Almost half a century after they first met in Bermuda, Florida couple Charles and Faine Smith still find the Island a “magical, enticing place”.

The couple, who have been married for almost 47 years, returned to the Island to celebrate her birthday and the 49th anniversary of their meeting.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Smith said that he first came to Bermuda in 1965 as part of College Week, staying at the Blue Water Anglers Club for $2 a night.

He enjoyed the experience so much that he returned the following year as an officer in the US Army.

It was during that second trip, on April 25, that he met his future wife in the cocktail lounge at the Bermudiana Hotel.

“I remember seeing her sitting in a booth,” he said. “I thought she was so beautiful that she would never talk to me, but she did.”

During their conversation he discovered that she was celebrating her 21st birthday and that they were living just 20 minutes away from each other in New Jersey.

The couple dated for four months before Mr Smith was sent to Vietnam by the Army.

“I thought then that she would be gone, but she was still there when I came back,” he said.

“We got married in July of 1968, and we’ve been coming back to Bermuda ever since. We’ve brought our three children with us on several occasions.

“We’ve been able to move up to the bigger places like Elbow Beach — we don’t stay at the Blue Water anymore, although they were great.”

He said their most recent trip was timed to celebrate the 49th anniversary of their meeting, and that they were considering returning again next year to celebrate their 50th.

“It’s a special place for us because we met here,” he said. “Bermuda is a magical, enticing place.

“The people are friendly and the cab drivers who take you place to place are terrific.

“I can play golf if I’d like or go to the beach. Why wouldn’t we come back?”