OP
@drrich2 , I will try to answer your question, but I may not be able to articulate it well. Some background of our first visits-We started going to Bermuda on the NCL cruise out of Boston. It was a way to see someplace new, and do a cruise without having to fly anywhere since we lived in NH.
The first thing that you notice is that this is nothing like the Caribbean. You arrive in Bermuda Sunday morning, and there is nothing open outside of the Dockyard, which is where the ship comes in, except beaches. The only thing open in Hamilton, the capital city, is KFC, which is the ONLY chain anything on the island. There is no one anywhere telling you to stop into “such and such” store for a special deal. While tourism is big, it’s not the main industry. So, no hustle.
The second thing you notice is how genuinely polite and friendly people are. A friend of mine describes Bermuda as being “so civilized”. It is absolutely refreshing to have every conversation begin with “good morning/afternoon/evening” and end with “thank you, have a nice day”. I have laughed with more strangers in Bermuda than anywhere else.
We are not beach people. We are taken in by the history of the place, both British and US-Bermuda was used by Confederate blockade runners during the Civil War. We are also taken by the natural beauty of the place. There are many nature preserves to visit, and even the houses are beautiful. The flora is fantastic, and the ocean surrounding the island (it’s technically a chain of islands) is breathtaking.
We also walk a lot when we go somewhere. Anyone who has been on Bermudian roads knows that this is risky, but fun. There is also a rail trail that extends from one end of the island to, almost, the other end. We have walked all of it, as of this trip. It is a great way to see parts of the island that most people don’t see, and meet people, as well.
So, that is our reason. For me, it is not about diving, especially with an active wife that doesn’t dive. Although she does say that it is the best snorkeling she’s ever done, and she has snorkeled Roatan, Coz, Belize, Dry Tortuga's and Curacao, plus a few others.
Anyway, that is why we go. I see that @tridacna has answered, as well, with a very different answer than mine. I know a few people who feel that way, and that’s what adds interest to life. Hope it wasn’t too much of a ramble. I’ll try to add some photos later.
Erik
The first thing that you notice is that this is nothing like the Caribbean. You arrive in Bermuda Sunday morning, and there is nothing open outside of the Dockyard, which is where the ship comes in, except beaches. The only thing open in Hamilton, the capital city, is KFC, which is the ONLY chain anything on the island. There is no one anywhere telling you to stop into “such and such” store for a special deal. While tourism is big, it’s not the main industry. So, no hustle.
The second thing you notice is how genuinely polite and friendly people are. A friend of mine describes Bermuda as being “so civilized”. It is absolutely refreshing to have every conversation begin with “good morning/afternoon/evening” and end with “thank you, have a nice day”. I have laughed with more strangers in Bermuda than anywhere else.
We are not beach people. We are taken in by the history of the place, both British and US-Bermuda was used by Confederate blockade runners during the Civil War. We are also taken by the natural beauty of the place. There are many nature preserves to visit, and even the houses are beautiful. The flora is fantastic, and the ocean surrounding the island (it’s technically a chain of islands) is breathtaking.
We also walk a lot when we go somewhere. Anyone who has been on Bermudian roads knows that this is risky, but fun. There is also a rail trail that extends from one end of the island to, almost, the other end. We have walked all of it, as of this trip. It is a great way to see parts of the island that most people don’t see, and meet people, as well.
So, that is our reason. For me, it is not about diving, especially with an active wife that doesn’t dive. Although she does say that it is the best snorkeling she’s ever done, and she has snorkeled Roatan, Coz, Belize, Dry Tortuga's and Curacao, plus a few others.
Anyway, that is why we go. I see that @tridacna has answered, as well, with a very different answer than mine. I know a few people who feel that way, and that’s what adds interest to life. Hope it wasn’t too much of a ramble. I’ll try to add some photos later.
Erik
!
