Kiwis and Fairy Bread

22 May 2026

Is there anything better than sitting comfortably with a beautiful view, a cup of tea, and the one you love most beside you, holding your hand? I think not.

The sky was blue and streaked with puffy clouds. Fish of all sizes swam in the bright blue waters around the dock. Half a dozen planes took off from the airport across the harbor. A woman on a paddle board with two tiny dogs passed by. “Happy Bermuda Day!” We shouted to each other. Our book, If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler continues to make us laugh. To quote a song usually associated with much colder weather, “All is calm. All is bright”

Today is a national holiday and Bermudians are ready to celebrate. Some will do so loudly, at parties in their neighborhoods or in the city. Others will do so quietly, watching the festivities on television and relaxing in the coolness of their homes. And many will go the beach. Since the cruise ships were both scheduled to leave the dockyard that afternoon, the locals will have their favorite beaches largely to themselves.

A walk into town found it all very quiet. One of the ARC boats was installing a new sail and having trouble with it. A factor, no doubt in the captain’s decision to wait for the wind.

I saw “The Geriatric Train” again. This tiny train drives at about five miles per hour on roads around the country. A tour guide provides hushed commentary. I have no idea what the official name of the tour is, but I never saw anyone under the age of seventy on it. Not a bad way to see these sites. Bermuda is for everyone.

Four years ago Mike and I had attended The Bermuda Parade and ended up being adopted by a family for the day. They shared their shade, food and drink, and introduced us around. We even met the governor! I have kept in touch with Tracy and family over the years and they invited us to join them again.

Our plan was to take the ferry to The Dockyard, hop right onto a ferry to Hamilton, find our friends and share the Rice Crispie Treats I had made. We knew it was a long parade, so we figured if we got there about 3:30, the party would be in full swing.

It wasn’t a great plan. No one, not even the ferry men seemed to know if they were on a holiday, weekend, or weekday schedule. So although the ferry ride from St Georges was pleasant as ever, we had to wait around dockyard for an hour and a half to board the next ferry to Hamilton. The place was unusually empty as we watched the cruise ships pull out and the employees close up shop. Everyone was ready to stop working and start celebrating.

When we finally embarked to Hamilton, I admit I was a bit annoyed. We were late and would likely miss most of the parade. But as Mike conversed with a ferryman and his friend Michael, I relaxed. Looked around me. The blue water, the pastel houses, the little islands. I was in a beautiful place! Don’t stress. Sit back and enjoy the moment. Share the Rice Krispie treats. Be Bermudian.

Off the boat, in downtown Hamilton and I immediately realized there was no chance of finding our friends.

The party was in full swing. I estimate that more than half the population of the country was either in the parade, working the parade or watching the parade. Front street was lined with tents. The tents were packed with people (and food, drinks, tables, chairs). There was no space between the tents. No way to walk around them. And from our vantage point, no way to see the faces of the people we had come to see. (I did not remember them quite well enough to recognize them from the back of their heads).

A float was passing by. A group of about three dozen teenagers were dancing in neon green and pink costume. Parents gave them water and sprayed their legs with cooling mist. These kids were putting their emotions and heart in the performance. I was impressed.

Now something that is important to understand about The Bermuda Day Parade is that your location is of prime importance. So much so that in the days and weeks ahead of the parade families stake their claim by putting labeled duct tape on the street curb. Some spots are, apparently, considered inherited and marked all year long.

Having given up finding Tracy, Mike and I tried our best to find a different vantage point. We walked up a block, crossed the street with the help of a politely exasperated police officer, and walked along the road because there was no room on the sidewalk to move.

Turns out that walking around is a parade in itself. Bermudians are a stunning people and they know it. Men in great hats and muscles bulging out of their shirts. Women scantily dressed to show off all their assets. Such confidence! What impressive body positivity. I admire that.

Somehow we managed to find a shady spot under a tree that was not directly on the road. Families’ little kids around us enjoyed eating popsicles and bouncing out into the street. A church float went by followed by a group of middle age women in brightly colored, flowing, long sleeved spandex. They were dancing and waving brightly colored flags. They didn’t look hot or tired at all! Again, impressive!

Then suddenly, we were approached by a man in sunglasses.
“Happy Bermuda Day!” He called out and shook our hands. It was Jeremiah, one of our friends from the sunset the other night. He was marching with his students of the trade school. Out of all the thousands of people here watching the parade, Jeremiah picked us out. We were astounded. Maybe it was our hats, Maybe we were the only tourists for blocks. Maybe Bermuda is just that kind of friendly country.

What a party!

When we found out that a 6:00 bus would be leaving shortly from the station just behind us, we decided to leave the celebrating to the real Bermudians and have a quiet dinner on our dock.

Putting together the last of our groceries into a sort of meatball and pasta with zucchini and scallions, we ate it on the dock as twilight fell. But I still had all those Rice Krispie treats. And it turns out that real Bermudians also celebrate the holiday quietly. Lucy, her husband Chris and their daughter Eva were out in their yard. Eva had just gone for a swim with her dad. “Would you like some dessert?” I asked. So we all lounged and chatted on their lovely lawn until long past dark.

It was a great holiday.