Shortly after 9am the customs official cleared the ship ready for disembarkation and I joined the long,long queue to leave.I hate taking an organized tour at the best of times and would never do so after sailing for 7 days,when all I want to do is walk,walk,walk and do my own thing in general.We docked in the port at the former Royal Naval Dockyard,as the island has been officially a British territory since 1684,even though the name Bermuda has been given by a Spanish sea captain Juan de Bermudez,who came across the islands in 1503 ["The Bermudas" consist of around 138 islands.], but the Spanish never claimed the territory as they thought the islands were haunted.But the Brits were made of sterner stuff.
Yes, after 7 days without seeing a dry land, I was ready for Bermuda,but Bermuda was not ready for me.Is it a Sunday,thought I for a split second, when deserted streets,bar a few taxi drivers, and closed shops,bar "The Pharmacy", welcomed me.
Even s solitary worker on a sloping roof good 30 m high [ no harness, nothing to make him safe],was resting spread-eagle.I have not seen a sight quite like it and burst out laughing,reaching for my phone to take a picture.Alas, he heard me, stirred and sat up startled.Seeing the phone in my hands he began frantically scurrying about, almost sliding down.Feeling concerned for his safety I shouted-sorry-and put the phone away giving him a wave.He waved back and smiled.
The islanders must be very rich, when they do not consider almost 2000 people worthy of opening their doors to.
So I decided to walk in the direction of the capital, Hamilton.
I passed Westgate Correctional facility.Utterly divine setting.Does any offender ever want to leave such a prestigious address? Gloria Estefan,who rents out her Miami home for $75,000 a month, would be proud to own a house there.
A small cluster of tiny houses further along,called Victoria village, was obviously a home of the born and bread Bermudians.
A beautiful woman sitting on the miniature terrace smiled broadly when I said good morning, beaming.
Be careful,now,the sun is going to get strong today, she said,put on your hat.Thank you, I will.
Yes, it was a good, good morning.I only wish I had my right foot to match. It has been hurting me for a while now and then.It could be an inflammation,as the internet has suggested.So I hopped along another good 2km, until I could hop no longer and turned back stopping at a ramshackle bus stop.The $3 ride was at times hair-raising,the driver taking the bends as if we were catching the last shuttle from the Moon to Earth.
There was not a single place open that served coffee in the Dockyard.Limping I returned to my cabin and a sun-lit balcony and yes, I shed all my clothes and for 10 glorious minutes I soaked the sun.
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