I don't believe we have been on a smaller passenger flight than we took to Curacao. It was a deHavilland DHC-6, that were originally built in the 1960's. There were only 18 seats (3 across) and everyone had to duck to get to their seat (open seating) due to the low roof. There was no door to the cockpit so we were able to look out the front window and see the same controls that the two pilots did. No other staff and no toilet on board. Fortunately it was only a 35 minute island hop.
On our first full day we drove one hour to the north end of the island to explore Shete Boka NP (7 inlets) along the NE rugged coast. Four of the seven inlets were easily accessible and it was amazing to watch the waves crashing against the limestone walls in numerous places, creating a spray that was well over 10 metres high, similar to a blowhole. We followed that up with a late lunch in the village of Westpunt on the NE side at a clifftop restaurant, Playa Forti, where we were entertained by a couple of tourists who decided to make the 15-20 metre dive into the calmer east side waters. Another day was spent at the popular Mambo Beach, filled with beach chairs, bars and restaurants. On our final full day, we drove into the capital city of Willemstad for a walkabout, selecting that day because it was the only day without large cruise ships in the harbour. The downtown area is split into two districts, Otrobanda (more trendy) and Punda (historic), separated by a container ship wide waterway, keeping that business away from the oceanfront. The Queen Emma floating bridge was built for pedestrians to cross over to the other side. While taking a rest with drinks beside the inland waterway, we were able to watch the bridge slowly slide open (two diesel engines), a hinge allowing it slide parallel to the shore, to let a container ship exit back into the Caribbean. Meanwhile a small ferry boat moved people back and forth to the other side while the bridge was not usable. It was a good way to keep the pedestrian traffic moving.
The following day we caught a flight further north to the unique two nation island of Sint Maarten (Dutch) and St-Martin (French). My Chief Accommodations Officer found us a beautiful apartment above a home on a hillside with a panoramic view of the southwestern coastline. The views were spectacular, both during the day and at night. We started off our time there with a drive around the island, checking out the French capitol (Marigot), some popular beaches for a later return, and checking out the sights. The following day we returned to the Grand Case beach on the French side, a 1.5 km long sandy paradise, where we relaxed on our loungers with periodic Caribbean visits to refresh our bodies on another 26/26 day (no temperature change all day long!).
Another day we took a 45 minute ferry to the billionaires island of Saint-Barthelemy (St. Barts). The superyachts, expansive homes and upscale shopping stores gave meaning to the island's reputation. We had an outstanding lunch there at the mere cost of $350, helping to enrich even the people who work here. After a further walkabout, we stopped into a bar to catch some of the Winter Olympics highlights before returning to Sint Maarten on the ferry, while wondering where all our money went. We decided to save some money the next day visiting the two different beaches. The first was the energy-filled Maho beach, close to the main airport, where planes arriving seem like they are prepared to land on the beach, but miss us and find the airstrip which starts 30 metres beyond the beach. As planes arrive, everyone stands up, waves to the passengers, yell and of course take pictures. With regular air traffic it wasn't the place to stay for long so we moved further up the west coast to Bamboo beach, a very quite spot with a beach bar to keep us nourished. We picked a 'no cruise ship day' to head into Philipsburg, the capitol of Sint Maarten. Without the crowds we walked down the shop-filled Front St., the 1793 built Courthouse, and then over to the Great Bay beach boardwalk, stopping for drinks along the way to watch the beach scene. On our final day we relaxed at our apartment, watching the final day of the Winter Olympics, including the Closing Ceremonies from Verona, Italy.
Our 2 plus month adventure has quickly come to an end, with 9 countries in the rear view mirror. That means it is time to start dreaming about where my backpack will head next time. Thanks for following.
This was our plane for our flight from Aruba to Curacao, a De Havilland DHC-6 with only 18 passenger seats and low head room. It was tight quarters inside, so thankfully it was only a 35 minute trip over the Caribbean. With no door to the cockpit I had my eye on the pilot and he never seemed nervous so I was relaxed.
A regular view of the waves crashing into the limestone walls at Shete Boka NP on the west side of the Curacao island. One tourist tried to get up really close for a picture and came away totally drenched.
Our beach spot for the day on Mambo Beach, by the capitol city of Wilhemstad. We found loungers under the shade of one of the trees, so an umbrella was not necessary.
On our last day, with no cruise ships in sight, we ventured into the centre of Wilhemstad. This picture was taken from the pedestrian only floating bridge which slid open at times to let boat traffic through. We stopped for drinks later at one of the waterway bars shown here on the Punda side, so that we could watch the bridge open and close, often with people still on the bridge.
A view of the bridge sliding closed after a big cargo ship had passed through. Two diesel engines were all it took for the bridge master (in the yellow booth) to keep pedestrian and boat traffic moving.
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