The Colorful Island of Curacao

 

Aruba and Curacao are both Dutch islands and are lovely but Curacao is the more colorful in my opinion. Willemstad has beautiful historic buildings and the more modern builds blend in with the same kind of architecture. We awoke and immediately looked out to be sure we were in port (the after effects of that canceled cruise). We were, but there were several rain clouds that seemed to move our way one after the other. The rain would come in a mist, then a downpour for a minute or two, then disappear with the sunshine only to have the cycle repeat. 

It was waffle day for Bob so we had to have waffles for breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill. We watched as what seemed to be at least three-quarters of the ship's guests formed lines on the dock for their morning excursions. Our morning plans were to try to stream the church service from First Baptist Church in Key Largo and then go ashore. In order to stream anything, Bob had to buy an extra service from our carrier. The carrier only charged $10/day where the ship wanted a $50 fee for the whole cruise and we weren't planning on using it that much. Since we were only streaming for one day we went with the carrier fee. 

Settled in with a coffee from the Explorations Cafe on the ship, we cued up the live stream for church on Facebook and began to watch. About five minutes into the service, an announcement came that the ship's crew was going to have a safety drill. It would not affect guests except that the forward elevators would be out of service. Well, it didn't affect guests unless they were trying to listen to a live stream. At least a half dozen announcements came, including one that said there was a "fire" in the laundry and several warning blasts that indicated emergencies. By the time our live stream was finally finished, the announcement came that all guests and crew abandon ship. Of course that was all part of the drill but we were ready to go ashore anyway. We told security we were abandoning ship as they scanned our cards. It got a pleasant smile.

A walkway from the cruise terminal wound past the casino/hotel and through an old fort that has been renovated to contain all sorts of shops and bars and restaurants. It's very well done. The Rif Fort translates to Reef Fort and was built in 1828 to protect the St. Anna Bay. Across the opening to the bay is the Water Fort built in 1829. At one time the fort included 56 cannons, barracks, a powder magazine and a water tank. In front of the fort was a dome shaped structure that was used to seal off the opening to the bay.

Continuing on, the walkway exits the fort and takes you past a line of booths with local merchants displaying their wares. Finally you reach the pontoon bridge over the channel that swings open to allow for ship traffic. We have been on ships that actually went inside the channel and docked but for some reason we didn't do that this time. The pontoon bridge is fun to cross. It doesn't rise and fall too much but with the wind and the wave action that morning, you didn't want to linger or the motion could, well, you know. 

At the other end of the pontoon bridge were several wire heart shaped structures that had lots of locks attached to them. Several places in the world have been inundated with people who want to express their love by leaving a lock on a bridge. This was a good way to handle what could become a nasty mess.

It was Sunday so we didn't expect much to be open. There were a few merchants who ventured out to attract customers but for the most part, with only one ship in and the weather, the day didn't look profitable. We walked up and down the streets and along a side canal that had a fresh fish and veggie market. Not many booths were open. I remembered another time where it was very picturesque with all the displays. 

As we walked down one sort of out of the way street and approached an open door we could hear loud music playing and voices raised that sounded like a bar full of people having a good time. As we passed the door we realized we couldn't have been more wrong. The people were having a good time but they were in a worship service. I recognized the music but the words they sang were all in Dutch.

After dodging a few spurts of rain, we finally made our way back to the ship for a relaxing afternoon, me to write and Bob to see a movie (probably a sleeping opportunity). Our departure time for Curacao was again late, 10:30pm. There were more people who did evening walks and I'm sure went to the casino on shore or found other venues for dining. I could see them strolling from the ship and back again as I sat on our veranda for a short time.

After dinner and the sunset, we listened to the strings play in the Lincoln Center Stage. I enjoyed watching a gray haired fellow with a beard and a ponytail really get into the music. In this novelist's mind, I imagined he was a retired orchestra conductor, especially when his one hand began waving in time to the music.

Following the classical music, we moved to the Billboard pianos and listened to some sixties and seventies rock. We were exploring all our music genres. Bob left me in the Billboard lounge and went to see the James Bond movie in the theater. If it's not Sean Connery or Roger Moore, I don't go. 

I stayed in Billboard for another round of music that featured artists who were pianists. The two playing were very entertaining and the folks listening joined in often. When Bob left the movie early, we walked outside a bit and then called it a night just before our ship was due to leave. When you're this relaxed it's an early night even though the time was going to fall back and give us an extra hour. 

Sea day ahead. What will it hold?

