Today we left our resort, Melia Nassau Beach Resort, rode a public bus to the town of Nassau and did some exploring.   Nassua, in The Bahamas, is a popular cruise port.

Today this Carnival cruise ship was in port.   Near a cruise port, we often find Señor Frog’s.

Here it is.   People can sit on this deck, looking to the Atlantic Ocean and enjoy a meal and great entertainment.

This is the entrance to the restaurant and the gift shop.   We love Señor Frog’s.   In a square near Señor Frog’s, facing the ocean, handicraft vendors offer items to all, locals and tourists.

Nassau is famous for the Straw Market.

Let’s look inside.

Booths are at the entrances, tempting tourists.   Inside the large building, we wandered along some long aisles.

One side of the straw market opens to Bay Street.   The other side opens to the cruise port.   When in Nassau, take some time to wander through the Straw Market.   It has everything.   Bay Street is the main shopping street in Nassau.

Here are some of the shops catering to cruise passengers and all tourists.   Many of these shops have stores in several cruise ports.   The horse drawn carts are always fun on vacations.

If you have time, take a ride in Nassau.   We strolled the streets and approached Fort Fincastle.

Constructed of cut limestone around 1793 an strategically located atop Bennett’s Hill, Fort Fincastle protects historic Nassau town and the harbor.   Of course, any place tourists gather is an opportunity to shop.

Behind Fort Fincastle is the Queen’s Staircase.

These 66 steps were carved from solid limestone rock by slaves in 1793-1794.   It is believed that these stairs were carved to create a direct route from Fort Fincastle to Nassau City.    Later asphalt was used at the bottom of the stairs and one of the steps was buried.   This staircase was renamed for Queen Victoria who reigned in Britain for 64 years from 1837-1901.  These chairs, also carved from limestone, make a convenient, if not soft, resting place.

We can see that creating this staircase was a huge, difficult job.

The steep walls of limestone on either side of the staircase are impressive and intimidating.  Heading back to Bay Street, we passed the Bahamas Historical Society.

When in Nassau you can pass the time shopping, or explore much of the history of Nassau and the entire area.   Back on Bay Street we stopped at Parliament Square.   The pink buildings were constructed in 1815 by Loyalists.

Donations from the public, in 1905, paid for the statue of Queen Victoria.   Many citizens held the Queen in high esteem.   Today, the senate still meets in the Senate building, which is behind the statue.