This is the last part of my travel blog.
I had much fun making this blog and it will be my photo album of these holidays.
Of course I have lots of other pictures and if you want to see those, you're welcome.
Greetings from a sunridden St. Maarten.
maandag 21 december 2009
The map of St. Maarten
This is (are) the map(s) of St. maarten in the Caribbean. St. Maarten is half Dutch and half French.Our hotel is practicly on the border between the Dutch and the French part.
You can go everywhere you want on the whole island.
Lots of drugdealers know this too.
View from our balcony
When we look from our balcony we can see the island of St. Barts. It is a French island near St. Maarten.
Philipsburg on the island of St. Maarten
Philipsburg is the capital city of St. Maarten.
Look at how blue the sea is.
Look at how blue the sea is.
St Maarten
The pool near our hotel on the island of St. Maarten. Look how blue the water is.
The sea is the same blue but different.
The sea is the same blue but different.
Our hotel on the island of St. Maarten
Yesterday (20th. December) we arrived at our hotel on the island of St. Maarten.
The hotel is beautiful.
We have everything we need except money.
zondag 20 december 2009
Iguana at Curacao
The Iguana's of Curacao are famous. In every brochure about Curacao you'll find pictures of these large lizards. The one on the movie is at least 50 cm's long. I think it is a male. The female Iguana's are green. We saw those too.
Iguana's can be eaten. In a famous restaurant, called Jaanties, you can eat Iguana and it should taste like chicken!? I don't know because we didn't go to Jaanties. Jaanties is famous in Curacao because it is the only restaurant without a menu. The owner tells the menu to everybody, a "talking menu" they say over here.
Lizard on Curacao
On Curacao there are may lizards. There are many species like for instance Gekko's, the yellow lizards that sit near the frontdoor light in the evening to catch all kinds of insects. I don't know whether they sit near the backdoor lights as well, but lights in general attract them of course.
The one on the movie is a large one (compared to the lizards we have in Holland if we ever find one) and it is about 30 cm's long.
Clich a few times and you can see the lizard move.
Young whale on the beach of Cho Go Go
Near the resort where we were staying (Cho Go Go is the name) they rescued a young whale some 4 weeks ago. The whale was dehydrated, hadn't eaten for a long time, was very ill and died almost.
By feeding the whale ground herring they brought it back to a healthy animal. They had to keep the whale from drowning (it was exhausted) by keeping it afloat at least for 48 hours. Lots of people helped with this, standing in the water.
By courtesy of Martinair fresh herring are flown every day from Amsterdam to Curacao for this young whale.
No herring around Curacao and no sheep as well.
Curacao
"Landhuis"on Curacao.These large plantationhouses where the houses of the owners of the sugarcane plantations.
There are more than 50 of these old houses on the island.
Many are still lived in by (I think) rich people and the others are in course of reconstruction, are museums or restaurants.
No plantations nowadays anymore.
Curacao, December 2009
We are on the island of Curacao now for two days.
The weather is marvelous, the temperature is about 30 degrees but it is often not to hot, because there is always some wind.
The seawater is very clear, the temperature of the water is OK and there are lots of colorful fish.
Living on this island is something lots of people would very much like to do. It has beautiful beaches, Willemstad is a nice city to be in, the people are in general very nice and friendly.
It is certainly different to be on an island where the people understand Dutch. During the whole of our vacation we had to speak English, French (that with difficulty), Spanish (very difficult) and suddenly everybody does understand you when you are speaking Dutch.
Willemstad, the capital city we visited today.
It has many Dutch roots and lots of buildings could easily be built in Holland.
The names of the streets are Dutch.
The pontoon bridge is called Queen Emma bridge, one of our former Queens.
The city hall is at the Wilhelminaplein, another queen of ours.
Although the people speak “Papiamento” (a mix of Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, English and probably African as well) they can speak Dutch and understand it well.
There is a fort “Fort Amsterdam” and something more Dutch than that doesn’t exist. The building of this fort started in 1635, a year after the Dutch captured the island from the Spanish.
