Bahamas - The Recap

At the end of any vacation I always reflect on the experience and ask myself one question. That question is would I return. After a week on the island of Grand Bahama I would say no. That isn't to say that I had a terrible time but it wasn't an amazing experience either or a spectacular enough place that I would sacrifice exploring someplace new to return.

Let's talk about the great things about the island. At only 50 Miles from the eastern coast of the US it is a short plane ride.  Our total flying time was a little over three hours which makes it an appealing destination for a quick getaway.  Snorkeling and scuba diving here was a great experience and gave us an opportunity to explore the abundant marine life just off the beautiful sandy beaches.  We had an exceptional time at Caribbean Divers located at the Bell Channel Inn. That experience was definitely the highlight of our visit and will be remembered for years to come. 

On the flip side there are more negatives to discuss. While it is no surprise that island life dictates a slower pace then I am accustomed to living in the North East what frustrated me most was the ambivalence of workers performing their duties to take care of customers that angered me. From the moment we arrive at the airport I wasted 45 minutes signing out my rental car because the employee was busy on her personal phone talking to someone about her plans for later in the day then taking care of the customers lined up at her counter.  It is also worth mentioning that after waiting so long to get my premium rental I was presented with a Nissan March that had seen better days. We named it the "little shitbox". 

At the resort I was greeted with employees equally uninterested in servicing the needs of their arriving guests and instead we're only interested in selling me a timeshare or other services then actually checking me in for the stay I had already paid for. 

Equally disappointing was the room which at a quick glance was decent but it became clear that the housekeeping hadn't and don't do a particularly good job keeping the rooms in tip top shape. Maintenance was definitely lacking and everything from the rooms, pool, beach, and restaurants showed a lack of detail upkeep and an ambivalence of staff to make a effort to give guest a great experience. 

It wasn't just the resort staff that was rude many of the islanders we meet were equally discourteous to us while visiting. Some were more then welcoming and took obvious pride but they were few and far between. I could go on and on with the numerous examples of rude and unwelcoming behavior we witnessed but I think you get the point. 

More shocking then the poor attitudes we encountered was the abject poverty that was visible everywhere you went. We saw numerous abandoned houses and resorts like the Princess Resort and Casino but many retail businesses were also shuttered.  The once busy International Bazaar was now all but abandoned with only two shops still open. While a few businesses seemed to be thriving they added to the despair of the society like the Bahamian brewery. While employing many we saw beer bottles everywhere we went and learned that discarded smashed bottles were the culprit behind the islands forest fires. 

All of these negative factors outweigh the beautiful beaches and colorful coral reefs that surround the island. I believe it is only a matter of time before the incredible amounts of litter we saw on land polute the water that surrounds the island.  What was one truly a Grand Bahamian Island is no longer that grand. 

Bahamas - Day 8

As our last morning in the Bahamas we opted for one final breakfast at the Sea Grape. As usual we ordered the Breakfast sampler. After a satisfying meal and full stomachs we did one final walk through of the rooms to make sure we weren't leaving behind before heading down to return the beach towels and check out.

When we returned to the room we lined up our luggage by the door and all took one final shower. We all opted to wear shorts with a plan to change into pants in Atlanta. It was just too hot to wear pants. Like a jigsaw puzzle we squeezed all four of us and our luggage into the "little shitbox" one final time for the drive to Grand Bahama International Airport.

It was the. We realized there were two departure terminals. One just for US passengers and another for domestic and non-US departures. In comparison the non-US terminal looked much like the rest of the island, Tired and worn. We pulled into Hertz Return Parking and said goodbye to the car that helped us explore the island. As much of a POS as it is it had great air conditioning and was a reliable mode of transportation around the island.

As we entered the terminal I dropped the keys at the return counter and proceeded to the Delta Check-In counter. With no bags to check we only needed to complete our customs form before passing through airport security. Grace hadn't packed well and forgot to remove all her liquids. Unfortunately TSA wasn't overly kind and made a mess of her suitcase while searching for it requiring her to completely repack it.

Next we entered US Customs where our completed forms were reviewed and questions asked. My customs official asked about one of my listed purchases, a wooden fish. Given the possibility of insects hitching a ride to the main land it had to be reviewed for any signs of infestation. Knowing the trouble bugs like the Asian Long Horn beetle can cause I understood. Thankfully, Leonardo the artist who carved my purchase, had selected mahogany and it was clear of any indications of insects. Grace also got stopped and sneaked by as well. 

Having cleared security and customs we didn't have to wait long for the plane to take us home. Sadly once boarded we found ourselves waiting for a passenger from the arriving flight who had forgotten his passport and was refused entry into the Bahamas. Having over a 5 hour layover in Atlanta I was 't worried.

Atlanta was the typical zoo when we arrived. With such a long layover our flight to Hartford was t yet posted. After speaking to a Delta agent we headed for the T terminal. It was much quieter and we decided it was a good time to eat. We picked TGIF where I had the mixed grill sirloin and ribs. After dinner we settled into a row of seats and waited for our flight gate to be announced. 

As we expected it did move from Terminal T to Terminal B where we had landed on the arriving flight. We hopped on the Plane Train again and located our gate. With 3 more hours before leaving we changed from shorts into pants and explored the terminal shops.

