We are here in Nassau getting a feel for life on the
island where more than half of the population of the Bahamas lives. We had been
warned about crime, but people seem friendly and even in the city, people greet
you as they pass on the sidewalk with a good afternoon or happy new year. Yesterday
we ventured over to the BASRA (Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Assoc) office and signed
on as supporters. They are a volunteer service here and don’t get government
funding like our Coast Guard. From there we climbed over the hill past the
Government House and found the Public Utilities Commission. This is where you
can apply for or renew your Ham Radio License. They were very polite and professional.
Met another cruiser there who told us what bus to catch back to the marina.
Walked to the Straw Market hoping to find local crafts, but it was a place that
mostly sells t-shirts and caters to the cruise ship crowd. The area around the
cruise ship docks was much like the four ports we stopped at on our Carribbean
cruise last Spring. Same shops and restaurants. Took the bus back and that was
an experience. All the buses are private and each operator chooses the music
that they play. Ours liked loud reggae. Bus fares were only $1, so it is the
way to get around the city. Traffic is “exciting” as there are very
few traffic lights, narrow streets and lots of cars. Also took the time to
really clean the salt off the boat since we may not get another opportunity
right away and we are paying $10 a day for water.
island where more than half of the population of the Bahamas lives. We had been
warned about crime, but people seem friendly and even in the city, people greet
you as they pass on the sidewalk with a good afternoon or happy new year. Yesterday
we ventured over to the BASRA (Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Assoc) office and signed
on as supporters. They are a volunteer service here and don’t get government
funding like our Coast Guard. From there we climbed over the hill past the
Government House and found the Public Utilities Commission. This is where you
can apply for or renew your Ham Radio License. They were very polite and professional.
Met another cruiser there who told us what bus to catch back to the marina.
Walked to the Straw Market hoping to find local crafts, but it was a place that
mostly sells t-shirts and caters to the cruise ship crowd. The area around the
cruise ship docks was much like the four ports we stopped at on our Carribbean
cruise last Spring. Same shops and restaurants. Took the bus back and that was
an experience. All the buses are private and each operator chooses the music
that they play. Ours liked loud reggae. Bus fares were only $1, so it is the
way to get around the city. Traffic is “exciting” as there are very
few traffic lights, narrow streets and lots of cars. Also took the time to
really clean the salt off the boat since we may not get another opportunity
right away and we are paying $10 a day for water.
Today we got up early to listen for weather and
decided to stay another day. Overheard a group of cruisers on the radio
planning a bus trip to the Bacardi Rum factory, so broke in and asked if we
could join in. The factory was over half-way across the Island, so we got a
good view of housing and shops along the way. Houses and lots are small and
brightly colored. There is a wide range of conditions from tidy to dilapidated
all in close proximity. The schools and parks along the way looked neat and
new. Our bus driver had never been on the Bacardi tour, so he came along. We
went into a warehouse where the age the rum in oak barrels for 5-12 years. They
buy the barrels from Jack Daniels, so they have already been aged with a batch
of whiskey in Kentucky. Kids weren’t aloud in the warehouse as the fumes were
VERY strong. The biggest danger is of explosion. The Bacardis moved here from
Cuba in the fifties when Castro took over. Castro got the factory, but not the
recipes. There was an open bar with samples of all the rums they make at
the end of the tour. People were friendlier and sillier on the return trip. On
the way back, the bus driver stopped at a little stand in a residential
neighborhood, jumped out and brought back a Coconut pastry that he passed
around for us to try. Beth, who doesn’t like coconut even liked it. The 18 of
us bought out the supply! For lunch we walked over to Potters Cay where the
locals eat and the fisherman come in. Watched the preparation of conch salad.
This was our first experience with this delicacy. Fresh conch pulled out of the
shell mixed with cucumber, onions, green peppers, green tomatoes and soaked
with fresh squeezed lime and orange juices. Quite a bit of work to prepare and
very delicious. While waiting we watched the locals play checkers with gusto.
Pieces are slammed down as they play. Noah enjoyed watching this. Noah also was
given a tour of the cay stands with an experienced cruiser. He came back with a
balloon animal, a lemon, a tangarine and a brownie decorated like a domino that
he bought with his own money to give to Beth. We also saw a guy pushing a
shopping cart with coconuts in it. When he got a buyer, he would use a machette
to chop through the hull at one end to make a hole to get the milk out, then
the buyer would either drink right out of the coconut, or bum a straw from
another vendor. They were not neatly cut in half like on Gilligan’s Island!
After arriving back at the boat, and relaxing after our day’s adventures, we
were treated to a brief but spectacular fireworks display right over Paradise
Island, which is right across the narrow Nassau harbor.
decided to stay another day. Overheard a group of cruisers on the radio
planning a bus trip to the Bacardi Rum factory, so broke in and asked if we
could join in. The factory was over half-way across the Island, so we got a
good view of housing and shops along the way. Houses and lots are small and
brightly colored. There is a wide range of conditions from tidy to dilapidated
all in close proximity. The schools and parks along the way looked neat and
new. Our bus driver had never been on the Bacardi tour, so he came along. We
went into a warehouse where the age the rum in oak barrels for 5-12 years. They
buy the barrels from Jack Daniels, so they have already been aged with a batch
of whiskey in Kentucky. Kids weren’t aloud in the warehouse as the fumes were
VERY strong. The biggest danger is of explosion. The Bacardis moved here from
Cuba in the fifties when Castro took over. Castro got the factory, but not the
recipes. There was an open bar with samples of all the rums they make at
the end of the tour. People were friendlier and sillier on the return trip. On
the way back, the bus driver stopped at a little stand in a residential
neighborhood, jumped out and brought back a Coconut pastry that he passed
around for us to try. Beth, who doesn’t like coconut even liked it. The 18 of
us bought out the supply! For lunch we walked over to Potters Cay where the
locals eat and the fisherman come in. Watched the preparation of conch salad.
This was our first experience with this delicacy. Fresh conch pulled out of the
shell mixed with cucumber, onions, green peppers, green tomatoes and soaked
with fresh squeezed lime and orange juices. Quite a bit of work to prepare and
very delicious. While waiting we watched the locals play checkers with gusto.
Pieces are slammed down as they play. Noah enjoyed watching this. Noah also was
given a tour of the cay stands with an experienced cruiser. He came back with a
balloon animal, a lemon, a tangarine and a brownie decorated like a domino that
he bought with his own money to give to Beth. We also saw a guy pushing a
shopping cart with coconuts in it. When he got a buyer, he would use a machette
to chop through the hull at one end to make a hole to get the milk out, then
the buyer would either drink right out of the coconut, or bum a straw from
another vendor. They were not neatly cut in half like on Gilligan’s Island!
After arriving back at the boat, and relaxing after our day’s adventures, we
were treated to a brief but spectacular fireworks display right over Paradise
Island, which is right across the narrow Nassau harbor.
We will probably leave here tomorrow and go to Rose
Island or Highborn Cay. Need to get used to reading the water and looking out
for coral heads. It is SOOO nice to be able to see through the water. Even here
in the middle of the commercial harbor the water is clear so we can see the
litter at the bottom.
Island or Highborn Cay. Need to get used to reading the water and looking out
for coral heads. It is SOOO nice to be able to see through the water. Even here
in the middle of the commercial harbor the water is clear so we can see the
litter at the bottom.
 |
| Tasting Room at Bacardi Distillery |
 |
| A Happy Crew |
 |
| Making Fresh Conch Salad |
 |
| Power Checkers |