Sometimes it’s good to venture outside one’s comfort zone, trying out something new and unusual, something that one would by default be drawn to dismiss as not in line with his expectations, or taste.
I’m conscious that this can sound odd, but spending time in a luxury hotel in a sun-drenched tropical island is something as opposite to my usual idea of time off, pretty much as atheism is alien to Mr Cruz. Yet, the lady that has to put up with me is often down there, and I eventually decided to kiss my preconceptions goodbye and to join her in one of her trips, visiting the island nation of Bermuda.
I don’t know whether my attempts at not looking too bewildered by the hotel have been successful – proclaiming loudly that no other hotel I’ve stayed in had an espresso machine in each room didn’t help, I think – and I still find it quite hard to accept the existence of a fault line – between have and have nots, between Eloi and Morlocks, between tax dodgers and labourers – that runs precisely along ethnicities, whites on one side and blacks on the other.
But there’s no denying that Bermudians are amongst the most hospitable and kind peoples I’ve had the chance to meet and, even if they were as snobbish as a Parisian waiter – and they aren’t – a walk from Horseshoe to Warwick bay at 9 AM in the morning, before the hordes of newlyweds arrive, when it’s just you and a few joggers and you can let your mind drift to the time when people sailed on wooden bathtubs, is something I could honestly get quite used to.
click on the photos to start the slideshow.
I only know you through your posts, but Bermuda does seems rather .. not “you”! However, it is a lovely, friendly island (I went once – for my honeymoon – but would say it’s not inherently “me” either), and I’m glad you are enjoying it as a diversion from your usual travel mode.
Indeed, of all places Bermuda – and, perhaps, a Maldivian resort – is where I’d feel the least into my element. However, enjoyed it, you can’t always be sleeping on benches or somebody’s sofa! Plus, it’s really a pretty island.
I couldn’t help but laugh at your adventure out of your comfort zone. The espresso machine in the hotel room would have provoked exclamations of delight from me as well. I’ve ventured into the murky lands dominated by mainstream tourism a couple of times. It can certainly be interesting, as you have described. I was pleasantly surprised by the tranquil French side of St. Martin, for example.
Well, it was a far cry from my usual stomping ground – even when I used to go out for work, normally we’d end up in those hotels that offer beautiful views of parking lots, industrial estates or airport hangars and runways. I really enjoyed Bermuda, it might be a tourism hotspot but it also has some nice local touches. I’ll be back.
Is St. Martin a popular destination ?
For North Americans, yes.
Is it some sort of North American Mallorca?
Probably. It’s time share/cruise ship hell on the Dutch side.
Mainstream scenery, but indeed a nice reading. I am still laughing. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, glad you enjoyed!
Astonishing photography
Thank you!
“Sometimes it’s good to venture outside one’s comfort zone, trying out something new and unusual, something that one would by default be drawn to dismiss as not in line with his expectations, or taste.”
They say that one lives each day by beginning anew, so one would be best served by trying a new thing each day ?
If possible, it’d be a very nice thing to do!