Dear Sir, After spending one week on your beautiful Island, I returned home to discover the St. Louis Post-Dispatch travel section focused entirely on Bermuda! It's always interesting to compare the spin to the reality, and perhaps you will be interested in this first-time visitor's observations.

The downside: One of the first, most lasting, and most disheartening impressions of Bermuda is the wallet-shattering prices. Your Minister of Tourism, David Allen, is quoted in our newspaper as saying, "Bermuda is a first- world country. You can eat the food and drink the water without getting a tummy ache.... You have world-class telecommunications. Things work -- from the computers to the plumbing.'' That's all very well and nice, Mr. Allen. But please understand, those things are readily available in other countries, including the US, without the exorbitant prices. Bermuda, of course, is heavily dependent on imports, and this impacts the prices. But the delight of tranquil aqua waters and pastel cottages is hard to appreciate after a succession of mediocre $12 sandwiches.

If the economic reality of dependence on imports determines the prices, perhaps you can make them a bit more palatable with some basic customer service instruction for your service personnel, particularly the bus drivers.

I thought perhaps it was my imagination -- weary traveller and so forth. But my observation was validated by information from more than one Bermuda guidebook. One writer said, " ...the attitudes of more than a few bus drivers, hotel staff and store clerks have deteriorated to a point where they are often surly and, sometimes, downright rude.'' I noticed this was a particular problem with service personnel in restaurants.

The 15 percent automatic service charge "for your convenience'' may guarantee a gratuity -- it certainly doesn't guarantee a warm welcome or even a smile.

The upside: The friendly spirit and kindness of strangers not waiting with outstretched palms. On my first day, a dear woman pulled over on Middle Road and offered me a ride into Hamilton, on doubt alarmed by my desperate clinging to the limestone wall while I gathered up the courage to cross the street on a blind curve. I encountered this graciousness and warmth many times during my visit.

The most delightful surprise? The impeccable manners and charm of the children I met. I was astonished and tickled when a small girl -- she couldn't have been more than six years old -- offered me her seat on a crowded bus. The Child was on a school outing and did this without prompting. Her shy smile and polite "Ma'am' were the highlight of my day. (Perhaps I should have been discouraged that I am old enough to qualify for this kindness, but it was still a lovely gesture.) Bermuda has been on my "must-see'' list for as long as I can remember. I look forward to returning, someday, but I think next time I will budget for taxi service as my transportation of choice.

You really do live in Paradise. Next time you're stuck in traffic crawling along Front Street during rush hour, just take a moment to glance at the harbour and enjoy the view -- and bask in the knowledge that landlocked commuters everywhere are staring at little more than billboards, asphalt and the back end of SUVs.

JOAN LERCH St Louis, Missouri