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Bermuda is an idyllic haven for the world weary.
Mark Twain wrote, 'Visitors on their way to heaven call...and think
they have already arrived'. Almost everything seems to soothe and
delight; from the colour of sand - pale pink, sea - vibrant turquoise
to the scent of cedar, rosemary and jasmine in the air, the pastel-painted,
white-roofed houses, cloud formations in the day and star studded
skies at night, sunsets, mackerel chasing showers of silver fry,
parrot fish grazing on the coral and elegant, mysterious rays twirling
through the shallows. The roads are lined with hibiscus, the gardens
filled with birds of paradise, bay grape and oleander as well as
gentle birdsong. There are more than 360 varieties of birds live
or visit Bermuda on their migratory path from Canada to South America.
 Many
of the hotels are converted 18th and 19th century mansions and cottages
adorned with scented cedar wardrobes, pretty chintzes, tropical
flowers and antique mirrors and prints.
Well-known artists have spent time on Bermuda and
there are some wonderful paintings on show at the Masterworks Foundation
in Hamilton including works by Georgia O'Keeffe, Winslow Homer,
Andrew Wyeth and Augustus John.
Waterloo House hotel has a particularly fine gourmet
kitchen but there are also small local restaurants that offer traditional
local fare: The Green Lantern; Dennis's Hideaway; The Black Horse
Café and Jamaican Winston Blair's Atlantic Paradise.
There is a limit to the number of cars on the island
so visitors travel by taxi, bus or hired moped. The island is long
and narrow so one can get saddle sore trying to go from one end
to the other by moped. (Be sure to select a hotel away from a road
as mopeds make a great deal of noise at night).
There is plenty to do: The sailing needs little introduction and
it is possible to charter yachts and cruisers. Three major yacht
races finish at the island: the Newport-Bermuda Ocean Yacht Race,
the Marion to Bermuda Race, and the Bermuda Ocean Race. The racing
season runs from March to November, with most races held on the
weekends in the Great Sound. www.rbyc.bm
(Royal Bermuda Yacht Club).
Other water sports include windsurfing, water skiing,
parasailing and kayaking. There is excellent snorkelling, 'helmet
diving' and scuba diving - off the coral reef as well as thirty-eight
wrecks, dating from the 15th century to the 20th century.
On land there are a dozen golf courses, a hundred
tennis courts and cricket matches every weekend from April to September.
From January 1 to March 31 most hotels guarantee
a refund of 10% of their room rate if the temperature fails to reach
68° on any day. Positives Peace. Pink beaches. Pink buses running
on time. Bermudian architecture and gardens.
 Negatives
Officious airport officials. Bored taxis drivers and waitresses.
Bermuda tree-frogs croaking all night long. Passing hurricanes.
Activities
Golf, Tennis, Windsurfing, Sailing, Birdwatching, Fishing.
Best Time to Travel
Year round
Clothing
Light clothing. Sweater for evenings. Raincoat.
Food
Wahoo, Yellowtail, Grouper, Lobsters in season, soft shell crabs,
Codfish Cakes, Shark Hash, Mussel Pie, Coffee at the Rock Island
Café, Ice cream at the Double Dip, anything at the Chancery
Wine Bar, gourmet diners at Waterloo House.
Shopping
Outerbridge Sherry Pepper Spices, Bay Rhum Cologne.
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