Jackpot, finally!!
We ate tuna for three days!
Cruising past Aruba: the backside of paradise!
Punda, downtown Willemstad
“The floating market”
The floating part of the floating market! The booths line the canal and behind are these boats from Venezuela laden with produce. The merchants live on the boats as well.
Canalfront Punda
Across the channel to Otrabanda (literally: the Other Side). They are connected by the Queen Emma Bridge, built in 1888. It is the world's oldest swinging bridge and the longest moving pontoon bridge.
Here it is opening up to let boats through. The engine that moves it is housed in the blue box. The operator is in the yellow booth.
This one is exiting. The boat to the right is the ferry that transports people while the bridge is open. In the background is the Queen Juliana Bridge at 185ft.
And two entering
The Queen Emma Bridge used to allow vehicle traffic but these days it's just a footbridge.
Punda from “The Other Side”!
The backside of the floating market
Sorry Sean, we're not coming home...Travis got a job offer!
This submarine is named “Walrus” which we thought was quite apt.
He's just a baby!!
A mix of tropical and arid
Spaanse Waters, the largest of several anchorages on the island
The arid landscape was an interesting change.
Introducing... the New & Improved Calico Jack, all varnished and sparkly!
Maddie Kisses!
Petra, your boat has arrived!
A party boat, thumping with dance music and full bar.
The funky divi divi tree. Some are even more windswept and dramatic than this.
Plantation House, “Landuis Savonet” (1662) at the entrance to Christoffel National Park
These pigs are named Por and Kee
The oriole is the national bird.
Saint Christoffel Berg, at 375m
At the entrance to the mountain trail
With John, Barbara & Maddie
Ruins of we-don't-know-what!
Another plantation. The majority of the plantations here were used for cattle farming and the slave trade, rather than the better-known sugar plantations.
Look who's driving... no wonder we're lost!!
We had lunch at the very charming Jaanchie's, a local institution where we had goat stew and sampled iguana. Around the restaurant was a very well tended garden and the birds fly freely around.
Back down the east coast we start to see beaches and beautiful turquoise water.
Playa Knip
A more dramatic divi divi tree at the ostrich farm. We dined at the Zambezi restaurant where we had fresh ostrich steaks, yum! Off to the side was this bonfire area where you could sit and enjoy a before/after dinner drink. Very charming.
Sailing students in Spaanse Waters