Through My Lens - Curacao

World Cruise -- Curacao

How many times have we been to Curacao? I’ve lost count but we love the port even though some on board made fun of it. It is not nearly as chaotic as St. Thomas (Charlotte Amalie) and you aren’t overwhelmed with insistent hawkers of goods and services like at St. Lucia and other places. The architecture is quaint. It’s Dutch and colorful and reminds me of the Netherlands a little.

There are several canals running through the town and the main one has a pedestrian bridge that connects one side with the other. It floats and moves back and forth to allow for ship traffic to pass through. There is also a ferry that makes a quick two minute trip back and forth in case you don’t want to wait for the bridge if it’s open.

We chose to explore a different section along the main canal and one side canal and were excited to find the local market. We didn’t venture into the large building that I’m sure housed many more stands but preferred to check out the ones that were out in the sunshine and fresh air—fresh except for the scent of fresh fish being scaled and cleaned.

The fruits and vegetables which we found out later came from Venezuela (about 40 miles away by boat) were beautiful. I don’t think I’ve seen more perfect bananas in a long time. We asked what the long root vegetable was and found out it was cassava, a staple of the Caribbean diet. Apparently it can be made many different ways including grated and dried to use in bread.

The boats that lined the canal must have gone to Venezuela and then returned with their cargo. The stands were set up in front of each boat lining the street.

We wandered about some more and crossed the bridge again to get back to the side where our ship was docked. On a previous visit we were docked near a nice mall area with some lovely restaurants and shops and we headed in that direction. Enjoying the shade, we strolled and window shopped and people watched.

All in all our morning walk was about three miles according to my Map My Walk app. Of course it took longer than the hour and fifteen minutes the app recorded because I paused it each time we stopped to look at something or rest from the heat.

Back on the ship in time for lunch and an afternoon of paddle tennis. This guy of mine is going to be in some great shape by the time he gets home again. I prefer to get my exercise “promenading” on the Promenade Deck and turning pages on my Kindle.

World Cruise - Caribbean and Colombian Excursions

Now that we have our African Safari excursion booked, we are looking into other ports of call for our 108 day world cruise.. After departing Miami, we spend a little time in the Caribbean, a place we have been to often. Some places are worth getting off the ship for and others are better spent staying on board and enjoying the ship's venues.

Our first port is Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. We've been there twice and agree that this trip we will stay on board the ship and enjoy it from a distance. At this point in time, Crystal has not even offered any excursions for that port. We can always leave the option of taking one if something unusual comes up.

The next port of call is Willemstad, Curacao. This is a beautiful little town and is easily walked from the pier. We have been there many times and once on New Year's Eve. The town really celebrates the New Year. Fireworks went off regularly, mostly in the form of huge strings of firecrackers. The cruise ships are all taller than the buildings and we could look out over the town and see curls of smoke going up where there was a new noisy explosion of crackers.

Curacao is Dutch (since 1634) and their heritage is reflected in the colorful buildings of the town. Willemstad dates back to the mid to late 1600s. The historic city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. St. Anna Bay divides the city into two districts that are connected by a bridge that floats on the water and swings back and forth to allow ships and boats into the bay. It's a neat place and we will enjoy a leisurely stroll along its streets, a snack at a waterside cafe, and maybe a little shopping.

Next up is Santa Marta, Columbia, a port that is new to us and not a frequent stop for most cruise lines. Our research into the port included searching Tripadvisor and the Cruise Critic Boards, our two most reliable sources of information. From the Cruise Critic forum, I learned that the port is not one of the safest. Still, there many people who had said they had no problem. Others told stories of stolen property and one of crew members being attacked. It's always a tough call on stories since you don't know if common sense was used in all cases. The best advice came in one post that said they stayed together as a group of ten to explore on their own.

There are some interesting sights in the area including the Tayrona National Park which was highly recommended as a ship's excursion (mainly to be sure you got back in time to sail). Guests said there were beautiful scenic views. There is also a little fishing village nearby called Taganga but that would require your own transportation unless an excursion is offered. Simon Bolivar lived out his life in Santa Marta and his mansion is open to tours. He was a great military and political leader who influenced the independence of Latin America from Spain. And lastly, there is the Gold Museum, said to be within walking distance of the pier but not in a great section of town. Common sense will prevail here and we will choose an excursion. Most likely the panoramic drive that goes through Taranga and takes in other sites in Santa Marta--all from an air conditioned motor coach.

Cartagena, Columbia, is a place we've visited several times. The first visit was not so good but our second stop a few years later found much improvement in the city. In exploring the options available, I came across several posts in the forum that mentioned a wonderful tour given by Friends For Columbia, a non-profit foundation that is helping the Colombian people in that area. The tours sound like a wonderful opportunity to interact with people and perhaps build bridges of friendship and encourage those we meet. I think it will be high on our list.

Now it's off to research the ports of Ecuador.