Thursday, May 10, 2012
Today was our last full day in Bermuda. In three days, we had explored quite a bit of the string of coral islands known as Bermuda. Most of the islands are not easily accessible to tourists because there are many private resorts, private houses, and large estates. For example, the current mayor of New York City has an estate somewhere on Bermuda.
We saved “The Dockyards” for last because it was easy to reach by an enjoyable 20 minute ferry ride across beautiful Hamilton Harbor. Here is a view of the clock towers of The Royal Naval Dockyard from an approaching ferry. This part of Bermuda was the main base of the British Royal Navy in the western Atlantic from the American Independence in 1783 until the base’s closure in 1957.
Today, the Dockyards are a tourist attraction. A large dock, called the King’s Wharf, has been built for cruise ships to tie up and former warehouses have been turned into pedestrian malls and craft/shopping centers. The Bermuda Maritime Museum is housed in a former fortress on one side of the Dockyards.
Bermuda residents take turns showing and selling their crafts to tourists in the former stone storehouse buildings. The woman above was demonstrating her lace-making talents.
Another warehouse had a glass-making shop and glass-blowing demonstrations. The glass products were made in bright tropical colors and had ocean themes of fish and sea creatures. I took the following photos near the Dockyard buildings.
Cruise ships at King’s Wharf
The Old Post office in Hamilton
View of the Atlantic Ocean from the ferry
View of Hamilton Harbor
We had fun in Bermuda. The weather was beautiful, we explored the islands and time passed quickly. On Friday morning as we were eating our buffet breakfast at the Princess Hotel we noticed that it had started to rain. The slow taxi ride to the airport was under an exciting tropical downpour. Later, we said our good-byes to Bermuda as we ran out on the tarmac in the pouring rain to board the airplane. The wind was strong as the plane took off, but we were soon above the clouds and heading home.