Sometimes when blogging or doing travel writing you have to cut right to the quick. Thus it is so with Curacao. This place is all about shopping, sun, and tourism. All island publications lead with what you can buy here, and not what you can see or do. Especially promoted are jewelry, clothing, watches, liquor, and fine dining. And if the “Curis” don’t empty your wallet honestly from their promotions, they will get you with the casinos placed all over the island, and finally – the many activities available here. Included of course are the usual golf, sportfishing, snorkeling and scuba diving, and even taking a plexiglass submarine down to a depth of 1000 feet. A most attractive opportunity, for somebody who built a submarine in high school but never got enough lead ballast to get it to sink. What is unusual (say compared to Venezuela) is the straightforward way the Dutch annex your wallet. Prices are expensive (I paid $70 for the cheapest hotel in town, about $50 more than I have been averaging: ouch !), but quality is high and the colorful ambience of the Capital City of Willemstad helps justify some of the expense.
Part of the Dutch Antilles “ABC’s” – Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao – the former Dutch West India Colony has a long and colorful history. Founded in 1621, the Dutch West India Company (WIC) was granted a monopoly by the King of Holland on all Dutch trade and shipping in the Atlantic. The Dutch and foreign mercenaries under their employ seized the island from the Spanish in 1634. At the time, the island benefitted from its location between Brazil and North America and its strategic position in the salt trade. Privateering was the order of the day and the Dutch established themselves as masters at controlling or co-opting or pirating Caribbean trade. After sugar supplanted salt as the primary spice, a strong demand for slaves redirected WIC’s focus toward the slave trade. The Dutch government eventually took over the company in 1791 and Curacao came under direct Dutch rule. Curacao has continued to flourish since that time as mercantile generalists, since it has not established specific dependencies as other islands have on such commodities as gold and sugar. Commerce alone (and now tourism) has sustained Curacao for a long time. One advantage the ABCs have, is removal from “Hurricane Alley” and the seasonal fear of another twister devastating buildings and economies both.
The downtown area of Willemstad is divided into the more commercial (western) Otrobanda area, and the more tourist oriented (eastern) Punda area. The Punda sector is well-known for its “floating market” where seafood, vegetables, and fruits imported 30 miles from Venezuela are displayed for sale off boats backed up to Sha Caprileskade Street and the Waaigat Canal. The two sectors are separated by the St. Annabaai Channel. Each is fronted by multi-storied and well lit multi-colored facades with large Dutch gable roofs. Mostly restaurants with European style café dining on broad sidewalks are located along these two commerce driven divisions of the city where they face the Channel –De Rouvilleweg Street on the Otrobanda side, and Handelskade Street on the Punda Side. The Channel leads directly then to the Caribbean. The streets are impeccably clean. Like Trinidad & Tobago, the people are also exceedingly friendly. Both sectors cater heavily to day tourists, as Curacao is a primary target of the Caribbean cruising establishment.
The Channel gets huge traffic and is crossed in three ways: the Juliana Brug “High Bridge,” which carries car traffic but requires a long detour to the north. The passenger only ferry, which is free (passage across the channel is only a long city block). Or, the “Queen Emma” Pontoon Bridge. Unlike the three long floating bridges in Washington State that cross Lake Washington or the Hood Canal and are each well over a mile long, this bridge is … you guessed it … a city block. Just long enough to connect Otrabanda to Punda. What makes The Queen Emma so unusual, is the fact it is anchored at the western or Otrabanda end, and then pivots or swings out into the Channel and locks into place on the opposite side. The bridge opens at regular intervals for boat traffic. It is the passage of choice for most shoppers trying to get to the more isolated Punda tourist section of the city, when it is in the “closed’ or “connecting” position. The Punda section is heavily reminiscent of the famous Vancouver tourist sector (British Colombia, Canada) of Granville Island in both its access and its tight and compressed layout.
About fifteen notable beaches are located along all stretches of Curacao. Only the northeast section of the island, east of the airport, is not well represented with sandy reposes for the cash strapped or weary. Most coincide with well known snorkeling and diving spots, as well. Given a day and one-half on the island, and overcast with occasional rain once again, it was not possible to visit many of them. However, between personal visits and queries on the street, the best beaches are: Playa Jeremi, Groot Knid, Jan Thiel, Playa Jeremi, Playa Kalki, Playa Portomari, St. Michael Bari, Cas Abao, and Sea Aquarium Beach. The first two mentioned have cliffs where locals (and intrepid visitors) often jump or dive into the sea, a la the famous Cliff Divers in Acapulco, Mexico.
Apparently a class is taught for all locals (except for a few maladjusted taxi drivers) in the finer points of the hospitality arts: warm welcomes, etiquette, grace under pressure, and feeding of visitors. Locals are very polite. And very helpful. If a cab doesn’t pick you up on a timely basis, or you have missed your bus, a generous Curi in their own vehicle will soon be behind. All you have to do is stick out your thumb. If an artisan or vendor doesn’t have your item, or can’t meet your budget, he will gladly direct you to a competitor. It is very clear the islanders want you to enjoy your stay, and want you back. English is widespread in Curacao. What is more fun is listening to the local dialect: Papiamentu – a fascinating mixture of Spanish, French, Dutch, and English. It has the softness of French, the easy recognition of Spanish, the bouncy cadence and hand gestures of Italian, and the directness of English. Sounds like a fun language to learn, if only there were more universal use of it !
Overall, Curacao is a fun destination with brilliant, committee designed weather. The island is green and flat, has good roads, excellent public transportation, superb varied waterfront dining (the only worthy kind, in my book), plenty of cash machines that accept all manner of cards, a centrally located airport, language is not an issue, and the people make a business of YOUR satisfaction being THEIR business. My God, they even take exit surveys here! All in all, this is a place I look forward to returning to some day when I am not running out of time and money and still worried about my proximity to Venezuela.
Next: Colombia !
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