Gazing out at the sparkling surface of Hamilton Harbour with a cool, sea breeze hitting his face, insurance consultant Michael Carey seemed at peace with the world, even in the middle of a hectic work day.

"I just like to come here for the peace of the water, even if it's only once or twice a month," he said as he sat on a bench at Albouy's Point with his newspaper and lunch, whiling away the minutes before heading back to work.

Mr. Carey is not alone in his search for tranquillity at lunchtime. Every day, workers flood out of their urban jungle habitat to the calming surroundings of Hamilton's parks in the hope of finding a moment's peace before the stresses of the afternoon begin.

"I always make a point of getting out of the office, even if I've got something important to do,'' Mr. Carey said.

`'I find it clears my head and helps me make better decisions."

Just a few feet away, sitting on the grass and eating sushi, were Marie O'Connor and Paul Blackbourn.

"We do this once a week," said Ms O'Connor, a secretary. "We really just want to make the most of the beautiful weather. It's great being able to sit beside the sea at lunchtime.

"You don't get a view like this in Manchester, where I'm from."

Mr. Blackbourn said coming out to Albouy's Point at lunchtime usually had a positive effect on his day.

He added that he felt Hamilton was well served by the number of open spaces on offer for people who wanted to escape the air-conditioning at lunchtime.

The couple said on average they spent about $6 or $7 on lunch each day.

"We can't be bothered making sandwiches so we get sushi. It's pretty expensive, on the whole, but good."

Waiting for his wife on the grass next to them was investment manager Chase Toogood.

He said: "It's therapeutic coming out here to eat. It's a pretty place, right on the water and I like to get outside when I get the chance. This place is close and convenient too."

A few streets back, in an oasis of palm trees and bright flowers, the Par-la-Ville Park crowd were tucking into their fare to the accompaniment of Kiskadee calls and the distant rumble of a temporarily forgotten metropolis.

Shading herself under the branches of a centuries old tree, Renee Richardson lay back with her book and took time out from her busy schedule.

"It's peaceful and beautiful here. I like to just sit, take my shoes off and relax. I find it ideal. Everybody seems to come here and do the same thing."

Ms Richardson said she felt places such as Par-la-Ville park were in short supply in Bermuda.

"They need more parks like this and there are too many golf courses. I'd even like to see an amusement park somewhere for young people to go.

She said that today she had bought a sandwich, but added that, usually, she makes her lunch at home.

"I like doing that. I find people spend so much money on lunch, but I guess it's usually too much of a rush to make it every morning."

Down the pathway and under a blossom covered trellis, colleagues Sarah Skinner and Sally Gibson chatted the hour away.

"It's pretty here. We don't come here too often, but I usually come away more relaxed when we do," said insurance manager Ms Gibson. "The flowers are nice and it's just good to get away from work for a while."

The pair said they also thought lunch was an expensive affair in Bermuda, but added they did not have enough time in the morning to make sandwiches at home.

Lying in a shady and secluded corner of the park, corporate administrator Kirsty Johnson said: "Having lunch here is good for the spirit. It's therapeutic. Albouy's Point is a bit windy sometimes, but here it's almost always serene and peaceful."

She said she found lunch to be a "fairly expensive" affair but added that she also rarely had time to make the whole meal at home before coming in to work.

Catching some rays on a nearby bench, Greg Titterton said he found coming to the park for lunch was "relaxing".

"It's an easy place to come and eat quickly and quietly out of the air-conditioning."

Mr. Titterton, an Information Technology consultant, added that he thought there was not enough open space in Bermuda for activities such as this.

"The Island's getting too built-up," he said.