send messages, post pictures, and talk to your friends and family back home while you perfect your tan on our pink sand beaches.

If you are here for a short trip, roaming is your best option. Choose to roam with the network trusted by over 11 million people in 31 countries: Digicel. If your phone does not automatically connect to the Digicel network, you can set it up manually using your network options in a few short steps.

If you are spending more than few days on our lovely island, you may consider purchasing a local prepaid SIM card to limit your roaming charges. Digicel prepaid SIM cards are available in both Digicel stores in Hamilton (Church Street and Court Street) and in over 100 dealer locations across the island. If you have a BlackBerry device, you may activate a temporary data plan on your Digicel prepaid SIM card.

For more information, please visit www.digicelbermuda.com or call us at +1 441 500 5000. terminal, post offices and hotels. Cash is not accepted on the ferries. Scooters are allowed on some routes.

n Health No inoculations are required for Bermuda.

There are no poisonous insects or mammals but visitors should be wary of the Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish that carries a painful sting. Guard against sunstroke and sunburn with hats, sunblock and plenty of water.

n Hospital King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (tel. 2362345) is a large, first-rate facility owned

bermuda.com guide 55

practicalities

We have ample rainfall but no National Heroes’ Day | Monday, June 18 Emancipation Day (Cup Match, day one) | Thursday, August 2 Somers Day (Cup Match, day two) | Friday, August 3 Labour Day | Monday, September 3 Remembrance Day | Sunday, November 11 Christmas Day | Tuesday, December 25 Boxing Day | Wednesday, December 26

n Religion

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Helmets are mandatory if you choose to rent a scooter.

and operated by the Bermuda Government and located on Point Finger Road in Paget Parish. An associate of the American Hospital Association. Airlifts can be arranged to the U.S. or Canada.

n Internet Most hotels and many guest houses provide Internet access. Also, there are a handful of locations where you can go online in the city of Hamilton including the Bermuda Library on Queen Street and the Main Post Office on Parliament Street, where access is free. Public Internet access is also available in St. George’s and Dockyard. Many cafes provide wi-fi access to customers.

n Mail The General Post Office is located at 56 Church Street Hamilton (tel: 297-7893), with 12 sub-offices islandwide. Airmail leaves and arrives daily. Rates for airmail postcards to North America are 70¢; Europe 80¢; Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand 90¢.

n Nightlife See pages 81-83

n Public Holidays 2012 Good Friday | Friday, April 6 Bermuda Day | Thursday, May 24

56 bermuda.com guide

Churches are ubiquitous here. Anglican, Catholic, African Methodist Episcopal and Seventh Day Adventist are among the major faiths. See the church listings in Friday’s Bermuda Sun newspaper.

n Scooters You can rent scooters by the day or week, if you are 18 or older. Helmets, provided by the rental companies, are mandatory (see page 52 for safety tips).

n Smoking Smoking is banned from all enclosed public spaces including restaurants, bars, shops, theatres or any enclosed workspaces.

n Taxis Cabs are safe and comfortable. Rates are controlled by law at $6.40 for the first mile and $2.25 for each additional mile for 1-4 passengers. Rates increase after midnight, Sundays and public holidays with a 25% surcharge for 1-4 passengers and a 50% surcharge for 5-6 passengers. Taxis may also be hired for sightseeing tours at $40 per hour with a minimum of 3 hours.

n TV & Radio Three main local channels screen a nightly news bulletin — VSB (channel 11), ZBM (9) and ZFB (7). A government station, CITV, is on channel 2 and there’s a small handful of local radio stations. The quality of local programming varies considerably.

n Time Differences New York — one hour behind Bermuda Los Angeles — four hours behind London — four hours ahead

practicalities

rivers or lakes

year we see rain on 171 days and sunshine on 200 days.

Toronto — one hour behind Daylight Savings Time comes into effect from the second Sunday in March through to the first Sunday in November.

n Wildlife

n Tipping In most cases, a service charge or gratuity has been added to the bill. Where the gratuity has not been added, 15% is about right.

n Water Tap water is safe to drink, unless you are instructed otherwise. Bermuda has no rivers, streams or reservoirs; all our water comes from rain or wells. Bermuda roofs are painted with a limestone wash that purifies the water as it trickles down into underground tanks. Electric pumps send the water up to the tap.

n Weather Bermuda’s sub-tropical climate is generally mild and humid, but summer and winter temperatures vary considerably. The average annual temperature is 76ºF. Monthly averages: January 65ºF, water 66ºF; April 67ºF, water 68ºF; July 80ºF, water 81ºF; October 75ºF, water 76ºF. In an average

One of our most intriguing creatures is the common whistling frog. Their ‘gleep-gleep’ chorus is particularly vigorous after rainfall on warm evenings and you’ll be amazed that a frog little bigger than your thumbnail can be so audible. Easier to spot on wet evenings are enormous cane toads, introduced to control cockroaches.

Birds are plentiful; about 375 species have been recorded in Bermuda and 20 are resident. There are hundreds of feral cats and feral chickens – but no feral dogs.

We have a few rats, of course, but no snakes. Spiders are abundant but generally harmless. The occasional poisonous spider arrives on imported lumber but they rarely bother people. Mosquitoes aren’t a problem and there are few bugs to worry about.

Try to avoid the Portuguese man-o-war, a purple jellyfish that sports long tentacles and causes a painful sting. Sharks are rare in Bermuda waters.

Route

Airport Aquarium Belmont Hotel Botanical Gardens Caves (Crystal and Leamington) Dockyard Elbow Beach Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Grotto Bay Hotel Horseshoe Bay Beach Hospital Mangrove Bay (Somerset) National Museum of Bermuda Bermuda Perfumery John Smith’s Bay Beach Fairmont Southampton Resort Town of St. George

1, 3, 10, 11 10 11 8 1, 2, 7 1, 3 7, 8 2, 7 7 1, 3, 10, 11 7 1, 2, 7 7, 8 7, 8 1, 3, 10, 11 1 7, 8 1, 3, 10, 11

Bus Schedule Number

Fare Leaving Hamilton’s Central Zone Bus Terminal (time past the hour) 14 00 3 00 3 00 3 00 14 14 00 3 00 3 00 14 00 3 00 3 00 14 00 14 00 14 00 3 3 00 14 00

15 30 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 15 30 15 30

45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45

bermuda.com guide 57

weddings

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Elbow Beach is one of many blissful backdrops for wedding photos.

Get hitched in paradise

By Amanda Dale | Bermuda is one of the most romantic places in the world in which to say ‘I do’.

With stunning backdrops of pink sand beaches and turquoise ocean, you can be sure that your big day will be colourful, vibrant and memorable.

Bermuda is regularly voted one of the world’s best wedding destinations and more than half of all weddings here involve couples from overseas.

Many hotels offer wedding packages which include the reception and honeymoon accommodation.

And it’s easier to arrange than you might think. You need to submit a Notice of Intended Marriage form and fee to the Registrar General. The notice is then published in the local press and, if there are no objections, you’ll receive a licence valid for three months.

On such a beautiful island, choosing the venue might be your toughest decision.

58 bermuda.com guide

Our Moon Gates originated in China Aside from our stunning beaches, there are also many scenic locations with commanding views, such as Gibbs Hill Lighthouse and the Commissioner’s House at Dockyard.

Many couples choose a beautiful garden setting and if you are looking for somewhere historic, the Bermuda National Trust can also make its homes and properties available.

A horse-drawn buggy ride from the ceremony to the reception is an island custom. Couples can also make a wish walking hand-in-hand through a Moongate — it’s reputed to be good luck.

