The Bahamas - Treasure Cay

For most of you (if not all), you know that we are lucky enough to frequent the Bahamas every year or so, as Raif's parents live there most of the year. When we tell people that we are going to the Bahamas, they at once think of Nassau or Freeport and their minds run to casinos or all inclusive resorts and the like. Our Bahamas couldn't be further from that. So for the next few posts or so I thought I would educate everyone on our Bahamas and who knows maybe it will intrigue you so much that you will want to join us next time.

Raif's parents live in a town call Treasure Cay, located in the Abacos chain of the Bahamas. The Bahamas contains thousands of islands, most of them uninhabited. The island is considered a 'family island' which basically means no casinos, no large hotels, mostly Bahamians and ex-pats like the Erims who have bought vacation homes and second homes.

From the brochure I read in the Treasure Cay airport (which by the way is about the size of a three car garage) TC has about 15,000 inhabitants. It has 3 restaurants (if you can consider a beach bar serving hamburgers a restaurant and none of them are anything to write home about) and 1, yes 1, bar. There are two smallish condo complexes to rent to the casual vacationer. No major hotels - nothing over 3 stories anywhere. The majority of the island is covered in houses - the vast majority are occupied probably less than half the year by snowbirds from Europe, Canada and the US. Add this all up and you have an island with not a lot going on and not a lot of people.

Treasure Cay has pretty much one main road that goes along one beach and one small road that goes along the other. With two roads and everything within 5 minutes by car and with gas at around $5.00/gallon the vast majority of travel is done by golf cart. They have even gone so far as to start a golf cart drive in once a week in an old parking lot. There was a big turnout last week - there were about 4 golf carts and about 15 people or so who walked over with lawn chairs. And mind you that this was a big holiday week - with both 4th of July and Bahamian Independence Day so the island was more crowded than usual.

So what does one do on an island with seemingly nothing going on.....stay tuned.