No, I\u2019m not talking about a weather pattern moving into New England. I\u2019m referring to a
\nwonderful Christmas to New Year\u2019s week in Bermuda with my partner, Bob Lovo.<\/p>\n
We did it all \u2013 the Bermuda Underwater Research Institute (where the bathysphere underwater
\nsubmersible was invented in 1930) the National Museum of Bermuda (with many artifacts, photos, and
\nstories of shipwrecks, slavery and early settlement) Gibbs Light House (working since 1846), the oldest
\nAnglican Church in the Northern Hemisphere (1609) the Fantasy Cave (I walked up and down 86 steps),
\nthe Bermuda Aquarium, the town of St. George (a UNESCO Heritage site) and some outstanding
\nrestaurants which did their part to expand our waistlines.<\/p>\n
All this is standard tourist fare, I know, but something we saw that few tourists see was the New
\nYear\u2019s Day performance of the Gombey Dancers. About a dozen troupes of about a dozen men, each
\ndressed in elaborate costumes from head to toe, dance to the drum beat of some dozen young
\ndrummers. Tall Peacock feathered headgear extends about three feet up from their painted face masks,
\nand their elaborate tassels, capes, pants, and jackets defy description\u2014paint, tassels and embroidery
\nabound. We arrived on Boxing Day, when they also dance, but rainy weather kept them from
\nperforming as they can\u2019t let their elaborate costumes get wet. So we were thrilled to learn they would
\ndance on New Year\u2019s Day \u2013 and right at our hotel. It was a 30-minute non-stop performance of moves
\nand shakes accompanied by snare drums and goatskin bass drums. The dances date back centuries to
\nAfrican slaves who hid behind masks and danced out the stories of their enslavement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
No, I\u2019m not talking about a weather pattern moving into New England. I\u2019m referring to a wonderful Christmas to New Year\u2019s week in Bermuda with my partner, Bob Lovo. We…<\/span><\/p>\n