Pink Onionland

Onions love their pink beaches and call their home “Paradise”. No, this is not a story for an animated movie nor have I smoked anything. Onions is what Bermudians call themselves because onions were one of the first things Bermuda became famous for – they were grown on the islands back in the 1800s and exported to the US east coast where they were known for their sweetness.

Bermuda has come a long way since its onion days and now is mostly known for three things: the Bermuda shorts, the Bermuda Triangle and its pink sands. The Bermuda shorts were originally worn by the British Army in tropical and desert climates. They became popular in Bermuda during World War II when a shortage of clothing led the general managers of two Bermudian banks to distribute two pair of army-style shorts to their employees. They became a business attire and are now the correct national dress code for virtually every occasion including meeting the Queen. And like any dress code, there are rules: they must be worn two inches above the knee with knee-high black or navy socks, a white or blue short-sleeved shirt and a navy blazer. Somehow I get the feeling you'll never see this in an Armani collection.

While the Bermuda shorts dress code is virtually unknown outside the islands, the Bermuda Triangle is notorious the world over. Covering an area that stretches from the Atlantic coast of Miami to Puerto Rico to Bermuda, legend has it that several airplanes and ships disappeared mysteriously in the area, some attributing it to extraterrestrials, paranormal activity or left over technology from the lost continent of Atlantis (this last theory probably surfaced in the 1960's). One thing people overlook though - the triangle is one of the most heavily traveled shipping lanes and flight routes in the world so the number of disappearances is fairly small considering regular traffic through the area. To me, it's just sensationalism (aka, a way to make easy money) but I could be wrong...after all, the end of the world on December 21, 2012 could come when the planet gets sucked into the Triangle (note to self: try to sell this crappy idea for a B movie).

Shorts and Triangle don't cut it so we're left with pink sand beaches. And in that category, Bermuda enchants. Pink sand is rare but abounds in Bermuda due to small dark red sea creatures called forams that live on the underside of reefs and are found only in the world's northernmost reefs. Bermuda has miles of pink sand, and not only are they unique and photogenic, they're also very, very fine. So fine that on some beaches, you feel like you're walking on talc powder.

Now some of you may wonder if it's worth going to Bermuda in winter. True, you probably won't be able to swim but you can still get a tan since daytime temperatures average 70°F (21°C). Furthermore, Bermuda is only a two-hour flight from NY, is small enough (21 sq. miles or 53 km²) to be explored on a long weekend, and is much more affordable in low season. Also, Bermudians are very friendly and won't harass you. But best of all, you'll likely find a pink sand, turquoise water bay all to yourself and feel like you're on your own private island.