Curaçao
Dutch architecture with Caribbean tones
What defines Willemstad, the capital of Curaçao, are the typical Dutch buildings with gabled roofs and tile roofs, but in the most varied colors, very Caribbean. This physiognomy earned it the declaration by Unesco as a World Heritage Site in 1997.
We visited the island on a cruise trip in which we also visited its "sisters", Aruba and Bonaire. Of the three, Curaçao is undoubtedly the most unique.
The reception at the port, with music and dancers in colorful traditional dress was the best "bon vini" (welcome in Papiamento, the Creole language of the islands).
Then we walked through the neat Renaissance Park in absolute solitude, because as soon as the cruise ship docked we disembarked. That first image was very different from the one we had later in the afternoon when the thousands of tourists returned to the ship.
The cruise terminal is located in the Otrobanda district, so we headed for Brionplein to cross the Queen Emma Bridge, heading for the Punda district. From the traditional floating bridge we had our first view of the Waterfront, the characteristic postcard of Curaçao on Handelskade Street. All the buildings of the old market are very colorful, in yellow, green, pink, blue and red for the facade of the AnnaBay, the delicious local rum.
First we visit the old market in Plasa Bieu, a combination of tropical fruit stalls, with alternative medicine and a million souvenirs for visitors. Behind the round building there are some combis (a kind of informal transport) that we took to go, very early in the morning, to the recommended beach: Mambo Beach. There are different beach clubs that provide services of deck chairs, umbrellas, etc. for visitors willing to take a dip in the gentle Caribbean Sea, and so we did.
We were at Madero Ocean Club, which only opens in the middle of the morning, so we didn't have to pay anything, since we were on our way back to Punda by then. Our interest was to get to know as much as possible of this historic district, where street art, markets and stores for tourists in the narrow alleys stand out. Therefore, we took another combi, which works efficiently as urban public transport, which allowed us to visit the most marginal areas of the island.
Back in Plasa Bieu, we entered its market where the food stalls were already set up: pots boiling thick broths, chickens, rice, fish frying in pans, everything!
We continued walking towards the Scharloo neighborhood, as we had two murals marked on our google map. Indeed, they were valuable samples of how much street art prevailed in the city.
Then we took the obligatory photos at the Curaçao sign in the Kon Wilhelminapark, and then got lost in the little streets of Punda. There we were able to satiate our cultural interest, appreciating more murals, especially in the Keukenstraat street. Then we visited AnnaBay Club to taste the traditional rum, in several versions. We found the traditional and the one marinated with tamarind to be exquisite. Just in front of the store, in the square with the statues of the pigeon band, we decided to take a break because the sun, the heat and the freshly drunk rums did not give any truce.
We strolled along the pedestrian streets, by then already crowded with tourists, to the Curaçao Synagogue and then take a last swim in the sea, in the impromptu and very small Punda beach, also known as the Venezuelan Beach, near Fort Amsterdam. Before returning to the cruise ship, the idea of diving into the not-so-salty Caribbean Sea was a temptation.
Once back at the Waterfront, as luck would have it, a large military ship from the Netherlands was about to cross, which allowed us to see the Queen Emma's floating bridge in operation. Quite a spectacle.
Once it was closed and pedestrian traffic was enabled, we crossed back to Otrobanda.
We visited Fort Rif and its well entertaining shopping promenade. We were even tempted to visit the Heinen Delfts Blauw pottery store, with its clear Dutch style, and buy a small souvenir to remember that glorious day we spent in Curaçao. Once on the cruise, we decided to order some drinks at the bar to enjoy them in the privacy of the balcony of the cabin and from there the best way to get the last panoramic view of the colorful architecture and the superb Queen Julinaa Bridge (Kon. Julianabrug), one of the highest in the world, over the Bay of St. Anna.
