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Country Guide > North America > Bermuda | |
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Social Profile Food & Drink Hotel cooking is usually international with some Bermudan specialities such as Bermuda lobster (in season September to mid-April), mussel pie, conch stew, cassava pie, Wahoo steak, Hoppin' John (black-eyed peas and rice), fish chowder laced with sherry, peppers, rum and shark. Other seafoods include rockfish, red snapper, guinea chick (shiny lobster) and yellowtail. Peculiar to Bermuda is the Bermuda onion; other fine home-grown products include pawpaw and strawberries in January and February, and a variety of local citrus fruit. Traditional Sunday breakfast is codfish and potatoes, which are served with red sauce, avocado and banana, while desserts include sweet potato pudding, bay grape jelly and loquat jam. There is a vast variety of restaurants, cafes, bars and taverns to suit all pockets. Service will vary although generally table service can be expected. Local drinks and cocktails have Golsing's Bermuda Black Seal rum as a base, and have colourful names such as Dark and Stormy (traditional local drink) and the famous Rum Swizzle. British, European and US beer is available. It is normal in bars to pay for each drink and to tip the barman. In restaurants, drinks are added to the bill. Nightlife Most hotels offer a variety of entertainment. Dancing, barbecues, nightclubs and discos are all available. There are also island cruises such as the Hawkins Island Don't Stop the Carnival Party, which enables exclusive access to Hawkins Island (it is accessible only by boat) for entertainment -even the locals attend. Local music is a mixture of Calypso and Latin American, and steel band music is very popular. All the latest listings can be found in Preview Bermuda and This Week in Bermuda. Shopping The best buys are imported merchandise such as French perfumes, English bone china, Swiss watches, Danish silver, American costume jewellery, German cameras, Scottish tweeds, and various spirits and liqueurs. Bermuda-made articles include handicrafts, pottery, cedar ware, fashions, rum, honey, Bermuda Rum cakes, Sherry Peppers condiments, records and paintings by local artists. Antique shops may have the odd good bargain and shops in the countryside offer many souvenirs. Bathing suits, sports clothes, straw hats and, of course, Bermuda shorts, are other good buys. There is no sales tax or VAT. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1700, with some closing early on Thursday. Shops at the Royal Naval Dockyard are open on Sun 1000-1700. Special Events Bermuda’s many annual events include concerts, marathons, cricket matches, regattas, golf and tennis tournaments, and horse shows. The following is a selection of special events occurring in Bermuda in 2005; for a full list of special events, contact Bermuda Tourism (see Contact Addresses section): Jan 13-31 Festival of the Performing Arts. Jan 13-Feb 26 Bermuda Festival. Jan 14-16 Bermuda International Race Weekend. Feb 5-6 Champion of Champions Harness Racing. Mar 7-12 Ladies/Men's Amateur Match Play Championships. Mar 18-24 International Film Festival. Mar 25 Annual Good Friday Kite Festival. Mar 26 Cat Fanciers' Association Cat Shows. Mar 27 Open Karate Championships. Apr 4-9 Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters 2005 Squash Championship. May 24 Bermuda Day Parade. Jun 13 Queen's Birthday Parade. Jun 17-21 Marion Bermuda Ocean Race. Jul 28-29 Cup Match Cricket Festival. Sep 5 Labour Day, parade, stalls and games, Union Square, Hamilton. Oct 5-9 Bermuda Music Festival. Oct 21-23 Bermuda Culinary Arts Festival. Oct 13-16 Bermuda Open for Men, golf. Nov 6-13 World Rugby Classic. Social Conventions Many of Bermuda's social conventions are British influenced, and there is a very English ‘feel’ to the islands. It is quite customary to politely greet people on the street, even if they are strangers. Casual wear is acceptable in most places during the day, but beachwear (including short tops and 'short' shorts) should be confined to the beach. Almost all hotels and restaurants require a smart casual dress in the evenings; check dress requirements in advance. Non-smoking areas will be marked. Drinking alcohol in public outside of a licensed premise is prohibited. Tipping: When not included in the bill, 15 per cent generally for most services. Hotels and guest houses add a set amount per person in lieu of tips to the bill. |