It all started in Nassau, The Bahamas...

January 26, 1995… Nassau, Bahamas. 29'C SUNNY

My first acquaintance in Nassau was an eccentric, highly intelligent and free-spirited taxi driver. Driving down the narrow streets through the suburbs of Nassau, he introduced me to some of the many cultural aspects of life in the Bahamas.

(...)Another random discussion that me and my improvised guide engaged in was about the colorful environment I had the privilege to find myself in. I had remarked on how the houses and buildings around me were all painted in these
beautiful pinks, light blues and yellows. When he asked me if that was his invitation to supply the explanation to this phenomena, I excitedly awaited a poetical, almost mythical response. Instead, he told me how pastels, especially pink, don't fade or change colors in the intense heat like whites or darker colors. Since they don't have the money to paint their houses every 2 or 3 years, it's a very sound and economical choice…

(...)During my brief stay in Nassau, I felt I needed to do a bit of cultural tourism so I left for a full day of site seeing… My most interesting stop was at Fort Fincastle which brought me to two other major historical and
cultural attractions : The Queen's stairs and the water tower. A local resident was kind enough to show me around the sites (for a small contribution of 1$ which was very much worth it!). The water tower supplies all the drinking water for the entire city of Nassau and is also a 222 feet look-out where you get the most breath-taking view of the city and Paradise Island.

(...)I ended my day sitting on the beach looking at the water and it's many gorgeous shades of blue. The spell was unfortunately broken by a drunken man who decided to follow me, yelling, one mile down the road. I finally hooked up with
an elderly couple who pretended they knew me and walked me back into town. Overall, I was grateful for the smiles and laughs everywhere, the colors, the smells of the ocean, but I am still anxious to really leave.

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