As previously described, my daughter Jenny bought a rentable condo on Nassau, the most populated island in the Bahamas. That was last year; and the unit was recently completed. So Jenny invited myself and her siblings to stay with her there for a couple of weeks. She arrived first; I flew in today, and my daughter Karen will be joining us on Saturday.

Today was my travel day. I got my tickets through Expedia. Did you know airlines now charge extra for an actual seat? I resentfully picked out seats that were the least expensive aisle seats (aisle because I have trouble walking and a small bladder). I also included a wheelchair request, and my TSA Pre-Check number.

American Airlines received the wheelchair request, thank the gods. But when I checked in, I discovered my seat selections (for which I had paid about $100 over the actual ticket cost) had not gone through. Unable to pay more, I had to accept the free seats they offered. A window seat on the flight to Dallas, and a middle seat on the final leg to Nassau.

And then I discovered they also hadn't copied my TSA Pre-Check number! So, even though I had paid for the expedited service, I had to go through the line with all the commoners.

Despite the discomfort (and the knowledge that I will never again buy a ticket from Expedia), the flights weren't too awful, thanks mostly to the bag of bakery snickerdoodles I had brought, knowing that airlines no longer feed you, either.

I'll tell you, there's a lot of things about the modern age I love. My self-driving car, Google Maps, social media. But the rampant greed uber alles is definitely not one of them. Traveling by air in the 1970s was a pure delight. Now it's a nightmare.

But I arrived safely; Jenny picked me up in her rental car and we set out for Palm Cay…on the left side of the road!

Bahamians drive on the left side of the road as a legacy of British colonial rule. The Bahamas was a British colony from the early 18th century until it gained independence in 1973, and during that time, it adopted many British customs—including the left-hand driving system. This practice has remained in place ever since, even though many of the vehicles imported today come from countries like the U.S. and Japan, resulting in a mix of left- and right-hand drive cars on the roads. Despite the occasional confusion this creates, the left-side driving tradition is deeply embedded in Bahamian road culture.

On the other hand, fast food restaurants are still built from the U.S. blueprints. We stopped at a KFC on the way from the airport (because, after spending the day traveling and living on snickerdoodles, I was in no mood to experiment with a new cuisine) and found that places like fast-food joints and banks, drivers often find themselves awkwardly stretching across the passenger seat or doing the "island shuffle" to reach service windows. Some folks even reverse into the drive-thru lane to make it work! It's one of those head-scratching features of island life that locals just roll with—and it makes for some good people-watching, I suppose.

This was my first experience with left-side driving. (I spent a few hours in England, once, but never left the airport.) I can't say I'm a fan. I'm hoping Jenny won't make me drive while I'm here. She does amazingly well, though. Of course, when you're young, you're more adaptable.

Anyway, shortly after getting our dinners from KFC, we arrived at Jenny's condo in Palm Cay.

Palm Cay, nestled on the southeastern shore of Nassau, is evolving into one of the island's most sought-after marina communities—not just for residents, but for travelers seeking upscale, short-term stays. The development blends luxury living with resort-style amenities, and many of its newly-built condos and townhomes (including Jenny's) are being offered as Airbnb-style rentals. These units, often featuring marina or ocean views, are fully furnished and designed with vacationers in mind. With beach access and on-site perks like the Pink Octopus restaurant, a private beach club, spa, gym, and even yacht charters to other islands, Palm Cay is positioning itself as a self-contained destination for visitors who want the comforts of home with the flair of a boutique resort.

Jenny passed on the story her cab driver told her when she arrived: Bahamians love Americans because we helped them achieve independence from the British. While The Bahamas gained independence from Britain in 1973 through negotiations, and the U.S. didn't play a direct political role in that process, American influence and solidarity were felt in more subtle but meaningful ways. During the 1960s and early '70s, the global wave of decolonization and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement inspired many Bahamians to push for greater autonomy and racial equality at home. Culturally and economically, the U.S. was already a close neighbor and major trading partner; and we let the Bahamians know that we would continue to support an independent Bahamas. American tourists, businesses, and even civil rights leaders visited The Bahamas, fostering a sense of kinship. Over time, this relationship deepened into what many Bahamians now see as a friendship rooted in shared democratic values, mutual respect, and people-to-people ties.

So, so far, all the Bahamians we've met have been very friendly in a way that feels genuine. (I also experienced this in Costa Rica, another country that values its tourism dollars.)

Now, it seems contrary to that, when I tell you that if you don't move within a tenth of a second after the light turns green, the car behind you will honk its horn. But it's not a rude, long blast. It's more of a little toot, sort of a "Wake from your nap, mon!"

