Sophisticated is the term to use in describing Bermuda. Out in the mid-Atlantic about 1,000 kilometers east of the United States, Bermuda is far away from the Caribbean in both geography and attitude. Here the 21st Century seems to have been swallowed up by that famous triangle. The islanders cling to a graciousness that has vanished from much of the rest of the world.
In Bermuda, gentlemen are expected to wear jackets to dinner. Neckties are not required, but recommended. This on the island that introduced short pink trousers as acceptable business attire. Bermuda shorts may also be scarlet or lime green, but never patterned. They are worn with socks that extend nearly up to the knee and with shirt and tie plus, usually, a jacket. At first glance, it appears the gentleman in question is wearing only his drawers.
The emphasis is on quaintness, custom, and British tradition. Bermuda bans billboards or anything else that is gaudy. There are no hedonistic all-inclusive resorts on the island, only elegant hotels, charming inns and what they call cottage colonies along the beach. Rental cars are not available. Indeed, to limit traffic, only one automobile per household is permitted and the speed limit in the archipelago is 20 miles per hour.
Archipelago because Bermuda is many islands -- from more than 150 to more than 300, depending on the guidebook you read -- linked together by short bridges. From the air as a unit, they rather resemble a fishhook. One Juan de Bermudez, who sailed with Columbus on his most famous voyage, discovered the islands in 1603, gave them his name and then forgot all about them.
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A century later, British mariners en route to Virginia were shipwrecked in Bermuda. The incident inspired Shakespeare’s play, “The Tempest,” and led to settlement. Bermuda now claims to be the oldest colony in the much-shrunken British Empire. And it has quite a history. There were more shipwrecks. Hundreds of them. Airplanes also are said have vanished in what is called the Bermuda Triangle, a vast stretch of ocean extending south to Florida and Puerto Rico. Their fate remains a mystery.
The islands supplied the rebellious American colonies with arms during their war of independence, then served as a base for a British attack on Washington in 1812. Ships defying the blockade of Confederate ports during the American Civil War found refuge in Bermuda. During the early days of the Second World War, the British leased a base on the island to the Americans in return for a fleet of destroyers. The Americans, who might have held on to their base for another 40 years, have returned it.
Although long favored by vacationers, high finance is the most lucrative industry in the islands. A “facilative tax and regulatory regime,” has inspired most of the 500 largest corporations in the world to open offices in Bermuda. No one, however, has accused Bermuda banks of any hanky-panky. Scandal is shunned. Per capita income is 36,500 dollars per year, making the colony wealthier than Britain itself. Nobody wants to risk damaging prosperity. The Salinas brothers apparently were told to take their business elsewhere. Any hint of impropriety causes shudders. That applies to tourists as well.
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Bermuda, someone said, is where adults go to vacation. The average visitor is over 40 years old. Grandparents are quite happy on Bermuda. Grandchildren are welcome, too, as long as they are well behaved. Four out of every ten visitors have been to Bermuda before and returned, which is about as good a recommendation as the islands might wish. High prices seem not to be a deterrent.
Golf, not surprisingly, is a favorite sport in spiffy Bermuda. There are eight courses in the islands. Indeed, it has been said that no other venue in the world devotes a greater percentage of its territory to golf than does Bermuda. On the links, players are expected to be well dressed. Shirts should have both collars and sleeves, while shorts must be of proper length. The rules for tennis -- there are dozens of courts on the island -- are equally as strict. Bermuda introduced tennis to the Western Hemisphere.
Still, since it is an island, water sports are the big attraction. Sailing can be especially challenging, but boats also are available to take novices out to enjoy all the thrills and none of the risks. Many vacationers, of course, are quite happy simply to bask on the famous pink sand beaches.
People curious about what lies beneath the surface can board a glass-bottom boat for a cruise above the reefs or go out on a snorkeling expedition. Better still is what is called bell-diving or helmet-diving. The customer places a watertight device resembling a space-helmet over the head and drops down into the sea, breathing air that is pumped in from the surface. Scuba involves carrying your own air with you in a tank. It takes longer to learn. Those, however, who want to explore the wrecks around Bermuda’s reefs go with scuba gear.
Biggest sport, however, is shopping. In the stores, the emphasis is on luxury. The shops along Front Street and Reid Street in Hamilton -- only real city in Bermuda -- are a good place to look for Bvlgari timepieces, Louis Vuitron luggage, English suiting, Scottish woolens and Irish linen. Nothing is cheap, but on the island prices usually are slightly lower than they would be in Europe or the Americas.
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Bermuda, someone said, is where adults go to vacation. The average visitor is over 40 years old. Grandparents are quite happy on Bermuda. Grandchildren are welcome, too, as long as they are well behaved. Four out of every ten visitors have been to Bermuda before and returned, which is about as good a recommendation as the islands might wish. High prices seem not to be a deterrent.
Golf, not surprisingly, is a favorite sport in spiffy Bermuda. There are eight courses in the islands. Indeed, it has been said that no other venue in the world devotes a greater percentage of its territory to golf than does Bermuda. On the links, players are expected to be well dressed. Shirts should have both collars and sleeves, while shorts must be of proper length. The rules for tennis -- there are dozens of courts on the island -- are equally as strict. Bermuda introduced tennis to the Western Hemisphere.
Still, since it is an island, water sports are the big attraction. Sailing can be especially challenging, but boats also are available to take novices out to enjoy all the thrills and none of the risks. Many vacationers, of course, are quite happy simply to bask on the famous pink sand beaches.
People curious about what lies beneath the surface can board a glass-bottom boat for a cruise above the reefs or go out on a snorkeling expedition. Better still is what is called bell-diving or helmet-diving. The customer places a watertight device resembling a space-helmet over the head and drops down into the sea, breathing air that is pumped in from the surface. Scuba involves carrying your own air with you in a tank. It takes longer to learn. Those, however, who want to explore the wrecks around Bermuda’s reefs go with scuba gear.
Biggest sport, however, is shopping. In the stores, the emphasis is on luxury. The shops along Front Street and Reid Street in Hamilton -- only real city in Bermuda -- are a good place to look for Bvlgari timepieces, Louis Vuitron luggage, English suiting, Scottish woolens and Irish linen. Nothing is cheap, but on the island prices usually are slightly lower than they would be in Europe or the Americas.
HAMILITON RIGHT Picturesque, with its British colonial architecture, the town (not city) of St. George's has several good places for lunch, but many of the best restaurants on the island are out in the country. More than 150 cafes, bistros, pubs and such can be found in St. George's, Hamilton and at more isolated locales. Some can be reached by ferry, but the only practical way to get around is by taxi. Time was when visitors used motor-powered bicycles, but these have been replaced by motos, which can be dangerous. Accidents do happen. Traffic moves on the left in Bermuda. That can be confusing. And even when cars and buses do observe the speed limit -- usually they do not -- on narrow island roads, these vehicles appear monstrous.
This problem of getting around needs to be considered when deciding where to stay. The Internet is a good place to start investigating. The big resorts, the small hotels, the cozy inns and cottage colonies all have points in their favor, but what delights me may not enchant you. This is one of those decisions when you must make for yourself.
Happily, getting to Bermuda is easy. Continental flies in from New York (Newark), Delta from Atlanta. Personally, I would recommend combining a visit to the islands with a stay in Manhattan. Between April and October, cruise ships make the trip. That can be quite an adventure.
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