Yes it's true I ate an iguana!

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Hey everyone,
Ok so the true is, I didn't eat a whole iguana but I did get to try some today. It tastes like chicken really with a whole lot of bones. As they say, you only live once!

Today Elizabeth and I went on a fantastic bus trip all over the island. Of course, Elizabeth is from here but went to places she has never been to before. Here are some of the things I learned today! They are in no particular order

1) It is not a strange occurence to see a man walking down the street carrying 4 ft long iguanas, one in each hand!
2) The reason why the buildings are all painted different colours in Willemstad is because a doctor in the town went to the Governor and told him that having white buildings was not good for people because when the sun hits the white the reflection is too strong on people's eyes, therefore painting in other colours was a better idea. I also learned that the Doctor also owned the paint company and therefore benefitted doubly from not having to treat patients for blindness and also earning cash in the paint shop.
3) Blue Curacao liquor was made here beginning in the 18th century.... It has been copied by a dutchman because the product cannot be copywright if it has the country's name in it.
4) The large bridge that goes from the Punda to the Otrabunda is 185m high above St. Ann's Harbour
5) Curacao is still under the dominion of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Curacaons have the same passport as the Dutch so they can go to university there.
6) The unemployment rate in Curacao is 12% and the avg monthly minimum wage is $300USD
7) Most of the resorts in Curacao have man-made beaches that were made from the sand from Table Mountain. The best natural beaches are on Westpunt
8) The Boka Tabla are underwater caves where in April-November turtles give birth and set out on their trips out to sea.
9) Landhuis is the name for plantation homes of which there are many in Curacao. We visited a Free-Slave home today belonging originally to a family of 13 ppl.
10) There is one university in Curacao that has programs in Socio-political studies, tourism, business and engineering (I think)
11) While the majority of Curacao people speak Dutch the other official language is Papiamentu which is a combination of Dutch, Spanish, English, patois and many African dialects
12) The national plant is the cactus and they can grow up to 8ft high
13) You can try liquers in Curacao made with rum and raisin, coffee, orange and others
14) Jaanchies is a great restaurant on Westpunt (the northern point) to have lunch-we ate wahoo (sp?) fish with morado rice with beans, salad, plantains and potatoes... and the restaurant owner says he is a "walking and talking menu", there is no written menu to be had
15) Pink Flamingos come from Venezuela some 50 miles away to settle in the salt lands of Curacao
16) The entire island is about 40 miles long and at its narrowest point is only 2-3 miles
17) If your house was painted yellow that was a status symbol
18) Almost all the fruit in Curacao is imported from Venezuela, only some small plantations grow papayas, mangos and corn in the rainy season from November -February
19) Klein Curacao is the small island of Curacao that can be visited on a boat-trip.
20) Bon Bini means Welcome, Bon Dia means Good day, Bon tardi means Good afternoon and Bon noche means goodnight

These are some of my observations so far. Having trouble uploading photos at the moment... sorry...

I am going to stay with my other friend Ama on the weekend and we along with my other 3 friends will be taking in some of the carnival events! I can't wait.

I will try and post as I can. I wish you could all be here.

love always,
Katy

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