Babymooning in Bermuda

The Mobleys have been going a little stir crazy this winter - more so than other years, for a few reasons.  First, the winter seems to not be letting up.  Second, when a chilly snow storm would normally be combated with a whisky by the fireplace at Molly's, certain members of the household have remained sober.  And finally, our vacation days have become more precious when we think of them in the context of additional days we get to spend with our little one after her arrival in July.  So a babymoon was a priority to us to overcome the cabin fever but also to get some quality time and relaxation together as a couple before we become a family of three.

We had a few requirements that our babymoon destination had to meet before we booked anything.  The flight had to be relatively manageable as I get a bit uncomfortable on long flights with this growing belly.  Our destination had to be somewhere with access to good healthcare (just in case of emergency).  We also love to select a place that neither of us have been to, so that we can explore for the first time together.  And lastly, it had to be somewhere warm so that we could get some temporary relief from the cold.

So for our babymoon destination - we chose......BERMUDA!  When we told people that we had selected this beautiful location, we heard so many great things, but what we weren't prepared for was how much we'd fall head-over-heels for this place.  We knew it was a British colony, but when we arrived, it was everything the Mobleys love and embrace mixed up into a little blender and poured out onto the ocean for us to enjoy.  We had the posh presence of the British history + the most crystal blue ocean you've ever seen + the pristine manicured and impossibly tropical landscaping that saturates the island.  And to add on to that, the Bermudian hospitality is among the nicest and most accommodating hosts of any vacation we've had.  Each cab ride with our token Bermudian left us infinitely more knowledgeable on the history and charm of the island - a dream for my history major husband!

We had a few highlights that I'd recommend to anyone visiting the island for the first time, and/or just a return visit, because I know that we can't wait for a Mobley return to Bermuda, perhaps with our little Miss.

1.  PINK SAND beaches - knowing that we are having a baby girl made Bermuda an even more perfect destination to celebrate baby America's impending arrival.  We stayed at the Rosewood Tucker's Point.  Our driver told us this was in the "Beverly Hills" of Bermuda, which we obviously loved.  But one of the reason's the resort is so ideal, is because their unique access to their private pink sand beach!  Because of tiny red plankton, mixed with other fragments of shell and rock - Bermuda really does have a pink hue to it's beaches.  It's absolutely magnificent and surprisingly soft to sink your toes into after 5 months of wearing snow boots and wellies!

2.  Shopping in Hamilton - Usually I am doing most of the shopping for the Mobley family when we go on vacation.  With the limited access to baby clothes & maternity options in Bermuda, I left it all to my husband...who was in HEAVEN with the selection of vibrantly colored Bermuda shorts and linen blazers available to him on the streets of Hamilton.  Within hours of us venturing out for our excursion, Mike was in possession of a pair of "princess pink" Bermuda shorts, a light pink pith helmet, a special Vineyard Vines tie with the island of Bermuda outlined on it, and a belt adorned with vibrantly colored Parrotfish.  He had the FULL Bermuda formal getup and it was glorious.

 

3.  Adventures in St. George - If Hamilton was the more cosmopolitan area of Bermuda (if you can even call it that), St. George is the historic neighborhood.  It was here that we stumbled upon the oldest church in the western hemisphere - St. Peter's Church!  There were photograph's of Princess Diana visiting the church during HER babymoon too!  And after touring the historic town hall and getting myself my ONLY purchase of the trip - some Bermudian perfume, we had lunch on the water at Wahoo's (no...not the taco chain in California!).  Despite the close to hurricane forced winds - it was our favorite day on the island.

4.  Spiny Lobster Season!  For those of you who are not familiar with the warm water lobsters, they are a unique breed.  Some people still prefer the authentic Maine alternative, but we were in Bermuda during the LAST week of lobster season - so OF COURSE we had spiny lobster on our last night.  And since baby America has been craving some fancy shellfish, we were so happy.  Our hotel conveniently had one of the best restaurants on the island, the Point.  So on our last night, when Mike was dressed in his Bermuda formal, we treated ourselves to some spiny lobster tails and rum drinks (or just punch for me!) from the bar.


5.  Crystal & Fantasy Caves - One of our days in Bermuda was a little bit more rainy than the rest.  So we opted for some more "indoor" festivities.  Mike wasn't too keen on the Crystal Caves ahead of time, but the quick tour proved to be really cool. If there was any place that was indicative of the set of Goonies, THIS would be it!  The guide said that if you get little drops of "cave kisses" on your head as you tour the breath taking stalactites and stalagmites, you get one day of good luck!

6.  Swizzle Inn - I basically bribed Mike to go to the caves by promising him a few hours at the Swizzle Inn.  It's like the most festive dive bar you could ever visit in your life.  Bermuda has not one, but TWO official drinks of the island.  The first is the Dark & Stormy (as Goslings is the local rum) and the second is the Rum Swizzle.  I'm not sure about the food - but Mike polished off a large swizzle by himself while I looked on with my virgin Colada.  He reciprocated by letting me get some delicious coconut ice cream at the equally famous Bailye's ice cream shop right across the road!

Each of the buildings in Bermuda is some uniquely vibrant color, with no two buildings looking the same.  And with the stunning backdrop of endless turquoise water and sparkling pink sand, it was hard not to be in love with this little island getaway we squeezed in before baby girl arrives.  I may not have been able to enjoy any swizzles, and Mike had to do some solo shopping, but it was everything I wanted out of a babymoon.

Taking a time out for ourselves to enjoy being a husband & wife was the most important thing to me in getting ready for the little one.  Not the crib, not getting the right car seat, not selecting the right colored paint for the nursery, but making this about "US" - because LORD KNOWS it's always going to be about her - from the day she's born.  So if there was any place that was indicative of "us", it was absolutely Bermuda.  Festive, historically British, tropical (but with out the cutoffs and tacky tank tops), and relaxing....just perfect for US.