Docking at the port

Mary eating cucumbers that were cut into interesting shapes. Very good

A quick walk around town. It was 10 years ago on a cruise that we were exploring this area.

License plates... Got one 10 years ago and put it on the front of my truck. Came out at work one day and the idiot cops wrote a parking ticket to that plate.. I assume some sucker in Aruba has a nice ticket to pay someday.

Always impressed with Aruba as its clean and very well kept.

Divi Aruba All-Inclusive Resort

The classic beach photo

The GPS program on the tablet

Sunset time. Not that good

This tree is famous - Not sure where we saw that but its living on Harbor Reef

Looks like they are trying to stabilize this area

Planes on approach into Queen Beatrix Aruba International Airport (TNCA/AUA)

Watching the catamarans returning from the ship excursions

I am sure that this is healthy - Chocolate Avalanche Cake - "boulders" of chocolate cake enhanced with fudge sauce - Yup, that will do it !

The Lido Pool Party - 8:30pm to 10pm - Featured unlimited Mango Daiquiris for $18.95 (I could go for that right now)

Night time views of the port of Oranjestad

We were parked next to the Freewinds cruise ship - MV Freewinds is a cruise ship operated by International Shipping Partners and owned by San Donato Properties, which is a company affiliated with the Church of Scientology.

Nighttime views of the port of Oranjestad and Aruba

Ken on his throne

Mary trying to eat her 19th dessert for the night

The evening critter

Friday - MAR 21 2014

Willemstad (Curacao), Antilles

We had a full day here. Arrived at 8am and will leave at 5 pm. We docked at "Mega Pier" Large Cruise Ship Terminal

We took an Eco tour with Curacao-actief. Breath of Curacao Eco Jeep Tour was lots of fun and we saw the northwest coast. We were the only participants and the tour guide was able to adjust the tour to our desires. It was a lovely day, not overly hot. We liked that the ride was bumpy and truly off-road. Scenery was rugged views of the sea and coral, blow holes and tidal guts. We saw sea turtles swimming in a tidal gut and nobody else was there. We saw the magnificent Shete Boka National Park. We saw a lot for a half day tour (9-1) ($65 per person) and well worth it, as it turned out to be a private tour.

All of these photos were taken with the Canon PowerShot S100 12.1mp camera (orange date) as I was worried to take the new camera on this day trip. I really wish I did as the telephoto abilities would have allowed us to take some interesting critter photographs.

Mary trying to hold on. No seatbelts... Not for your average Holland America cruiser !

Saying goodbye to the ship

Interesting place and it's for sale

View to the front

Monument at Roundabout of Zegu (2001) by Yubi Kirindongo - The roundabout at Zegu has been decorated with a rusty piece of iron art and a giant leguana, painted silver. This intersection has had many traffic deaths.

Interesting house made with hubcaps, Propane & welding tanks and lots of plastic soda bottle transport racks. This island is very much into recycling!

Another colorful place

USAF Forward Operation Location (FOL) Curacao is one of four FOL's operated by the US 12th Air Force as part a multinational counter-narcotics force. The primary mission of aircraft deployed to FOL Curacao is the aerial detection and monitoring of suspected air and maritime drug trafficking activities and supporting the apprehension of traffickers and seizure narcotics being smuggled in the region.

Dirt road time

The Trupial, or orange breasted oriole, is Curacao's national bird (Icterus icterus)

I was really impressed with the wide open aspect of that part of Curacao. It looked like outback of Australia or west Texas vs. a small island in the southern Caribbean 45 miles off of the northern coast of Venezuela. Most of these islands have a protected and a wild side (coast) well, this was the wild side of Curacao.

Coral & Cacti

Windmills - Hato Vlakte electric windmill parc

Wide open spaces

Ranch with Goats. Tour guide said he has to pay these people to come thru here

Slave protest stuff

Highest point on Curacao - The Christoffelberg, also known as Mt Christoffel or Mt St Christoffel, named after the explorer Christopher Columbus, is the highest point on Curacao. The Christoffelberg is 372 meters(1,220 ft.) high and lies in the reserved wildlife park, Curacao Christoffelpark, which can be explored by car, bike, horse, or on foot using several trails that have been laid out for this purpose.

Shete Boka National Park - Boka Tabla, Willemstad, Curacao

Shete Boka Park, since 1994, 200 hectares.

This is an area adjoining the Christoffelpark covering more than 10 kilometers of the rocky wave-exposed north coast of the island and with some 10 pocket beaches where 3 species of sea turtles are known to lay eggs. The most well-known and favorite inlet for visitors is Boka Tabla.

