Lookout Bermuda, Big Ben is on his way!
CONgRATULATIONS, barked the man at passport control. ‘You’re here in time for happy hour.’ Standing under a portrait of a young Queen elizabeth while having my passport stamped, I wasn’t quite ready for a rum swizzle. But our taxi driver had the same idea. ‘Friday night is party night in Bermuda,’ he said.
Sadly, we just missed the end of happy hour, but got the point. In the capital, Hamilton, the bars were percolating nicely, while in the 1609 bar at the Hamilton Princess, the Marina Nights sundowner party was well under way.
We might have missed happy hour, but in Bermuda there’s never an excuse to decline a rum cocktail.
It’s party central, for sure, but Bermuda also lays claim to being the shipwreck capital of the world. The waters surrounding the island are home to more than 300 wrecks, making it a fantastic place for diving, but a much- feared region for sailors.
It might seem strange, then, that Bermuda has been chosen to host the 35th America’s Cup in May, the most prestigious sailing trophy in the world.
Our own Sir Ben Ainslie is competing with his Land Rover BAR team, carrying the Union Flag. We’ve never won it, but with Big Ben at the helm, we stand a chance.
We stayed at the Hamilton Princess, a pink palace that’s more usually known as a business hotel thanks to its prime location.
But being right on the water’s edge also makes it an ideal spot for race watchers.
BeRMUDA is a British Overseas Colony with its governor appointed by the Queen. But though there are many British touches, such as red telephone boxes and the love of cricket, its proximity to the U.S. (only a 90-minute flight from New York) does mean there’s an American feel to the place.
As well as a new 60-berth marina, the Hamilton Princess also boasts an outstandnding art collection, and the island’s only celebebrity restaurant, Marcus, us, which belongs to awardrdwinning New York chefhef Marcus Samuelsson.
But the hot ticket is saa table for champagne ne Sunday brunch.
Think jerk prawns, s, mac’n’cheese, friedd chicken and waffles, as well as never- endingg glasses of bubbly.
One morning, wee hopped aboard a hired d boat and headed outt for a spot of snorkelling g to the infamous s Bermuda Triangle (thee area of the Atlantic c Ocean that has had d more than its fair share of boat disappearances and aircraft crashes).
The triangle might hold many secrets, but ut I can say that I’ve swum um in it and found nothing more worrying than inquisitive sergeant major fish.
Another way of exploring the island is by bike. In the Twenties, with automobiles banned, a 22-mile railway line was built.
However, in 1948, having never made any money, it was closed down. Today, the train route has become the Bermuda Railway Trail, perfect for hikers and cyclists.
Our two-hour cycle tour with Fantasea Bermuda took in Fort Scaur (built in the 1870s to protect the Royal Naval Dockyard from attacks) and the world’s smallest working drawbridge (just 22 in wide).
Our guide, Spencer, was a font of knowledge on all things Bermuda, everything from the green turtle reintroduction to how many of the island’s oldest families made their money by using cattle to lure passing ships onto the rocks.
Bermuda surprised me. I was expecting cruise ships, faux history and brightly coloured shorts. Instead, I found adventure sports, nature by the bucketload and a glimpse into Britain’s colonial past. TRAVEL FACTS BRITISH Airways ( ba.com, 0344 493 0787) flies from Gatwick from £584 return. Double rooms at Fairmont Hamilton Princess & Beach Club ( fairmont.com/hamiltonbermuda, 0808 101 7137) from £325 per night. Book activities via Island Tour Centre ( islandtour centre.com).