Bermudians traditionally have two wedding cakes, one each for the bride and groom. The bride’s cake has a Bermuda Cedar sapling and the couple plant this in a secret location. As the cedar tree grows, so the marriage is said to flourish.

Inviting family and friends to your Bermuda wedding can earn you a financial reward. The Department of Tourism offers cash incentives of between $25 and $50 for each visitor, depending on how many you bring over.

Government launched the Feel the Love Rewards programme to boost visitor arrivals during the economic downturn. It is open to island residents as well as ‘friends of Bermuda’, which

weddings

Photo by Ernest McCreight

It is good luck for couples to walk through one of our Moon Gates.

includes any US, Canadian and UK resident, excluding cruise ship visitors.

You must fill out an application form online or post it to the Feel the Love Rewards Coordinator at the Department of Tourism’s New York office.

If you have a wedding party of 30 guests, all staying in Tourism-approved accommodation, you could receive $900.

So, we pay you to marry your loved one in Bermuda. We did mention this is paradise, right?

For more information go to: www.feeltherewards.com. For more details on getting married in Bermuda, see: www.bermudatourism.com/weddings

weddings portraits events 300-5005 / 536-9843 info@moongateproductions.com

bermuda.com guide 59

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton in Bermuda Bermuda’s Roman Catholic Diocese began as a mission of the Archdiocese of Halifax with the laying of the first cornerstone for a Catholic Church in 1858. The Island’s Catholic Church flourished. In 1967 the Diocese of Hamilton Bermuda was established.

Bermuda was served by the Diocesan clergy of Halifax until 1953, after which pastoral responsibility transferred to the Congregation of the Resurrection. The Resurrectionist Fathers continue to serve our Catholic Community today. All Bishops have been members of that same Congregation including its current Bishop, Robert Joseph Kurtz, CR, who was ordained on 15 September 1995.

According to the 2010 Census the Catholic Church is the second largest church in Bermuda with approximately 9,500 members. There are six parishes which are: St. Theresa’s Cathedral on Cedar Avenue in Hamilton, St. Joseph’s in Somerset, St. Anthony’s on Middle Road, Warwick; St. Michael’s on South Road, Paget, St. Patrick’s on South Road, Smith’s and Stella Maris in the Town of St. George.

The Roman Catholic Diocese sponsors Bermuda’s only Catholic school, Mount Saint Agnes Academy (MSA), from which many of Bermuda’s socio-economic community leaders have graduated.

A Kindergarten through Gr12 private school, MSA provides quality education to approximately 400 students that is enhanced by their experiencing the lived values of the Catholic Faith and Culture.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society is the registered Roman Catholic Charity that supports people in need regardless of ethnic, religious, racial or social background.

Visit www.catholicbermuda.org or “LIKE” us on Facebook at Catholic Diocese of Bermuda.

See Full Mass Schedule on Next Page

60 bermuda.com guide

CATHEDRAL OF ST. THERESA, Cedar Avenue, Hamilton, Bermuda

% 292-0607

ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH, South Road, Smith’s Parish

% 236-9866

rector: VACAT Rev. Julio M. Blazejewski, C.R., Episcopal Vicar for Portuguese Mass Schedule: Tuesday to Friday: 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday to Friday: 12:10 p.m.

Saturday: 6:30 p.m.

Sunday: 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.

(Portuguese) 10:00 a.m.

6:00 p.m.

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturdays: 5:30 p.m.

Pastor: Rev. Paul S. Voisin, C.R. Mass Schedule: Monday to Friday: Saturday: Sunday: Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturdays:

8:00 a.m.

6:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.

5:00 - 5:30 p.m.

ST. MICHAEL’S CHURCH, South Road, Paget Parish

% 236-2166

ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH, Somerset Road, Somerset

% 234-2321

Pastor: Rev. Vladimir Sobolewski, C.R. Mass Schedule: Tues., Wed. & Fri. 8:00 a.m.

Thursday: 7:00 p.m.

Saturday: 5:45 p.m.

Sunday: 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m.

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturdays: 5:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Pastor: Rev. W. Joseph Scollard, C.R. Mass Schedule: Sunday: Sacrament of Reconciliation: Anytime by Appointment

9:30 a.m.

ST. ANTHONY’S CHURCH, Middle Road, Warwick Parish

Pastor: Rev. W. Joseph Scollard, C.R. Mass Schedule: Tuesday to Friday: Saturday: Sunday: Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturdays

STELLA MARIS CHURCH, Duke of Clarence Street, St. George’s

% 238-1784 7:45 a.m.

5:30 p.m.

7:45 a.m., 11:15 a.m.

Pastor: Rev. Joseph Morley Mass Schedule: Monday to Friday: Saturday: Sunday: Sacrament of Reconciliation: Before or after Daily Mass or by Appointment

5:15 p.m.

% 297-0512 9:00 a.m.

5:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m.

bermuda.com guide 61

on a budget?

Photos by Kageaki Smith

Buses are comfy and air conditioned — and cheap if you buy a pass.

Bermuda on the cheap

By Don Burgess | Paradise ain’t cheap. With the exception of some homegrown foods, everything has to be imported and the cost of living can be disconcerting — even to those of us who call Bermuda home.

But there are ways of saving a few pennies without sacrificing the fun.

A pal of mine once enjoyed a week’s worth of activities on just $100 — what I might begrudgingly pay for two bags of groceries.

A week’s bus pass is $45 and well worth it. For children it’s $22.50 but if they’re five or under, they ride free. And the same pass is good for the ferries, too. Public transportation is safe and comfortable.

The National Museum of Bermuda, at Dockyard, has an entry fee of $10 for adults and children get in free. It’s a must-see if you have any interest in our history and while you’re on site you’ll be able to watch people interacting with dolphins at Dolphin Quest.

Nearby, take in the free glass blowing show and enjoy free samples at the Bermuda Rum Cake Factory.

At the other end of the island, in St George’s, take a free walking tour of the former capital of Bermuda. The UNESCO World Heritage site can be 62 bermuda.com guide

Groceries are cheaper on Wednesdays enjoyed at a leisurely pace over the course of three hours or so. You’ll see St Peter’s Church, an historic gem, and the nearby Unfinished Church.

Many public entertainment events are free — see our What’s On pages, 10-15.

The pubic beaches (see pages 42 & 43) are free, of course, and complemented by our lovely national parks. Most have spectacular views, none have entrance fees. If you’re taking your own lunch, try the Arboretum, Botanical Gardens, Admirality House Park or Spanish Point Park (all less than 10 minutes on a bus from the city). Spittal Pond Nature Reserve (Smith’s Parish) or Fort Scaur (Somerset), Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse (Southampton) are also recommended. In the city, Barr’s Bay Park, Victoria Park and Par-la-ville Park are peaceful and scenic.

The more adventurous visitor might hike the Railway Trail that snakes through the island, or venture to Tom Moore’s Jungle (The Walsingham Nature Reserve) in Hamilton Parish. No charge for either.

on on awhat’s budget?

If you are eating out in Hamilton, restaurants ‘inside’ the city, rather than those with spectacular views over the harbour, might save you a few bucks. The Barracuda Grill on Burnaby Street has an upscale setting and mid-range prices.

For cheap drinks, both the Bistro at the Beach and Rosa’s Cantina on Front Street offer buckets of five beers for $20.

One of Bermuda’s signature drinks is the rum swizzle and The Swizzle Inn at Bailey’s Bay is the place to get it. A jug is $22.75 and if you go on a Thursday you can take part in a trivia quiz.

