Life is carefree when
you visit Cable Beach

By Rita Charleston
For the Times

From tribal Indians to pirates, from explorers to slave traders, the Bahamas are steeped in rich and fascinating history. In fact, a stromatolite limestone reef on the eastern shore of Exuma — part of the chain of 365 islands that form the Bahamas — is thought to be the oldest evidence of life on Earth.
Interesting, but not uppermost in my mind when I travel. Indeed, I guess I’m spoiled, so what I look for most are comfortable accommodations, good weather, good food, friendly people and ample entertainment both day and night.
And that’s exactly what I found at the Cable Beach Resort in the beautiful Bahamas.
Sitting on my balcony, sipping a pina colada, I could see the inviting white-sand beach dotted with vacationers enjoying themselves — resting on comfortable chaise lounges, or enjoying themselves in various types of water sports.
Nassau is an extremely popular island vacation destination, and the Bahamian capital city tops the list. It has been the centerpiece of this island nation since the shipwrecking days of Blackbeard the Pirate.
Prized for its safe harbor, Nassau continues to display its Victorian mansions, cathedrals, weather-beaten 18th-century forts and popular Straw Market where bargains are always at hand and vendors never want to take "no" for an answer. And when there’s time, don’t miss the great view of the island atop the hand-carved, 66-step Queen’s Staircase, fascinating because it was not built but carved out of coral-based sandstone at the end of the 18th century.
Want to see more of the island’s illustrious past? Then don’t miss Fort Charlotte, the largest in the Bahamas. Built in 1788 under the governorship of Lord Dunmore, it is picture-perfect for the adventurous, featuring a moat and dungeons.
And certainly never to be overlooked is the Junkanoo Museum, dedicated to that colorful, musical and infectious festival that takes place on Dec. 26, when Bahamian culture explodes in masks and sounds. (If you can’t make it then to join the party, Junkanoo parades are also held in conjunction with other special celebrations, such as Independence Day on July 10.)
It is believed that the Junkanoo festival began during the 16th and 17th centuries when slaves were given a special holiday at Christmas time — they were granted permission to leave the plantations to be with their families and celebrate the holidays with African dance, music and hand-made costumes.
After emancipation, the tradition continued, and today Junkanoo has evolved from its simple origins to a formal, more organized parade with sophisticated, intricate costumes, themed music and incentive prizes.
A busy hub of international commerce and finance, Nassau is the most cosmopolitan city in the Bahamas islands, the seat of government and a vibrant center for tourism, as well as world-class entertainment. And it was all just minutes from Cable Beach.
But you don’t really have to travel at all. At Cable Beach, we ate, drank and made merry. We relaxed, and relaxed some more. Then we ate, drank, gambled a bit, and made merry again.
All that is possible at the Cable Beach Resort, where almost everything a visitor could want is easily at hand. In fact, the resort maintains its own Rainforest Theater, where big-name guest stars like LeAnn Rimes, Michael Bolton, Patti LaBelle, the Pointer Sisters and others come play for the crowd.
In fact, next time I visit the area, I may never leave Cable Beach at all. ••
For more information, visit the Web site at www.CableBeachResorts.com