Five Days in Curacao

Curacao

Last night's sunset. 

Tuesday, November 19, 2019-11-19

We enjoyed waking up this morning in our little cottage outside the big house. The bed had been comfortable. The air conditioning was certainly strong … we turned it off part way through the night. The cottage is cute and the table just outside the door the perfect place for morning coffee and observe the skinks and lizards.

Once we got organized, we headed to the patio for breakfast (an omelette, croissant, juice, coffee, fresh fruit, a bread basket with butter and jam. We were certainly set to head out for our morning adventure.

Our first stop was at a nearby supermarket where we bought some items for a picnic lunch. Then it was off to explore the west end Curacao. Curacao, although larger than Aruba, is still a very small island and nothing is very far away. The roads though are narrow and not always well maintained so a slower speed is required to be safe.

We stopped at a large Catholic Church with an adjacent cemetery. Most burials seem to be above ground with very large crypts for several family members. I read that today that 80% of Curacao’s population is Catholic and that only 5% profess no religious affiliation at all. Churches are overflowing on Sundays and many services are held in non-religious buildings. Not a problem in mainstream churches in Canada, to be sure.

Next came the kapok tree. A short walk into a forest revealed the oldest tree on this island – over 800 years. Quite impressive!!

We carried on up the road, taking note of the small herd of goats munching on the grass at the side of the road. All but one … he was stretching his neck as far as he could to eat the low hanging leaves on a nearby tree. He was actually quite funny.

We travelled for several kilometers through a forested area, mostly short trees including thorn trees. It was lush and green, more evidence that Curacao gets significantly more rain than Aruba. We passed a Dutch military facility, a reminder that Curacao is one of countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The other three are Aruba, St. Maarten and, of course, the Netherlands.

We finally arrived at the Christoffel National Park. It has two drives through two different landscapes that are accessible by regular motor vehicle. We arrived at the park at 1:20 only to learn that the last entry was allowed at 1:30 and we would have to leave the park by 3:30. No problem … or so we thought. Except when we tried to buy a ticket, we were told that it was already 1:30 and the park was closed. We objected and showed the time on our watches and the park rangers repeated “It is already 1:30 and the park is closed”. With no alternative but very frustrated, we turned our car back onto the main highway and continued on our way.

Not much further along was a second national park called Shete Boka. It was there that we were welcomed warmly (what a difference a few kil

ometres make) and given maps and directions to explore the various roads in this park. Because of recent torrential rains, the dirt roads were quite tricky to manoeuvre with potholes filled with water (how deep?) and ruts that really only allowed one car to pass at a time (it was a two way road). Some hills were so steep we could not possibly see what if anything was coming the other way. Nonetheless, we persevered and were rewarded for our efforts.

Clearly, a volcanic landscape, the peak of the volcano became evident as we travelled slowly along. Lava rocks, both small and large, dominated the landscape right to the water’s edge.

We paused for lunch here (meat and cheese sandwiches on freshly made buns). We stayed in the car because we had air conditioning and it was brutally hot outside. We learned that the normal temperature year round in Curacao is about 82 degrees F with a low overnight of 77. Except in the fall, specifically November, when the daytime high climbs to 95 degrees. Like I said, it was brutally hot!! In front of our car, parked to observe the water, was a blowhole. The sea was pretty choppy and many times as we munched our lunch, there was an explosion of water that emerged from the hole. It was both dramatic and beautiful. 

Hundreds of stone castles had been constructed by visitors along the top of the cliff at the shore. This array was quite lovely to see.

Continuing along in the park, we next visited an area of tidal pools. At low tide, the pools are filled with a wide variety of sea life but the tide was quite high when we were there and there was only one pool to look at. It was worth the effort though to see little creatures in the shallow water waiting to be rescued by the incoming tide.

As we worked our way back toward the main gate of the park, we encountered a small flock of goats who were roaming the park. It appeared they might be wild goats with several kids along with them.

Back on the road we continued toward the west end of the island. There we came to the village of Westpurt where we stopped at a local restaurant, Jaanchies, for a cool drink.

 We were astounded at the entrance to see hundreds of yellow and black birds gathered on feeders, flitting about, twittering loudly. What a treat to see so many birds in one place. When we got inside, we saw a wall mural that identified each bird and the manager filled the feeders with sugar. Apparently they are all sugar eaters and love the ‘food’ he provides.

We enjoyed our fresh lime drinks while watching the birds. The very friendly manager came to our table to share the menu with us. It was a show and tell menu – he told us about each menu selection while he drew a picture of it on a piece of paper – 3 types of fish, chicken stew, pork chops and today’s special, guinea pig! Yes, guinea pigs run wild in the forests here and are gathered and used as food. How could we resist?