For a quick lunch bite, Prime’s Place on Victoria Street will serve you a beef or chicken pie for $7.

A cute souvenir is a tiny bottle of pink sand — $2.95 at Chatham House at the corner of Front and Burnaby Streets.

For a variety of inexpensive trinkets, try Onion Jacks on Front Street.

If you need cheap groceries, use the MarketPlace chain. On Wednesday, they knock five per cent off for cash. n

Small but beautiful: Barr’s Bay Park, on the harbourside in Hamilton —an ideal spot for a money-saving picnic.

bermuda.com guide 63

shopping

Photo by Kageaki Smith

The Irish Linen Shop — which specializes in luxury goods from all over the world — is one of Front Street’s colourful, landmark stores.

Take home quality items that will last You’ve already proved you have good taste by choosing to visit Bermuda so it’s fitting that our stores exude quality. There are bargains to be had — you’ll find hefty price differentials with the U.S. on jewellery, watches, perfume, silverware, porcelain and crystal. And you’ll enjoy additional relief at the cash register — there’s no sales tax.

Many stores are in the City of Hamilton, but the Clocktower Mall at Dockyard, on the western tip of the island, boasts quality gift stores and boutique shops.

And the historic town of St. George’s — at the east end of Bermuda — also has a lively shopping scene.

Goods made here or produced exclusively for local stores include pottery, jewellery, paintings and prints, pottery, rum, honey, condiments, cedar ware, Bermuda shorts, scarves, fragrances and pillows.

Browse the following listings for details.

64 bermuda.com guide

Bermuda The Original

For over 30 years the Original Bermuda Collection has featured timeless designs based on the island’s unique flora, fauna, landmarks and traditions. This collection of locally made treasures will serve as a lovely remembrance of your “Bermuda Experience”. These original, 18 karat gold pieces are hand crafted in Bermuda and sold exclusively

by Astwood Dickinson.

47 Front Street and 83-85 Front Street, Hamilton, Bermuda, 441.292.5805 www.astwooddickinson.com

go shopping

Bermuda Triangle: One of the world’s

Astwood Dickinson Home of the Original Bermuda Collection 18 kt Gold Jewellery handmade in Bermuda.

Since 1904, Astwood Dickinson has built an outstanding reputation as the finest jewellery store in Bermuda.

As exclusive agents for the world’s most prestigious jewellery collections and watches, Astwood Dickinson is the perfect place to find a lasting reminder of your Bermuda experience.

In our on-site workshop we handcraft the Original Bermuda Collection. Here you will find beautiful 18 kt gold designs of the island’s unique flora, fauna, landmarks and traditions that make an everlasting remembrance of your Bermuda vacation. The Original Bermuda Collection is also available online at www.astwooddickinson.com .

Astwood Dickinson also offers exclusive jewellery collections from Tiffany & Co., Hearts on Fire, Links of London and

HERA BOUTIQUE

Bermuda’s newest Boutique for Ladies featuring classic and stylish European and American-made clothing and accessories.

Tel. 441.232 .4372 email heraboutique.bm@gmail.com address The Old Cellar Walker Arcade

47 Front Street Hamilton, Bermuda HM 11 Open Tuesday through Saturday 10am -5:00pm Sunday 1pm -5pm (Seasonal) or by appointment outside of store hours

66 bermuda.com guide

Baccarat. Our watch brands include Patek Philippe, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier, OMEGA, TAG Heuer, Gucci, and Tissot.

83-85 Front Street, Hamilton.

Tel: 292-5805 Walker Arcade Boutique, Front Street, Hamilton. Tel: 292-4247

Bermuda Blue & Bermuda Breeze Imagine standing on the shoreline of Bermuda’s pristine, pink sandy beaches.

Breathe. Take in the sea air, the aroma of natural fruits & flowers all around us... Bermuda Blue and Bermuda Breeze fragrances embrace much that is uniquely Bermuda.

Bermuda Blue delicately captures the natural citrus, jasmine and lotus in the air with a nuance of crisp sea spray. It dries down to a woody and vanilla base, managing to create a warm scent.

Bermuda Breeze hints more of natural fruits, such as wild berries & mandarin, with a touch of jasmine — creating a lovely fruity floral.

Packaging reflects the brilliant blues and greens of the local water, the immense blue sky, amid a pink sandy beach — capturing the essence of this beautiful island paradise.

Take home a piece of Bermuda. Take home Bermuda Blue and Bermuda Breeze.

Available through select stores across the Island and on-line including: Gibbons Company, Reid St., Hamilton www.gibbons.bm Peniston Brown, St. George’s Perfume Shop, Dockyard Carole Holding, Front St., Hamilton Princess & Fairmont Southampton Brown & Co., Front St., Hamilton A.S. Cooper, Front St., Hamilton, branch and hotel stores www.ascooper.bm Distributed by P.D.L. Limited Tel: (441) 292-1710. infobb@pdl.bm

go shopping

most heavily-sailed shipping lanes

will please the affluent and international traveller.

The Perfumery is passionate about the art of perfume making and continues to innovate by using both traditional and modern techniques to produce exceptional perfumes. You are welcome to visit for a free tour of their operations and to sample their exclusive and rare perfumes.

The Bermuda Perfumery, Stewart Hall, 5 Queen Street, St. George’s GE 05 Tel: 293-0627. Fax: 293-8810 1-800-527-8213 (toll free in US/Canada) info@bermuda-perfumery.com www.lilibermuda.com. Open Monday to Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm

Bermuda Post Office Photo by Kageaki Smith

The Perfumery is a reliable choice for gifts and authentic souvenirs.

The Bermuda Perfumery The Bermuda Perfumery is located at historical Stewart Hall in the heart of St. George’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Since 1928, The Bermuda Perfumery has been creating and manufacturing fine ladies and gentlemen’s fragrances under the brand Lili Bermuda. All the perfumes are made on the premises at Stewart Hall. The Perfumery welcomes visitors for a free tour of its operations and to sample its unique fragrances.

During the summer of 2011, Lili Bermuda launched ‘Alegria’, a fragrance for women.

Alegria was created to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Bermuda. Alegria is a white chypre fragrance with a heart of frangipani, Bermuda Cedar, tuberose and magnolia. Alegria is modern, international and elegant.

The Perfumery’s perfume collection also includes exclusive creations inspired by our beautiful Island. Modern women will love Coral, Pink, and Lily, and men will not want to leave Bermuda without a bottle of our famous fragrances 32° North and 64° West.

The ‘Water Collection’, casual and unisex,

Every year the Bermuda Philatelic Bureau compiles a collection of commemoratives and arranges them into an attractive presentation package. This collection continues the Bermuda Post Office’s efforts to portray all facets of Bermuda’s heritage, culture and history. The Bermuda Philatelic Bureau also services orders for current issues of Bermuda’s commemorative and definitive stamps and, for the convenience of collectors, provides a standing order account service with a minimum deposit of thirty dollars. In addition, they maintain a mailing list to provide details of new stamp releases to customers. 56 Church Street, Hamilton. Tel: 297-7807

Brown & Co. Brown & Co. with over 10,000 square feet of floor space, is the island’s most comprehensive department store. Located in the heart of Hamilton, their department stores are stocked with everything you need for yourself, friends, family and your home – featuring tourist-oriented gifts, greeting cards, books from local and internationally acclaimed authors, perfumes & fragrances from top designers, home décor from around the world, fashion jewellery and so much more.

bermuda.com guide 67

go shopping

Locally made products are ‘Bermudiana’ tried Lili Bermuda.