I could go on about this city and its forts (there are more) and I won’t.
There are lots of other interesting things to tell about Curacao.
It used to be a “country”, when a colony of The Netherlands, where slaves did all the work on the plantations (sugar cane and that sort of thing).
In the museum “Kura Hulanda” there is much to see about slavery at the time and we visited this museum today as well.
There was also an exhibition about the African kingdoms from which the slaves were brought, amongst other islands and countries, to Curacao.
It was all very interesting and we didn’t have to pay because nobody was there to sell us the tickets.
It was very inexpensive like that and we looked around for a long time because there was air-conditioning as well.
In the afternoon drove back to our apartment and we swam in the sea.
After that I finished the first book of the trilogy of Stieg Larsson, “The girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and I am looking forward to reading the other two books.
Speaking of books and tattoos, there is at this moment a bestselling writer, John Burdett, and he writes about a policeman, doing his work in and around Bangkok (and we were in that city some weeks ago or so and we recognized scenes in his books) and these books are really nice and interesting to read.
One of the titles is “Bangkok Tattoo”. The other title is “Bangkok Haunts”. If I find out that Burdett wrote a new book I’d buy it right away.
What else is there to tell about Curacao.
The roads are not in mint condition.
I didn’t see any sheep, so Curacao is not the place to be when someone loves sheep. None around.
There used to be lots of goats (every family had its goats) but since the bad guys started to steal goats and people got other means of living there are not many goats left (one of our spokesmen told us).
This is it for today (Thursday, 17th December).
I’m going to sleep.
It was a very interesting day (we had a nice dinner on the beach near our apartment) and there is something else I have to tell.
So many weeks ago there stranded this little whale on the beach where we go swimming every day. It is called a “griend” and it is about 2.5 meters long.
The fish was in very bad condition (sick and traumatized and hungry and lonely and everything else what makes a fish feel shitty) and some people nursed it back to a healthy Griend.
They tried to bring the fish back to the sea and to other Griends, but they did not succeed and the fish is now swimming near the beach in a sort of big sea aquarium and is fed by those caring people (it eats squid).
As soon as possible the fish will be flown over to Orlando (USofA) where it will be held in some big sea aquarium and live there for ever (as long as possible and so on).
I made a few movies of this Griend and, when you read this, one of the movies will be on my blog.
So, don’t tell me, there is nothing happening on Curacao.
They have the Griend, they don’t have the goats anymore, if you park your car somewhere in the evening or the night or at a place where nobody comes, and you return it might be easily possible that your car doesn’t have anymore:- tires,
- wheels,
- doors,
- lights,
- etc. etc.
In some places the insurance doesn’t cover theft of the car or parts of it.
And they have Carnival every February.
Friday 18th. December
This morning we had breakfast and after that we went to the west point of the island of Curacao. We saw a lot of plantation* houses on our way to the west point but we could see only one from nearby and from the inside.
Many of the plantation houses were closed, in course of reconstruction or else.
* The plantations were sugarcane plantations.
On our way back (before I forget that) we should see flamingoes but none were there (not visible) and they were probably somewhere else??!! or at the Blijdorp Zoo In Rotterdam.
The west point of Curacao is more green than the other parts of the island
and less inhabited.
We went to see the Boca Grandi National Reserve. It is a piece of coast on the west point. The coast is a typical lava coast with blow holes, caves, lots of rocks and small and large lizards. We saw lots of lizards and I have some on film to look at. It was very beautiful to see.
After our tour we went for a swim (the sea water is still very nice) and watched the Griend in its aquarium.
We looked at our e-mail, had lots of crackers with cheese (Roquefort and Port Salut) and crab salad.
And we had soup (Crème of mushroom) and we are going to eat steak.
More tomorrow.
We are on the island of Curacao now for two days.
The weather is marvelous, the temperature is about 30 degrees but it is often not to hot, because there is always some wind.
