Posted by: Editor on Sep 25, 2007 – 10:51 AM
exoticlocations Beautiful beaches, warm weather and tropical landscapes may be the original allure for visitors to the Bahamas, but the Bahamian people are what bring guests back. My very first visit to the Bahamas was a trip to Compass Cay last year. Located in the Exuma Island chain, this Island is surrounded by the most beautiful water in the world. Snorkeling, fishing, white sand – it’s there. However, ask me why I chose to return this year and spend that one precious week of vacation on the Island and I’ll tell you Tucker Rolle and his family.
The moment you step onto the Island, Tucker greets you with a smile, a smile that I’ve found nowhere else. It’s like coming home to family. The people make the Bahamas my favorite travel destination.
Travel is about experiencing new things and meeting new people. As the world becomes more globalized it becomes harder and harder to find the unique. With this thought in mind, my husband and I contacted the Ministry of Tourism and requested a media tour. We wanted to meet real Bahamians and learn about their culture and heritage. Debra Pinder, Coordinator of Communications and Public Relations, responded to our request and soon a five-day itinerary was created.
Our adventure began with a tour around Nassau. Tour Guide Godfrey Simms and his lovely daughter Nikia took us around the city. We visited forts, war monuments and basically got acquainted with the entire city of Nassau. For lunch we visited what the locals call “The Fish Fry” or Arawak Cay. Local culinary fare with delicious daiquiris made our lunch at Twin Brothers enjoyable. Conversation with Rex and Carrie Sheppard, a local couple who joined us, made the experience spectacular. Later, the Shepards invited us to their home, where we photographed their spectacularly colorful garden and shared fresh coconut and coconut water. To sit with real Bahamians and talk about their traditions first-hand allowed us to understand and appreciate all that this area has to offer.
On the second day of our tour, we learned that people aren’t the only ones friendly on the Island. We visited the Blue Lagoon Dolphin Encounter and met Goombay, a dolphin, and Maggie, a sea lion rescued after Hurricane Katrina, who were equally pleasant ambassadors for the Bahamas. What can I say – we danced, we hugged, we kissed. Once again, a personal encounter helped us understand and appreciate these lovely creatures. It impressed us that a tourist destination could be so much fun yet environmentally responsible.
Our People-to-People Experience that night was unforgettable. We were welcomed into the Fox home as members of their family. During this evening we learned about Bahamian culinary traditions – from how to brew bush teas to a quick lesson on how to pick up and prepare land crab. While the Ministry of Tourism arranged the interview, the entire Fox family choreographed the evening. The children prepared a table of local ingredients to share and explain. Mr. Fox showed us how to remove conch from the shell. And Mrs. Fox, her Mother and sisters shared their favorite family recipes with us. It was truly a night to remember. Now when we write about what crabs and dough taste like we can tell our readers the heritage of the dish and about the family who comes together to cook every Sunday.
An interview with Bonefish Foley was the highlight of our agenda for the third day. We first learned of Bonefish Foley on Compass Cay. Music is an important part of our lives in the States and we wanted to know about Bahamian music. On our previous trip, Trevor Rolle introduced us to the music of Phil Stubbs. We fell in love with his music and have a copy of his CD that we listen to regularly in the States. Our favorite song is “Bonefish Foley.” Mr. Foley lived up to our expectations. His passion for fishing is surpassed only by his quick wit and generous nature. People come from around the world to fish with Mr. Foley. I’m sure that part of that is because he is such a fabulous fishing guide, but I suspect that the opportunity to spend an afternoon visiting with him really makes the trip special.
Our interview was followed by lunch at the Poop Deck. Our company included two young women who currently serve as interns at the Ministry of Tourism. As our pattern seemed to persist, the food was great but our company was again the best part of the meal. Listening to the stories of the girls’ everyday Bahamian lives and plans for their futures entertained and endeared both to us.
Our day concluded with cigar rolling and diner at Graycliff. Owner Enrico Garzaroli and son Paolo provided us with a guided tour of their cigar factory where we learned about the entire cigar making process – we even attempted to roll our own cigars. After exploring the factory we set out for the dining room. Our company again dominated the evening. A charming and charismatic host, the story of how Mr. Garzaroli came to be in the Bahamas and built his lavish wine cellar unfolded through an evening of colorful stories and entertaining anecdotes. Interspersed throughout the conversation was a fabulous meal that concluded with homemade ice cream topped with 100-year-old balsamic vinegar – it sounds like a strange combination, but was absolutely fantastic.
The next morning we traveled back in time with Nettie Symonette at Nettie’s Difference of Nassau, a Bahamian culture museum and hotel. Colorful buildings caught our attention when driving by and made us want to know more about the facility. However, as beautiful, fun and engaging as the museum was, it shrunk in comparison to Ms. Symonette. As she began telling the tale of her life, one that began in Eleuthera and has brought her to Nassau, you forget that you live in 2007 and imaged life as a young Bahamian in the ’40s. While 1940s daily life sounds grueling, her stories inspire the listener to focus on the spirit of the people and the ingenuity of the communities. Problems were solved with hard work and common sense – and a strong unrelenting faith. Admiration for the Bahamian people comes naturally after a museum tour with Ms. Symonette.
Linda Brown at Bahama Hand Prints gave us a wonderful tour of her facility. Seeing the vividly colored inks applied to the long bolts of cotton poplin was a visual feast. While new 2 patterns are developed every year, many of the original patterns created by artists Helen Astarita and Berta Sands are stilled used today. We watched as age-old patterns were recreated on cloth, cured, cut to pattern and sewn into stylish fashions for all ages. Our tour concluded with a preview of Mrs. Brown’s exciting new collection, set to be released in October.
Later that morning, Charlie Major Jr. took us back to the days of boxing’s Golden Era. Mr. Major is the son of the Bahamas’ Father of Boxing, Charlie Major Sr., and the proprietor of Charlie’s Restaurant, located at the Old Nassau Stadium. Mr. Major’s stories made us feel as if we were sitting ringside. We could practically hear the footsteps of Hall of Fame boxers like Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston and Willie Pep echoing off the walls! Our breakfast was unbelievable. If anyone had told me I would crave stew fish for breakfast I never would have believed him or her, but Mr. Major’s was so good, I’ll dream about it back in the U.S. Mr. Major is currently working with life-long friend Eldon Ferguson of Hidden Treasures Bahamas, Ltd. on plans to bring back a cabaret style club, and to renovate the Stadium for more professional boxing matches.
Educulture was a new word for us when we walked into the Junkanoo Museum on our final tour day. Fantastic costumes covered the walls. Videos with parades and music entertained us as we walked through the rooms. Our interview was with Arlene Nash-Ferguson. Mrs. Nash-Ferguson’s stories made me feel as if I was 7 years old again. I listened intently to every word and by the end of our interview, given half a chance, I’d have dropped my pen and pad to run to the museum shack to make a Junkanoo mask. While the costumes were beautiful and entertaining, Mrs. Nash-Ferguson made us understand the link of Junkanoo to the Bahamian culture. Again, the spirit of the people was what moved us. Mrs. Nash- Ferguson’s passion for teaching and her love of Bahamian culture will motivate many children’s minds.
If the purpose of a media tour is to make a press group feel as if they have joined the Bahamian family, Godfrey Simms, Debra Pinder and the Ministry of Tourism accomplished their job. During no other media tour have we ever felt like we became part of a family. Through our photographs, pen and paper we will do our best to share our experiences and tell the world of the welcoming, warm Bahamian people. Thank you to everyone for making our visit so pleasant.
By Craig & Victoria Rogers
Gulfscapes Magazine
www.gulfscapes.com