Open Mondays-Saturdays 8:30am6:30pm and Sundays 1pm-5pm.

Hallmark, Reid Street, Hamilton. Tel: 279-5442 The Bookmart, Reid Street, Hamilton. Tel: 279-5443 Buzz Café, Reid Street, Hamilton.

Tel: 279-5462 Brown & Co, Front Street, Hamilton Tel: 279-5524

HERA Boutique

Photo by Kageaki Smith.

Brown & Co., one of our leading department stores, has a prime location on Front Street.

At Brown & Co’s Bookmart, we have an excellent selection of books from around the world, and of course, Bermuda’s best authors – from cookbooks , sports to lifestyles. Join us for our weekly reading, author’s signing, or just to browse the aisles of treasured books. Who knows what you might find for yourself or that special bookaficionado in your life. Plus, nestled at the back of the store’s book department is a beautifully designed Café offering gourmet coffees, snacks, desserts, sandwiches and more. Make sure to visit.

Make a lasting impression with the help of Brown & Co.’s Perfumes and Fragrances Department where your selection is boundless. From top designer offerings for that special occasion to everyday standbys that set the bar, the impression is yours at Brown & Co. Plus, peruse our ‘BermudaMade’ section for Bermuda’s most soughtafter perfume line — ‘Lili Bermuda’. You haven’t experienced perfume until you’ve

68 bermuda.com guide

Bermuda’s newest boutique features classic, stylish, quality clothing for women.

Our clothing appeals to women of all ages who prefer updated, yet understated, clothing.

Items from Europe and North America have been chosen for their versatility, functionality and longevity. Our European labels include Betty Barclay (Germany), Chez Chemise (Portugal) and Joyce Ridings (UK). We have Italian knitwear, trousers and leather goods plus a small selection of beautifully hand-made garments by L. Venturini of Florence. Our North American labels include ELLIOT LAUREN, paperwhite, Amy Matto, A’NUE LIGNE and J’ENVIE. Old Cellar, 47 Front Street, Hamilton Tel: 232 4372 between 10am & 5pm. heraboutique.bm@gmail.com

The Phoenix Stores With five full-service pharmacies, Phoenix Stores have been caring for customers and assisting with their health care needs for more than 100 years. Should you need answers to health related questions whilst you are on vacation, visit one of their Phoenix pharmacists. Emergency prescriptions are dispensed while you wait and each store carries an extensive range of over-the-counter medications.

The stores also carry a wide range of health and beauty products, local and foreign newspapers and magazines, phone Continued on page 72

jewellery

Our city covers only 80 acres

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Impeccable personal service has been a hallmark of Crisson Jewellers for many years.

Crisson Jewellers Crisson Jewellers embodies Bermuda’s finest and most cherished traditions.

A family business since 1922, the Crisson name is synonymous with quality and value.

The fabulous array of jewellery and watches reflect the style, sophistication and taste of our discerning customers.

When you explore our exciting collections, we are sure you will agree that a visit to Crisson is the crowning moment of your Bermuda shopping experience.

Along with the wonderfully eclectic collection of hand-selected pieces from all parts of the world, Crisson are Bermuda’s exclusive source for famous designers including David Yurman, Roberto Coin, Marco Bicego, John Hardy, Kabana, Nanis, Pandora, Marah Largo Larimar, and Rebecca . As for diamonds of distinction, Crisson has Bermuda’s largest collection of spectacular cuts from Cento, Memoire, A. Jaffe and Endless Diamonds.

When it comes to timepieces, Crisson is definitely the place! Crisson are the 70 bermuda.com guide

officially authorised Rolex retailers in Bermuda. You will also find Tag Heuer, Ebel, Raymond Weil, Movado, Tudor, Philip Stein, Christian Dior, Frederique Constant and Fendi. There are also collections from Seiko, Swiss Army, Citizen, Casio, Luminox, Fruitz, Rotary, Toy Watch, Guess and Michael Kors.

Crisson has two main stores on Front Street in Hamilton, with another on Queen Street.

There’s a store in St. George’s and one in the Clocktower Mall at Dockyard. If you are staying in one of Bermuda’s major Hotels, you’ll find a Crisson store there as well. Each of these boutique-style stores features pieces selected from our main collections in Hamilton. The shopping experience is relaxed and intimate, and the quality, value and prices are the same whichever store you choose to visit.

Crisson Jewellers, 16 Queen Street, 55 & 71 Front Street, Hamilton; Water Street, St. George’s; Clocktower Mall, Dockyard, and all major hotels.

Tel: 295-2351 • www.crisson.com

…So much more than juSt LinenS!

Home Décor Fine GiFts LiFe’s Luxuries obviously you have great taste!

31 Front Street, Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00-6:00 P.M.

Tel: 441-295-4089

go shopping

U.S. dollars can be used in Bermuda

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Quality giftware, unique to Bermuda, is abundant at The Island Shop.

Continued from page 68

cards and postcards, etc. Visit one of their locations: Woodbourne Chemist, Clarendon Pharmacy, Collector’s Hill Apothecary, Phoenix Centre, Paget Pharmacy and Dockyard Pharmacy for all your essentials.

All stores are open Monday to Saturday; three stores are also open on Sundays and holidays. Tel: 295-3838

The Irish Linen Shop Step inside our historic cottage shop and be inspired! Luxury products from all over the world have been an Irish Linen Shop trademark for over 60 years. Our exquisite table linen collection from Le Jacquard Francais, Bodrum, Settings by Mona, and Karen Lee Ballard along with our amazing selection of table accessories from Deborah Rhodes and Dransfield and Ross will create an unforgettable table setting. Hand embroidered linen from Madeira and double damask from Ireland are still time-honoured traditions at The Irish Linen Shop.

Beautiful home fragrances from Antica Farmacista, Dayna Decker, Lafco and the oldest candle maker in France, Cire Trudon will delight your senses. Don’t stop until you experience our bath and body products from Baudelaire and Rain of South Africa.

72 bermuda.com guide

You deserve it! Wait: The world of Michael Aram and Mariposa are the perfect solution when searching for a gift that will delight the recipient for years. Our home décor selections from Zentique, Oomph, and Roost will transform your home and your outlook.

You’ll love the children’s boutique at The Irish Linen Shop. It’s the place to find beautiful hand smocked dresses from Chantal and the classic styles of Papo d’Anjo from Portugal. Later, dream away on the finest Egyptian cotton bedding from Yves Delorme, Sferra, Matouk, Peter Reed and Dans Nos Maisons. It’s all here, waiting for you at The Irish Linen Shop, where fine living begins. 31 Front Street, Hamilton. Tel: 295-4089; Fax: 295-6552; e-mail: irishlinen@ibl.bm

The Island Shop The Island Shop features exclusive and original hand-painted ceramics by Barbara Finsness that capture the colourful architectural and natural features of Bermuda.

There are fine linens that feature her original embroidered designs and a huge array of different gift items. The Island Shop is a ‘must visit’ during your stay for gift selections found nowhere else in the world!

They will gift-wrap or mail your purchases if desired. Check out their online store at www.islandexports.com. Winner of ‘The Best in Bermuda’ in retail giftware by The Bermudian magazine in 2004 and 2005.

Remember to visit Barbara‘s Art Gallery featuring her original and printed artwork in The Old Cellar Lane, Hamilton. Looking for rugby shirts then take a look in the Island Shop located on the mezzanine floor at the Fairmont Southampton.

Queen Street, Hamilton, tel: 292-5292.

