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Curacao 2008

Curaçao: a Small Island with Big Adventures.

Most folks from my area of New York City are familiar with the Caribbean, since many immigrants that live here come from there. Here, in the local stores, we can obtain almost all the products, from clothes to Red Stripe Beer. So the “island” experience is becoming somewhat standard and routine. There is however, one place that almost disappears on the Caribbean map. It’s a place that retains many of the “Old World” standards of service and atmosphere, does not take the U.S. dollar for granted and has a European flavor: Curaçao, unique in its atmosphere, history and people.

Curaçao is located only 35 miles north of Venezuela; so close, that the night sky has a faint glow of some distant, port city. The island is within the Netherlands Antilles, which include Aruba, and Bonaire. Basically, this means that it is still under Dutch protection, which is interesting for me since I was born in the Dutch colony of “Brooklyn, N.Y.” In history, we both had the same Governor, Peter Stuyvesant. Four major languages are spoken here: Dutch, Papiamentu, Spanish and English, so being understood is no problem.

The island itself is only about 40 miles long and about 174 square miles in area, so there is no excuse for not seeing all the spots. The climate is, for the most part, like the August summers in New York, but much drier, since the island is a desert environment. Drinking the eight glasses of water per day and carrying a water bottle is a must do, and I did! I had two glasses at every meal and a bottle in my bag. The Island is just below the equator so hurricanes are not an issue and general bad weather is rare, but the sun is not, so wear headgear and lotion. Additional general research and suggestions for an enjoyable trip may be found at two main sites: The Curaçao Tourist Board: www.ctb.an and www.curacao.com. Occasionally, various discounts are offered and can be accessed through the sites. The plane trip is only about 2.5 hours south of Miami, so it is just a little more than a movie away.

Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge

My first days were spent within the city of Willemstad, west of the Sint Annebaai waterway, which is a bay connecting the Caribbean to the interior harbor. This section is known as Otrobanda. I stayed at the Hotel Kura Hulanda, a hotel formed by a small section of the city streets portioned off to form the hotel. The owner acquired all the houses around a central square, received permission to fence off the streets, made them private, and renovated the houses into hotel units. Each house has a name tag to tell about its original owners, going back over the years. An original grocery store and a bar were kept and added to the hotel-village atmosphere. Two outdoor pools are “hidden away” within the complex and are part of the discovery adventure. Frame, brick, attached and detached housing styles from plantation house to cottage, form a little village. At night, the amber glow of street lights give a romantic feel to the village square. This must be how it looked over 150 years ago: the stone streets, a breeze through the trees, faraway sounds of civilization and the smell of the sea. The hotel is about two blocks from the Queen Emma Bridge, a very long pontoon bridge, which connects the west side to the east side (known as Punda) with its extensive shopping. The famous pictures of the colorful houses of Willemstad are taken from the Otrobanda side and the hotel location is perfect for pictures, with a short walk to the bridge and shopping in the Punda Section - www.kurahulanda.com. On the hotel complex is a rather larger museum dedicated to the history of slavery in Curaçao. From the site’s location as a slave auction, to the recreation of the sleeping area on a slave ship, the museum offers unique insight into the historical facts of slavery in the New World, the middle passage and background of the homeland in Africa. The exhibits are presented within a historical context and are laid out in a circular fashion around the complex, ending with the holding cells, auction sites and quiet reflective garden. While the exhibits are meant to educate, the stark reality of actual slave manacles, KKK robes with blood stains and newspaper accounts of the time, show how real the issue is today.

A street in Hotel Kuras Hulanda

In addition to the hotel, the Kura Hulanda also offers a newly opened lodge on the western side of the island, right on the beach. It offers some raised “African architecture” hut style vacation units on stilts, and the typical ground level hotel units. There is transportation available between both, so the week can be easily split between them. The countryside can then be conveniently explored using the lodge as a base, while the “city” is accessed by the hotel. A good suggestion is to use a guide for a basic outline on both. It will save time and you can always return to a particular location. In my case, our guide to Willemstad was named Gigli and was obtained through the services of the Curaçao Tourist Board. She was quite knowledgeable about the archicture, history, and the best places to shop in town. We started our city tour outside of Fort Amsterdam and wandered through Curaçao’s history, battles and even current developments. I found her walking tour, and background of Jewish history and the Temple Emanuel to be particularly fascinating.