The seawater is very clear, the temperature of the water is OK and there are lots of colorful fish.
Living on this island is something lots of people would very much like to do. It has beautiful beaches, Willemstad is a nice city to be in, the people are in general very nice and friendly.
It is certainly different to be on an island where the people understand Dutch. During the whole of our vacation we had to speak English, French (that with difficulty), Spanish (very difficult) and suddenly everybody does understand you when you are speaking Dutch.
Willemstad, the capital city we visited today.
It has many Dutch roots and lots of buildings could easily be built in Holland.
The names of the streets are Dutch.
The pontoon bridge is called Queen Emma bridge, one of our former Queens.
The city hall is at the Wilhelminaplein, another queen of ours.
Although the people speak “Papiamento” (a mix of Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, English and probably African as well) they can speak Dutch and understand it well.
There is a fort “Fort Amsterdam” and something more Dutch than that doesn’t exist. The building of this fort started in 1635, a year after the Dutch captured the island from the Spanish.
I could go on about this city and its forts (there are more) and I won’t.
There are lots of other interesting things to tell about Curacao.
It used to be a “country”, when a colony of The Netherlands, where slaves did all the work on the plantations (sugar cane and that sort of thing).
In the museum “Kura Hulanda” there is much to see about slavery at the time and we visited this museum today as well.
There was also an exhibition about the African kingdoms from which the slaves were brought, amongst other islands and countries, to Curacao.
It was all very interesting and we didn’t have to pay because nobody was there to sell us the tickets.
It was very inexpensive like that and we looked around for a long time because there was air-conditioning as well.
In the afternoon drove back to our apartment and we swam in the sea.
After that I finished the first book of the trilogy of Stieg Larsson, “The girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and I am looking forward to reading the other two books.
Speaking of books and tattoos, there is at this moment a bestselling writer, John Burdett, and he writes about a policeman, doing his work in and around Bangkok (and we were in that city some weeks ago or so and we recognized scenes in his books) and these books are really nice and interesting to read.
One of the titles is “Bangkok Tattoo”. The other title is “Bangkok Haunts”. If I find out that Burdett wrote a new book I’d buy it right away.
What else is there to tell about Curacao.
The roads are not in mint condition.
I didn’t see any sheep, so Curacao is not the place to be when someone loves sheep. None around.
There used to be lots of goats (every family had its goats) but since the bad guys started to steal goats and people got other means of living there are not many goats left (one of our spokesmen told us).
This is it for today (Thursday, 17th December).
I’m going to sleep.
It was a very interesting day (we had a nice dinner on the beach near our apartment) and there is something else I have to tell.
So many weeks ago there stranded this little whale on the beach where we go swimming every day. It is called a “griend” and it is about 2.5 meters long.
The fish was in very bad condition (sick and traumatized and hungry and lonely and everything else what makes a fish feel shitty) and some people nursed it back to a healthy Griend.
They tried to bring the fish back to the sea and to other Griends, but they did not succeed and the fish is now swimming near the beach in a sort of big sea aquarium and is fed by those caring people (it eats squid).
As soon as possible the fish will be flown over to Orlando (USofA) where it will be held in some big sea aquarium and live there for ever (as long as possible and so on).
I made a few movies of this Griend and, when you read this, one of the movies will be on my blog.
So, don’t tell me, there is nothing happening on Curacao.
They have the Griend, they don’t have the goats anymore, if you park your car somewhere in the evening or the night or at a place where nobody comes, and you return it might be easily possible that your car doesn’t have anymore:- tires,
- wheels,
- doors,
- lights,
- etc. etc.
In some places the insurance doesn’t cover theft of the car or parts of it.
And they have Carnival every February.
Friday 18th. December
This morning we had breakfast and after that we went to the west point of the island of Curacao. We saw a lot of plantation* houses on our way to the west point but we could see only one from nearby and from the inside.
Many of the plantation houses were closed, in course of reconstruction or else.