The Old Cellar Lane, Hamilton, tel: 292-6307 Somers Wharf, St. George’s, tel: 297-11514 Fairmont Hotel, Southampton, tel: 238-5999

island style

Photo courtesy Bermuda Dept. of Tourism

Bermuda shorts are de rigueur among the island’s businessmen, among others.

Bermuda shorts: A brief history

By SIMON JONES | It’s not everywhere in the world a man can walk down

the street in pink shorts and matching knee-high socks and hold his head high.

But in Bermuda, no one bats an eyelid when such colourful dressers wend their way around town.

Bermuda shorts are a national uniform. They come in all colours, from salmon pink to sunshine yellow.

And they are accompanied by a pair of long socks, called Bermuda hose, pulled up to the knee. Add a navy blazer, a tie and smart shoes and you have standard business attire here in the semi-tropics.

Don’t be fooled by the bright colours – Bermuda shorts are serious stuff. We once passed a law that states they should not be shorter than six inches above the knee.

74 bermuda.com guide

Wear tasselled loafers with your shorts.

Bermuda shorts trace their origins to the British Army; soldier sported cutoff trousers to combat the tropical and desert climates they were sent to.

They were created at the turn of the 20th century by office workers in London, whose job it was to make sure the forces were suitably attired in farflung corners of the Empire.

The look caught on and by the 1950s, most Bermudian men were happy to don a pair of comfortable shorts for work.

Although they are Bermuda shorts by name, they are not made here; typically they’re imported from the United States.

They make terrific gifts and/or mementos and who knows — you might start a trend in your hometown.

The largest selection of Bermuda shorts can be found at the English

what’s on island style

When British soldiers wore shorts on the battlefields of North Africa during WWII, little did they know the look would become fashionable in far off Bermuda.

Sports Shop, which has several branches islandwide. Its flagship store is at 49 Front Street, Hamilton, tel: 295-2672. n

Bermuda’s leading retailer of exclusive, Bermuda-designed resort wear for men, women and children.

49 Front Street, Hamilton, tel: 295-2672 Mangrove Bay, Somerset, tel: 234-0770 Somers Wharf, St. George’s, tel: 297-0142 bermuda.com guide 75

shopping

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Onion Jack’s Trading Post not only has a broad range of T-shirts, but also lots of caps and other items that make handy souvenirs or gifts.

A Bermuda T-shirt is a must-have souvenir

By Terri mello | It’s on every visitor’s shopping list — a souvenir Bermuda T-shirt. After all, it’s the easiest way to tell the world you’ve paid a visit to paradise.

And with our help, you can be sure Uncle Hank and little niece Nicole will be thanking you profusely for that perfect shirt you found.

Whether you’re shopping for a co-worker, relative or yourself, choices abound in stores across the island. But to make your life easier we’ve chosen a few of our favourite places to find great Bermuda T-shirts.

If you’ve only got time to visit one store, Onion Jack’s Trading Post, handily located in the middle of Hamilton’s Front Street, might just take care of all your needs. Here you’ll find a large array of shirts in all sizes (up to 5XL), styles and colours. They stock simple and classy, kitschy and 76 bermuda.com guide

shopping

Hamilton became our capital in 1815. cute, T-shirts with Bermuda maps, local flowers and birds, Bermuda cottages and even some which proclaim that you’ve survived the Bermuda Triangle. And they cater to all age groups.

Onion Jack’s VP Irene Cardwell says the biggest seller is the store’s signature logo T-shirt. “People like it because it’s so unique,” she told us. Be sure to check out the bargain bins, which offer shirts for as little as $6.95.

You can’t miss Riihiluoma’s Flying Colours on Queen Street. It’s a twostorey souvenir shop that sports an array of flags across its storefront. Here you’ll find a dazzling collection of just about any kind of Bermuda T-shirt you could possibly want.

Carole Holding is a local artist

with a store on Hamilton’s Front Street. She paints with soft colours to capture traditional Bermuda scenes and you can find a number of her most popular images on the front of adult-sized T-shirts. These make lovely, conversation-starting souvenirs.

A.S. Cooper is a department store with locations in Hamilton, St. George’s and Dockyard, where you’ll find an array of quality Bermuda T-shirts, ranging from simple and classy to colourful and cute.

Brown & Co., on Front Street in Hamilton, has a range of shirt styles bearing a Bermuda logo, with bright selections for children and T-shirts boldly stating ‘Life is always better in Bermuda’. And who are we to disagree? n

10% discount on purchases over $10 on presentation of this ad.

Not valid for tobacco products, parking vouchers, phone cards or other specials.

bermuda.com guide 77

made in bermuda Artist draws from nature to craft unique jewellery Bermudian artist Alexandra Mosher draws from the island’s natural beauty to create extraordinary and unique pieces of jewellery.

She incorporates our pink coral sand into her handcrafted designs and uses sterling silver and gold to create delightful keepsakes.

“I developed a love for craft at a very young age,” she told us, “often creating sculptures out of found objects.”

Alexandra studied jewellery design, fabrication and wax carving at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and launched her jewellery line in 2005.

Her work is organic, elegant, highly collectible — and available at local outlets including AS Cooper (branches islandwide) and Sovereign Jewellers in Hamilton.

Alexandra also ships internationally: see www.alexandramosher.com n

B E R M U D A

Bermuda Reef Collection

Sterling Silver & Coral Sand Ribbon Necklace

Art jewellery inspired by Bermuda’s beauty

Available at Fine Bermuda Retailers and Galleries ¦ www.alexandramosher.com

78 bermuda.com guide

made in bermuda Welcome to the hottest spot on the island!

The Royal Naval furnace and use simple Dockyard hosts possibly tools, newspaper, wax, the hottest and tastiest wood and black iron to place on the Island! create a stunning selection Welcome to Dockyard of colourful, jewel-toned Glassworks and the Bermuda artwork. Taste the eight Rum Cake Company. flavours of Traditional Family and wheelchairRum Cakes, made in the Artist Damon Simons friendly, sip tea or cold ‘Cakery’. Relax while drinks while sitting in our comfy theatre. watching the free demonstrations. See Demonstrations daily. Working at cake being made and take home some temperatures between 2,074 and 3,000 duty free deliciousness. n degrees Farenheight, local artists pull www.dockglass.com glass like liquid light from the tank www.bermudarumcakes.com

bermuda.com guide 79

made in bermuda The Art of Perfumery Capturing the essence of Bermuda “My perfumes are the soul of Bermuda”

beautiful surroundings. Isabelle

believes Lili Bermuda Perfumer

creates and handcrafts each

Isabelle Ramsay-Brackstone, and this

perfume. You can catch her in her

manifests itself in each perfume

perfumery early in the morning

bottle that captures the natural scents

meticulously weighting essential oils,

of the breathtaking island. From

perfecting a perfume accord or

the fragrant flowers to the rousing

smelling fragrances carefully aging

wind; from the vibrant blue ocean

in a large glass bottle.

to the charming pastel colors of

“My perfumes tell the story of

Bermudian homes, Isabelle has no

our idyllic Island and are a precious

shortage of inspiration from her

part of Bermuda’s rich heritage.”

80 bermuda.com guide

nightlife

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Enjoy a cocktail at Port O’Call, a classy Front Street establishment.

Get ready to party

By SARAH LAGAN | It’s not as wild as New Orleans, as uninhibited as

Jamaica or as high octane as Vegas, but Bermuda’s nightlife is fun, friendly — and varied.

There’s a good choice of laid back pubs and upscale bars and some hotels also offer live music and dancing. Most restaurants close well before midnight — but ask a local and they’ll point you to a take-out joint if you need a fried food fix in the early hours.

