Today, my friend and I arrived in Southhampton, Bermuda after a short, hour-and-a-half flight from New York City. After a bumpy ride to our hotel, we checked in and went straight to the cove -- a private beach owned by the Fairmont.
The view is absolutely breathtaking, with turquoise water in three shades, each one darker than the last as you look into the horizon. Huge outcroppings of coral jut out from the sea at least three or four stories into the air -- each surrounded by snorkelers.
The sun was blazing yesterday, as it's expected to be the rest of the week, and as soon as we arrived at the beach, we saw a woman faint. Countless Britons walk the island in colored Bermuda shorts and knee socks paired with a sport coat and tie in the scorching heat. I suppose tradition trumps heat exhaustion.
Thankfully, one can easily get their hands on a cold cocktail just about anywhere. The "national drinks" of Bermuda are the Dark & Stormy and the neon-pink Swizzle drink, both of which consist of way too much rum. And since the Island is part of the UK, there's always afternoon tea, if you fancy that sort of thing.
After a dinner of fish cakes and calamari at Wickets, an English cafe at the hotel, we checked out The Cellar, a hot spot on the island for a couple hours of dancing to DJ Choice, a surprisingly entertaining music-maker who is apparently well known around Southhampton. More tomorrow.