And, yes, the Bahamians speak with an accent. Jenny had asked what they call themselves, and what she heard was "Bohemians". The Bahamian accent—often called Bahamianese or Bahamian Creole—is a melodic, expressive blend of British English, African linguistic roots, and island rhythm. It features distinctive pronunciation quirks, like dropping the "h" at the beginning of words ("house" becomes "'ouse"), replacing "th" with "d" or "t" ("this" becomes "dis"), and occasionally swapping "v" and "w" sounds. The accent varies across islands, with deeper creole tones more common in the Family Islands and more standard English in Nassau. It's not just how Bahamians speak, but how they feel their words: punctuated with colorful expressions, repeated phrases for emphasis ("fast fast"), and a musical cadence.

It's really quite pretty, but may take me a bit to learn. Luckily, at my age, I can apologize for poor hearing, which then gets the speaker to slow down and enunciate.

Anyway, I am now in the Palm Cay condo (I'll do pictures soon, I hope) and more than ready to sleep. (I had to get up at 4 AM to make my flight, so I only had 3 hours sleep last night.) Tomorrow I assume we'll be at the beach. It's been years since I swam in the Atlantic, so that will be nice.

Till tomorrow, have happy dreams!

Ocean Swimming in Nassau

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 7/2/2025		Page Views: 140
Hashtags: #Places #Bahamas
First swim in the Atlantic in years.
Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s) (737 words)

Well, I slept really well last night, despite the air conditioning being a little cooler than I'm used to. Of course, I was also exhausted from yesterday's travel after almost no sleep the night before.

Porch Potato in Paradise

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 7/4/2025		Page Views: 364
Hashtags: #Places #Bahamas
Celebrating my independence from having to do anything.
Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s) (438 words)

It was rainy this morning, so Jenny saw her clients at the condo while I moved out to the porch to enjoy the "liquid sunshine". There's something so relaxing about sitting in the warm, moist air while the rain softly falls a few feet away. And this condo has a long porch, across the whole face of the building, with comfortable seats and pleasant view.

And Then There Were Three

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 7/5/2025		Page Views: 432
Hashtags: #Places #Bahamas
Picking daughter Karen up from the airport.
Estimated reading time: 3 minute(s) (604 words)

Today was a special day (out of a vacation full of special days!) as Jenny and I headed to the airport to pick up her sister, another of my daughters, Karen, who flew in from Virginia to help out with, among other things, pushing my wheelchair when necessary. (Now that I have the Prednisone prescription, I can walk more easily than without it; but I'm still very limited as far as walking distances is concerned.)

Discovering Atlantis

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 7/6/2025		Page Views: 670
Hashtags: #Places #Bahamas #Atlantis
From one resort to another.
Estimated reading time: 5 minute(s) (1133 words)

Jenny's condo is in Palm Cay, which is a condo development. But not far away is Atlantis, a super fancy resort with another amazing beach with a protected swimming area. And that's where we went to swim today.

The Original Bahamians

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 7/7/2025		Page Views: 247
Hashtags: #Places #Bahamas #LucayanPeople
The story of the Bahamas' original inhabitants ends sadly.
Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s) (765 words)

It was kind of overcast today, plus we were exhausted by yesterday's extended swim. So we decided to take a vacation from our vacation (actually, both Karen and Jenny have to work their remote jobs) and hang out at Jenny's condo. While the ladies worked, I got curious about the history of the Bahamas. Most of the local residents are Black. What happened to the Native Americans who must have preceded them? So I looked it up.

Lost and Found

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 7/8/2025		Page Views: 442
Hashtags: #Places #Bahamas #PalmCay
A cellphone lost in the ocean is gone forever, isn't it? Isn't it?!
Estimated reading time: 3 minute(s) (652 words)

A little before 7 AM, my daughter, Karen, woke me to see if I wanted to join her and her sister kayaking. Palm Cay has some kayaks available to residents, and the night before I had expressed interest. However, I was still too sleepy to get up; so the girls set out on their own, unaware that chaos would soon overtake them.

A Fin-Fin Fishuation

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 7/9/2025		Page Views: 494
Hashtags: #Places #Bahamas #ParadisePedis #GarraRufafish #Doctorfish
Letting fish nibble on your feet is restful…and surprisingly photogenic.
Estimated reading time: 3 minute(s) (568 words)

I have wanted to have my feet nibbled by fish ever since I first heard about it. Garra rufa, affectionately known as doctor fish, are native to Western Asia, particularly the river systems of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, and Israel. They thrive in freshwater habitats like rivers, streams, and thermal springs, often in oxygen-rich, fast-flowing environments. In Turkey, especially around the town of Kangal, they became famous for their use in therapeutic spas. They've been in use for this purpose for about 200 years, so it's not exactly a fad.

Home from Nassau, 2025

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 7/10/2025		Page Views: 258
Hashtags: #Places #Bahamas #AmericanAirlines
My return home through customs, sky, and road.
Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s) (728 words)

Today was the day both Karen and I left the Bahamas, returning to our respective homes (Virginia, and Arizona), and leaving Jenny to hold the fort alone for a couple more days.