So, before long, a plate of guinea pig arrived at our table. We had asked for a snack portion to share. It was actually very tasty but full of little bones. It was like very tender chicken but required the attention of eating fish. I am not sure we would order it again but it was an experience.

We turned the car toward our guesthouse at this point. We were on a secondary road with many hills. Beware the 17% grade going both up and down. We arrived ‘home’ in time for me to have a dip in the pool before dinner. It was soooo refreshing.

The guest house we are staying in, Landhuis Klein Santa Martha, is absolutely delightful. It is an historic building (over 200 years old) owned by the government of Curacao and leased to the proprietors of the hotel and restaurant that have been established here. The history of the land is that it was sectioned off by the Dutch in the early 1700’s as a plantation. At that time, fruit and some vegetables were successfully grown as well as aloe vera. The owners of the land were also involved with the collection of sea salt which was shipped to Holland to preserve fish. There was a salt shortage in Holland at the time so it was a thriving business. There may also have been a connection with the slave trade that was happening in this time frame.

The house itself is a large two story structure, totally refurbished, with several bedrooms on the second floor that are now hotel rooms. There are also three rooms on the main floor as well as the cottage in which we are staying. There is a lovely infinity pool beside a deck at the side of the house. It is a perfect size for a relaxing plunge at the end of a hot day. Across the front of the house is a very large porch that, from its location high on a hill, has an exquisite view of the landscape as well as two large inlets and, in the distance, the Caribbean Sea. Facing west, it is a prime location to view the sunset that occurs at almost exactly 6 pm each night. 

The deck and the porch are protected by shade sails. Dinner is served on the porch. The meals are delicious and beautifully plated. Breakfast is served on the deck. In the case of inclement weather, there is enough space to seat everyone inside on the main floor of the house. The furniture in the house is made from rich wood with designs that suit the historical origins of the house.

There is a series of six or more similar manor houses in the vicinity of Soto. They were all built in the early 1800's in a particular geographical pattern and had a built in communication system if danger came near. They all had an upstairs window that faced the next closest house. If there was need to be in touch with one another a signal of lights was set up so that one by one the occupants of each house became aware of some impending danger. Who needs cell phones when you have candle light or kerosene lamps?

We moved to the dining room for a light dinner and a show as the sun set in the west. It was glorious. We invited a couple for the Netherlands, Wanda and Chris, to join us at our table. We had met them early this morning. We had a delightful meal and an animated conversation about many topics. It was 9:30 before we got up from the table.

And now I am writing the blog and organizing photos but not for much longer. It is time for bed. More to come tomorrow.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Today, following another delicious breakfast, we set out to explore the east end of Curacao. It was a bit longer drive to or starting point and the route took us quite close to Willemstad, the capital city (and the only city on the island). We encountered more traffic than we had yesterday and were challenged navigating some of the intersections and roundabouts because many of them have no traffic signs or signals to guide the way. The rules vary from one situation to another depending on how the intersection is structured. Sometimes, the vehicle on the right has the right-of-way and sometimes not. Sometimes, each vehicle takes it turn and sometimes the main road has priority. Frankly, we have not learned the variations in these rules so, as the driver, I am never sure if I am making the right move or the wrong move. It can make the drive very exciting. So far so good.

Further complicating our drive this morning was a longterm torrential downpour. The streets are not contoured to maximize the flow of water away from the thoroughfare and, in many cases, the water puddled in the middle of the road deep enough so it was not possible to drive through. We used our GPS to its maximum capacity finding alternate routes so that we could continue our journey. It rained for over a half an hour and it was truly incredible how much water fell from the sky. And then, just as suddenly as it began, the rain stopped and the sun came out. Within minutes much of the water drained from the roadways, leaving only occasional pools to navigate. But the air was so humid that is was difficult to breathe.

We finally made it to our first destination, The Seaquarium. This was a very large facility with indoor aquaria featuring several species of fish. Built on the shore of the ocean, the larger mammals and sea creatures were housed in large, seawater pens, swimming in their natural elements. Sharks, dolphins, seal ions and sea turtles were all on display. We followed a brilliant guide on a tour of most of the indoor facilities. He was both charming, humorous and knowledgeable … and trilingual. He shared information in Spanish, English and Papiamento (the local Curacao language). His tour was very impressive.

 A terrible photo, I know, but I could not resist as it is called the Gramma fish!

