FIT FOR A QUEEN

                                                        The Queen’s Staircase

         In Nassau, Bahamas,   the 65 steps in the valley were carved by hand out of a natural limestone wall by slaves between 1793-1794. The staircase is 102-feet tall and was named in honor of Queen Victoria. Slavery in the Bahamas was outlawed 31 years before the US abolished slavery.

            Originally the staircase was built to provide British troops a protected route to Fort Fincastle, and the slaves used were local people from the island. At the top of the stairs, on the island’s highest point sits Fort Fincastle established by Lord Dunmore  in 1793. It is situated on 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 later  as a signal tower.

When I had my granddaughter on a trip to the island I hiked her to the staircase and then to the top. As we approached the bottom of the staircase a local fellow met us, introduced himself and said, "Welcome to my home." He then continued to give us a brief history of the island and the fort. When he was finished we tackled the 65 stone steps to the top. It was an easy climb and a popular attraction. There also is a 128-foot high round concrete water tower in the area. The view from the fort is spectacular.

HISTORIC RESTAURANT

        AN OLDIE

In Passau, Austria our city guide told us, “The restaurant across the street from your hotel was established by monks in 1358, and has been in continuous operation in the same location ever since.”

How about that for longevity!

We were told that the rule in Passau was that a glass of wine cannot cost more than twelve times the cost of a breakfast roll. The wine was a white one and was called Stift. It came from Krems.

            Of course over the years the price of the breakfast roll has increased and the serving size of the wine has decreased. Never the less, several of us had to have lunch in that restaurant. We paid dearly for a very mediocre lunch and the ambiance, but the wine was wonderful. In fact we continued to buy Stift wine all across Austria.

            Sometimes there are just things one must do when traveling to new and different places and having lunch in a 600 + year old restaurant fell into that category.