| Tips and photos of unusual, out-of-the-way Bermuda attractions, posted by real travelers and locals. Map |
 | Bermuda Off the Beaten Path | Tips 1 - 10 of 62 |  |
 Great Seal of the
Confederate States of
America by pchamlis,
2 more photos
No, Bermuda's siding with the CSA was all about economics. Great Britain was the world's leading industrial power, and the CSA represented a treasure trove of natural and agricultural resources. The cloth mills of London and Manchester needed southern cotton. Plus, the Brits were still a little bit piqued about being given the old boot some "four score and seven years" earlier.
Besides being a shipping transit point between the CSA and Great Britain, Bermuda and St. George offered sanctuary to privateers and blockade runners serving the military interests of the Confederacy...as well as their own ECONOMIC interests.
Over at the Bermuda National Trust in St. George, there's an interesting piece of history. They have the ONLY surviving "Great Seal of the Confederate States of America" press in existence. And, for $5, we history buffs can get an actual foil pressing from this historic device. To see the CSA seal, along with other items of Bermuda history, be sure to visit the Bermuda National Trust in St. George, located at the intersection of York Street and King's Square. Adult admission is $4, children are $2. Leave a Comment Phone: 441-297-1423
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 King Edward VII Memorial
Hospital, Paget Parish by pchamlis
The hospital has a standard emergency room and trauma center, and can provide almost any level of emergency first-aid the traveller might require. As you know, health care costs are always an issue when you travel, and it's always a good idea to carry traveller's health insurance...or you should at least insure that your home health care coverage would apply in a pinch.
Here's hoping you only see the King Edward hospital on your way to the botanical gardens. :) Leave a Comment Phone: 911 or 441-236-2345
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The Bermudians love this part of their history and many talk about the Old Rattle and Shake but the Bermuda Railway only lasted 17 short years from 1931 until 1948. What records it set as the slowest and most expensive railway ever built but in some way the Bermudians are even proud of that and they should be. In 1984 the Railway Trail was named a National Park and it is a wonderful walking and horse riding path that streches 21 miles between Sandys Parish east to St. George's Parish. Before you go stop and pick up a guide at any tourist center or as I did at my hotel. The Railway Trail is a a great way to see Bermuda's very beautiful and varied scenery. Leave a Comment
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 Bacardi World Headquarters,
Hamilton, Bermuda by pchamlis, 1 more photos
You might find it interesting to know that Bacardi Rum company is headquartered in Bermuda, right on Pitts Bay Road at the edge of Hamilton.
I don't think they have any free samples, and as for tours... it's just a corporate office. But, they have a very nice lawn, a great place for photos. Leave a Comment
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 Tom Moore's Jungle by Lady-CharismaLeave a Comment
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 Great views by gcmm
Drive along south road and you will get some great coast line pictues....
Don't be in a hurry,you will enjoy the views and no why Bermuda is such a wonderful place..... Leave a Comment
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Bermuda had no motorized transport before 1931, when the most costly railway per mile anywhere was built. Until 1946 it was the only form of public motorized transport in Bermuda. Otherwise it was by horse and carriage or boat. Cars were not allowed until 1939 for the American and British military and 1948 for local residents.
When the national bus system was introduced in 1946, the Bermuda Railway became too impractical and expensive (corrosion of the rails was a big problem) as a railroad. The assets were sold at bankruptcy prices by the Bermuda Government and shipped to Guyana where I think the railroad still exists.
In the 1980s (i.e. after my 1963 visit), the Bermuda Government converted the abandoned tracks into a walking and biking trail running almost the entire length of Bermuda. It originally ran from Sandys Parish in the west to St. George's Parish in the east, via the City of Hamilton. Today, the City, Pembroke and parts of the Devonshire portions no longer exist.
Walking the trail is free, and I thought it would be a neat thing to do. Plus the Railway Museum was also free and I thought it would be interesting. So on the way back from St. George, we stopped off near Flatt's Village and walked along the trail to the museum. I think that in those days you could also take one of the mopeds along some sections of the trail.
After our 1995 visit (i.e. in 2000), the entire Trail became a National Park. The Ministry of the Environment took over administration and management, to enhance it as an eco-tourism attraction.