A trunk full of slave chains

While I can’t recall the history of the congregation as well as Gigli did, I can say that this place is a mini-history lesson of the Jewish religion in the “New World.” Over 350 years ago a member of the Sephardic Jewish sect landed on Curaçao and established a foothold. The congregation is still active with new members and has “international following.” In fact, the trend of “destination weddings” has added a new dimension for those looking for a special wedding location. The religious history and heritage here, combined with an almost 300 year old building, is simply beyond adequate description. The wedding experience starting with the location in an older section of Willemstad; the ancient decorations and symbols of Judaism on the walls; and the sand floor of the temple, remind one of the wanderings after the reformation in Europe. It is just so many years of tradition centering on the one moment of marriage commitment.

Temple Emmanuel

Places for a nearby reception are numerous and can be held at one of the many beachside resorts. The wedding under Dutch Law, must follow strict legal rules, but the hotel where the reception is to be held generally works with the couple to fulfill all requirements.

Adventure on Curaçao is always right around the corner, whether it is an ATV trip with Eric’s ATV adventures or having dinner at the Avila Hotel’s Blue Bar and restaurant. Eric apparently had no fears when planning the trip I took. We started out on city streets, then into the woods, up a mountain to overlook the area, through the Aloe Vera Plantation and wound up on the Curaçao Ostrich Farm. A safe trip, but it was adventurous - www.curacao-atv.com.

Octagon Museum

The dinner that night at the Avila Hotel’s Blues Bar was rather a romantic spot- www.avilahotel.com. The bar is sort of a hut style, half wall building at the end of an elevated pier sitting on a sand bar between the west and east beaches. The dining tables are along the outside ring, with the bar area in the middle. The jazz band is uniquely situated on a platform up in the loft area, above the cash register at the bar. Hot and smooth, the music gently floats down on the people, so in a way, it is like a church for the worship of blues, but when the plate is passed here, it has food on it. The Avila Hotel is also the location of the “Octagon Museum,” the home of Simon Bolivar while he was in exile in the early 19th century. Bolivar was the one who almost succeeded in attaining a South American federation of countries. Maybe it is an idea whose time will yet come to pass.

One of the residents of Dinah Veeris garden

An adventure of a different sort is a visit to “Den Paradera,” the Dinah Veeris Herb and Botanical Garden - www.dinahveeris.com. This is the home and gardens of Dinah Veeris, which she opens to visitors who wish to be educated about the healing properties of locally grown herbs. The visitor is treated to folklore, herb lore, a little bit of the history of slaves and their living situations on Curaçao. But the real treat is meeting Dinah Veeris, a gentile, kindly woman with a passion for the wisdom of the old and the willingness to share it. Listening to her speak about the background and use of the various herbs is almost like hearing a mother talk of her children. Several times in conversation, she refers to the herbs as if they have their own personality and benefits must be coaxed out of them.

Caribbean Sea Sports

Many folks come down to Curaçao for the attractive diving conditions. The Marriott Beach Resort and Emerald Casino - www.Marriott.com/Curaçao, offers package deals that also include dives with “Caribbean Sea Sports” - www.caribseasports.com. Here, Tom Zeck and his crew provide an experience that only those with a life passion for the sport can provide. Boat, shore, night and nitrox dives are available and may be needed for the large amount of sea life and wrecks available for observation. The water temperature is reported to be 78 to 82 degrees and conditions are almost always clear. Safety and training are big issues, so nothing is left to chance, and even certification dives are available. Good visibility and minimal water current allow even a snorkeler to have an extraordinary time. For the more advanced divers, the scene can range from coral reefs to ship wrecks and even an artificial reef of old cars. With an extensive underwater park system to explore, don’t expect to go home with any energy left.

Tula Statue

And speaking of chance, while the best planning takes into account all that is expected, it is the unexpected that sometimes provides a reward. This trip to Curaçao held a little bit of a twist. Our trip was well planned and thought out; but one of our group wanted to learn more about Tula, who led the 1795 slave uprising. I joined her for an experience that entered a little bit into the culture of the Afro-Curaçao people, the life of Tula and his contemporaries and the start of a museum. The Museo Tula is located in the plantation house known as Kenepa. It is a new museum at the beginnings of start up, but due to its importance, promises to grow. The main building is an original plantation house, built circa 1693 in the Dutch Colonial style. Across from the plantation house are slave houses that are not yet open to exhibit. The history and culture taught here are within the reach of the students of history. It is within their families that these traditions are still being used.

Good weather, adventure, diving, romantic restaurants are the practical reasons to go to Curaçao. Even a development in process, like the soon to be opened Renaissance Curaçao Resort and Casino in the Rif Fort, add to the nightlife. It is built within the fort and outside the fort and uses the fort as an attraction while not diminishing its historical significance. But the best reason to visit is the people of Curaçao, who allow development with a respect for their history and are willing to share it.