Backpacking While Black

Bahamas, August 2006: Day 5, August 28, 2006, Nassau (Homeward Bound)

I was waiting for this day to come. Not that I wanted to leave Nassau, but I was eager to explore the downtown Nassau on foot. After breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant, I shouldered my camera bag and headed east on Bay Street along Junkanoo Beach. I spotted two cruise ships, the Carnival Valor and the Disney Magic, sitting at the cruise ship pier in Nassau Harbor. They had probably just unloaded their passengers who were now descending on downtown Nassau. This made my walk much more dynamic.

Downtown Nassau started when West Bay Street turned into Bay Street. A better marker is the British Colonial Hilton Nassau hotel. I found an even more ironic marker across the street. Earlier, just out of curiosity, I asked Craig where the American embassy was located. He told me across the street from the Hilton and next a McDonald’s. I thought he was joking that the American embassy was located next to such an American icon as McDonald’s. He wasn’t joking. I walked past the McDonald’s on Bay Street and no more than 500 feet from the drive through was the heavily guarded and shaded American embassy with its trade mark large American flag waving from top of the building. I tried to get a picture, but the bad angles and fear of getting arrested stopped me.

I continued my walking tour of Nassau past the Hilton and into the Nassau Straw Market. The cruise ship passengers made the market busier than normal, but it didn’t stop shop owners from calling me over to view their wears. I was only interested in a magnet and shot glass. I had begun to collect them as I traveled. I would’ve loved to rely on my stories and pictures, but having a physical item makes for better conversation in my home. I went to three different stands and finally settled on a shot glass and magnet for $4. For my first time haggling, I think I had done pretty well. Gifts in hand, I made my way past the docks to the big pink Bahamian Parliament Building. I was surprised that people could get so close to the country’s seat of power, but it was all for the sake of the country’s number one industry, tourism.

Past Parliament there wasn’t much more to Nassau than just more shops and cargo facilities, so I decided to make an about face towards the Nassau Palm. Plus I had to meet up with the Eldons so they could take me to the airport. I arrived back at my hotel just in time to take a shower and meet the Eldons in the lobby. I checked out and we were soon off to Nassau International Airport. We made one stop at Kandice’s parents’ home in order for me to pick up another tuxedo to bring back to Atlanta. I said my goodbyes to the Weech’s and thanked them for their hospitality and for such a great start to my Nassau vacation. After one last ponder of their beachfront view, we got back into the car and headed for the airport, again. Once we arrived, the Eldons bid me a found farewell. I promised to write and revisit them when I came back to Nassau; probably for Junkanoo in December or January. They gave me a great hug and thus concluded my time in Nassau with a family I had grown to call my own in such a short while.

After processing I had more than enough time for reflection as my flight back to Miami was delayed for an hour and half. I would only have 15 minutes to make it to my connection to Atlanta. It didn’t matter because I just had one of the best times in Nassau. I saw two friends become one. I had enjoyed the food, music and culture that share a similar background to my own. I had met a family that welcomed me in like I was their son. And I had seen a country from the eyes of a tourist and a native. It was a complete trip and it was one that I would gladly repeat. See you soon Nassau.

posted by Dre' @ 8/28/2006 03:50:00 AM 1 comments

Bahamas, August 2006: Day 4, August 27, 2006, Nassau (Finding the Lost City of Atlantis)

My tuxedo went from nicely dry cleaned to disgustingly grungy as it was soaked in sweat, cigar smoke and some champagne. Father Eldon got me a discounted room at the Nassau Palm Resort and Conference Center (West Bay Street, Junkanoo Beach). After the wedding reception, around 4 a.m., I checked into a king-sized room with a nice view of Nassau Harbor. After peeling off the tuxedo, showering and settling in, I slept until noon. The only thing that woke me up was a phone call from Corey confirming that Craig and Kandice were on a plane to Miami for their seven-day honeymoon cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas.

The reviews about Nassau Palm were rather negative. Most tourists thought they were getting a great bargain for such an inexpensive room located so close to downtown Nassau. They expected opulence, but were dismayed by the hotel’s worn and “local” flavor. To me, the Nassau Palm is a Bahamian’s hotel. It was close to the action of Nassau, easy on the wallet and had great access to an adequate beach. Some of the reviews praised the hotel for just a place to do the three S’s (sleep, shower and shave) and I agreed with those the most. My room was nice to say the least. The bed was comfortable. The bathroom was clean. The water pressure was reassuring. Most of all the view of Nassau Harbor was better than I expected. All I needed was a place to lay my head and keep my belongings safe. For such a price the Nassau Palm was perfect for me.

Corey, Renee, Jamal and I were able to secure day-passes to one of The Bahamas’ biggest attractions, the Atlantis Resort & Casino on Paradise Island (Casino Drive). Situated on an island next to New Providence, Atlantis was built in the late 1990s, early 2000s. The resort is actually made up of four hotels with additional accommodations to open in 2007. It’s famous Bridge Suite costs around $25,000 a day!