Following the tour, we visited the sea turtles, the shark tank and attended a sea lion training display. Notwithstanding the politics of capturing and training these amazing creatures, the trainers and the sea lions put on quite a show.

It was blazingly hot out in the direct sun and soon enough, we took our leave from the aquarium. We made good use of the water we had brought with us and headed to our next destination, the Tugboat. The Tugboat is a beach on a small bay where a tugboat sank many years ago. It is a popular snorkelling and diving beach and the ambience there is a throwback to the 1960s. We spent some time relaxing in the shade and sipping our new favourite drink, Lemonade, but made with limes. It is a little sweet, a little tart and very refreshing. The water on Curacao is produced through a desalination process and is some of the purest water in the Caribbean. Thus, asking for an extra serving of ice does not worry us at all. Anything chilled is a good thing in this hot climate.

Close to the Tugboat are the remains of a military battery, Fort Beekenburg, built initially in 1703. Much of it remains in good condition, high on a volcanic outcrop, ready to defend the island if necessary. It remained an active defense site until the 1850s.

On we drive to the Spanish Waters, a large inland waterway with outlet to the seas. Most of the land around this area is privately own and the wealth of the owners is reflected in the homes they occupy and the yachts that are safely and securely moored outside their back doors. It was a very beautiful and well maintained area.

From there, we made our way out of town and into the countryside. The contrast with the Aruban landscape is striking. While there are still plenty of cacti and thorn bushes, there are also forests of small trees, fields of grass and beautiful bushes of flowers. We stopped many times to take photos of the beauty of this place.

We found our way to the Curacao Ostrich Farm but chose not to go in. Again, we asked why there are ostriches in Curacao. It made more sense here than in Aruba because, in Curacao, the ostrich meat is actually farmed and exported to other places as well as being served in a restaurant at the farm itself. Sadly, the restaurant is only open on Fridays.

Next we stopped at the workshop of a well known Curacao artist, Serena Israel. Her art is exclusively models of a caricature of a woman with broad curves and oversized breasts. Each of her creations has a story and each one is handpainted in brilliant  colours and patterns. They are fun to look at and one of the will adorn our Christmas tree henceforth. The greatest thing about this artist is her capacity to engage over 50 local women in the production and painting of her pieces. She has transformed the concept of entrepreneurial art in Curacao by providing meaningful employment to so many others. We were very happy to have visited her workshop.

By now it was mid afternoon and we were both thirsty and hungry. We went looking for a restaurant for a late lunch. Many had already closed for the day. We finally found one that still had a menu board posted at the road. We went in and were delightfully surprised at the warm welcome we received and the range of items on the menu. It was certainly a meat-based menu and we ended up ordering mixed grill for 2. Steak, sausage, chicken, ribs, pork chop and enough delicious fries to feed an army. We ate heartily and still have enough left for an ample lunch tomorrow. The young lady who served our table was delightful, fully committed to ensuring that we enjoyed our food and had everything we needed. She was a wonderful example of the kind of hospitality typically offered in Curacao.

It was time to head for home. A cool cottage and a beautiful sunset awaited us. What we knew for sure is that we would not be eating dinner tonight.

The sun set precisely at 6 pm and 3 planets emerged as they have each evening this week – Jupiter was near the horizon; Venus was directly above it and Saturn was off to the left of Venus. We have watched them each evening until they disappear below the horizon because of the rotation of the earth.  Apparently on November 24, Venus and Jupiter will come together in the sky. It is interesting to watch this event unfold.

The world is quiet here. It is time to relax and enjoy the evening. 

Thursday, November 21, 2019

A leisurely start to this glorious day led to a delightful breakfast on the front deck of our guesthouse. Juice, coffee, a fresh fruit cup, a basket of buns, a small croissant, cheese and cold cuts and a choice of eggs done any way we would like. We were joined by Wanda and Chris from the Netherlands, a lovely couple we have enjoyed chatting with over the last several days. All of that and the wonderful view afforded us from this vantage point – small mountains in the distance with an outlet to the Caribbean in plain view. The foreground includes villages, forests of thorn trees, cactus and a delightful irregularly shaped ocean inlet called Santa Martha Bay. Under a clear blue sky and brilliant sunshine, it promises to be another scorcher.

Following breakfast, we loaded our snorkelling gear into the car and headed off toward the beaches at the west end of Curacao. We also explored a bit more of the countryside on our way and successfully spotted three Cara Cara birds which have been elusive at other times this week. 

