WHAT-TO-DO - NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND - JAN 2004
Only in The Bahamas T'ings that make us different WHAT-TO-DO - NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND - JAN 2004
If the sun, sand and sea have you so distracted that you can't remember where you are, there are several signs that will help you determine that you are truly in The Bahamas.
First, look at the cars. Does something look odd? You must be in The Bahamas. Where else in the world do you drive on the left in left-hand drive cars? The left-hand driving is a holdover from the days of British rule. The left-hand drive cars come from the US, our closest neighbour.
You know you're in The Bahamas if you can spot movie stars, models and the rich and famous who love visiting and living here. Movie producers favour the climate and scenery of The Bahamas, so stars are frequently here on location. They'll pretend not to recognize you if you pretend not to recognize them.
Rake 'n scrape
You'll know without a doubt that you're in The Bahamas when you hear a legitimate and indigenous music mode called rake 'n scrape, featuring at least one saw, one accordion and one goatskin drum and maybe a nearby fire to heat the drum now and again. The drum is to Bahamian music what the love of money is to all evil. Local purists will explain that rake 'n scrape is really "goombay" music of
African origin.
"There are a lot of variations of goombay music," explains musical historian Edmund Moxey. "The music of Junkanoo is not "Junkanoo music" but goombay music at the Junkanoo festival. It's all just a variation of goombay or rake 'n scrape, with cowbells and whistles complementing the basic beat."
That beat goes through your ears directly to your feet, and ultimately, into your soul. You'll hear the music long after your vacation is over - a constant reminder of a sound you'll only hear in The Bahamas.
The beep goes on
Another semi-indigenous sound you might encounter only on Nassau streets is the polite beep-beep of car horns. In some countries it's a sign of an impatient driver. Bahamians use their horns to converse with one another, usually in very courteous ways. Beep: can I get into this line of cars? Beep: certainly, go ahead. Beep: thank you. Beep: you're welcome. And the beep goes on?
You'll know you're in The Bahamas if you can get "soused" without drinking a drop. One of the favourite uniquely Bahamian dishes is souse - rhymes with house - and in fact there is at least one restaurant in Nassau called Souse House.
Souse has been described as a lumpy soup or a thin stew. It's a little of both, and it's a common Bahamian breakfast or lunch on weekends. Made with water, onions, lime, celery, hot peppers and meat, the most popular version is made with chicken.
However, for the true Bahamian, the flavouring meat should be sheep's tongue or pig's feet. For maximum enjoyment, eat with Johnny cake, and a cold Kalik - both of which you'll find only in The Bahamas.
In The Bahamas, you can listen to two people speaking English and not understand a word. Some of the ones you do understand, though, are keepers. A "jitney" is a bus, "jook" means to stab, "chap" means to hit and if you're angry, you're "vex." A mixed-breed Bahamian dog is a "potcake," so-called because of its traditional diet of the leftover peas 'n rice (another quintessentially Bahamian dish) stuck to the bottom of the pot. A Bahamian conversation will often end with a "t'ank you," and a "t'ank you too," rather than "you're welcome."
Think cool
And while you could be back home scraping ice off your car windshield, you'll know without a doubt that you're in The Bahamas when you're sipping a tall, cool Bahama Mama by the crystal clear ocean under the shade of a swaying palm tree.
Where else in the world would you want to be? Only in The Bahamas.
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