Monday morning and the regular (pay) bus comes to ferry us the 5 milers into the capitol, Willemstad, so we can clear in. Like Bonaire, it's a free service. Unlike Bonaire, it takes 2 hours and requires a long walk between the customs office in the centre of town and immigration across the bridge, or the ferry if the bridge is open for ships to pass as we did, up the hill, through the cruise ferry terminal (for which you have to produce your passport to get a chit giving you admittance) and along the river bank. The man is customs was very welcoming. We can stay here without charge for up to 6 months and a further 6 months if we submit a written request. We'll be heading on, but many people do live here on their boats. Immigration was quick. However, getting approval from the harbour master to anchor took 40 minutes of queueing and I doubt if anyone ever checks you have the paperwork. Patience is a virtue and we're getting plenty of practice.
As a reward for our patience we went to a delightful restaurant for lunch. Each cruiser passes on the whereabouts of this litlte gem. In an historic part of the city which has been restored and made into a hotel where the guest rooms are individual houses dating from the 19C, there is a museum with restaurant attached. A green glade under a huge canopy with delicious and good value food. At first we were 4 but more and more people came in to join us and in the end it was a table for 10.
We had a hot afternoon exploring the town before catching the bus back to the anchorage.
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