Curacao 1st Week
7th June Monday
Curacao is located in the southwestern Caribbean 70 km north of South America. 61km long 5-14 km wide. Official language is Dutch but English, Spanish and Papiamentu also spoken. Currency is the Netherland Antilles Guilder but US$ notes accepted ( not silver)
First things first, we have to go to Willemstad, the capital, to check in. So medicated Vossie with pain killers and off to catch the bus. This in my short experience takes the best part of the day...... first customs, then immigration and then license to anchor. And a lot of walking............
A really colourful city. It was decreed in the past that no building was allowed to be painted pure white and thus the appealing colour contrasts as one walks down the streets. After checking in we wandered downtown first and stopped into in few bars and did some window shopping. There is much in the way of historical culture and old forts which we look forward to exploring.
On the way back to catch the bus we passed the open air market where the boats from Venezuela come to sell their fresh fruit and veg every day. We just missed the bus so had to kill time ( over an hour ) until the next one.. Vossie was very relieved to get back to the boat.
The local supermarket sends a complimentary bus every morning for anyone wishing to go and do some shopping . They give you one hour which is very good of them before returning. We have taken advantage of this a few times and Vossie and Bob normally take the opportunity to visit Budget Marine and Napa around the corner from the supermarket, while Debbie and I wander the shop.
A lot of time has been spent on the boat as Vossie has to take it easy and try to mend....not an easy task.
There was no way he was going to miss the opening game of the World Cup soccer so medicated and strapped up we went to the Fishermans Bar at the dock to enjoy the game at 10.30 in the morning. We watched in the pouring rain under an awning, TV covered with a plastic table cloth to keep it dry, all of us soaked to the skin but hey!.....a good time was had by all.
Sunday 13th
Debbie and Bob kindly offered to take us to lunch for my birthday and we walked to the nearby beach and had a really good meal at one of the local bars. A popular bar on the weekend where there was also a TV, putting a great smile on Vossie's face. Walked back to the dingy via the Fishermans Bar to enjoy a few more Polars with new friends and finally made it home way after supper. Thank you guys for a wonderful birthday.
Monday 14th
Took the supermarket bus mainly for the outing and to pick up some of the spares that had arrived at Napa. Its only about 2 hours all in all but breaks the day.
Tuesday 14th
Tonight we will go to the Happy hour at 5.00pm to the Asiento bar and find out more about where to find what and hopefully meet up with Vossie's Budget associate in Curacao and perhaps organize a car for a day or two so we can begin to explore some of this interesting island. The walking and bus rides are not comfortable for Vossie's broken ribs and he tires very quickly.