PAST & PRESENT NEW YEAR'S DAYS IN NASSAU, BAHAMAS!

The aftermath of a past Junkanoo in downtown Nassau, Bahamas

 

New Year's Day in The Bahamas this year doesn't ring with the excitement of New Year's Day 1966 and successive New Year's Days because of Covid-19. Sadly the popular Junkanoo festivals here in The Bahamas have been cancelled this time. 

Fifty-five years' ago, I rode on the back of Erskine's scooter "Over The Hill" after a party that he and his band "The Invaders" had played at on West Bay Street. Discarded Junkanoo floats and costumes were strewn all over the streets. We went from night club to night club until the wee hours. I wore a long white evening gown, but by the time the sun rose my dress was no longer white!

In my novel "Dangerous Devotion", Gordon and Violet experience the Christmas season in Nassau, but because Gordon is Scottish, they fly back to Scotland for Hogmanay (Scottish New Year).

Excerpt from "Dangerous Devotion":

"Bell ringers stood at strategic points on downtown Bay Street, collecting money for charity in Salvation Army kettles. The street was decked out with festive decorations. A heavily laden Christmas tree towered next to the colonial buildings in historic Rawson Square. Bleachers for the upcoming Boxing Day and New Year’s Junkanoo parades were already in place."

"Dangerous Devotion" is available on Amazon as an e-book at $2.99 and in paperback $10.12. Click the links below to go the book's Amazon page.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year!

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TRAVEL STIMULATES THE IMAGINATION!

Enjoying Starbucks coffee in Barnes & Noble
(imagining my books lining the shelves!)

Happy New Year! Erskine and I just got back from spending a week in Florida over Christmas. It was really hectic! We wanted to shop for items that we either can’t get here in Nassau or are much cheaper over there! However, we know now that Christmas is not the best time for that. Crowds of people all had the same idea! We had a great time though!

I say in my writer’s guide “How to Be the Best Writer Ever!”: “I write like crazy when I take a trip off the island, as there are always so many new sights and experiences. I also pick up lots of brochures and flyers to refer to later.” Unfortunately I must confess that I didn’t do any of this, as we were on the go the whole time! However, I did get ideas for some new short stories. There’s nothing like travelling to stimulate the imagination!
LINKS TO "HOW TO BE THE BEST WRITER EVER!" -https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GBFYFYYhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GBFYFYY
mybook.to/BESTWRITER

CHRISTMAS DONE COMIN'

CHRISTMAS DONE COMIN'

by Fay Knowles

Christmas done comin'
Junkanooers in da shacks
Please give a dollar for
Salvation Army good acts

If you ain't gat a dollar
A quarter will do
If you ain't gat a quarter
Then God bless you!

(Just a little ditty I once wrote! Salvation Army members and supporters are out and about in Nassau collecting money in their kettles to help the poor. And Junkanoo groups are in the shacks feverishly creating stunning costumes and floats for the Christmas and New Year Junkanoo parades!)

WELCOMING NEW YEAR IN NASSAU BAHAMAS!

PART OF A DISCARDED JUNKANOO FLOAT
IN DOWNTOWN NASSAU NEW YEAR 2018

Last night we brought the New Year in by watching Baha Mar’s spectacular fireworks display from our window. Then after lunch today Erskine and I headed over to Atlantis on Paradise Island. The streets were still being cleaned up after “Junkanoo” that started early this morning. A few discarded remnants of Junkanoo floats and costumes lay on the pavements.

“Junkanoo” is a vibrant pulsating street festival and competition that usually takes place in The Bahamas in the early hours of Boxing Day (December 26th) and New Year’s Day. The roots of Junkanoo can be traced back to West Africa. It is said that the name originated from that of “John Canoe”, an African tribal chief.

Groups of participants spend months prior to Junkanoo in the “shacks” making elaborate costumes and floats out of crepe paper, cardboard, beads, sequins and other innovative materials. Tourists and residents alike huddle on bleachers or hang over balconies on Bay Street in downtown Nassau to watch the floats and performers pass by. Spectators revel in the sound of rhythmic cow bells, whistles, goat skin or steel drums and horns; the kaleidoscopic costumes; and the enthralling dancing called “rushing”. Other islands of The Bahamas also have their own Junkanoo rushes.

We parked in the pay parking opposite the Riu Paradise Hotel and walked through Atlantis to Marina Village for a coffee in Starbucks. The weather was sunny and the temperature about 78 degrees. A perfect New Year’s Day!

Wishing you all a very Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year!

A VERY SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR

Me and Mum on one of her visits to The Bahamas
(Cape Santa Maria, Long Island, Bahamas)

This time of year always reminds me of the last time I saw my mother ten years ago. As Christmas approached, Erskine came up with the exciting suggestion that we should surprise Mum and fly to England for Christmas. She used to always visit us in The Bahamas during winters and spend Christmas and New Year with us, but those visits were sadly coming to a close as she got older.

I booked our flights, arranged for us to stay in holiday accommodation close to Mum so we wouldn’t put her out in any way, and even booked Christmas Dinner for three at a nearby hotel.

It was difficult for me to keep the secret, but once all our plans and bookings were made I called Mum to give her our surprise. I’ll never forget how happy she was and what a special Christmas and New Year that was. I am so glad we did this and am grateful to Erskine for making it possible, as three months later my dear mother passed away suddenly.

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year!

THE ENTICING MISTLETOE!

Cold, snowy days can often be as romantic as hot, sultry beaches! I remember the mistletoe we all used to try and manoeuvre our way under as giggling teenage girls at Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties! We hoped that special guy would see that we were standing beneath that little piece of greenery and he would head our way!

Mistletoe features in one of my stories in “Sunbeams from the Heart – A Collection of Twelve Romantic Short Stories”, available on Amazon as an e-book and in paperback.

Sunbeams at Amazon.com

Sunbeams at Amazon.co.uk