Fodor's Bermuda 2000
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Destination: BermudaBasking in the Atlantic, 508 mi due east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, Bermuda is one of the wealthiest countries in the world -- average per capita income is $20,000. Bermuda has no income tax, no sales tax, no slums, no unemployment, and no major crime problem. Don't come to Bermuda expecting a tropical paradise where laid-back locals wander around barefoot drinking piña coladas. On Bermuda's 22 square mi, you will find neither towering mountains, glorious rain forests, nor exotic volcanoes. Instead, pastel cottages, quaint shops, and manicured gardens betray a more staid, suburban way of life. A British diplomat once said, "Bermuda is terribly middle-aged" -- and in many ways he was right. Most of the island is residential, the speed limit is 20 mph (although everyone goes much faster), golf and tennis are popular pastimes, most visitors are over 40 years old, restaurants and shops are expensive, and casual attire in public is frowned upon. Bermudians speak the Queen's English in the Queen's own accent. White Bermudians, in particular, have striven to create a middle-class England of their own. And, as in so many colonies, the Bermudian version is more insular, more conservative, and more English than the original. Pubs, fish-and-chips, and cricket are just outward manifestations of a fierce loyalty to Britain and everything it represents (or used to represent). A self-governing British colony, with a parliament that dates from 1620, Bermuda loves pomp and circumstance, British tradition, and its own island heritage. Great ceremony attends the convening of Parliament; marching bands parade through the capital in honor of the Queen's official birthday; regimental bands and bagpipers reenact centuries-old ceremonies; and tea is served each afternoon.
BeachesThe fine, pink sand of Bermuda's beaches -- a result of shell particles, calcium carbonate, and bits of crushed coral mixed with sand -- gives them an ephemeral hue. This unique mixture also provides Bermuda's beaches with a startling characteristic -- even during the summer months, the sand doesn't get hot. Add to this the beaches' picturesque surroundings, which include dramatic cliff formations, coconut palms, and gently rolling dunes that slope toward the shimmering blues of the Atlantic. The island's 34 beaches range from long, unbroken expanses of shoreline, such as that at Warwick Long Bay, to small, secluded coves divided by rock cliffs, such as those at Whale Bay Beach and Jobson's Cove.
CricketFor Americans, the popularity of cricket in Bermuda begins to sink in only when you consider that the annual Cup Match Cricket Festival, a two-day event that pits the west side of the island against the east, is a national holiday. Traditionally held the Thursday and Friday before the first Monday in August, Cup Match draws an average of 12,000 spectators, including zealous supporters who "decorate" the batsman by running out onto the field and slipping a little cash in his pocket. Other cricket games are held throughout the summer, from April through September.
Snorkeling and DivingReefs, shipwrecks, underwater caves, a variety of coral and marine life, and warm, clear water combine to make Bermuda an ideal place for underwater exploration. The many sheltering reefs hide parrot fish, angelfish, trumpet fish, and grouper, and divers can enjoy a visibility range of 70 ft-150 ft -- the longest in the western Atlantic. The island's numerous shipwrecks also make great dive sites.