We ate some Kentucky Fried Chicken in order to avoid the high prices for food and drinks on the Atlantis compound. It was a smart move because bottled water costs almost $4 and a burger with fries costs almost $10. With our day-pass wristbands strapped on we strolled through the property admiring the over the top opulence of the hotel. I was glad that I wasn’t staying in a place like this. Right now, vacations were about experiencing a culture, not locking myself away behind a security gate sipping my Starbucks coffee and eating a Big Mac while on a man-made beach. The hotel was beautiful though. The amount of effort put into the every detail was astonishing. From the lobby to the pool areas, everything was meticulously kept.

We ventured through the “Dig,” Atlantis’ fictional tourist attraction about an archeological excavation of the lost city of Atlantis. This was my third time through the attraction, so I blazed through it, but stopped to view the different animals in the aquarium. The manta rays and sharks were my favorite.

After the tour we set up camp alongside one of the hotel’s five pools. We horsed around for about an hour before we built up the nerve to tackle the infamous Atlantis water slides. We rode on the Lazy River ride before entering the water slides. One water slide in particular, the Leap of Faith, is a 60-ft., almost vertical drop that plunges a rider into a shark pool, but don’t worry, the rider is protected from sharks in a separate passageway inside the pool. We rode all of the slides until we were out of breath. I was about to do the Leap of Faith twice, but everyone else was too tired to carry on. We went to nearby Atlantis Beach to enjoy the clear and rolling waters. After about 30 minutes we began to wrap up our day at Atlantis. We collected our belongings from the poolside and exited the property through the immensely busy lobby. I looked back at the stereotypical groups of tourists happy that I was returning to my “real world” hotel.

After dropping off Jamal, Corey, Renee and I went to Father and Mrs. Eldon’s home for dinner. I’ve only known the Eldons by phone for almost two years. After the ordeal of the wedding we acted like we’ve known each other in person for far longer. Father Eldon insisted that I join the family for dinner that night and I wasn’t about to pass up more Bahamian-style macaroni and cheese. At their home, we relaxed, laughed and recounted stories about the wedding. They even told me stories about Craig growing up. I shared some stories about knowing him for more than eight years and living with him for one year. They thanked me for being such a good friend to him and I thanked them for raising him, and welcoming me into their family. All mushiness aside, dinner arrived and after the blessing we tore into pork chops, potato salad, Bahamian-style macaroni and cheese and salad. Full and groggy, we sat around telling more stories and sharing more laughs. I enjoyed this part of the vacation more than the beaches. To actual sit down and share a meal with a native family opened my eyes to a culture that I’ve only had to read about and hear second-hand from Craig and Kandice. They have a genuine love for their way of life and even though they can attain more they are content with their place in the world. It taught me a lesson to appreciate the things that matter most in life, family, faith and good food.

Father and Mrs. Eldon volunteered to drop me back to my hotel as Corey fell asleep in his room. He was clearly exhausted from the past three days. When we arrived at the Nassau Palm, we made arrangements to meet up at a certain time the next day for them to drop me at the airport for my flight back to Atlanta. We also discussed my evening’s plans. Jamal and I were to meet up at the Fish Fry to see the Junkanoo practice. The Eldons warned me to be careful that the party could get a little “rough.” There assumption was very understated.

I was able to rest before walking to the Fish Fry to meet Jamal. The Eldons recommended that I take a taxi, but I opted to walk the half-mile along the West Bay Street sea wall. Seeing Nassau Harbor at night was a spectacle. To my left were the lights of the hotels and homes, but to my right was the utter blackness of the Caribbean at night save for the harbor’s navigation buoys. As I walked, I listened to the waves lap the wall. I passed many cars with couples sitting quietly looking out into the harbor. I hoped to return to Nassau and do the same thing with my fiancée or wife, whichever came first.

I reached the Fish Fry and found Jamal in the company of some family members in Twin Brothers. I ordered my new favorite drink, sky juice, and joined the conversation. The Junkanoo practice was to start within the hour and we saw crowds already lining the streets. We decided to wait a little longer before joining the crowds. That decision saved us from a bad evening because shortly thereafter fights began to break out in the street. One fight tried to spill into the bar we were in, but the staff pushed them back and barricaded the doors. We continued drinking and conversing while young Bahamians brawled outside. It was probably over some broken relationship or trivial gang rivalry.

The bar owner cut the evening when he closed the bar and ordered everyone out. The Royal Bahamas Police Force was out in full riot gear bringing peace back to the Fish Fry. I felt safe enough to walk back to the hotel, but Jamal and his siblings weren’t hearing that, so they gave me a ride back to my hotel. I thanked them for their hospitality and bid them a good evening. Back in my room, I packed my belongings, including the tuxedos to return to a shop in Atlanta. After a long shower, I tried to rest on the patio, but someone was throwing a party on the hotel’s pool deck. Instead of sleeping I found myself dancing on my balcony to the newest dancehall riddims (songs). After about 45 minutes, exhaustion caught up with me and I was soon dreaming of sky juice, Bahamian-style macaroni and cheese, the hospitality of a great family and one talking manta ray?!? It was probably the extra gin in that second sky juice.

posted by Dre' @ 8/27/2006 03:03:00 AM 1 comments