* The plantations were sugarcane plantations.
On our way back (before I forget that) we should see flamingoes but none were there (not visible) and they were probably somewhere else??!! or at the Blijdorp Zoo In Rotterdam.
The west point of Curacao is more green than the other parts of the island
and less inhabited.
We went to see the Boca Grandi National Reserve. It is a piece of coast on the west point. The coast is a typical lava coast with blow holes, caves, lots of rocks and small and large lizards. We saw lots of lizards and I have some on film to look at. It was very beautiful to see.
After our tour we went for a swim (the sea water is still very nice) and watched the Griend in its aquarium.
We looked at our e-mail, had lots of crackers with cheese (Roquefort and Port Salut) and crab salad.
And we had soup (Crème of mushroom) and we are going to eat steak.
More tomorrow.
woensdag 16 december 2009
Cho Go Go, Curacao
Ankie, on the balcony of our appartment.
When you walk around you can see lots of small and larger lizards, crawling all over the place.
There should be scorpions as well so when we put on our shoes it is advised to look first before you put them on.
We have already seen lots of beautiful birds like pelicans, a sea-eagle with a fish in its beak, large parakeets (green and red) and other colourful birds.
The people on the resort are very nice.
And service is OK.
Till the next time.
Cho Go Go, Curacao
Atfer 26 hours of flying, trying to sleep on planes, sitting around in airports and checking in and checking out and filling out forms, and having been checked, photgraphed, driven around, etc. we arrived at Curacao (Hato International Airport, Yes).After we arrived here (10.00 o'clock in the evening) we had dinner (french fries and a kroket = typical dutch food), had a shower and went straight to bed.
We slept soundly.
The weather is nice, 29 degrees but with a nice wind.
The island is bigger than we thought and we'll probably will drive around and see something of this island.
We have a very beautiful appartment and to the sea is only a three minute walk.
We rented a car and tonight we are going to visit a friend of Ankie and have dinner there.
When I am finished with this part of my blog we'll go swimming.
The water has a very good temperature and it will be nice.
We might get ourselves snorkeling stuff; it should be beautiful.
On the picture you can see a part of Willemstad (the capital city of Curacao).
It is taken from the backside of our appartment.
dinsdag 15 december 2009
Miami
There are no sheep on Miami Airport.
For people who love sheep, Miami is the pits!!!
They have one Giraffe though.
For people who love sheep, Miami is the pits!!!
They have one Giraffe though.
Miami
We are still on the Miami Airport.It is a large airport with lots of gates.
You can walk here for hours (I think) and than you still haven't seen all.
Miami is a very big city and famous, throughout the whole world, because of "Miami Vice" with Don Johnson.
There is also Miami Beach.
If the water is not too cold, you can swim in the sea.
"Underwater World" is one of the "must see's" of Miami. But we didn't go (not allowed off the airport).
Although Xmas is coming, you don't see much about it on this airport.
Here and there they have a small Xmas tree and that's all.
What adds to the idea that it isn't Xmas at all is that lots of people wear their summerclothes.
The weather is now fine.
The airport is the homebase of "American Airlines".
We are flying with American Airlines as well, to Curacao (we hope at 16.50).
Still two hours to go.
We had lunch here (two hotdogs*, because it is The United States of America) and that's all for today folks!!
* Decent food is not for sale, it's only:
- Pizza Hut,
- Lasagna,
- Sandwiches,
- Hot Dogs,
- Hamburgers,
- Lots of sweets (look at all them fat asses),
and that's it.
Miami Airport
We have arrived on Miami Airport, early in the morning (4.45).
After all the paperwork we were allowed to get into the US (only for 12 hours or so).
We had to fill in three different forms, had ourselves photographed and our fingerprints taken.
And now we are again in the US.
We were amidst people flying to Haiti and there you could see some very strange headwear like ladies hats for guys and vice versa, of course sunglasses although it is dark like in the middle of the night and a load of gold chaines like Klondike on its best days.