Again our flight was delayed but this time as a result of flight staff tardiness caused by another late flight. Once on the plane for our last leg of travel Grace and I worked on our respective blogs before forgetting any details. As we got closer to home we flew past NYC and I managed to take a few pictures of the city below

Our pilot made up some of that lost time and we arrived only a few minutes late. day's father was kind enough to to pick us up. After a quick hello at his house we headed back to my place. Dan would drop Chris and I off and he and Grace would continue on. I would then drop Chris off at his house befor finally turning in. By the time this dance act was complete it was about 2 am. Beat and tired I was asleep befor my head hit the pillow.

Bahamas - Day 7 : Lucaya National Park

After an exceptional day scuba diving on Treasure Reef, the Tremendous Trio decided to take the "little shitbox" for a journey to the Lucaya National Park. And, if time permitted, a snorkel trip to Paradise Cove / Deadman's Reef. 

After the long ride to the east end of the island, we arrived at Lucaya National Park and pulled into the dusty dry parking lot. We paid the $5 per person admission and picked up a trail map. We started on the cave side of the park and first entered Ben's Cave, which was exposed when the roof of the cave collapsed. A small spiral staircase allows visitors to descend from the surface to viewing platforms just above the water line.

The next exposed case is the Burial Mound Cave, so named for the skeletons of the indigenous Lucayans found on the floor of the cave. With a larger mouth this cave had wooden steeps leading down to more viewing platforms where visitors get the opportunities to view how expansive the caves are. Both caves are part of a larger network of caves of which only 6 miles have been charted. While they do not allow swimming in these caves visitors certified in scuba diving can explore a short distance beyond what is visible. 

After completing the loop of trails passing the two caves, we made our way to the other side of the Grand Bahama Highway and followed along the mangrove swamp trail, where we encountered a variety of flowers, fauna, and ground pockmarked by land crab borrows. With the help of my flash, I was able to capture one of these land crabs inside his proactive borrow. It wasn't long before we crossed over the sand dune and were treated to beautiful views of Gold Rock Beach. While we didn't wear bathing suits or bring our snorkel gear, we were tempted to take a dip. 

We left the sandy shored and followed the boardwalk across the Gold Rock Creek where we saw more fish and a few kayaker's enjoying the tranquil waters protected by the sandy beach and dunes. After watching people kayak and the nature tours pass by, we were all getting a bit hot and sweaty and decided to head back to the rental car. Once in, we cranked the air conditioning which kicked in really quickly for such a small car.

Hot, sweaty, and hungry we decided it was time for lunch. We swung by the resort to pick up Chris and head for our usual dining destination of Port Lucaya. Today, we opted to repeat the Chipotle Steak Fajitas we had enjoyed earlier on the vacation and the happy hour half price drinks at Agave. While we were finishing up, the rain started to come down and we were thankful to have done the hike earlier in the day.

 With our appetites satisfied, Dan and Grace wanted to pick up some discount fragrances before heading back to the resort to drop of Chris and pick up our snorkel gear. Once back at the resort, we changed into our bathing suits, picked up new towels, and headed out. Sadly, the weather didn't improve as we made our way back to the East End of the island. When we arrived we decided it was our last day and even with the rain we should do it.

We went to the check in counter and discovered two things that changed our mind. First it was 4:30 and we had to be out of the water by 5 since they closed at 5:30 and second because it was low tide we would have to go out past the reef to snorkel since it was too shallow on the inside. With those two negatives we decided it just wasn't worth it and jumped back in the car for the long ride back to the resort.

Along the way we decided we would stop by the International Bazaar. While the tour books raved about it being the center of the islands tourist trade our multiple trips by it appeared more run down and mostly abandoned. Since there wasn't much more to do we pulled in and took a picture underneath the huge sign before venturing in. At the entrance their was a small Asian trinket shop followed just behind it by a smoke shop. After perusing the Chinese made novelties we spoke to the locals outside the smoke shop. They indicated that there wasn't much left after them. We carried along to explored and found abandoned shops and decaying signage. As we returned passes we spoke to them again and they shared their beliefs as to what caused the downfall of the International Bazaar.

Political corruption and the resulting re-routing of the main highway around the now closed Princess Hotel, Tower and Casino drove most of the tourists away and many of the shop owners to Port Lucaya Marketplace. They further discussed their belief that the island as a whole wasn't likely to recover for a very long time and that many of the original staples like the International Bazaar would never recover.


We also talked about the fires that we had seen burning and he told us that we shouldn't believe what we have read about their intentionally being set to control the grasses. The truth he shared is that the islanders as a whole are heavy drinkers and that they little by throwing those bottles to the side of the road and that these discarded bottles are the true culprit to the smoldering forest fires. 
We thanked him for his time and conversation and wished both their businesses and the island a hopeful recovery before heading back to the resort to relax before dinner. After a couple of hours relaxing and enjoying the resort pool and hottub we got ourselves showered and ready for dinner one last time at Port Lucaya. As planned we dined at Cappuccino's Italian restaurant. For our last dinner on the island Dan and I had the chicken francese while Grace and Chris had veal Marsala. While very good we are spoiled with the many suburb Italian restaurants at home. Nevertheless we enjoyed our meal and left satisfied.

Back at the resort we settled in for the most disliked task of traveling, re-packing. While it took some effort we consolidated and packed up all our clothes and vacation purchases leaving just a change of clothes for the next day's daunting trip home. 

We all turned in early knowing we would have a long day traveling the two legs home to Hartford to the cold nearly freezing weather.