Visiting Aruba and Curaçao

As part of our assignment to train public affairs directors in the Districts, we visited Aruba and Curaçao the same day that Clay and his family left.  These two islands, which are part of the ABC islands (including Bonaire) as they are often called, are off the coast of Venezuela, but still part of our area.  They are famous vacation spots.  The folks there are largely of Dutch descent, but many have moved there from the Dominican Republic, so they speak Spanish. In addition, the folks largely speak Papiamentu, which is a mixture, sort of like Creole is to French in Haiti.  Rob could understand much of what they were saying, but I couldn’t. 

We first had to travel through Curaçao to get to Aruba.  In spite of the lovely airport, there was still the issue of just walking across the tarmac to get to the plane.  

 I love the sign on the girder that indicates to stand clear because it could move at any time.  They directed us right by it and then on out to the plane.  We all look like such a bedraggled group...

This is the building in Oranjestad, Aruba    

The members of the Church on these islands were so sweet.  We attended over our Church’s General Conference weekend, so there were meetings broadcast from Salt Lake City both days starting at noon their time, so we met with their leaders in the morning.  Both days, we were invited to join them for lunch around 2 between meetings.  Just as rice is the basis for lunches here, our plates were piled high with rice (in spite of our asking for less) and then “garnished” with a little meat and salad.  It was fun just being with them.  Many people also speak English, more than in the DR because tourism is the main industry on those islands.  

We really just flew in and out of Aruba, but we had some time on Sunday afternoon and evening and Monday morning to take some pictures in Curaçao.  

This is Punda seen from across the inlet

Here is is at night - just beautiful

 They paint the buildings in very bright colors, and with the European architecture they are so pretty. The capital Willemstad is separated into two parts, Punda and Otrobanda, by an inlet from the ocean. 

This is looking at Otrobanda.

One of these brightly colored buildings ...

Here's the ferry that travels betrween the two sides

Here the bridge is up against the dock.

Here ii is stretched across to the other side.   

Although farther inland there is a bridge, in the city, you can travel between them via a ferry boat or by Queen Anne Bridge, an amazing moving bridge - a long pontoon bridge - built in the late 1880’s.  It moves to the side to allow boats to move up into the city, but then quickly slips back to serve as a large foot bridge for people, especially tourists, to visit both parts of town.  There are propellers along the sides of the bridge which allows it to move parallel to the dock in just minutes, and then move back across the water again just as quickly.  Apparently, it was originally a toll bridge – you didn’t have to pay  the toll if you had no shoes…

This was a tall ship that left while we were looking another direction - it must have an engine, too.

This was the entrance to an older, restored part of town. 

Here we are with a couple of new friends!

Even though our visit was short, we loved Curaçao and would love to return there again as just tourists.