North Hamilton/Uptown Train Tour

By Michael Bradshaw

The first-time visitor longs for our crystal-clear waters and sandy beaches, beautiful vistas and cosmopolitan shopping. Repeat guests acclaim the friendliness of the people. Our world-renown Talbot Brothers proclaimed that "Bermuda is another world." Residents proudly boast that we are about "quality and not quantity."

The trolley train tour that begins in downtown Hamilton and snakes through northeast Hamilton is an ethnographic ride and cultural sampling of Bermuda. Using Hamilton as the backdrop, you're given insights into the neighbourhoods, activities and people who make up this city and its unique identity. Your guide is a native Bermudian from northeast Hamilton, who will direct your eyes to the little nuances that make this tour an exciting and engaging experience. The area is undergoing a renaissance and is opening up to insightful participation by visitors and culturally sensitive Bermudians alike, redefining itself as "Uptown Hamilton." Enjoy this free pilot series of tours.

Hamilton is a very busy city that has grown from a sober seaport with a business and residential presence to a bustling site of leading world-class insurance companies and international conglomerates. In this quaint location, you'll travel through history and see reminders of the European heritage we share with much of North America. The links to the British monarchy, the colonial presence and the diversity and vibrancy of the many West Indian and Central American communities can be found in street names and also the references to families and cultural icons like the Gombeys. Architectural comparisons not only unite and differentiate downtown and Uptown but also offer great photo opportunities. The guide's anecdotes bring the streets and buildings to life in a setting of another era, so you can enjoy another aspect of Bermuda. The ramble through the area is gentle but seems surprisingly fast because there really is much to see — and it is all within an easy walk of the cruise ships or the main bus terminal.

Reference is made throughout to families and communities that will engage you as you think of the exotic "ethnic districts" of the world's great cities. A moving and unusual opportunity is provided by access to the meeting room of a Bermuda cultural icon. The Noble Grand, or another senior officer of the Loyal Flower of the Day Lodge, will host the group for a tour and chat. This person is a member of the Friendly Society Movement in Bermuda. This group provided for the social and cultural needs and political and organisational education of the "deprived masses" in a Bermuda that existed when there was greater inequality based on gender, class, race and education. We tend to forget how recently that took place. This is a moving reflection for the more mature-aged, and certainly an enlightening lesson for the young or those who are now forgetful. This is also a break for light refreshment.

The finale is getting up-close and personal with a Bermuda Gombey troupe as it prepares for a weekly Thursday celebration — Uptown Culture Fest. This celebration of local entertainment, street vendors and general good times recalls the history and the pivotal role of northeast Hamilton in the early to mid 20th century. Join and enjoy the Uptown Culture Fest or ride back to your start point.

Contact Michael Bradshaw at mikedele@transact.bm for more information.

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