Looking for strip clubs or casinos? Not here. Though decorum’s a watchword, we do know how to let our hair down at night. Here’s our guide to some of the some of the best spots: Located in the heart of Hamilton, the Hog Penny is the top spot for live, local bands. Enjoy rock covers by house musician Will Black, who does a good Bon Jovi impression. From 10pm onwards the DJs take over to keep the party pumping.

The Pickled Onion on Front Street has live music every night in the summer plus open mic sessions, when everyone can join in the fun. A bermuda.com guide 81

nightlife

Entertainment news in Friday’s Bermuda Sun

mixed crowd for the nightclub, The Light, live music gives way to has DJs spinning younger, party people the hottest music after 10pm who take from around the to the dance floor with world. Check out the DJ 5Star spinning extensive choice of everything from pop, special cocktails. rock, hip hop and R&B. Just around the When you need a little corner is Wahoo’s fresh air there are Bistro and Patio, a great views from the friendly spot where balcony overlooking patrons enjoying a Hamilton Harbour. pre-dinner cocktail Classy Port O’ or a nightcap spill Call, also on Front out onto the cobbled Photo by Kageaki Smith Street, typically street. if you catch local singer Joy Barnum draws older business Also in St George’s, live, you’re in for a treat. professionals, Blackbeard’s especially at Happy Hour on Fridays. It Hideout, close to the beach, is a serves the best French fries in Bermuda friendly place for all ages to enjoy a and has a chic and yet welcoming cocktail while watching the sun go atmosphere. The food and drinks down. are moderately priced and service is Out west, the lively Bone Fish Bar excellent. and Grill at Dockyard attracts a good Nearby Café Cairo is another lively mix of locals and tourists. It often hosts spot overlooking the harbour. It has a salsa dancing on the outdoor patio and lavish Middle Eastern theme; enjoy a occasionally live music by local artists. hookah pipe with friends and sample Featuring, barbeques, fire limbo dishes from Egypt, Lebanon or Morocco. shows and Bermuda’s own Gombey After 10pm a young crowd flocks here dancers, Snorkel Park Beach provides to dance or chat on the balcony. a fun, beach party experience. A dinner Moon Nightclub has an outdoor bar and party package includes reserved and open air space for dancing. It’s high seating, a buffet, a complimentary Rum energy, with DJs playing the lastest Swizzle and entertainment until the music to a mature crowd. early hours.

To sample local talent, try the For a different pace, The Cellar is Chewstick Lounge on Elliott Street. an elegant and spot at the Fairmont This music and spoken word venue is a Southampton Resort. The decor is strong draw for locals of all ages looking luxurious yet contemporary. All types for an eclectic and truly Bermudian of music are played here and you may experience. even be lucky enough to bump into a In St George’s, The White Horse celebrity. Enjoy! pub offers live entertainment and its Also see our pub guide, page 96. n 82 bermuda.com guide

F O U R

R E S T A U R A N T S

O N E

M O U T H W A T E R I N G

S T A N D A R D

Lunch: Monday - Friday Dinner: 7 days a week 87 Front Street, Hamilton Tel: 295-5373 www.portocall.bm Private Dining Room

Contemporary

Lunch: Monday - Friday Dinner: Monday - Saturday Closed: Sundays 87 Front Street, Hamilton (upstairs above Port O Call) Tel: 295-9150 www.pearl.bm Take Out Available

Sushi

Lunch: Monday - Friday Dinner: Monday - Saturday Closed: Sundays Chancery Lane, Hamilton Tel: 296-8546 www.bistroj.bm

Casual

Open: Monday - Saturday, 7:00am - Late Closed: Sundays 10 Dundonald Street, Hamilton Tel: 295-0857 www.ten.bm Take Out Available

CafĂŠ

Email: chathamhouse@logic.bm

food & drink

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Elegant and classy, Barracuda Grill is a reliable choice for lunch or dinner.

Eating out here’s a treat Our island is small but it offers an abundance of dining options. Casual dress is acceptable at most restaurants, though some upscale eateries require a jacket and tie. And it’s best to make reservations. The dollar signs (see our key, below) offer a rough guide to prices. Also visit www. bermuda.com for updated information.

Barracuda Grill

side bar, and enjoy martinis made to share, or one of more than 16 wines served by the Barracuda Grill is one of Bermuda’s most celglass. The Barracuda Grill, with its warm, ebrated restaurants, and is THE place to go lavish and inviting interior hints at a time of for outstanding seafood and chops prepared luxurious passenger ships, popping chamin a contemporary style, proudly winning pagne corks, and refined dining, all contemseven Best of Bermuda Awards! Breathtakporized to be thoroughly of the moment. ingly stylish, Barracuda features warm Irresistible seafood and chops prepared with mahogany woods, plush banquettes and expertise and passion take centre an undeniably sumptuous but stage on immaculate white-lit Restaurant ever so comfortable dining room, linen covered tables. price ranges suitable for power business meals 5 Burnaby Hill (above the Hog per person or romantic tête-à-tête’s. If a little early for your reservation, join $ Under $20 Penny), Hamilton, tel: 292-1609. Fax 292-8354 the other guests at the cozy, hip $$ $20-$40 www.barracuda-grill.com and tres chic bar with its glowing $$$ $40-$50 Lunch $$ Dinner $$$ amber coloured resin topped $$$$ Over $50

bermuda.com guide 85

food & drink

Mussel pie includes papaya, potatoes,

Bone Fish Bar & Grill

Chatham House

Sit down to exquisite views of Bermuda’s breezy Great Sound. Bone Fish’s aim is to create the finest cuisine using local fresh fish and produce for natural, simple and balanced dishes for your enjoyment. Great food at reasonable prices in a lively atmosphere with indoor/outdoor bar and dining. Open 7 days a week. Lunch 11:30am-5pm, dinner 6pm-10:30pm. 6 Dockyard Terrace, Somerset. Tel: 234-5151.

Lunch $, Dinner $$

Bermuda’s leading specialty tobacco shop, established in 1895. Offering a marvellous selection of fine tobaccos and gifts for visitors, satisfaction is guaranteed. Our extensive range includes English Briar pipes, and a selection of Havanas such as Punch, Partagas, Romeo y Julieta, Upmann, Montecristo, Cohiba and Bolivar — all at good savings over U.S. prices.

Corner of Front and Burnaby Streets, Hamilton. Tel: 292-8422

Café Amici

East Meets West Bar & Restaurant

An Italian family style restaurant in the heart of historic Dockyard. Enjoy the spirit of Italian culture and cuisine in a friendly, intimate atmosphere. Bermuda codfish & potato breakfast every Sunday, 9am to noon. Open daily. Breakfast 9-11am, lunch up until 4pm. Dinner 6-9pm. Buon Appetito! Clocktower Mall, Dockyard.

Tel: 234-5009 Breakfast $, Lunch $, Dinner $$

Bermuda’s favorite Indian and Continental cuisine, our food has been widely and enthusiastically commended for its flavour, quality and value for money. We offer a wide choice in beef, chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetarian curries as well as rice dishes, samosas and naan breads.

Southampton location offers indoor or outdoor dining with a large outdoor full bar

Italian Culture & Cuisine 441 234 5009

AMORE BERMUDA COOKBOOK available at restaurants & local bookstores 86 bermuda.com guide

A Taste of Land & Sea 441 234 5151

Royal Naval Dockyard

bacon, onions, lemon juice and spices. area. Reservations Recommended.

