6 December Island touring

For a couple of days we've hired a banger from Dutchman Dennis at fisherman's wharf. NAF 25 / £11 a day is half the cost of Hertz. It's got four wheels and in built AC (open the windows and a breeze blows through).

On the first day we concentrated on shopping. In the large DIY and home stores we found a new vacuum cleaner of the 24v variety we need, a new kettle and mirrors to replace the two bathroom mirrors which are shedding their silvering. As a mega bonus the stores have complimentary do it yourself gift wrapping. I was in heaven! Presents and gift wrapping with bows.

And of course, food shopping. Buying the heavy stuff and European foods while we have a car and the opportunity. Little red car was sitting much lower on the axles than when we began the day.

Second day of having the car was also my birthday which meant touring, lunch and no boat shopping. Our route took us from Spanish Water in the south east end of the island up to Westpunt at the north of the island. Emerging from the mass conurbation of Willemstad we drove along the north bound road with the vegetation becoming more arid landscape. The island would be dry and the natural foliage candelabra cactus and scrub.

Daniel's landhaus

Curacao has about ten preserved historic landhauses. Houses which would have been for the owners of the plantation though what was grown is this barren soil wasn't discovered. We stopped at Daniel's landhaus for a bite of lunch.

At the very north point we came to the main area for scuba diving simply because the waters are calmer, more protected than in other parts. The beaches are pure white sand. The houses and landscape are photogenic.

they sell a lot of paint in Curacao

the scuba baus

cottage and cactus

Returning to the capital along the southern coast road we came across a bold raptor, perhaps a buzzard, at the side of the road. We thought he'd fly away when a car drove past, but no he was not for scaring off and I was able to get some good shots of him.

fisherman's church

macaw

channeling red today

We saw many colourful birds, but they were too skittish and elusive to have their portrait taken.

In Santa Cruz bay we visited a small bar come restaurant which caters for the tourists run by a Curacao man and his Venezuelan wife. The first thing you couldn't miss as you approached was an SUV on steroids. This was a monster offroad vehicle with a strip of lamps across the cab and a footstep in to the cab which was in line with my shoulders. Parked next to it was a Mercedes sports car. Inside the owners had a small menagerie of big dogs and little chihuahuas, a poor feather challenged red macaw and a blue macaw. It didn't look like a prosperous business so why the flashy cars? Our most colourful conspiracy theory was that this isolated bay, with a speed boat on the dock, was used for imports from nearby south America. There has to be a reason why the Dutch navy have a warship constantly patrolling the coast.

At the end of the day we returned the car to Dennis and went home for a light supper of smoked salmon and champagne as you do.