Curacao - about diving, dogs and Macamba's

Yesterday I arrived at the airport after a vacation of two weeks in Curacao . I stayed with a friend of mine, Darlene, and her sister, Natalie. My holiday has brought me to where I was dying - relaxation, warmth and new energy.

Diving is magic
What has dominated my vacation - besides the sun and warmth! - Was the diving. It started gently, with a trial dive with Dive St. Michiel Bay Wederfoort . Eric Wederfoort kept this lesson. I wanted to learn to dive, because I was afraid of water and hoped it would be less if I would learn what life is underwater. I had my family for my birthday money required for that course and decided that I felt good as that first dive, my license would indeed. And thanks to Eric's patience I have succeeded. I had told him that I found scary and he gave me the feeling that any second I was fussing, was very carefully the information he gave, and so I felt quickly at ease underwater

The underwater world also helped. Already in the beginning I saw the beautiful fish and my last dive on the day I passed my PADI, was magical. I do not know what was more relaxing - the image of the turtle swam calmly up to get a mouthful of air, or the schools of fish which swam between us while we sort over a cliff appeared. That dive felt like I was floating and completely free.

Short but vibrant nightlife
On my last Saturday in Curacao, I wanted the evening to Asia de Cuba and because Darlene and Natalie were tired, I wanted to drive themselves, where I would meet a diving buddy. Asia de Cuba is a nice tent. You can dishes from Asia and Latin America, but on Friday and Saturday live band plays a few good salsa, merengue and bachata dancing and locals and tourists until closing time. The reaction to my idea was: "Are you there? Alone? Hmm. Make sure all doors are locked. If your state for a traffic light, you just drive, even if it is red. And when they drove up, keep going. They often do so to deprive you. "After the warnings I have my diving buddy, but called and asked if he wanted to come pick me up. We got great dance way.

The nightlife is there very early, after half past one closing most tents. This is due to change in policy, I'm told. Before this policy was there, the nightlife on Curaçao was dangerous. Shooting incidents were not unusual. To a halt, have now nightlife close early and I think that is successful. A few days later I the evening assumed only by car, with my diving buddies and celebrated that we had achieved our PADI. On the street was quiet and I have a very pleasant evening in the Grand Café Heeren where Antilleans danced to salsa and merengue from a live band and the 'Macamba's' drunk. Both venues are Zuikertuintje , where I found it more fun than going out in Punda or Mambo Beach.

Antillean men still dominate the streetscape still evening. The first night we went, after we were done shopping, with a snack eat. "Snacks" are eateries where you can pick a song simple meals such as grilled chicken and fries. You'll find them at every turn on the side of the road. Outside were only men. Driving by Banda Riva (east of the island), I saw that it was more than just the one "snack". I asked Natalie's sister Darlene, who said to them and that was typical of the island. "Men go out, the women are home for the children."

Sound dogs everywhere
Curacao is full of dogs, stray dogs and dogs in the yards. I could, and that evening I was standing outside on the balcony, hear what someone walking down the street to the bark: it followed the route of the walker. Darlene and Natalie also had dogs. Darlene has a chihuahua, Charlie, and a boomertje, Koekie. Natalie has, if I remember correctly, viva (?) Who called Luna. When I arrived, there were seven of her puppies alive. During the day sat in their pen, Natalie was afraid she would run into the street, but at night when they were eating, they were allowed in the front yard. This feed was quite a spectacle. Sadly, all those seven puppies within one week time deceased from some mysterious illness. For our emaciated eyes she did not eat them more and they crawled one by one to a sheltered spot to die. The eyes of one of those puppies were left open after he was deceased. That image I will never forget.

Spicy rijstijltje
Then there is the rhythm. The pace is different than in the Netherlands. Due to the heat, people are asked their day, weekdays and weekends. On the road, the pace is also different - a bit spicier. People drive fast, get in left and right and drive pretty aggressively. I drove back home on Saturday from scuba lessons, on a dual carriageway. A red car that drove me to the right lane, put his left blinker on and went straight to the left, which left the Landrover had to avoid him. Then made a motion that Land Rover to the right, the red car again had to avoid. That was a while back and forth. Suddenly I saw the driver of the red car hanging out the window and gesticulating violently. A second later he threw the contents of a bottle of water to the Landrover, then went for the car ride, let throttle and when she stood still long but I am driven. This fact does not mean it is dangerous to drive a car there. You just remain calm and alert. As we suffer from toads crossing or leaping deer, they hot-headed drivers and the occasional goat crossing.

Macamba's
Finally, I noticed how the racial difference is present in daily life. I found myself as Macamba "(derogatory name for Dutch) was seen. And not everyone wears a Dutch dear. I found myself, especially in non-tourist places such as supermarkets or ordinary shops, friendly was treated when I spoke English or Spanish than when I appealed in Dutch. This attitude also seems to depend on whether the concerned Curaçao in the Netherlands was studied. Conversely happened anyway. I was with her ​​friend Darlene and Ingemar, both Antilleans, at Mambo Beach , where an episode of On land, sea and air was recorded. They wanted me SeaAquarium show that lay across the river. At the end of the bridge there was a security guard go to Darlene and Ingemar in Papiamentu appealed. Only after Darlene had told him that I came from the Netherlands, we could go through without explanation. Comment from Darlene: "We are already so used to it, not even ask ourselves why."

Two weeks in a completely different culture of life did me good. I've caught a lot of sleep, good dyed, "unwind" and am ready for the summer.

Tips

• Go for your PADI in Wederfoort , or at least do a trial lesson (Nafl 90 / Eur 36). It's not as touristy and massive as the resorts dive (as Lion's Dive and Jan Thiel you in large groups diving), you will carefully taught (I'm with max three other students had lessons) and you pay a modest amount : Nafl 525 / Eur 209. Moreover, St. Michael Bay (also known as Boca Sami), a beautiful spot on the island. I've heard of several divers that they have nowhere else to Curacao as much marine life have considered it.
• Get a road map at the tourist information point at Punda and orient you to the main road (Schottegatweg) and landmarks such as churches, gas stations and fast food chains like McDonald's. Signs and street names are often not at times when you want to know where you are.
• Rent a car. You need either public transport, but the last buses around eight o'clock in the evening. A good little car rentals for you to do Geng Car . Already for 40 Nafl (approx. 16 euros) a day you have a car including taxes and insurance. Moreover, they pick you up from your place to stay when your rental period begins and they bring you to the airport on the day you hand in your car. Tip: ask for an automatic. That drives a lot more relaxed there.
• At Zuikertuintje you can go out and enjoy salsa dancing, go on Thursday to Grand Café de Heeren and on Friday or Saturday at Asia de Cuba .
• ArkeFly has no good reputation, but I have not noticed. Excellent flight had both ways, good crew and more legroom in economy class than I had when I went to Singapore with KLM.
• Please take vitamin pills. A varied 'pyramid' is by no guiding principle in the Antillean kitchen.
• For the Eurasians among us - Nasi Rames eat vegetarian at Toko Sambal , in Zuikertuintje. And ask for the sambal badjak, which is really great!
• The herb Paradera visit if you want to know more about the nature of the island and the local customs. I have fun and fascinating stories about such plants in hammocks, the gourd, and - important! - A poisonous tree.
• Go to the Watamula Band'Abou and be accompanied by a good guide. You can hear breathing Curacao. When you get to ask your guide and do not know what you're talking about, look for a while.

Related Posts

• June 17, 2008 - Curacao

Tags: Curacao , holidays , Wederfoort

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 15th, 2008 at 4:28 p.m. and is filed under Travel . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site.