East Meets West (Southampton) 11 Industrial Park Road (next to the Mini Golf) Tel. 238-8580 Lunch: Mon- Sat 11:30am – 2:30pm Dinner: Mon- Sun 6:00pm – 10:30pm Take out service: Mon – Sun: 11am – 11pm Lunch $ Dinner $

food & drink

Located on Queen Street, the bistro offers culinary influences ranging from Asia to California. In the Bermudiana Arcade, 2nd Floor, 27 Queen Street, Hamilton.

Tel: 295-8580 Open: Mon- Sat 7:30am – 10:00pm Lunch $ Dinner $

for over 40 years. As you enjoy breathtaking views of the south shore, let us tempt you with dishes ranging from traditional English and European cuisine, to freshly caught local fish and our famous Bermuda Fish Chowder. Or let us create something special for you at Bermuda’s best sushi bar.

Join us on Sunday for our many brunch selections. Value for money is important and our brunch is the most competitively priced on the island. Enjoy great entertainment in our pub or simply unwind at Happy Hour whilst sitting on our outside terrace.

Let our friendly staff take care of you. Dine in or take out, you will not leave disappointed. South Shore, Southampton. Tel: 238-1977.

Lunch $$ Dinner $$

Henry VIII

Hog Penny Restaurant and Pub

East Meets West Take Out Bistro

Discover our unique atmosphere of Old The Hog Penny is Hamilton’s oldest English charm and hospitality.

A favourite licensed establishment, having been in Coconut R_ad_0311.pdf 1 3/11/11 11:33 Coconut AM R-Yashi_ad_0311.pdf 1 of locals and tourists alike, Henry VIII has business since 1957 and interestingly is been one of Bermuda’s premier restaurants Continued on page 90

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Cool and cozy local hangout inC downtown Hamilton.

M

Monday to Friday: Lunch: 11:30am - 2:30pm Dinner: 5pm - 10:30pm Saturday: 11:30am - 10:30pm Sunday Dinner: 6pm - 10:30pm

Y

CM

MY

CY A fun place to hang, drink and dine whether in a business suit or jeans!

CMY

Great food at reasonable prices!

K

Now you can try our new Sushi Bar! Definitely the BEST on the island!

Location: > Williams House, Reid Street > One block North of Front Street t: 2 92. 1043 | f : 2 9 5.9 1 7 2

bermuda.com guide 87

3/11/1

food & drink

A Dark ’n’ Stormy is Black Seal Rum

Continued from page 87

the original inspiration for the Cheers pub in Boston. Authentic is not a word used lightly at Hog Penny, and our 50-plus year history gives us a delightful patina of age that you just can’t replicate. Our record has been hard earned! Gourmet Magazine, in a December 1987 article exclaimed “it was love at first sight for us, as well as the throngs who flock here”, and as Gourmet wrote, this great institution is hard to beat for a truly authentic experience. Featuring great cuts of beef, genuine Indian curries, to-die-for hearty pub style comfort food that has won countless ‘Best of Bermuda’ awards, and having been featured on The Food Network’s ‘$40 A Day’, the Hog Penny continues to be a favourite spot for generations of locals and visitors alike! 5 Burnaby Hill (Just up from Front Street) Hamilton. Tel. 292-2534 Fax 292-8354 www. hogpennypub.com Lunch $$, Dinner $$

Pickled Onion Restaurant and Bar The Pickled Onion is a contemporary styled upscale but casual restaurant, with Bermuda’s best bar and ‘see and be seen’ vibe.

Our chefs won the prestigious Escoffier Cup at the 2004 Bermuda Culinary Arts Festival, and we have received accolades from Food and Wine magazine, the Washington Post and most recently Giada’s Weekend Getaways on the Food Network.

Our style of food is North American focused, with global influences, and our goal is to be the best value restaurant in Bermuda.

Join us at our classy and fun Martini style bar, which is popular with local professionals or those wanting to enjoy a night out on the town. We feature live entertainment seven nights a week in season, and are located right on Front Street overlooking the harbour. We can’t wait to serve you!

53 Front Street, Hamilton. Tel: 295-2263.

Fax 295-6291. www.thepickledonion.com Lunch $$ Dinner $$

Whether you prefer a formal setting or al fresco dining, our chef creatively prepares a wide variety of culinary delights that will please even the most discerning tastes and appetites.

Dine with us on our Ocean Terrace and be charmed by the best Bermudian entertainment and a spectacular ocean view nightly.

PICTURESQUE VIEWS AND EXOTIC TASTE SENSATIONS Al Fresco dining at the Breakers • Open Daily: Lunch 12.00pm - 2.30pm Dinner 6.30pm - 10.00pm (April to October) • Bermudiana Dining Room 7.00pm - 9.30pm Dinner reservations required 293 1666 • For more information visit www.pinkbeach.com

90 bermuda.com guide

mixed with ginger beer – delicious!

The Pink Beach Club For a most romantic setting make your way to the beautiful Pink Beach Club in Tucker’s Town. The Bermudiana Restaurant prepares five-course gourmet dinners in elegant surroundings with stunning ocean views.

A jacket is required for gentlemen, ties are optional. The table d’hotel menu changes daily and we are happy to accommodate special dietary requirements. Dinner served nightly 7pm — 9:30pm.

South Road, Tucker’s Town. Tel: 293-1666 Breakfast $$, Lunch $$, Dinner $$$$

Victoria Grill The Victoria Grill is an upscale-casual restaurant, quick service café, and cocktail bar, located at the centre of Hamilton, at 29 Victoria Street. Bespoke sophistication and urban chic exude from every each of the three distinct segments that make up the whole VICTORIA GRILL experience: Java Jive is a quick service gourmet café featuring take away specialty coffees, fresh baked goods, unique breakfast items, and lunches to go, served with 2011 Best of Bermuda awarded customer service. Enjoy your cappuccino and Breakfast Sausage Cheddar & Egg Muffin, North Rock Chicken Wrap or Tuna Melt Panini our street level patio, shaded by large awnings, and watch the hustle and bustle of Victoria Street, Hamilton’s financial and legal district.

Rumba°r features a 25-seat onyx stone bar and cocktail tables setting a delightful scene indoors. A covered outdoor lounge and below street courtyard beckons, with low tables and upholstered chairs and banquettes. Retractable roofing can be quickly deployed to cover the courtyard. Rumba°r is a perfect destination for small and large gatherings of friends, associates or business colleagues from 2 to 200. Our full menu includes delicious Kobe beef burgers, fresh crisp salads, steaks and fish entrees, and of course a wide selection of appetizers. Reserve the total privacy of the V.I.P. Room which, with a flick of a switch, is con-

what’s on food & drink

verted from see through glass to opaque seclusion for that privately staffed business lunch or dinner for up to 12.

Victoria Grill. The perfect place for that important business lunch or power dinner, gatherings of friends, or simply to enjoy an intimate dining experience for two. With a mix of private tables or upholstered booths in the inside dining room, and cushioned wicker armchairs and tables overlooking the below street courtyard on our outdoor verandah, Victoria Grill is in the very heart of Hamilton surrounded by sleek offices of International and Local Companies.

The feeling is of a classic city bistro, with numerous wines available by the glass Victoria Grill can seat 50 guests inside and 50 outside. With lots of street parking, Victoria Grill is open for Lunch on Monday to Friday, and dinner seven nights a week.

29 Victoria Street, Hamilton.

Tel. 296-5050 www.irg.bm Java Jive $, Rumbar $$, Victoria Grill $$-$$$

bermuda.com guide 91

brunch

PhotoS by www.moongateproductions.com

Brunch at Henry VIII is fit for a king but the prices are reasonable.

