Touring Bermuda

The roads in Bermuda are narrow, you cannot hire a motor car and the only alternative is to rent a motorscooter. Dicing with death by renting a strange machine and driving on unfamiliar busy roads seems daft to us. Madder still if you place a beloved one on the back.

Better by far to hire a taxi and since the authorities strictly govern advertised rates, you cannot get ripped off. Cruise ship passengers beware, this safeguard does not apply to you if you buy your taxi tour on board the ship.

It pays to do your research before you spend $40 an hour. If like us, you find a guide who not only enjoys his job, but is himself a local historian then you are in for a treat.

Don’t just take our advice. Duke our guide for the day, comes highly recommended by users of the Web site Cruise Critic folks who seldom mince their words!

Duke took us all around the island visiting all nine parishes. Without him we would never have found the tiny chapel dating from before 1620 that is tucked away inside a park guarded by a property trust. Nor would we have known where to see spotted eagle rays and turtles.

Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, a fort or two, the smallest drawbridge in the world and the picturesque village of Flats were all the subject of Duke’s informative tour. We drove through Tuckers Town and the pretty harbour of Castle Point and down into St George’s now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It was here that we visited St Peters Church, an edifice that dates back to 1619. The oldest Anglican church outside the British Isles and the oldest Protestant church in continuous use in the new world.

St George’s is also a place to linger with museums, gift shops and historical artefacts on display throughout the town.

To get hold of Duke e mail him at bdashortz@hotmail.com or call his cell phone: +1-441-535-3465.