Bermuda & Halifax Canada Links

#Bermuda_HalifaxCanada_Links

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

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 / Bermuda
As you will read our two areas have many connections

You cannot rent a car here on the island
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 / one week $62.00
It can be bought at the Main Ferry Terminal, Central Bus Depot or Visitors Services Centres 

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

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

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


Also a refreshing fact; there is no McDonalds on the island

Halifax and Bermuda again share a history as both locations were strategically important British Fortresses during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812
Both areas served as key naval bases to protect the British interests in the Atlantic Ocean plus the North American coast
These citadels were designated as Imperial Fortresses (same as the structures in Gibraltar and Malta) highlighting their importance in maintaining the British power and influence

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

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

It seems i can always find a British style pub wherever i visit and thus came upon the famous Swizzle Inn
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 grottoes 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 which now is Grotto Bay Beach Resort that began attracting visitors in the 1970s

Then 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
Prospero and Cathedral Caves are located at the resort grounds with the latter open to the public to swim at no entrance fee

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

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

Both areas are considered the Shipwreck Gravesites of the Atlantic, so another connection

Bermuda Triangle 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 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

The famous pink sand 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