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Bargain Hunting
Nassau Travel Tale
by Lorry Patton ...
When you're not relaxing on a pink sandy beach or gambling at an international resort; when you're not snorkeling or
sightseeing or dancing to the Goombay (the pulsating and sensuous Bahamian beat) you can go shopping. Shopping
is fun in Nassau -- and compared item for item, considerably lower than in the United States or Canada.
Best buys are on import goods. Cameras from Japan and Germany such as Hasselbad, Minolta, Canon and Ricoh.
Swiss and designer watches such as Rolex, Cartier, Porsche. Gucci leathers. Dior, Guerlain and Caron perfumes. It's
wise, if you're not up on prices, to come with a fat New York paper so you can compare. And be forewarned: if the
prices don't make your head spin, the shopping experience will.
Shopping in Nassau is like shopping in Scotland, Brazil, Hong Kong or Sweden: Shelves are stocked with Crown
Derby, Royal Copenhagen, Hummel and Royal Doulton fine porcelain and bone china; Baccarat, Daum, Waterford
and Orrefors crystal; Pringle and Ballantyne cashmere, lambswool and Shetland sweaters. The selection is limitless:
Scottish woolen, Irish linen and French silk. English and Belgium candy and chocolate. Italian and Spanish shoes.
Venice glassware, Denmark teak, South America emeralds. Brass from India, gold from Paris.
You can shop until your heart (and your pocket-book ) is content.
And don't ignore the Bahamian products in the colorful and gay straw markets: Beautiful conch, coconut and coral
jewelry; blown glass and leather crafts; fruit jelly and honey; hand-printed table linens and wall hangings and stalls
and stalls of straw mats, baskets, slippers, bags, hats and hampers -- in all shapes and sizes and in all prices, which, by
the way can be bartered, unlike the imported wares. Best of all, the markets are where the warm and friendly
Bahamians hang out.
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