Bermudababble Week Nineteen
Still no laptop – so tip tapping on the Major’s while he strums his fingers and makes out he’s not impatient…
How are we? I’ve had a good week. We visited Gibbs Hill lighthouse earlier in the week – which has been functioning since 1846 and gives the most incredible view of the island, so there you go. I tried to take arty farty photos – the result was more farty than arty.
We decided to visit The Museum of Bermuda, at the Naval Dockyard, visiting the very grand Governors House. Oh My God. It has had a profound effect on me. I spent a long time reading the story of slavery on the island and it felt odd to read the links between Bermuda, St.Lucia, Bristol, London all places dear to me. The personal accounts written by slaves and observers will stay with me a lifetime and I spent the rest of the day pondering yet another example of mans ability to inflict such barbaric cruelty on his fellow man. Slavery is a stain that sits on the flag of many so many nations; our own included. I made no apology for standing with tears pouring down my face.
We had planned to visit the museum and then enjoy lunch in the sunshine, but we were not in the mood. Instead, we quietly took the bus home and sat in the shade talking about what we had seen and cried a little more.
I then read about the terrorist massacre in Kenya and felt the same level of stomach churning horror, there are no words…
Bermuda is shaped a bit like a fish hook and at either end, lots of islands are joined by bridges and causeways – this week, despite howling gales, torrential rain and scorching sun – I have packed my bus pass and continued with my exploration.
On Tuesday the police had set up a patrol on one of the bridges and stood holding a speed camera at the start of the bridge. There was pretty soon a tailback of mopeds, cars and buses as everyone stopped to high five and chat to the policeman they had known their whole lives, all swapping news and gossip on the family, health and whether he was going to their BBQ on Sunday. I don’t think anyone passed his speed gun at more than 3 mph!
As soon as we passed, the driver turned to his passengers and said, ‘I’m gonna go real slow over the bridge, who knows what’s been washed away underneath by all that rain!’ I held my breath and closed my eyes – no, I don’t know why either! until we had trundled over safely. I’m sure I saw him laughing in the mirror.
I LOVE travelling by bus anywhere in the world, I think it’s one of the best ways to really see the countryside and meet people. This week has been no exception, when I met the lovely Belinda, who showed me photos of her kids, grandchildren and great grandchildren and then asked me how I make shepherd’s pie – The Major turned around and could hear me saying, ‘then I take a tin of tomatoes and some chopped herbs…’ he just shook his head and smiled.
I am back in the UK for a week or so to speak at the Barking and Dagenham reading festival http://bit.ly/1bigj3L October 24th – and i cant wait! I shall be talking about my journey from Barking to Bermuda via Bristol and back again – all my books and why I write – it should be great fun! My dad worked on the production line at Fords Dagenham and my nan and grandad announced a couple of decades before they died, that they were leaving East Ham and moving to the countryside – off they went to the Dagenham/Rainham border, where they could indeed see a field! Bless.
I have had lots of people asking about my next releases and i wish i could write faster and speed up the process for all those waiting! (You didn’t hear it from me, but there might be another novella (bit like Something Quite Beautiful length) coming out in a couple of weeks – SShhhhh…)
The best way to keep up to date with new releases, competitions and other bits and bobs is to go to my website http://www.amandaprowse.org/ register your details and you will always be in the know!
We had a couple of days of very heavy rain, I went outside and after a minute i looked like someone had thrown buckets of water over me -drenched! The electricity went out, so i sat in the dark heat, listening to the rain, it was awesome! Although you know how you listen to rain and you hear a song in the beat? I kept getting Oops Upside your Head – and so spent most of the day on the tiles patting the floor, bit annoying.
Talking of bit annoying, The Major is now throwing a cashew nut up the wall and catching it, bit like Steve McQueen in The Great Escape, think it’s my cue to wrap it up.
I send you love and luck as always.
Scatter Kindness.
Mandy xx
©Amanda Prowse – all enquiries PFD ajhughes@pfd.co.uk. +44 (0)20 7344 1084