Dine with the locals and enjoy a Sunday tradition

By Mikaela Ian Pearman | Brunch in Bermuda isn’t just a meal, it’s a way of life.

On Sundays, our restaurants are filled with friends and loved ones catching up, laughing, drinking — and of course, eating.

It’s only semi-casual. While you don’t have to be dressed to the nines, people do tend to make some effort. So leave your sweats and sneakers at the hotel.

The options are broad. If you prefer breakfast items, places such as Windows on the Sound at the Fairmont Mouthwatering: the carvery at Henry VIII makes brunch a real treat for meat-lovers.

92 bermuda.com guide

Enjoy a mimosa with your brunch Southampton start early with waffles, omelette stations, pancakes, eggs as you like them and smoothies. Plus of course the traditional Bermudian Sunday breakfast — codfish and potatoes with all the trimmings.

Other brunches are more geared towards lunch items and don’t start until noon, such as Henry VIII and The Reefs. So as well as codfish and potatoes you’ll find a carvery, macaroni and cheese, sushi, soups, salads — and of course a superb selection of desserts.

At the Waterlot Inn, diners are greeted with their first course as they sit and then encouraged to partake in the buffet of salads, sushi, breads, fruit and so on. Main courses are ordered from a menu while dessert is a buffet.

brunch

Generally, beverages are not usually included, except for tea and coffee, and prices start at $30 per person plus gratuities.

Join the locals at brunch for a truly Bermudian dining experience. n

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Brunch in style at The Reefs, which boasts a spectacular south shore location.

bermuda.com guide 93

food & drink

Photos by Kageaki Smith

Special touch: Derek Myers, executive chef for the Island Restaurant Group, utilizes local produce whenever possible.

Tasty twists on local classics

By Meredith Ebbin | Bermuda fish chowder is a signature delicacy.

The flavourful mix of fresh fish, stock, tomatoes, onions and spices simmered into a smooth blend on a stovetop is unlike chowders, clam or otherwise, that are found in other locales.

The addition of sherry peppers and black rum to piping hot bowls of chowder provides a uniquely Bermudian finishing touch.

“It’s our most popular dish, ” says Derek Myers, executive chef for the Island Restaurant Group of restaurants: Pickled Onion, Hog Penny, Victoria Grill and Barracuda Grill.

There are as many variations on the basic fish chowder recipe as there are chefs and home cooks.

Mr Myers spices his with curry powder, nutmeg, cinnamon cloves and molasses to add his own distinctive touch to the starter dish.

For main courses, fish caught in local waters is a treat but imported fish, such as salmon, shrimp, mussels, is also readily available.

94 bermuda.com guide

food & drink

Have you tried conch stew yet?

Bermuda Fish Chowder (Serves eight)

Above: Grilled local tuna with loquat salsa.

Unique: Our delicious fish chowder.

Salt cod, brought in from Newfoundland, is the main ingredient in the codfish breakfast, served on Sundays.

At the Island Restaurant group, wahoo, rockfish, tuna, swordfish and snapper are popular varieties of local fish. The ‘meaty’ wahoo, available year round, is delicious and should never be overcooked, Mr Myers advises. He also uses wahoo as an ingredient for salsa.

Mr Myers, originally from Vancouver, uses creative ways to incorporate local produce in his recipes. He says Bermuda honey is the best he has ever tasted and that it makes a great honey vinaigrette. He is also a big fan of loquats, which he had never encountered outside Bermuda.

The loquat tree, a native of Japan, produces a juicy yellow fruit here in late winter or early spring. Locals eat the fruit fresh or use it to make chutneys, jams, quick breads and liqueur. It’s the main ingredient in Mr Myers’ loquat salsa, which he pairs with local tuna. He picks loquats by the hundreds when in season and freezes them for year-round use.

Here are some recipes from the Island Restaurant Group for you to try.

10 lbs local fish 2 cups diced onions 1 cup diced celery 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1/ 4 cup dried thyme 1/ 4 cup curry powder 3 tbsp chili flakes 1 tbsp allspice 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp cloves

1 tsp nutmeg 1/ 4 lbs butter 1 cup diced roasted peppers 1 cup chopped tomatoes 1 cup diced carrots 1 gallon fish stock 1/ 2 cup molasses 2 cups cornstarch water Salt and pepper

Sauté the onions, celery, garlic and the dry spices on medium heat with the butter until soft. Add the molasses and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, minus the cornstarch and water, and bring to a boil, simmer for 1 hour. Whisk in the cornstarch/water mix and season with salt and pepper. To serve, add 1 or 2 spoonfuls of salsa to bowl of chowder.

Grilled Local Tuna with Loquat Salsa 4-6 oz portions of tuna 8 fresh figs 8 oz shaved Parmesan

1 lb arugula cup extra virgin olive oil 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

/2

Salt and pepper the tuna, rub with oil and place on hot grill. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Place the arugula on a plate top with quartered fresh figs, Parmesan, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. Top with tuna and the salsa.

Loquat Salsa 10 loquats, pitted and diced Juice of one lime 1/ 2 bell pepper, finely diced 1/ 2 red onion, finely diced

/2 jalapeno pepper, finely diced 2 tbsp chopped cilantro 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp cumin Salt and pepper 1

Mix all ingredients together.

bermuda.com guide 95

food & drink

Pub guide Hamilton’s Front Street is the centre of our nightlife scene and the Pickled Onion is a great starting point. With live music, good food and a friendly atmosphere, it’s probably our most popular bar.

The Hog Penny, a cozy, oak-panelled bar that inspired the Bull and Finch pub in Cheers, is just steps around the corner.

Back on Front Street, Flanagan’s, an Irish bar with an American feel, and the Outback sports bar, which screens everything from basketball to cricket, are worth checking out.

Nearby, The Beach – self-proclaimed ‘shame of Front Street’ – is a popular late-night spot. It has a good bar menu and closes late; the ‘shame’ bit kicks in if you find yourself still partying in the early hours, having planned a ‘quiet’ night out.

Bermudiana Road caters to a more sophisticated crowd. Smart shoes, collared shirts and well-padded wallets are required here, where upscale wine bars nestle between swish restaurants.

The Robin Hood on Richmond Road is a lively, British-style pub with reasonably priced food and live sports.

If you’re streetwise and like to stray off the beaten track, take a wander down Court Street, where you’ll enjoy the atmosphere in bars like the Spinning Wheel, where the DJ keeps the dance floor busy with a mix of classic soul, reggae and soca.

96 bermuda.com guide

Photo by Kageaki Smith

Good service and hearty meals are guaranteed at the friendly Hog Penny.

The friendly Swizzle Inn, near the airport, is always a good night out and is famous for potent rum swizzle cocktails.

North Rock Brewery on South Road, Smith’s Parish is a good spot to sample locally brewed beers — St. David’s Pale Ale is our favourite.

The Frog and Onion in Dockyard will also serve you an authentic, local pint of beer and along with the Bone Fish Bar & Grill, a terrific people-watching spot, it’s your best bet in Dockyard.

Out west, the Country Squire in Somerset has a beautiful wooden balcony overlooking Mangrove Bay and is worth a visit, while Henry VIII in Southampton is another popular spot.

Wherever you go, don’t drink and ride — leave your rental scooter at the hotel and take a bus, cab or ferry. Cheers! n

bermuda.com guide | april 2012

gu覺de APRIL 2012

Come fly with me!

Kites a Good Friday tradition

Shopping, sightseeing, dining, culture

Free