Advertisement
Published: January 22nd 2017
Edit Blog Post
Curaçao 14th January This has got to be one of prettiest approaches to a berth in the world.Docking right in the heart of the city of Willemstad gliding past the cruise ship Celebrity Eclipse berthed at the Mega Cruise Terminal, the Queen Emma pontoon swung aside to allow us access.The only downside was the passing showers that dampened the atmosphere. Curaçao is the largest island in the Dutch Antilles, its prosperity coming from it has some of the largest oil refineries in the Western Hemisphere. Tourism is its second largest earner with the mining company of Curaçao and the Antillean Paint Factory being quoted on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.It was interesting when we berthed that the chimneys from the refineries were not belching smoke but when we left they started up with a vengeance. Neat little houses with gabled tiled roofs reveal the Dutch Influence, Willemstad where we berthed is divided by Santa Anna Bay. This a narrow channel which is spanned by the spectacular swing aside Queen Emma pontoon bridge. We berthed on Otrabanda (other side) and the bridge gives access to the Punda, Breedestraat with all its main shopping and restaurants. It was going to be a hot one,
the early morning showers had cleared the air but there were more to come. A pleasant walk to the Queen Emma bridge took a few minutes and once on the pontoon 'Swinging Old Lady' she started to close. This was to let a small craft out into the bay. It swings open many times a day which we saw whilst on the Punda side and when it remains open for larger vessels a free ferry operates.Once in the Punda district you can wander at leisure through the designer shop areas and the bars and restaurants. Fort Amsterdam was once the focal part of the city now it's part of the islands administration, in the courtyard you see the Cabinet building, the hotel Plaza and the ancient Fort church. We didn't see them but the walls are meant to have marks from English cannonballs fired by Captain Blighs ship, the Bounty in 1804!!! Our walk took us away from the main shopping to Wilhelmina Square still bedecked with Xmas lights, from the square you can see the Town Hall and the Statenzaal which houses parliament. Walking back and through winding streets we came across the floating get market just off the
Plaza Jo Jo Correa. Fresh fish was being sold here, I use the loosely because it had been out sometime and the smell was pretty awful!!!Across from the market is the Maritime Museum and through the restored Queen Wilhelmina bridge is a small harbour basin and the Old Jewish quarter. On our way back to Arcadia we touched on the Rif Fort (another shopping complex). The square had decorations of Father Christmas, bizarre in 30 degree heat. As we sailed away having had to reverse out of the berth, it was interesting to note how they feel about their industry. We glided into the port in the morning with the chimneys from the refinery looking serene and as we left they stated belching smoke and flame. With the sunset it looked like a scene from a Lowry painting. They obviously do not like to pollute the atmosphere when the ships are in town!!!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.064s; Tpl: 0.009s; cc: 13; qc: 27; dbt: 0.0221s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb