Facts To Know About Bermuda

1. Bermuda is known to be 21 miles in length and 3 miles wide.
2. It lies east of North Carolina about 650 miles. Bermuda is an archipelago with 7 main islands and with more than 180 islands and islets.
3. You can have any kind of paint color for your Bermuda house, but all rooftops are painted white and are all made of limestones.
4. No tax for everything, except property/real estate tax.
5. Bermuda was discovered by Juan de Bermudez, a Spanish explorer in 1503 but didn't attempt to land due to treacherous reefs surrounding the uninhabited islands. Admiral Sir George Somers, established an English claim of the islands later in 1609 after his ship "Sea Venture" was wrecked on reefs off the shores of Bermuda.
6. Almost everything is expensive!
7. You can't own a house/property in Bermuda unless you are a Bermudian, your parents/family are Bermudian, or you are a millionaire!
8. Bermuda is part of the British colony but they have their own government, and they don't get the same benefits like the British have.
9. The Bermuda currency is Bermuda dollar (BMD) which is on par with US dollar.
10. Bermuda became an English colony in 1684, and is the oldest British colony and has the 2nd oldest parliamentary democracy in the world.
11. Head of the State is Queen Elizabeth II and is represented in Bermuda by a governor whom she appoints internally. It has a parliamentary system of government.
12. Water in Bermuda is rain-dependent. If there is no rain in longer months, they have system to convert sea rain into household water. These tanks are stored underground for each home or property.
13. No snakes, no sharks in Bermuda, but beware of jellyfish in beaches. They sting real bad!
14. Bermuda is well known for pink sand beaches.
15. They drive on the left side of the road.
16. No McDonald's, Burger King, Starbucks or American franchises because local businesses would die. Only KFC is present and is expensive with a bucket of chicken costing to $39.00!
17. A triangular area in the Atlantic called "Bermuda Triangle" is believed to be known for mysterious shipwrecks, disappearances and plane crashes. The apexes of these traiangles are Bermuda, Miami, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
18. Bermuda's head of the government is the premier, who is also the leader of the majority party in the House of Assembly. The cabinet has ministers chosen by the premier from among the members of the House of Assembly and the Senate.

Beautiful, Charming Bermuda!

One of the best experience to visit the nautical charm of Bermuda is through a cruise ship.

Bermuda is an island and a British territory with Hamilton as its capital city. It is geographically located in the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately southeast of North Carolina, south of Nova Scotia and north of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is once a vast British colonial empire in North America.

Bermuda comprises only 2 towns; - Hamilton (the only city), and St. George. But it is also an interesting fact that the Royal Navy Dockyard also known as Dockyard is being seen as its 3rd town because of its attractive amenities; - shops, museums, restaurants, art shops, British pubs, etc... The Dockyard is actually one of Bermuda's key attractions!

It has 2 berths; - the King's Wharf and the Heritage Wharf. These 2 wharfs are the first destinations since they are the only ports suitable for mega cruise ships.

Our ship docked at Heritage Wharf and it provides an easy access to shops such as the Clocktower Shopping Mall, and other attractions and entertainment at the dockyard.

Both the King's Wharf and Heritage Wharf are located at the Royal Navy Dockyard which is the island's primary cruise port.

Beyond King's Wharf is Bermuda's historic capital, Hamilton city, blending British and islander influences. Hamilton's Front St. comprises all the shops, restaurants and other commercial establishments, while the Church St. proudly shows the Georgian-style Session House built in 1815.

Bermuda has a rich maritime heritage with a nautical charm, full of rich heritage.

Pink sand beaches are also commonly seen along the South Shore and are considered to be famous worldwide.

It's really difficult to see the sand as pink in photos! I couldn't see the pink-ish sand but when you are actually facing the shore, there are pink accents that glitters as the sands are being washed by the waves!

The House On The Hill:

The house you see fronting the Heritage Wharf situated on a hill is the Commissioner's House! Did you know that it was actually a ship called "HMS Malabar"? It didn't actually sail or float but it was a ship! Its walls are made of hard Bermuda limestones which were quarried and shaped by British prisoners including some slaves and local workers as well.

The Commissioner's House was Bermuda's equivalent of the White House in Washington DC. After the British left the dockyard in 1951, it became abandoned until 1974, and then after 25 years, it was restored in the year 2000 with the efforts of many private and corporate donors and volunteers.

Nowadays, it is a common sight to behold when you're in Bermuda, considered to be its westernmost landmark.

Shopping wise, you will enjoy going around the shops, from the dockyard to Hamilton Front St., and St. George. Indeed, you can enjoy a fabulous shopping in Bermuda!