NASSAU, BAHAMAS SITES

                                        Popular Nassau Sites

    Fort Fincastle. Lord Dunmore established the fort in 1793 on Bennett’s Hill as a lookout for pirates and invaders. The fort shaped like a paddle wheel was never used because Nassau was never attacked. Three cannon are still in place, although are not original. Later the fort was used as a lighthouse and then as a signal tower.

       The views from the fort are spectacular. There also is a 128-foot high round concrete water tower in the area.

   St Andrew Kirk Dated from 1810 the church has been through many changes over the years. In 1864 it was enlarged and a bell tower added. The Ref community considerably increased by the end of the 18^th century when the British colonists who had remained loyal to the British crown in the revolutionary war in the United States were forced to leave. Also a substantial number of Scottish Presbyterians settled in the Bahamas in 1783. In 1798 they formed the St. Andrew’s Society, and in 1810 the foundation stone of St. Andrew’s church was laid.

    Christ Church This stone Cathedral in simple Gothic-style with a square tower was started in 1837 and was consecrated in 1845. It replaces four earlier churches stretching back to about 1670. The interior has a fine set of stained glass windows (1868) an impressive organ and a mahogany ceiling. The first church was destroyed by the Spaniards, the second built in 1695 was destroyed by the French and Spanish invasion of 1703. The third church was made of wood and the fourth and present stone church dates to 1753-54. A steeple was added in 1774 but removed in 1827

   Of particular interest are the memorial plaques from the 1800s documenting the life histories of local residents and their deaths in shipwrecks, of yellow fever and after childbirth.

  
 Government House Erected in 1801 the original building was badly damaged in a 1929 hurricane and had to be demolished.  The present building was finished in 1932. The statue of Columbus was imported in 1830. The interior was decorated by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in 1940.

  Statue at The British Colonial Hilton was built on the site of Old Fort Nassau (1695), once the home of the notorious pirate, Blackbeard. After the British Crown drove Blackbeard out, Woodes Rogers, was appointed Governor. Now, his life-like, swashbuckling image with sword drawn and cloak swirling around him stands at the front of the hotel as a vivid reminder of Nassau's turbulent past.

    Captain Woodes Rogers was appointed Royal Governor of the Bahamas in 1717. Before becoming Governor, Rogers was a privateer from England sent on expeditions in order to harass Spanish colonies throughout the Atlantic coast. From his successful expeditions he brought many valuables back to England. Soon, his focus remained on suppressing pirates from the Caribbean.

   With all monetary and military resources from England at his disposal, Captain Woodes Rogers also had a powerful ally: the king’s pardon. Pirates were fully pardoned if they would agree to cease pirate activity immediately. In the end, those who chose amnesty would later join Rogers in confronting pirates slow to surrender that often would end with sentencing and hanging. Eventually, Rogers was able to establish a well-organized government and eventually expel all pirates from Nassau

   
 Once a private estate, the Graycliff Hotel is an elegantly renovated 260 year-old British Colonial style hotel that sits next door to Government House. The hotel has a history that dates back to the 1700, the year it was built by privateer John Howard Graysmith. Legend says it once served as the officers’ mess for the West Indian Garrison. Established in 1844 as Nassau’s first inn, the Graycliff Hotel has attracted many of the rich, famous and infamous alike; notably European royalty, government leaders such as Winston Churchill and the notorious Al Capone have all made appearances at Graycliff.

   In recent years a Canadian couple bought Graycliff and completely renovated the mansion and constructed the first swimming pool in the Bahamas surrounded with lush tropical gardens. The décor is a blend of old and new.

  The Graycliff Hotel is also home to the Graycliff Restaurant where the Graycliff Cellar has a collection of over 250,000 bottles of quality wines.

  

 The Nassau library was constructed as a Gaol in 1798-99. The three story octagonal shaped building held prisoner cells on the first two floors. On the third floor a bell hung that summoned House Assembly members to meetings.

  In 1879 the building became the Nassau Public Library and Museum.  The old prisoner cells now hold books, charts, artifacts and etchings.

   The Vendue House on Bay Street was erected about 1769 but only had a roof over rounded pillars. It was erected as a convenience for traders selling their goods.  This also included the sale of slaves, cattle and imported goods.  In 1913 the building was remodeled and a second story added.  Today it houses the Pompey Museum telling the story of slaves in the Bahamas.

You may also want to read: Queen’s Staircase 10-12-11, Adastra Gardens and zoo 12-21-11, dolphins  & ray swim 5-15-11  

A BIT OF BAHAMIAN HISTORY

                              Nassau, A Popular Port 

      When I took my granddaughter to the Bahamas as a graduation present, it had been years since my first trip which concentrated on the out islands. Then only two and a half days had been spent in Nassau, so a little review of my diary refreshed my memory. The Bahamas is an archipelago of 700 islands and 2400 uninhabited cays and islets extending 720 miles. It is just fifty miles off the Florida coast. The capital is Nassau on New Providence Island.  The Arawak Indians were the first inhabitants and the first British settlement took place in the 17^th century.

    No longer a sleepy little town that often characterizes its sister islands, Nassau stands out for its high-energy atmosphere and dynamic attitude. The capital city of the Bahamas with a bustling port, Nassau’s history can be traced back to days of the legendary pirate Blackbeard.

     Beautifully preserved cathedrals, pastel-colored Georgian buildings and 18th-century fortresses collide with bouncing jitneys, street vendors and duty-free shops and occasionally fine shops. Historic Bay Street is great for local markets, pubs and cafes, while the nearby straw market offers unique crafts and Potter’s Cay is the place for fresh produce, conch and fish.

   I was anxious to introduce her to a new culture and show her the city. We had a fabulous time and pretty much covered the entire island, often walking and walking. We enjoyed riding the local jitney to and from our distant  hotel.

     I was happy to find many positive improvements such as the lack of litter and friendly people instead of pesky and annoying people trying to sell you something or take you for a ride..

Music

Throughout the islands, music is woven deeply into the fabric of daily life. Musical traditions reflect both the impact of history on the islands and a homegrown, distinctively national character. Blues and spirituals made their way down from the American South and took on a Bahamian flavor---in breezy shore-side church choirs where "rhyming spirituals" are sung, and on homemade guitars in the hands of virtuoso performers.

Junkanoo, goombay and rake 'n' scrape all incorporate the handclapping and drum rhythms of West African dance music. Goombay is a secular Bahamian tradition, danceable music full of stories about love and other daily dramas.

Rake 'n' scrape bands are purely instrumental. A carpenter's saw, a goatskin drum and an accordion are all traditional rake 'n' scrape instruments.

True Bahamian

Bahamian English is a fascinating mixture of the Queen's diction, African influences and island lingo. Unfamiliar sounding words you'll hear on the streets and beaches may be survivors from the early English settlement (true Shakespearian English!), echoes of Africa or local slang. The "h" is often dropped in daily speech ('ouse for house or t'anks for thanks). Conversation is easy here – the distinctive sounds of daily speech are all part of a true Bahamian experience. At times it seemed as if I were listening to a foreign language.

Food

Fresh seafood lovers can appreciate the Bahamian fondness for conch (pronounced "konk") that is the most popular seafood in The Bahamas. The meat of conch is firm and white, and local restaurants have found delectable ways to serve it. Conch may be served uncooked with lime juice, steamed and added to other dishes such as soup or salads, or deep-fried, which is known as “cracked conch”. This seafood can be found in some form at just about every traditional restaurant in the Bahamas. Traditional desserts feature coconut. The Bahamas certainly do not have a shortage of coconut trees, and shredded coconut is found on just about everything!

Next time Nassau sites.