I just came back from Paradise Island after staying at Atlantis and I have this to say: If you don't care to experience Bahamian culture, stay at Atlantis. If you don't want to relax, stay at Altantis. If you don't mind paying exhorbitant amounts of money, stay at Atlantis. If you like Las Vegas, stay at Atlantis. I think the whole facility is just "too much".

Randy: It's not just you.

I don't give a rat's a** about experiencing Bahamian culture, if I want to relax I'll just stay in bed for a week and watch Gilligan's Island reruns, and I'd rather spend it now than save it for later. Sounds perfect.

I agree that Atlantis sucks for several reasons. In the late 1960's Paradise Island was called "Hog Island", and lacked a bridge over to it. We, college buddies, would take a small ferry over from Nassau, and jump off a hundred feet offshore. There was a hotel on the Hog Island, but miles of beach, mostly deserted. Hiking around the island, now called Paradise Island was fun, and we felt like Robinson Crusoe. We all mingled with the local Bahamians, and sang, drank and danced with them. Now, it's nothing but urban sprawl. We found our own entertainment, mostly interacting and talking with the local Bahamians. Great beaches, uncluttered, and no Disney Land hype which today's generation has been conditioned to accept. No one cared about luxury rooms, qualtity of service, high class food, etc. If the bar was vacant, we walked behind it and got our own beer. When the bartender returned, we paid him. A Kahlik beer and boiling spiny lobsters on the beach we caught was more fun than ever. Too bad you missed the Paradise Island of long ago...you missed much! Well, got to pour over my old photo album of the real Bahamas. I guess we're just too over-populated with people. Robert <BR>

Your Bahamas of old still exist Robert. Try heading over to the Maldives, Fiji islands, Cook Islands etc.<BR>Still lots of places which haven't been ruined by urban sprawl and 'civilization'

Thanks, Nan; My brother was a colonel in the air force on Guam, and he frequented those places often. Will have to try them out. However, there are some places in the Bahamian archipelogo that is still relatively untouched, although they don't measure up to the Pacific isles. They are real close and reachable by noon if I take off from the states in the am. I won't mention these best kept secrets on the board. Robert