The Trail is a good way to see Bermuda on foot or by pedal cycle and get your exercise at the same time. (No motorized vehicles allowed).
You can get a map and guide from the Visitor's Service Bureau in either Hamilton or St. George. The URL has more old pictures of the railroad when it was operating Leave a Comment
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In 1995, when we walked up to the bus station (which we had to do as there were no buses out to the Princess), we always went by City Hall on Church Street. You could see the bronze Sea Venture replica wind vane from near the bus station. (see photo 5)
The Sea Venture, which was wrecked off the uninhabited Bermudas in 1609 was commemorated in Shakespeare's Tempest.
Inside City Hall is the Bermuda National Gallery. I have not visited this. The website says:
"The split-level galleries house both permanent and rotating exhibits of Bermudian artworks.
The permanent collection has four elements:
European paintings (of non-local scenes and people) over four centuries including works by Reynolds, Gainsborough, Romney, Murillo and Wilson
23 African sculptures from the New York Perls collection, purchased from many sectors of the Bermuda community, plus others donated.
Bermudian mostly cedar furniture on long-term loan from local collections.
Historic and contemporary paintings, sculpture and photographs.
A mini-theater serves as a venue for readings, small concerts, lectures, slide shows and films."
There is also a small gift shop. Leave a Comment
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On Wednesday afternoon (in 1995) after we got back from the Dockyard and the weather cleared up, we walked around downtown Hamilton and shopped. I had heard that the Historical Society Museum was in the Library and was free, so we visited. They were having a quilt exhibit there.
The website has additional photos of the outside of the building. It says: "Located in the Bermuda National Library, Reid and Queen Streets. This small gem of a museum is filled with antiques, china, old coins, Boer War prisoner carvings, and more. Historical Society treatises are for sale."
There's even a 1775 letter from George Washington "to the inhabitants of Bermuda."
The library contains a 1624 first edition of Captain John Smith's General Historie of Virginia, New England and the Somer Isles, a wonderful collection of old and new Bermuda travel and picture books, and a reading room with recent U.S. and British newspapers.
The building that houses the Library and Historical Society Museum is Par-La-Ville, which was formerly the townhouse of Bermuda’s first postmaster, William B. Perot, in the early 1800s.
We visited again in 2007, and this time I took some more pictures. The curator called to Camden for me and found that it was open. Leave a Comment
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There is a Heritage Bermuda Passport like there was for Barbados. It is really not given enough publicity - very few people know about it.
"The Heritage Passport
"Now you can enjoy Bermuda's top eight cultural attractions for one low price. $25 for adults and $15.00 for children 6-16 years of age."
[Note: some places say the ticket is $35, but we only paid $25 in November 2004]
The Heritage Passport allows unlimited admission for 7 consecutive days to the Bermuda Maritime Museum, Bermuda National Gallery (photo), and Bermuda National Trust Verdmont Historic House Museum (photo) open Tues-Sat, 10am-4pm; featuring the Globe Hotel and Tucker House Museum, Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, Bermuda Aquarium Museum & Zoo, and Fort St. Catherine. "
The BUEI (Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute - photo) is just outside Hamilton in Devonshire Parish. The admission is $10.50 for adults and $8.40 for seniors.
But the Bermuda Maritime Museum (photo - $10 adults and $8 for seniors) out at King's Wharf aka the Dockyard is worthwhile, and so is the BAMZ ($10 for adults and $5 for seniors and children).
I went to Ft. St. Catherine in 1963 but didn't go on the 1995 trip went again in 2004. Adults are $5.00 and children are $2.00. So that equals $25.50 admission for adults if you go to all three of them.
Tucker House is $3.00 for adults and $2.00 for children and the Globe Hotel is $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for children. Verdmont House is about the same and all three of them together have a combination ticket that you can get even if you don't get the Heritage Pass.
The National Gallery is only $3.00 for adults and children are free and it was free for everyone in the fall of 2004. (I haven't been any of those places except that we saw a movie at the Globe Hotel)
So if you are only going to one or two of these places, the Heritage Passport doesn't save any money. You'd have to commit to visiting at least the three more expensive ones for it to be a good deal. Leave a Comment
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