Report from Nassau

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Seeking refuge from the December chill for a few days. This place is well worth the visit. Bahamians are very friendly—several times a day I was greeted by passing strangers on the street. Interesting fact: the Bahamas have the third largest per-capita income in the Americas, after the USA and Canada.

If you come here, be prepared to enjoy one other aspect of the Bahamian character. I had a general feeling that many things are improvised—even the most routine of daily tasks. We've eaten three breakfasts so far in the hotel and the procedure changed from day to day.

If you've seen Thunderball, you probably recall a tense foot-chase set against the backdrop of the local Junkanoo festival. This festival has the damnedest scheduling of any event I've heard of. It starts at 2:30 in the morning and runs until 12:30 the following afternoon.

And now, for the part of the festival they never show in the movies...

...the aftermath. Exhausted revelers stagger through the streets, dragging their busted costumes, like some kind of ostrich-plume-and-papier-maché zombie apocalypse.

And speaking of James Bond...

...herewith a panorama of the back lawn of the One and Only Ocean Club, which figures prominently as a location in Casino Royale. If you look really carefully in the distance of one shot, you might see:

... the "Cloister", which overlooks the bay and is a popular site for weddings.

A touristy activity which I recommend, the misnamed "glass-bottomed boat":

As you can see, it is more of a "glass-walled" boat. The entirety of the windows you see are below water level.

And finally, proof that Bahamians have a sense of humor. First, read the plaque describing the "Royal Victoria Gardens":

And now check out the "gardens":