The weather is OK (about 25 degrees but a little rain and that doesn't matter because we're not going outside).
We are sitting near a samsung internet thing (2 hours internet fro free!!) with over us (in the ceiling) a loudspeaker telling us the american news (storm somewhere, the ongoing news about Tiger Woods (if there is nothing else worthwhile) and shit happening in Pakistan.
It 's just like RTL Boulevard in Holland and going on and on and on.
Well guys, this is it for today.
In the afternoon we'll fly to Curacao (tried to get on an early flight but since we checked our suitcases already in, this was not possible because luggage can't go without the passengers and being in the US this means NO WAY getting on another, early flight.
For the rest there is n't much to write.
Till Curacao.
Greetings from Miami.
After all the paperwork we were allowed to get into the US (only for 12 hours or so).
We had to fill in three different forms, had ourselves photographed and our fingerprints taken.
And now we are again in the US.
We were amidst people flying to Haiti and there you could see some very strange headwear like ladies hats for guys and vice versa, of course sunglasses although it is dark like in the middle of the night and a load of gold chaines like Klondike on its best days.
The weather is OK (about 25 degrees but a little rain and that doesn't matter because we're not going outside).
We are sitting near a samsung internet thing (2 hours internet fro free!!) with over us (in the ceiling) a loudspeaker telling us the american news (storm somewhere, the ongoing news about Tiger Woods (if there is nothing else worthwhile) and shit happening in Pakistan.
It 's just like RTL Boulevard in Holland and going on and on and on.
Well guys, this is it for today.
In the afternoon we'll fly to Curacao (tried to get on an early flight but since we checked our suitcases already in, this was not possible because luggage can't go without the passengers and being in the US this means NO WAY getting on another, early flight.
For the rest there is n't much to write.
Till Curacao.
Greetings from Miami.
zondag 13 december 2009
Curacao
The day after tomorrow we will be on the island of Curacao.
But..................it will take some time to get there.
First we have to fly to Miami.
This flight will take some 9 hours.
In Miami we have to stay like 12 hours or so in the airport which means lots of reading time.
Then we'll fly to Curacao.
If you enlarge the picture (click away I'd say) you'll find the place where we are going to stay a little south west of Willemstad in a bay (baai) called Jan Thiel Baai which is of course NOT on this map. My first blog about Curacao you'll see probably in two days.
Santiago de Chile on Sunday 13th. 12 2009
It is Sunday today and it is rather hot in this city.
Most of the shops are closed and lots of people are just walking (parading)through the streets.
There are some interesting things:
- lots of women are pregnant (we think at least one out of ten),
- lots of women/families with very little children don't have a perambulator (pram),
- it is hot in the streets and our throats get dry very fast all the time,
- no sheep in Santiago,
- lots of dogs in the streets,
- almost all streets are one way streets,
- taxi's and city buses drive like crazy.
It is difficult to find a nice restaurant over here.
But, yesterday, when we wanted to go for dinner again, we landed in a Peruvian restaurant and it was ok, but not so good that we will go there again.
So, shortly we will be looking for another restaurant.
Greetings from a hot Santiago de Chile.
Most of the shops are closed and lots of people are just walking (parading)through the streets.
There are some interesting things:
- lots of women are pregnant (we think at least one out of ten),
- lots of women/families with very little children don't have a perambulator (pram),
- it is hot in the streets and our throats get dry very fast all the time,
- no sheep in Santiago,
- lots of dogs in the streets,
- almost all streets are one way streets,
- taxi's and city buses drive like crazy.
It is difficult to find a nice restaurant over here.
But, yesterday, when we wanted to go for dinner again, we landed in a Peruvian restaurant and it was ok, but not so good that we will go there again.
So, shortly we will be looking for another restaurant.
Greetings from a hot Santiago de Chile.
Ankie between the Moais.
This is the last picture of Easter Island.
It was beautiful and since we have seen all, we don't have to go back there.
But................a nice memory.
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