CURACAO HAS REPTILES!

Sunday, January 22, 2017                                78 F / sunny / calm seas

Curacao / ms Oosterdam

The Oosterdam docked  very quietly at Santana Bay, Willemstad, Curacao, at 7:30 a.m., but this morning we were up before the ship arrived and room service gently knocked on our door with our morning coffee and cranberry juice. We sat on the balcony to enjoy the Dutch architecture along with our coffee. [To side step a little, I ask myself on every cruise why on earth cruise lines cannot make a decent cup of coffee. I drink it black and can tolerate strong coffee, but mostly cruise coffee tastes like it was brewed at five times the strength three weeks ago. It would be different if European passengers were prevalent, but most passengers most of the time are American.]

Santana Bay area, Willemstad, Curacao

Yesterday at the port talk, I learned that Curacao’s climate, which is out of the hurricane belt, is desert-like, with little rain. Today was sunny and warm and I notice that we move just a little more slowly in the humidity.

It did not take long to go ashore. We walked to the swinging Queen Emma Bridge, originally built in the 1880s. It is suspended on floating docks and opens and closes for boat traffic about 20 times a day. We were only stranded on the bridge once in the past, but it does not take long to close so walkers can continue on their way. The small downtown area has the usual shops, but today was different—on Sundays the shops can only be open for four hours, by government regulation, and not all the shops were open. Since we have been to all the islands on this cruise several times before, we were not doing any tours. We walked through the fish, vegetable, and fruit markets. All of these items are brought over in small boats from Venezuela.

Swinging suspension bridge in foreground, Willemstad shops in background

We were very happy to discover that the downtown area has free Wi-Fi, so we were able to check phone messages and emails. TK found out that it is 55 F in Erie-oh my. Must be the January thaw. I hope that Brother B is not worrying about the sugar maple sap running!

I finally found some little gifts to bring home—everyone already has enough t-shirts and beach towels. TK bought some more bamboo shirts at Cariloha, his favorite.  After these purchases we walked along the shore to Starbucks (Friend MJ take note!). TK had a latte and I synced my Fitbit.

Janie and a Dutch shoe!

On our return walk, we saw something B2 would love, a lizard larger than I care to cuddle up to, with white dots on its side and two blue feet. It thought it was blending in, but we saw it! A little further up the path I saw a lady taking video of a shrub. When I looked closer, I saw what I consider a GIANT iguana right there among the branches. Even more for B2 to love! As for me, not so much.

Small lizard with blue toes and tail, just for B2

Or maybe B2 would like this one better.

The ship arrived at 7:30 a.m. this morning and is not departing until 11 p.m. At first we thought the ship was staying so long because it was refueling (it was), but actually the sail to Aruba is very short so the ship is just passing time. As I type, I can see the city lights and how they reflect in the water. Paradise. Except for lizards.

TK’s Takes: Free Wi-Fi, now that’s a thought.

Last night's towel animal, a squid!