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| TRAVELS WITH MY DINOSAUR 05 June - 05 August 2003 |
| Wednesday 11th June I had grits for breakfast today. No, that isn�t a form of cement mix, it�s a traditional ingredient of morning eats in the Bahamas. Many of John Grisham�s Southern States characters seem to like grits, and I wonder whether the dish originated in the islands or on the mainland of the USA. It could be that Civil War blockade runners took the recipe with them, but the more likely explanation is that African slaves introduced grits to the USA, and later to the Bahamas when they moved across the sea with families for whom they worked. Either way, they are a good start to the day, pretty much the same as meelee meal (sp) in East Africa, but going by a different name. So, after my grits, ham and egg breakfast, Natasha and I headed off towards Nassau. I have spent the day at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. The island is connected to New Providence by a ferry shuttle which lies between the two toll bridges following the same route, and we took one of these bridges. The day was looking really miserable, and we had considered changing plans, but I felt confident that prayer would prevail. Besides, tomorrow�s weather could be even worse! On arriving at the resort, we collected my VIP visitor�s pass - very kindly organised by Natasha�s cousin Sharon. Day passes can be purchased at several places, but Narahsa had arranged this pass as a gift. Sol Kurzner (owner of the South African Sun International Group) was the mastermind behind this sprawling luxury resort which dominates the western half of Paradise Island and provides jobs for more than five thousand people - making it the second largest Bahamian employer after the government. The big attractions for visitors to this unique pink palace are the five star casino, the largest aquarium in the world, and The Dig - an imaginative presentation of what the lost city of Atlantis may look like. Not feeling especially lucky, I skipped the casino, and decided to join a tour of the aquarium. What a good choice I made! Our guide, Michelle, was extremely knowledgeable, and the number and diversity of sea creatures was astounding. From the delight of brightly coloured Jewel Fish and delicate crustaceans to the respectful awe of swardfish, barracuda and numerous types of shark, this was a true ocean of adventures. I had the chance to hold a living starfish (in the water) and was entirely dissuaded from eating grouper after meeting Bubba - a big baby grouper. I discovered that eels are actually quite chubby and large- having always assumed them to be long, thin and slimy. Although Moon Jellyfish are highly poisonous, I thought they looked quite captivating - almost like a glowing blue lava lamp. Atlantis is an expensive holiday destination, popular with the wealthy and beautiful. Brittany Spears, Michael Jackson and a number of Hollywood stars have visited recently, most of them opting to stay in the Bridge Suite - a �16,600 per night penthouse with private elevator and personal butler� minimum stay: 7 days. The suite adjoins Coral and Royal Towers - two of the three central buildings within the resort. After the tour, I took a rest on the Lagoon Beach, the soporific warmth lulling me to sleep for an hour or so (I think beach holidays should be available on prescription). The Lagoon Restaurant is surrounded by water, a cautionary sign declaring �these waters contain wild animals with large teeth" - carnivorous fish just waiting for someone to fall in! Water is a theme throughout Atlantis, and away from the croupiers, fish and ancient civilisation, wonderfully landscaped grounds hold other excitements. For the visitor craving instant adrenalin rush, a seven story high freefall water slide drops vertically through the air and an enclosed tunnel, spinning one through shark infested waters. Two other flumes are slightly less dramatic. I chose to go for serene and relaxing - inner-tubing along the lazy river which meanders for a thoroughly enchanting 20 minutes through exquisite gardens, I set out with a family from St Louis, Missouri - mum, dad and three boys. None of us wanted the river to end! Atlantis has a beachfront location, and the beautiful blue Caribbean sea enticed me to play for a while before heading back to Coral Tower to meet Natasha. What a wonderfully relaxing day! We�ve just returned from a meal out - good Bahamian food at Traveller�s Rest, a popular local restaurant overlooking the sea at Compass Point. I ate conch (pronounced �konk�) for the first time there, and loved it. The sunset was beautiful - as the day turned out to be. Thank you God! |