Nassau, Bahamas

It´s worthwhile getting lost in a strange city once in a while. That´s how you get to know more of the place. I woke up this morning determined to find the Fort Fincastle atop Bennet´s Hill and climb the 65 steps up the Queen's Staircase to reach the top.

Armed with the illustrated map I got from the airport, I took a leisurely pace walking along Bay St. It´s still 9 a.m. and I thought Robert, whom I´m going to meet later this morning, is still a few miles off shore aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship.

Somehow, the streets in Nassau are poorly marked. The map became a jigsaw puzzle for me as I try to get my bearings. All I did was walk up as I believe that the area should be in an elevated piece of land - Bennet´s Hill, right?

I clambered up concrete steps to another street on a higher level only to find a cluster of government buildings. I decided to walk with the heat becoming unbearable so I went down through another concrete steps until I came to another street. At an intersection, a kind lady pointed out to me the way to Elizabeth Ave. which should go directly up to the Queen´s Staircase.

Feeling relieved at this knowledge, I also felt amused that I was lost as I was able to test my perseverance and the faith in myself that there´s always a way out from being lost. And as I´ve mentioned, getting lost is a way to see how locals live outside the tourist trail.


The Queen´s Staircase is tucked at the end of Elizabeth Avenue and is surrounded by massive walls of limestone. It´s an easy climb up these stairs and after reaching the top, Fort Fincastle is just a few steps away.


Being on the highest point of Nassau, Fort Fincastle affords panoramic vistas to visitors on the island. I saw Disney Wonder looming bigger and bigger as the ship gingerly approached Nassau Harbor. The towers of the mega-resort Atlantis can also be seen looming in Paradise island.
Having reached this vantage point, I felt more confident now to go back to Bay Street. In fact, it was a breeze finding my way down to Rawson Square and into Festival Place where I finally met Robert.

We took the ferry to Paradise island to get a quick glimpse of the Atlantis Resort. We sailed in the narrow Nassau harbor where Disney Wonder along with 3 other cruise ships were berthed. Some ten minutes later, we were in Paradise island. Atlantis Resort is really huge, reminding me of the big hotels in Las Vegas. There´s a casino for adults to get away from screaming toddlers and a lagoon with a glass-enclosed tunnel where screaming toddlers might be pacified by the sight of groupers, sharks, sting rays and other members of the Little Mermaid world.

Nassau, Bahamas

Walking along busy Bay Street late this afternoon reminded me of Key West's Duval Street: two-storey buildings made of wood with porches and balconies galore which is very Caribbean. I see that traditional architecture still dominates in these islands, adding to its charm as a destination for sun-worshippers coming from the cold North.

Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, sits on the small island of New Providence, merely a speck in a string of some 700 islands comprising this Caribbean nation. Even though it is small, this is the country's powerhouse and where most visitors come in first. There are daily flights from mainland U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. Huge cruise liners also dock at the Prince George Wharf, instantly flooding the streets with tourists.

Infrastructure boom geared towards the increasing tourist traffic is very evident. Even in the other islands, especially Paradise island which is connected to New Providence via a bridge, there are more hotels being built. The already mammoth Atlantis Resort on Paradise island is even expanding.

All these construction has not affected the slow pace of life at New Providence. . .yet. Locals at this time still go about their daily grind without being rushed in their routines. In a way, Nassau retains that small town feeling until all the cruise line passengers are disgorged from their ships.

I find it odd that they're driving here on the left using vehicles with left steering wheels. It's driving the British way using American cars!

My hotel - the Nassau Palm Resort - is conveniently located in Bay Street, right in front of the Junkanoo Beach. From my room on the fifth floor, I get a vantage view of a light house sitting at the western end of Paradise island and the boats cruising along Nassau Harbor. Lovely!