4 March: Leaving Boston
L.F. Wade International Airport, Bermuda
Our hotel, the Fairmont Hamilton Princess
From the hotel lawn
Front Street, Hamilton (the capital), walking from our hotel to the bus terminal
A Royal Navy ship, docked in Hamilton
Near St. George, at the opposite end of the island. This end of the island was the site of the first settlement (the town itself was founded in 1612), and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Most of the roads are lined with this limestone
Descending the hill into St. George
Building, St. George
St. George
Buckingham, St. George. Historic building now owned by the Bermuda National Trust
Stocks, King's Square, St. George (the Town Hall is in the background)
St. George. They really like pink paint in Bermuda.
Street view, St. George
Cool bike, St. George. You could rent these. We didn't dare
St. Peter's Anglican Church. Established in 1612, this is the oldest continuously used Anglican church in the Western Hemisphere. The oldest parts of the current building date from 1713.
It's hard to see, but on top of the clock tower there is a caged figure of a chicken.
You can see the chicken a little better here
There are many grave markers mounted on the inside walls of the church. This one is for Gov. Alured Popple, who died "after nine days illness of a bilious fever"
The interior roof structure of St. Peter's Church
One of the oldest pieces of furniture in Bermuda, a cedar dole chest from c. 1640 (now much restored). St. Peter's Church, St. George
Pews, St. Peter's Church
Staff ornament, St. Peter's Church
Churchyard, St. Peter's Church
Bermuda National Trust Museum (formerly known as the Museum of the Confederacy). It was not open.
Globe Hotel, built c. 1700 (now housing the Rogues and Runners Museum)
Model of "Deliverance," the ship built by the crew of the wrecked "Sea Venture" on which they eventually sailed away from Bermuda
Orange Valley, a private residence built c. 1800 and still lived in by a descendant of the original owner
Stonework, Orange Valley
"Buttery," Orange Valley (the owner says this was actually the "convenience")
Giant kapok tree, Orange Valley
Hibiscus flower, Orange Valley
Orange Valley from the back garden
Bird of paradise flower, Orange Valley
Papayas (not ripe), Orange Valley
5 March: Early morning double-rainbow from the hotel terrace
Harbor view from the hotel terrace
Some kind of palm nut
Mangrove roots
Moon gate. An Asian tradition exported to Bermuda, and now the national symbol. They are quite common
A great kiskadee (robin-sized tyrant flycatcher, imported to Bermuda in the 1950s to control lizards). I did not see any lizards, but these little guys were everywhere. They are very loud, and quite entertaining
Typical Bermudian roof style. There are no sources for fresh water on the island, so each house's roof has these ridges and an intricate eaves system which carries the water into large tanks in the cellar (from where it is purified and used for drinking, &c.). This particular house is abandoned; most roofs are kept very clean and bright white
Front Street, Hamilton
Royal Navy ships, Hamilton
There's some sort of big ceremony going on here, notice all the sailors on the main deck
Centotaph, Hamilton. Built in 1920 to honor Bermuda's soldiers killed in WWI, it now honors both WWI and WWII dead
Cabinet Building and Senate Chamber, Hamilton.
Abandoned house, near Hamilton
Statue of Johnnie Barnes, a retired bus mechanic who greets commuters entering Hamilton every day by standing in the middle of a roundabout and waving maniacally at them. I saw him, but didn't take his picture
Sometimes sidewalks in Bermuda just end. Often at a wall. You can walk on the roads where there aren't sidewalks (the drivers are very careful and polite), but it's incredibly nerve-wracking
Typical house, outskirts of Hamilton
Forest primeval, about a two-minute walk outside the Capital
Road with wide sidewalk (not typical) ... also note that it ends just ahead
Camden, the official residence of Bermuda's premier (used only for official functions). Located inside the Botanical Gardens
Another kapok tree, Botanical Gardens
Large field of something. Potatoes, maybe. I couldn't get close enough to see
There are chickens everywhere
Cemetery, Devonshire Church
Devonshire Church
Limestone along a road
The little field right there is a national park
Arboretum
Hamilton Harbor from above
Dry moat, Fort Hamilton. High on a high overlooking the city, this fort was built in the 1870s
Stairway to dry moat and munitions storage area, Fort Hamilton
Dry moat, Fort Hamilton
Munitions storage area, Fort Hamilton
Gun embrasure, looking into dry moat, Fort Hamilton
Cannon, Fort Hamilton
Hamilton, from Fort Hamilton
Sessions House, Hamilton. This is where the House of Assembly meets (the world's fourth oldest surviving Parliament). Built in 1819, with additions (clocktower and colonnade) added in 1887. The Supreme Court also meets here
Van parked in the spot marked "Leader of the Opposition." The license plate reads "ONEBDA"
Wesley Methodist Church, Hamilton
Amusing sign, Hamilton
Wind-wane atop Hamilton City Hall
Hamilton City Hall
India-rubber tree outside Bermuda Historical Society and National Library buildings. Planted c. 1847. Mark Twain, upon seeing this tree, said he was disappointed not to find hanging from it a crop of hot-water bottles and rubber overshoes
Great Kiskadee
Par-la-Ville Park, Hamilton. Once the private garden of postmaster William B. Perot (whose post office is the white building at right). The Historical Society building is at left. They were never open while I was there
Par-la-Ville Park, Hamilton
Another Kiskadee (I enjoyed them)
Hotel Terrace. Mark Twain liked to sit here. On his last visit to Bermuda, Twain wrote "You go to heaven if you want to, I’d druther stay here."
