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Four Days In Real World Nassau, Pure Bahamas
When you think of the Bahamas, you are most likely to conjure up images of pink resorts, family beach vacations, and other tropical paradise-infused themes. However, after a recent trip to explore the "authentic" Nassau, I discovered there is so much more to see on New Providence Island, only one of the more than 700 islands included in the Bahamas.
A getaway to the Nassau that Bahamians love -- four days of eating, drinking, talking with friendly island residents and getting to know their culture -- is a totally different experience than a family vacation based on the enormous cruise ships and hotel chains that consume the landscape of the capital city.
Meet the Real Bahamas
As the capital and largest city, Nassau Bahamas offers a true escape to paradise with an overwhelmingly warm and friendly atmosphere, a far cry from what you would expect of a major city. Everywhere you go, people are smiling and enjoying life, always welcoming you with a hello. It is as though you have entered into an episode of "Cheers" where everyone knows your name. In fact, it seems that the 260,000 inhabitants of the island of Nassau are one big family, and no matter how long it has been since you last saw each other, everyone remembers your name and they are always happy to see you.
The Bahamas offers Americans an escape to tropical paradise without many of the hassles, including currency exchange rates. The Bahamian dollar is equivalent to the U.S. dollar, so you do not need to get foreign currency in order to make purchases in Nassau. Most businesses in Nassau keep U.S. money on hand to make change for tourists, and will be happy to oblige if you request your change be given in U.S. dollars.
With gorgeous temperatures year-round, Nassau is always an excellent choice for a vacation. From dolphin encounters and scuba diving, to the Bahamas High Seas boat excursions you and your family will never be out of ideas and activities. The best part is that no matter how unlucky you are with weather, storms in Nassau only last for about 10 minutes. After a quick rest at your hotel during the afternoon drizzles, you can go out and explore the city some more, heading to your next great Bahamian adventure.
Junkanoo, Junkanoo!
I had such a great time in Nassau, but the one regret I have is that I did not go during the Junkanoo Festival. If you do not know about Junkanoo then boy are you in for a treat!
Prior to gaining independence in 1973, the Bahamas was under British rule. Legend has it, that during British rule the slaves would get three days off right around Christmas time. During those three days they celebrated like there was no tomorrow, with lavish costumes, some with headpieces weighing up to 90 pounds!
The festival begins at 12:01am on December 26, although the construction of costumes goes on throughout the year. The participating "tribes," who enjoy a healthy competition, include the Saxons, Valley Boys, Roots, One Family, Music Makers, and the Prodigal Son. Each year the tribes compete to see who has the best costume, float, and music, with the common thread between tribes being the gold skin drum, rattle, and fully regaled masks. All costumes are made out of paper, with straw as a secondary material, and six people are allowed to use cloth each year, making the costumes even more amazing, like something out of a "Project Runway" challenge.
You can learn all about Junkanoo and its origins at the EduCulture Museum (242/328-DRUM, 31 West St. at Delancey Street), a fascinating tribute to the costumes, music, and culture of the festival. At the museum, director Arlene Nash-Ferguson and her husband put on a great show, inviting guests to join in the fun by teaching them the sounds of Junkanoo and then having them play along on cowbells, drums, and rattles. The kids will also love that they can make masks and try the Junkanoo sodas, made special for the festival by the local Coca-Cola distributor, with fun flavors of lemon, lime, ginger, and more.
In addition to the EduCulture Museum, the director also does a back-to-school event each fall for the local kids, driving through the streets providing them with books and pencils and other school materials, as well as a new haircut for the new school year. All of this is free for the kids and their families, a great tradition that is now in its fifth year.
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