A Trip Down Memory Lane

They always say the fun is in the journey rather than the destination.  Today I decided to share a few photos that I stopped to snap while on the way to somewhere else.  This first two photos are a before and after from some housing developments on the West End, aka out by Dockyard (which I would kind of think of as the North End, but it is not so).  The building below is pretty beat up, and presumably unoccupied.  But as recently as last year some of its neighbours looked to be in the same shape, but showed obvious signs of habitation...things like laundry lines and chairs on the patios.

Change is everywhere in the West End right now

It was a pleasant surprise to see something new popping up in their stead.  For those of you looking for the sea glass beach...turn left when you hit these new homes.

I was drawn to these new pastel homes, they style looking more American than Bermudian to my untrained eye

I also stopped to take this picture of a quiet river scene.

On the banks of the Bermudian River...not

This is a tough shot to get in Bermuda because there are no rivers in Bermuda.  In fact, we have no freshwater source at all except rainfall.  All the water that we drink and shower with is collected in a cistern beneath our homes.  If there is a water table in Bermuda, it's only got salt water.  But, this little ocean inlet looks a lot like a pretty river, and was one of those rewards for pulling over and backtracking when a flash of unfamiliar hit my periphery while zooming down the road on my scooter at the legal 35 km per hour.

There is a little gatehouse on the bridge entering Dockyard.  I stopped to photograph it, and when looking through the bars could see a white cross on the rocks beyond it.  Another quiet roadside memorial to someone's beloved.

The Gatehouse

There is also a stately home in this area which I always presumed was left over from the naval presence at Dockyard.  It is close to but not within the confines of the old Fort, but the structure reminds me of the Commissioner's House.  I was surprised to drive up the little path to this spot and simply find it to be a private residence with a beautiful view.

Old style homes with a view

The view that comes with the house

I also cannot count the amount of times I have driven past this next little spot and never stopped. When I finally did I had to laugh, as the name is clearly marked and it is a rather notorious little spot that I have been to before...but by sea rather than by land.  This would be the site of a rather famous annual event known as "The Non-Mariner's Race," which takes place at the end of the annual Cup Match Holiday (we take 2 days off for Bermuda's Emancipation Day and the ends of the island become rivals for the 2 day Cricket Match).  Due to the rivalry, try to avoid wearing red, blue, or blue and blue or blue and red, as any combination will be interpreted as support of one of the teams by everyone local that you meet during the day.  Any other time of the year these colors are fine, but the last weekend of July/first weekend of August, it's easier to just wear pink or something.  The Non-Mariner's Race is a short race of home made vessels that are most definitely not seaworthy, which is part of the fun.  Rafts, blow up toys, lawnmower powered crafts, etc will all be entered.  Most spectators look on from boats, as a good percent of the island population sails or motors into the area and "ties up" with other boats turning this area into a very large and disparate floating raft of ships and bodies.  This annual, quasi controlled chaos takes place near Mangrove Bay.

I dug through some old digital snapshots looking for a photo of this event, and ended up taking a stroll down memory lane as I came across a couple of pictures taken from the race 2010.  A lot has changed, as it does in an Ex-Pat community.  I am the only one on board that day that is still in Bermuda today.  Our vessel was "The Cactus" with Captain Clarke, the Newfie Rogue of the Bermuda Seas.  Can you pick him out of the photo below?  I wonder if he dresses the same in Vancouver now.

Life is tough in Bermuda

More of the boats can be seen behind Lisa's portrait.  Lisa's work has taken her to Colorado and now Boston.

Lisa with the Non-Mariner's Armada behind her

Selfie of Cherie, Lou and me.  Both are on the mainland now.

Overboard at Mangrove Bay...we never know where this one will turn up next but one of the last pictures I saw on facebook was titled, "The Sheik of Qatar".  They were kidding.  Well, mostly.

But fast forward 3.5 years to a nice spring day and Mangrove Bay looks a bit more tranquil.

I wonder what type of tree this is?  Please don't tell me mangrove...

And these are the treasures of my spare time as of late.  Hope you enjoyed them.