The size of a very large hawk, these are groundbirds that lurk in the underbrush at the edge of forests (and the road). One of the distinguishing characteristics is a large pink area on their beaks. We are still in search of some parrots that we see streaming across the sky but cannot find them sitting in plain view long enough to photograph them.

There are several recommended sites for snorkelling in this part of Curacao. Some of them were extremely crowded. Some involved a long staircase from clifftop to the sea. The one we chose was called Lagun. 

It was a very modest beach with limited services. But the water was warm and protected by a narrow bay. The coral was in a period of regrowth; much of it has been destroyed. But the fish were plentiful and colourful, especially along the cliff walls where there is a lot of protection. We saw several species that we have never seen before and I saw the tiniest seahorse I have ever encountered. It was smaller than a matchstick but perfectly formed. The beach provided sandy access to the water and, once away from the shore, the water was very clear and marine life viewing was beautiful. I even saw one of the ‘gramma’ fish I had learned about yesterday at the aquarium.

After a long time in the water, we joined others on the beach to simply relax and dry off. There was a fish vendor quite close to our chairs. He had had a good catch this morning and many local purchasers were lined up for several kinds of fresh fish. He set the small fish aside; weighed the larger fish on a rustic scale made from a plastic container cut in half hanging below a weight scale. Once the weight of the fish was determined (and presumably the price), he removed the head and the tail and cut the remainder of the fish into beautiful steaks. His tools were a sharp knife, a machete and a thick wooden stick which he used to pound the machete through the meat, bones and guts of the fish. Put it all in a plastic bag and give it to the customer.

In Curacao, fresh fish is not generally available in supermarkets but is sold directly from the fisherman to the customer, sometimes in the parking lot of the supermarket. It is just the way things are done.

A short drive led us back to our guesthouse where we spent time relaxing by and in the pool. It is a small infinity pool overlooking a harsh desert landscape. Somehow that makes it even more special to float around in. Even Jim came into the water for a short while. I started a new book called Educated (required reading for my book club meeting in December) as I sat on the steps, still in the pool. Jim had a nap on the deck. In due course, we returned to our cabin where I had a nap. Luxury!!

As dusk fell we sat on the patio in front of our cabin and enjoyed the quiet end to a lovely day. The sun set promptly at 6 pm and the planets emerged in the night sky. We had a gin and tonic to toast this perfect evening before heading to the main house for dinner. Cheese fondue shared by the two of us. It was a bit of a throwback to the 70s and 80s. Delicious and fun.

And here we sit again, enjoying the luxury of a summer evening in November, reading, writing … moments to be cherished.

Friday, November 21, 2019

Each evening this week, at precisely 6 pm, we have gathered with others on the front deck of our guesthouse to watch the sun set. Each night it has been different and beautiful. We cast our eyes across the wooded landscape, over the mountains between us and the sea, and finally only the Caribbean Sea itself. All eyes were on the colours in the sky.

Today. Jim and I decided we would drive over to see firsthand the landscape that we had been ignoring each evening. We turned our car onto the road leading to St. Martha’s, another estate home historically connected to the one in which we are staying this week. The road followed the contour of the inland seawater that was so beautifully asymetrical in the distance.

Along the way, we passed a school where children were outside playing. Simple school uniforms are the norm here and, at this school, it appeared that each grade level wore a different coloured t-shirt. The children all interacted together on the playground and it seemed to be a veritable rainbow. 

Next we came to the entrance to St. Martha’s plantation which still has the historical mansion as well as many more outbuildings. Like the land that we are living on, this plantation was used for agriculture. Nearby salt flats were harvested for their salt which was shipped to Holland for use in preserving fish.

At the top of the hill we were climbing, there was a formal look out area where one could see the entire inland waterway and the entrance to the sea. Several homes dotted the valley below as well as a number of abandoned buildings, relic of dreams that did not come to fruition. There was also a small marina directly below us with a few boats tied up to the piers.

We continued along the road, knowing we would reach the open sea before too long. We came to a vast beach that was surrounded by more abandoned buildings. Once an elegant beach are with shops and cafes and a resort, now there was little left except the piles of rubble that had been created when buildings were torn down. A very rough road still led to the place where the inland water joined the water in the sea. Beauty blended with unrealized dreams.

We returned to the main road and headed for Willemstad to visit the Curacao curacao liqueur production facility. 

There was a short movie as well as a self-guided tour in which the production process was described. The, onto the most important element of the visit – the tasting. Each day three flavours of curacao liqueur are on offer. Today there was chocolate, orange and blue curacao. Of those three, the orange was the best. The birds that hovered nearby were less discriminating, As we set down our empty sample cups, the birds dove in. They were honey-eaters, of course, so the liqueur really hit their sweet tooths. I wonder how well they can fly at the end of a day!

