Tucked away in the Caribbean Sea about 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela lies the magical island of Curaçao. It belongs to the group of islands known as the Leeward Islands and is one of the six islands in the Dutch Caribbean. Willemstad is the bustling capital with its colourful buildings and Dutch architecture.
The harbour entrance know as the Sint Annabaai (Saint Anna Bay) is by far the most beautiful one I have seen in the Caribbean. The tall imposing Queen Juliana Bridge towers 56 metres above the harbour allowing traffic to cross the bay. For pedestrians The Queen Emma Bridge is a floating pontoon bridge joining two parts of the city…Punda and Otrobanda. When the bridge opens allowing ships to enter the harbour, which can take hours, two small ferries are available to transport people to the other side free of charge.
Curaçao is rich in culture and is home to a diverse population of about 150,000. The sun shines all year round with the exception of a few wet months, but the temperature remains warm, in stark contrast to a walk in the Scottish rain! Crystal clear waters and and white sandy beaches make for the perfect winter hideout.
Colourful wildlife provides great photo opportunities like this Troepial bird who is never shy when it comes to a feeding opportunity. The iguanas like to lunch on my Bougainville and the small chonchoragai is a regular visitor, singing loudly and looking for a crumb or two.
Curaçao truly is a hidden gem, not yet so popular amongst the Scots, but there is still hope, since our local here is run by the lovely Lizzie….a Glasgow lass!
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