Cool place - we took the jeep trails out to the blowholes and I am not sure which one we went to but I am guessing - boka pistol or Boca Tabla.

The island's most common animals are right underfoot. Whiptail lizards, endemic to Curacao, can be found basking in the sun almost wherever you step. The slender brown ones (lagadishi) are the females and young, the larger blue green ones (blo-blo) the mature males of the same species. Geckos inhabit the scrubby trees, feeding on those ever present mosquitos. The male anole (toteki or kaku) boasts an impressive bright yellow and orange dewlap which he pompously fans to attract females and ward off attackers. One species of gecko, a translucent tan color, with bulging black eyes and splayed limbs, has suction feet which enable it to scale walls. It can sometimes be found scurrying across a ceiling or hanging, head down, inside a closet; though its appearance can give you quite a start, it is harmless (and eats those pesky mosquitos). Local lore has christened it pega pega ("sticky sticky"), because it is rumored to stick to your skin.

The first blowhole

Rugged coast

Lots of waves and fun to watch

Ken & Mary trying to not get wet

So we went back to Shete Boka National Park - Boka Tabla, Willemstad, Curacao for our restroom and beer / soda break. Friendly place

Mary getting her local snack

On our way to the next place - boka bartol to see sea turtles

Interesting sign about getting robbed. Not in many parts of the USA. Travel armed and shoot them if bothered !

Curacao has the Brown-throated Parakeet Eupsittula pertinax and Rose-ringed Parakeet - Psittacula krameri, which is introduced. Hard to tell but this looks like the introduced one to me.

Mary watching where we are going

Another Cool blowhole

The truck and the two tracks we were riding on. Remote place

boka bartol area

Old walls - The guide explained them to us that it had to do with taxes on property.

Turtle's swimming in boka bartol and me wishing I had the good camera. We will come back here.

Very arid

Nice drop-off

A bit rough back to the pavement

Oil tank farm that we will see from the ship when we depart. Yes, critical infrastructure... I hope the patches and virus protection is up to date.. Inside joke !

These are the flamingoes often found in this area near Willemstad. Curacao has a small but important colony of 200 to 300 individuals that arrived from Bonaire in the mid-1980s during a particularly rainy year. The Jan Kok salt ponds have received protection since 1999 due to their importance for the population. Curacao flamingos also regularly fly out to Venezuela where food is more plentiful.

After lunch on the ship we headed back out to explore historic Willemstad. We walked across the Queen Emma pontoon bridge (built in 1888) and went to the floating fruit market. It is a colorful city and has lots of charm.

Views from the Queen Emma pontoon bridge (built in 1888)

You can see the Zuiderdam over the buildings

Floating market (Willemstad, Curacao) - Trading boats from Venezuela offer their goods here

This boat is from Pampatar which is a city on Isla Margarita, Nueva Esparta State, Venezuela

Interesting way to protect your AC systems.. You would think up on a wall they would be safe. Not here I guess

Mary on the Queen Emma pontoon bridge with the Zuiderdam in the background

Back on the ship docked at Megapier. Various views of the port at Otrobanda, Willemstad, Curacao

Denny's - Not where I would expect to see one

Water tanks - And the hill in the background translated from Dutch - One of the three Brothers mountains to Piscadera Bay.

Aqualectra. Water Refining Plant (Willemstad, Curacao) - Aqualectra is responsible for the production and distribution of electricity and drinking water for households and companies on the island of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles.

Cool pool area - Piscina Benny Leito (Willemstad, Curacao)

Renaissance Hotel Pool (Willemstad, Curacao)

Stacks from The Isla Oil Refinery - Willemstad - Leased to the Venezuelan state oil company, PDVSA. The refinery produces 340,000 barrels of oil a day for shipment onwards to the US and South America.

This was interesting.. Ship security escorted this guy off. I assume a employee. Perhaps he was fired

Looking back at the Queen Emma pontoon bridge from the ship.

Holiday Inn Hotel (Willemstad, Curacao)

Curacao Marriott resort

Tank farms

We often saw a modified baby carriage in the dining room, with a terrier in it! Waiter said it was a companion animal. Holland America: With the exception of qualified service animals for guests with disabilities, animals or pets are not allowed on board our ships. If you plan to bring a service animal, you must call our Access & Compliance Department. You will need to provide health certificate documentation for the animal in your ports of call.

Tonight’s critter