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During the years when I operated a hotel on the island of Curacao,
it used to pain me that the public quite obviously preferred the
beaches of nearby Aruba to those of Curacao.
They still do. Because vacationers from North America are greatly
attracted to Aruba's expansive, sugary-soft, white sands (and their
adjoining, high-rise hotels), Aruba receives far more visitors than
Curacao (a few miles away) does.
But when it comes to experiencing the culture of the Caribbean --
its political history, its art and architecture, its religious
development, its maritime science, its cuisine -- Curacao has it all
over Aruba. If all those non-beachy features are part of what you're
seeking on a visit to the tropics, then you'll choose the more
heavily populated Curacao, with its big capital city of Willemstad.
The colonial section of that city is a brightly colored urban scene
that has won designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, made up of
curlicued, townhouse facades identical to those of 17th-century
Amsterdam. Willemstad is in two parts, divided by the sea and
connected to one another by a famous pontoon bridge.
On the main side called "Punda" is superb shopping (some of the
world's best-known brands), top-notch dining, and a half-dozen
remarkable structures or areas: The 18th Century Mikve
Israel-Emmanuel Synagogue, oldest in the Western Hemisphere, a must
to visit; the Octagon Museum, a period townhouse with an exhibit on
Latin American independence hero Simon Bolivar, who at one point
took refuge on Curacao; the "Waterfort," the island's main fortress
now housing shops and restaurants; a harborside "floating market"
conducted by Venezuelan fishermen on boats of varying size (the
coast of Venezuela occasionally can be seen over the horizon); and
the renovated wedding-cake residences of the Scharloo district.
Across the water is the "Otrobanda" district, with its Kura Hulanda
complex restored and transformed into an exquisitely upscale resort
that includes a museum of African cultures and slavery (open to the
public) that surely is one of the most informative and moving
institutions of its kind in the Caribbean.
There's plenty to see and do outside Willemstad, too. Start by
touring some of the "landhuizen" (landowner estates). One of them,
Chobolobo, houses the Curacao Liqueur Distillery (makers of Blue
Curacao and other tipples); another, Landhuis Daniel, is a fine
restaurant and budget hotel (from US $60 a night); still others,
like Groot Santa Martha, have been converted into museums, art
galleries and shops.
Other highlights: A Seaquarium with natural (not re-created) marine
environments (you can swim with dolphins and sea lions here); the
Hato Caves, complete with stalactites, stalagmites, an underground
lake and Indian petroglyphs; Den Paradera, a fascinating botanical
garden devoted to herbs and medicinal plants; and an ostrich farm
that's one of the largest outside Africa.
And there are beaches, too -- some 40 of them -- alongside fine
opportunities for scuba diving and snorkeling; the island has some
two dozen outfitters.
My last tip: Don't pass up the national dish -- keshi yena -- gouda
cheese rinds stuffed with meat filling. It's a fitting metaphor for
Curacao itself -- savory and substantive.
(c) 2010 by Arthur Frommer
Distributed by King Features Syndicate
Downtown Willemstad, Curacao Photo by Charles Hoffman
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