Architecture and Colors of Bermuda

 

I'm back from my trip to paradise, and Bermuda is just that - a gorgeous feast for the eyes and all the senses. Well, I could honestly do without the beastly heat and humidity but the winds are lovely and there is lots of air conditioning available.

The island is exactly as it appears in postcards - lush with amazing blue green water and pastel houses. Although, the colors aren't truly pastel, they are brighter and more saturated than the average pastel. Being a British colony, Bermuda is filled with old homes in traditional British styles, in particular Georgian and Adam style. But of course they have been modified for the location and climate. Also, there is no natural source of fresh water on the island with the exception of rain water. All the roofs are made from indigenous limestone which purifies the rainwater as it directs it to a cistern for collection. Here's a description of the roof systems from This Old House:

"To build a traditional Bermudian roof, masons mortar rectangular slabs, or "slates," of local limestone to each other over a hip-roof frame. Then they apply more mortar over the top and edges of the slates, filling the joints and giving the roof its traditional stepped shape. Along the lower edges of the roof, they sculpt a long concrete trough for a gutter, which directs rainwater to a pipe that filters it and funnels it into a cistern buried alongside the house. Then they give the whole roof structure a thin wash of cement. Finally, to keep rainwater as clean as possible on its way to the cistern, they paint the roofs with special nontoxic paint (a modern replacement for traditional lime wash), which must be reapplied every two to three years.

The result is a strong, nearly self-supporting structure that holds its own against the weather while sending clean water into the tank. It's the best and cheapest way to supply fresh water — up to 30 gallons per person are needed per day — to the 60,000-plus residents of this tiny island nation. It's also what accounts for Bermuda's signature white rooftops, perfectly placed amid the palms and set off by the pastel houses for which the island is famous."

Here are some of my many pics taken last week. Some are from the moving cabs and ferry boats (no, I did NOT ride a moped - way too scary!)

Below is St. George's Parish, the old town on Bermuda. The building below is Town Hall and the town Square which includes the original stocks to punish transgressors.

A cute little entryway.

An old cemetery by the church.

Very classic architecture.

 

 

We never made it to the Swizzle Inn, which is quite famous, apparently. Next time.

The pic below shows the complexity of the roof work. Don't you just love the color of this house?

And this is Hamilton, the "big city" on Bermuda. Sadly, there were several shuttered stores, including the famous Trimingham's department store. There were lots of open gift shops, of course, but several high end stores, including a gorgeous looking linen shop, was closed the evening we were there. Probably best for my wallet!

And an above ground cemetery with limestone washed mausoleums. It reminded me of New Orleans.

More to come, including a review of the hotel I stayed at and a trip to a perfume factory.

 

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