From coast to coast and even overseas we attend family functions. A bar mitzvah in February 03 in California, a wedding in July 03 in Maine and now another bar mitzvah this time in Bermuda. We were flying out of Miami International because that is where we found a campground that would store our trailer while we were gone.Their winter season had ended the day before our arrival so they allowed us to leave the trailer on a campsite and only charged us $10 a day as opposed to the $40 regular rate. Putting the trailer in storage would have cost less but this was much more convenient for us and a lot easier since we would be returning after 10 PM.
The Miami Airport shuttle makes a stop at the campground and only charges $40 for two, this was more convenient then taking our truck to the airport. On March 18, 2004 the shuttle picked us up at the campground office and brought us to Miami International airport where we got on a plane heading for JFK airport in New York. At JFK we changed planes and took the flight to Bermuda. It felt kind of weird sitting in Kennedy because we lived about a half hour away and hadn't been home since since January. I had this same feeling once before. On the fourth of July 1976 while camping at Cheesquake State Park in New Jersey we took the ferry to lower Manhattan. At the end of the day we could have gotten on the subway and gone to Co-op City where we were living at the time instead we got back on the ferry and returned to our tent at Cheesequake.
This was our first trip to Bermuda and we really enjoyed ourselves. In retrospect however we should have planned to stay one more day and seen more of the island. We spent time visiting with several of Debby's cousins who had also come to Bermuda for the Bar Mitzvah. We also had an opportunity to see the Bar Mitzvah family in their island home unfortunately there was not enough time for an extended visit as they were busy with the Bar Mitzvah and being gracious hosts. I guess you would call them "expat's" although they are planning to return to the States in a few years.
Bermuda has a very small Jewish community with a visiting Rabbi. There is no shule so families meet in people's homes or rent rooms. The Rabbi flys in from the USA for special events and holidays. Jordan's Bar Mitzvah was held in the Hamilton Princess where we all stayed. Both the lunch following services and the reception later Saturday evening were vegetarian. It was an interesting not unpleasant experience. Jordan the Bar Mitzvah did an exemplary job and honored his parents Roger and Randi in the process. Jordan's brother Adam seemed to have the best time of all at the reception. At Sunday morning buffet at Roger and Randi's I enjoyed a good old fashioned political discussion along with the brunch and family companionship. We didn't solve the worlds problems but we had a good time not solving them.
We walked through Hamilton and visited an old fort. In general the streets are too narrow with to many hidden curves for a decent walk. There are several places to walk on the Island with a dedicated greenway for walking and biking but it wasn't. in walking distance. to see the entire Island visitors may rent a motor scooter or take a bus or cab as there are no rental cars allowed. This is where we could have used the extra day. From what we saw the Island was very very scenic and peaceful. The hotel the Fairmont princess was the same chain that we had seen in the Canadian National Parks where we enjoyed a meal in Jasper.
As you can see pigs or swine are big on the Island as these ceramic statues throughout the Hamilton princess attest. Maybe it relates to the Islands history or maybe it's a tribute to all the U.S. company's that have moved their headquarters to Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.,
On Monday we returned to the Airport and retraced our steps back through New York and on to Miami and our trailer. We spent one more day in the campground and then headed North to John Prince Park for our next family visit.
John Prince Park is a very pretty Palm Beach County Park, lake and campground in Lake Worth next to the County Airport.
We camped at John Prince for two weeks. We visited old friends from the Neighborhood and went out to dinner with some of them on several occasions.
We drove up to Palm Beach and walked along the river walk past the nice homes behind there large fences. Imagine having this ugly barge parked in your view. for those of you who wonder what would have happened if John had lived that's the Honeyfitz presidential seal and all.
We visited Debby's cousins and attended Passover Seders at their homes. After the Seders but during Chol Hamod(the intervening days) we headed North West towards home. Home was north but we had decided to go up the Florida west Coast into Alabama and Mississippi before actually heading home.