day 7 & 8: celebrating with high tea and a gossip

wednesday, june 18, 2014
in st. georges

the ducking stool

bermuda began in st. georges in 1609. this historical northern town remains much as it did in its early years. after handing off the capitol title to hamilton in 1815, st. georges continues to be rooted in its past with exquisite architecture and old world charm. every day at noon in the center of olde town, a nagging gossip is ducked to illustrate the period's punishment. although very one-sided, justice was served.

"i am a gossip and a nag"

the nag turns to the crowd for help

she begs for pardon

begging and pleading never work

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high tea at the bermuda perfumery

we first experienced the islands four years ago on our honeymoon, and for our fourth anniversary, the celebration had to be special. we chose high tea at the bermuda perfumery.  you must visit this spot.  the bermuda perfumery, located in stuart hall, has captured the aroma of the islands and bottled it. this 300 year old house includes a fragrance-making studio, a history room and retail store. the master perfumer isabelle ramsey-brackstone conducts workshops where you can make your own fragrance. advance reservations are required. for the romantic, enjoy high tea with paula. make reservations before you leave by emailing, for this is a very popular tradition. one of only three high teas offered on the island, the perfumery features hackney tea. we chose chopra (organic ginger) and tower of london (black tea with lemon) - both were full bodied and the perfect choice to compliment the warm scones, finger sandwiches and sweets. $28 per person, cash only.

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tea in the garden

bermuda perfumery

harbour nights in downtown hamilton

although the ships do not dock in hamilton harbour now, the city continues its wednesday tradition of harbor nights. the retail shops stay open late while people line front street to enjoy the gombey dancers. a west african word that means rustic drum, gombey dancers originated in the mid-18th century as a result of enslaved africans and native americans who secretly practiced this form of dance. today, they perform during holidays and celebrations. this tradition is passed down from father to son ensuring the pride of their musical heritage remains strong.

gombey dancers

the pickled onion

one of our favorite spots is the pickled onion. located on front street with second floor dining, it's the perfect vantage point for the parade of gombeys and the street party during harbour nights.

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thursday, june 19, 2014

verdmont

erected in 1710, verdmont is an example of georgian architecture. it is part of bermuda national trust, and its collection of antiques are all period. most impressive is the 19th century piano which was shipped from england. we happened there during a field trip of eight-and-nine year old school children (i felt right at home), so we tagged along to hear the commentary. $5 admission, open wednesday - friday.

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the rocky coastline at spittal pond

coot pond road overlooking tobacco bay

horseshoe bay

the jumping off point at horseshoe bay

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the day ends at the hamilton princess with dinner at samuelsson at HP

there are moments when you get so caught up in conversation that you forget why you came. we were excited to dine at the hamilton princess at marcus samuelsson's pop-up restaurant, samuelsson at hp. this previews the opening of his 2015 restaurant which will become a permanent fixture for the princess.
we ordered and waited, and in doing so, became acquainted with tom and brenda boyce who were in bermuda celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. having never been here before, they asked where they should go. we gladly shared our loves of the island and before you knew it, it was three hours later. food was devoured and no photos were taken. it was actually very lovely.
as for samuelsson at hp, the food was tasty, although 'small' definitely means small. go straight for the 'large' menu, and remember gratuity is automatically added to your tab which is the practice for most restaurants on the island. reservations are recommended, and be sure to request outdoor seating. since we thought it was entirely an outdoor experience, we didn't request and had to dine inside which was a shame on such a lovely evening.