Sunday, August 24, 2008

Notes From The Bahamas-Monday

Monday was a public holiday in Nassau: Emancipation Day (which is sort of like celebrating Independence Day in the United States). Mostly everything was closed, so we took a taxi over to Paradise Island to frolick. We visited picturesque Versailles Gardens and the Cloister. Here is some interesting information about the Cloister, copied from nassauparadiseisland.com:

This Greco-Gothic masterpiece stands high on a bluff overlooking the harbour. It is a popular spot for wedding ceremonies and is especially beautiful when illuminated at night. Augustinian monks in France originally built the stone structure in the 13th century. In the 1920s, William Randolph Hearst bought the Cloister and had it disassembled and moved to the United States. There the stones lay in a warehouse for years because the contractors did not have the plans needed to reassemble it. Huntington Hartford, the millionaire developer of Paradise Island, purchased the structure and reconstructed it on the island in 1962. It is located in the Versailles Gardens.

The Cloister and I.

Poinciana trees were all over the Bahamas.

We then headed over to the Atlantis for aquarium-visiting, beach-lounging, and inner-tubing. I made friends with this fish; video evidence right here:
In the various lagoons in the Atlantis, I got a little video of indigenous Bahamian turtles, manta rays, and sawfish, among other marine life.
And just because they're awesome, here is a clip of some seahorse(s?).
Cabbage Beach at the Atlantis.
I also saw this bird on the Atlantis grounds........does anyone know what kind of bird this is?
We took a water taxi back to Nassau at the end of the day and ate at Conch Fritters Bar and Grill again. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I had the best (virgin?) strawberry daiquiri ever in life.
Yum to the nth degree.
We and some family members then ventured (via taxi) into Fox Hill Village to see any Emancipation Day celebrations. We were hoping to see the Junkanoo Rushout but we missed it. Instead, there were just local Bahamians hanging out eating, listening to music, and other "festival" activities. We did catch one of the traditions, where there is a greased pole climbing competition. Check out this brief clip I got of it:
When we were ready to leave, the police had to call for one of their own vehicles to take us back because taxis/tourists don't really come out to Fox Hill Village.
Monday was probably the most enjoyable day I had in the Bahamas.
Capped off the night with a Goombay Punch. Tastes like lemon-lime bubblegum soda.
*Dates are incorrect on the picture....all of the pictures/video here are from August 5th, 2008. Stupid digital camera.

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