Bermuda & Halifax Canada Links

#BermudaHalifaxCanadaLinks
One of my favorite places to visit (via a 2 hour direct flight) is Bermuda

Many Common Links
Located off the coast near the American Carolinas, its still a British Overseas Territory
So with Canada a member of the Commonwealth (its now a voluntary association of 56 independent countries which were formerly part of the British Empire)
the organization works to promote shared values, international cooperation and development among its members like Canada and Bermuda
As you will read our two areas have many connections

No Car Rentals
Yes a scooter is an option, but with Right Hand Drive, dealing with Roundabouts and Narrow Streets plus the fact other tourists are on the roads after a 15 minute driving lesson, it does not add
up for a positive outcome 😏

KeyTip;
The bus and ferry passes are for an unlimited use,  day costs $19.00 or one week $62.00
It can be bought at the Main Ferry Terminal, Central Bus Depot and Visitors Service Centres 

Color Explanation
All the roofs are white so the Islanders can collect the rainwater as there is no freshwater sources like springs, rivers or lakes located on the island
The stepped roofs channel the water into the gutters that lead into underground cisterns which provides a reserve that can last for months
Bermuda also uses desalination of the seawater using reverse osmosis technology to
supplement the supply

Water Etiquette
So as a visitor; take shorter showers, reuse your towels, do not waste ice from the hotel machines etc.
You know common sense stuff
In closing just be mindful to conserve this precious resource and do not be that person
who is wasteful

Foodie Choices
A nickname for the locals is Onions, probably coming from the times of  the early settlers who cultivated that as a major crop
To modern times you will find some great Portuguese food choices (who have influenced the area after migrating from the Azores) also a mixture from the Caribbean, Africa and England

Some good picks;
1) Fish Chowder; the national dish of Bermuda
2) Fish Sandwich; served on raisin bread
3) Codfish & Potatoes; breakfast meal that comes with a banana or tomato onion sauce
4) Codfish Cakes; on a hot cross bun
5) Pawpaw Casserole; made with sweet papaya
6) Hoppin John; black-eyed peas and rice

No Big Mac 😂
Also a refreshing fact; there is no McDonalds on the island

The England Military Anchors
Halifax and Bermuda again share a history as both locations were strategically important British Fortresses during the Napoleonic Wars and during the War of 1812
Both areas served as key naval bases to protect the British interests in the Atlantic Ocean plus
along the North American coast

Imperial Fortresses
These citadels were designated this namesake, like their "sister" structures in Gibraltar and Malta
It highlighted their importance in maintaining the British power and influence globally

Butterfield Bank
Its global headquarters is located in the capital City of Hamilton but also
 has operations in Halifax

Reasons
 We are on the same time zone so good for the banking industry, six universities to get brain power for their IT and finance divisions located here,
 also favorable tax breaks from my government and the good exchange rate as the Bermuda Dollar is pegged on the US Currency

Many Internationals
Other Bermuda based financial companies located in Halifax for the skilled workforce and lower operating costs than their island nation
1) Citco Fund Services
2) Olympia Capital International Inc.
3) West End Capital Management
4) BF&M Insurance 
5) Paragon Advanced Development Ltd. IT Company

Swizzle Inn
It seems i can always find a British style pub wherever i visit 
So once inside i am told that it is the oldest pub (1932) on the island and its the birthplace
 of the Rum Swizzle

So after a couple of the signature drinks i learn why the motto is
Swizzle Inn & Swagger Out 😄

The Famous Grottoes
 They were formed millions of years ago through the rainwater seeping into the limestone
caves carving them out
The survivors of the Sea Venture shipwreck in 1609 discovered the area of Grotto Bay

 Grotto Bay Beach Resort
 It began attracting visitors in the 1970s
but in the early 2000s the group of Bermudian investors put in renovations to create a more
 British colonial feel
 through the furnishings, architectural designs and pastel colors

Free Entry
Prospero and Cathedral Caves are located at the resort grounds with the latter open
 to the public to swim 

Expensive Lodgings
Accommodations are expensive here, as an average night will cost you
between $500-$1000 USD

KeyTip;
Take a cruise which then you would stay in port for multiple days,
so your floating hotel

 Shipwreck Gravesites of the Atlantic
Both areas are considered the final resting place for many vessels, so another connection

Bermuda Triangle
The numbers say around 50 ships and 20 planes disappeared, with many cases are likely due to human error not supernatural causes as the myth would want you to believe

Sable Island
It has been the site of over 350 lost ships (with many more unaccounted for as they were lost with a trace) mostly because of a long narrow sandbar that constantly shifts and changes shape so making it a navigational hazard plus lets add in heavy fog

 Pink Sand
The beaches of Bermuda are very unique and not that commonly found anywhere else in the world
 It is created by the erosion of the coral and from family of shells called Foraminifers (of which is the tiny red organism) that live in the reefs