From the liqueur factory, we began to look for a place to have lunch. We wanted to find a local restaurant where they would serve traditional Curacaon food. We found Dona Elena bar and restaurant. It was small and clean with a traditional menu. The only other people there were clearly locals, well known to the proprietors. That was encouraging to see.

Jim ordered chicken soup and a pork dish and I ordered arroz con pollo (chicken with rice). Very little English was spoken here so we had to rely on hand gestures and our limited recollection of Spanish (one of Curacao’s many languages). Both orders came with plantano (plantain) as a vegetable and some small dumpling-like appetizers with a green (mild) or red (spicy) salsa. We are heartily but we could not finish our plates.

After lunch we headed back to our guesthouse. We stopped for gas along the way, always an adventure when you do not know exactly how the pumps work, what kind of gas is right for our car, and how one pays for the transaction (different at almost every station). But, we managed and now the car has been fed as well.

It was later afternoon by the time we arrived ‘home’, a perfect time to go for a refreshing dip in the pool. It is also a great time to be on the look out for birds as several varieties seem to pass by our guesthouse every afternoon. Today was no exception and we got several great photos to prove it.

More than sufficed from lunch, we decided that dinner was not necessary. We ordered a glass of wine and joined other guests on the front porch to see the sunset. Scattered dark clouds hovered about but the sunset was as glorious as ever. We chatted among the guests until the rain drops began to interrupt us. We quickly gathered our belongings and dashed to our cabin where we spent a quiet evening preparing to depart tomorrow.

Saturday, November 22, 2019

We began our day with a leisurely breakfast and then loaded our luggage into our car. We have loved our time at the guesthouse, Landhuis, and it was difficult to leave. But, today Willamstad awaited us. We have seen so much of the island but have deliberately saved Willamstad, the capital city, for our last day. It turned out to be a very good decision as there were no cruise ships in the harbour and the city was very quiet. Parking was readily available and there were no traffic jams ever.

We explored the main part of the city in our air-conditioned car. It was blistering hot outside and walking was not in the least appealing. We saw most of the highlights and were able to pause to take photos everywhere we chose. Government buildings, beautiful churches, fish and fruit markets,

historic buildings, 

colourful refurbished shopping areas 

and the oldest continuously operating synagogue in the western hemisphere 

were all on our itinerary.

We did stop to have a cool drink in a very old complex of arched shops on the waterfront. While we sipped, we watched a freighter leave the harbour. We also had a front row view of a tide pool created just below our table at low tide. Several small fish, a variety of very active crabs and at least 5 eels were in the pool. It was fun to watch them all as they awaited the return of more water. Finally the tide turned and the tide pool became part of the larger sea.

We moved from there to a lovely outdoor area in the midst of a historic shopping area. We selected Indonesian food for lunch and enjoyed it in the open air under the protection of canopies which kept the sun at bay. A light breeze helped to create a lovely atmosphere.

After lunch, we drove to another part of the city, across the high bridge that crosses the shipping strait. Willemstad has the largest shipping facility in all the Caribbean. Every ship that comes or goes has to pass under this spectacular bridge. It is fairly new and replaced a previous lift bridge that the residents of Willemstad felt was always up.

We toured another older area of the city and once again enjoyed the many brightly coloured buildings. The entire city seems to be a part of a refurbishment project. There are still occasion buildings that are in poor repair but most have been restored or are currently under some reconstruction. There were some lovely sights as we looked across the strait at the centre of the city.

Willemstad had also unpacked all of their Christmas regalia. At every roundabout, there was a display of a Caribbean Santa complete with reindeer, sparkling Christmas trees and sometimes, even snowmen. I have to admit there were times we simply rolled our eyes.

Late in the afternoon, we turned our car in the direction of the airport. We returned the car to the rental dealer who delivered us to the departure area of the airport. We checked into our flight and were soon directed to our gate for a short wait for our flight. This time we were flying with Windward Airways (who has ever heard of them?). We were bussed out to the small plane (about 50 passengers) and we walked up the steps. The flight attendant did the safety presentation; we took off; the pilot made an announcement and within minutes, he announced that we had commenced our decent into Bonaire. It was all over in 30 minutes or less.

Our five days in Curacao passed very quickly. Farewell, Curacao. And now we are in Bonaire, the final segment of another multi-facetted and wonderful adventure. Five more days in the sunshine and warmth of the Caribbean!