Bon Bini!
Welcome to Curaçao!
Life is short.
I hate to see time and money wasted, especially on family vacations. Cruising is a wonderful way to get a glimpse of various places and make a mental list of where you might want to spend a lengthier get away, and which ones are not worth it. One a recent visit, we determined Curaçao to be one of our FAVORITE Caribbean Islands.
We haven’t been to all of them – but we have been to the Mexican Caribbean, the Bahamas, and to dozens of the islands from Puerto Rico, all the way down to the ABCs (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.) Many of the islands share similar terrain, weather and the beauty of the Caribbean Sea. Many of the islands share the issues of crime, poverty and drugs. So when we come across a place that is clean, safe and filled with culture, music, art and great places to eat, we are impressed.
As the ship pulled into port we had this view:
When we stepped on land we were not approached by masses of tour guides, taxi drivers and people selling their wares. Instead, this multi-level facility had galleries, shops and numerous choices of eateries. Everything was especially clean, including the public bathrooms.
When in Curaçao , do as the locals (or at least the tourists) do…. we enjoyed the famous blue liquor – Curaçao distilled on the island and made (surprisingly) from oranges.
Up close with the city of Willemstad, we immediately had a bit of deja vu. Sharing many of the architectural styles of the former owners, The Dutch, this city reminded us of a long ago visit to Amsterdam, but with a colorful Caribbean twist.
I was especially in love with the numerous markets selling art, trinkets, fruits, vegetables and fish.
They were located along the various waterways and many of the supplies were brought in daily, by bought, from nearby Venezuela.
More market views:
The local art was bright, bold and fun.
Musicians played on the street corners.
I also loved the architectural details and colors found throughout the city.
This island is on our “to visit again” list – as we could keep ourselves busy for many more days – snorkeling, sailing, wildlife , deep-sea fishing, an aquarium, dolphin academy, museums, an ostrich farm, and of course a tour at the Curacao distillery.