Harbor view, from hotel terrace
A big leaf
6 March: Fairmont Hamilton Princess from the cross-harbor ferry
Island, Hamilton Harbor
Up the path from the ferry stop, with Hamilton Harbor in the background
Coconuts!
Road to the beach, from the ferry
This house is named Pomegranate
Pomegranate
Big tree
Roots, rocks, and moss
Little flowers
Elbow Beach. I saw two other people the entire time I was there. It was also a bit rainy
But only sometimes
Rocks, Elbow Beach. They are very sharp
Footprints in the sand, Elbow Beach
Limestone cave, Elbow Beach
A mysterious staircase, Elbow Beach
Stairs carved into the rockface, Elbow Beach
I sat in this little grotto and waited for a rainshower to pass. Believe it or not, it was pouring when I took this picture
Another amusing sign
Fields adjacent to Paget Marsh, a reclaimed nature preserve. Potatoes (I think) and banana trees
Bananas
Paget Marsh. Note the Yellow-crowned Night-Herons (one and a half, since I chopped one's beak off)
Mangrove trees, Paget Marsh
Palmetto branch, Paget Marsh
Which way is up?
Paget Marsh
Bermuda cedar tree, Paget Marsh
The perfect Bermuda banana peel shot? Yes, it's a Dole.
Lower Ferry
Bermuda grass is really thick and bouncy. Like that stuff they put on playgrounds now. Except real. I tried to find the dirt underneath, but it's really hidden down there. This is on the hotel terrace
The thronging hordes waiting to board the ferry to the Royal Navy Dockyard
Best spot on the ferry
Part of the Royal Navy Dockyard (not active)
Clocktower, Royal Navy Dockyard. Now a mall
Clocktower, Royal Navy Dockyard
Abandoned building, Royal Navy Dockyard
Yard, Royal Navy Dockyard. Our group walking through to head up to the Commissioner's House (top center)
More abandoned buildings
Tidal moat, Royal Navy Dockyard
Commissioner's House, Royal Navy Dockyard. Now houses the Bermuda Maritime Museum (highly recommended)
Signpost, Royal Navy Dockyard
Sunset
Cannon, Royal Navy Dockyard
Flags, from the deck of the Commissioner's House
7 March: Beach exploring expedition. Warwick Long Bay beach
Bird tracks (probably Ruddy Turnstone). You can also see the little flecks of pink in the sand
The water splashes up through that hole and makes a big booming noise. Very cool
Boom!
Natural hole through the rocks
Prickly pear cactus. We tried them. They are spiny and taste like nothing
I debated trying to fit through this one
I think Dr. Seuss designed these trees
Gibbs' Hill Lighthouse. Operational since 1846, this is the world's tallest cast-iron lighthouse (117 feet).
View from base of Gibbs' Hill Lighthouse. I found out later this is called the "Queen's View," since apparently QEII stood here in 1953
Closing reception at Bacardi world headquarters (aka the Bacardi Party)
Bermuda premier Dr. Ewart Brown (he's also the minister of tourism and the minister of transport). Tom Krise (SEA meeting coordinator) and Marcus Rediker in background
8 March: Gibbs' Hill Lighthouse from hotel terrace (dead center)
Morning palm tree, hotel terrace
Bermuda Airport. They really like that shorts logo
Bye, Bermuda!
