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The Grand Bahamas One-Day Diary
Freeport, Grand Bahamas
by Hugeaux

June 25, 2009

7:00am

Today I set sail to the island of the Grand Bahamas. This is my first trip to the Caribbean and my first cruise. As I arrived at the parking lot to be shuttled over to the Discovery cruise ship, I couldn’t help but remember how this shuttle service reminded me of Hawaii. As I went through customs, I noticed that it is a little less troublesome than the airport customs. The lines moved much quicker. On board, I gobbled down the buffet breakfast to hurry and take a tour of the vessel before it departed.

8:00am

I am now enroute to Freeport Bahamas. I drove all night from Jacksonville, Florida to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida a distance of 335 miles. As we left the port it was a pleasure to see the city of Ft. Lauderdale on the left side and the city of Miami on the starboard side of the vessel. I took a nap.

9:00am

I spent the majority of the morning soaking up the sun. This is a very rejuvenating cruise. Many of the passengers are drinking liquor and really enjoying themselves.

Later Morning

It has finally set in. I am dehydrated, sleepy and hungry. I decided to order a hamburger and some water.

1:00 pm – Arrival

When we embarked in Freeport, the experience of this voyage began to take shape. We had 3-4 hours to stay on the island. I took a taxi with others to Port Lucaya Marketplace for some shopping and fun. Our driver was named "BOO". BOO was a mid-aged heavy set African Bahamaian. He told us the story of how at evenings the locals would feed the sharks, but it was too early. What I found fascinating was that in the Bahamas they drive on the right side, however their new steering wheels on the left. Englands’s influence is everywhere. WE arrived at Port Lucaya Marketplace. I however, wanted to see downtown Freeport. After speaking to many locals I was told where I could take a bus to downtown Freeport. The buses are mini cargo vans, some with air-conditioning. I decided to break way from the tourists. This was a spectacular experience. The female bus driver gave me a personal history of Freeport. She told me about the historical building, those that existed and those that were destroyed by hurricanes. The bus system is very good and I saw more of Freeport than the normal tourist. For just the cost of a quarter wrapped in a dollar ($1.25), I got to see downtown Freeport. I immediately told the driver that downtown Freeport reminded me of a little Liberty City, Miami. She agreed. As we drove from Port Lucaya to downtown Freeport, I couldn’t help but notice the sea grapes that lined the streets.

2:00pm – Late Afternoon

Downtown Freeport was a photographer’s paradise, from the hubcap window displays to the conch dealers on the back roads. It was like a small village of shops and antique villas with a mall courtyard. In the main courtyard was a bust of one of Freeports’s founders. The bust stood on a pedestal with a few coins thrown at the base paying homage to the man. The bus ride back to Port Lucaya was the most adventurous. The bus was so old that it made noises. It was slow to accelerate with no air-conditioning. We were 8 passengers crowded into this mini cargo van-bus, not to count the small children. As everyone paid their quarter wrapped by a dollar ($1.25), I couldn’t help and notice how friendly every passenger was. Everyone who entered the bus greeted the other passengers with a "Good Afternoon". As the bus gathered speed we didn’t need the air-conditioning, we were cooled by the Caribbean tropical breezes. As we slowly creeped through the roads of Freeport people waved at the driver. He has many friends. When it backup it almost stalled. This bus adventure was truly one to be written about.

3:00pm

As I got off at Port Lucaya Marketplace, I decided to take a walk on the beach. This was a very beautiful white sandy beach. The different hues of blue made the ocean more inviting. After the beach I walked back over to Port Lucaya marketplace to photograph more of the colorful scenery. On my way back to Port Lucaya Marketplace, I was stopped by a very unusual and natural sight. An oriole (bird) with it’s orange, black and yellow wings was blocking my path. It was performing a dance will basking in the hot Caribbean sun. As I stepped closer it didn’t move. The man renting the motor scooters right next to it, was reading a newspaper and didn’t pay the oriole any attention, as if this happens all the time. The oriole was dancing and turning in the sun. It would stop, run a little distance dance and turn again. It didn’t mine to notice me starring and photographing it. It just started dancing and turning all over again. As, I stepped around it. I though this was a great welcoming coming from the island of the Grand Bahamas.

4:00pm – Returning to the ship

This 3 - 4 hour stay in Freeport, Grand Bahamas seemed like 3 days. I totally exhausted my body to gather as much information comcerning Freeport as possible. With only a bottle of water, I drudged through downtown Freeport, Port Lucaya Marketplace and the beach. At every turn I photographed something. When traveling to Freport one can feel the warmth of the locals. I took the chance to journey off the beaten path and unlocked a wealth of African culture in the heart of downtown Freeport. This being my first trip to the Caribbeans has set the tone to explore more of paradise in my own backyard. This Freeport trip has begun to inspire me for my late summer trip to Port au Prince, Haiti. Thank you the island of the Grand Bahamas…May God Bless..Hugeaux

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