Aruba and Curaçao

Mar 30 UA1804 IAH-AUA, Mar 31 AG509 AUA-CUR, Apr 1 AA2739 CUR-MIA, AA230 MIA-IAH

Continuing to expand our country count, we added two Caribbean islands to our list with a long weekend in Aruba and Curaçao. Aruba had been on my list for many years and I was glad we finally made it, but also very pleased to get to check out the beauty of the much less touristed Curaçao. Our good friend Karen came along for the trip to Aruba, and I met up with her again on my way back to Houston.

Mar 30

With a direct morning flight from Houston, we had enough time in the day to check into the resort and explore the island near the hotel.

The desert dry climate was not what I normally expect in warm island climates

Coral washed up on the beach

1910 California Lighthouse on the Northern end of Aruba

After climbing the lighthouse, looking back down the beach towards our hotel

Colourful bird

Another desert perspective of the lighthouse with cactus

Evening diving cruise as the sunsets on the day

After unwinding at the hotel, we found dinner and drinks at a collection of restaurants and shops near our hotel, giving us a nice way to end our day on the island.

Mar 31

With an afternoon flight to Curaçao, Tom and I got out early to explore the rest of the island. Driving was relatively easy, but for a relatively small island it still took awhile for us to get around.

Checking out the beach creatures

Looking back up the coast towards our hotel

More beach life

Queen Wilhelmina, the focal point of the park in Oranjestad

Aruba Parliament

Fort Zutman and Historical Museum of Aruba

Oranjestad City Hall

Plaza Daniel Leo in central Oranjestad

The horse comes with directions

Back at the resort, there were many iguanas

One of the larger iguanas commanded the pool

Koi ponds

Surprisingly active iguanas

Fish, turtles and lizards

Black swan

Three iguana

Green and blue in contrast

After a quick flight to Curaçao we found a small cruise ship outside our hotel in Willemstad

Rif Fort outside our hotel a new collection of shops and restaurants

Across the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge, we found colourful Willemstad old town

Closeup of Handelskade habourfront street with painted 18th century buildings

Looking back across the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge to the Otrobanda neighbourhood where we were staying

Temple Emanuel

To end our two island day, we found a nice seafood place near our hotel.

Apr 1

After breakfast, we got out on the road early to explore the rest of the island. The scenery in Curaçao was similar to Aruba, but we managed to see a lot more wildlife in the wild and some rugged coastal scenery.

Statue commemorating the 1795 Curaçao slave revolt

One of the many pink flamingos of Curaçao in Salina Sint Marie salt flats

Another flamingo in the sanctuary area with a perspective of dry desert landscape

Rugged terrain of the northwest tip of the island

Boka Pistol, a narrow inlet producing powerful waves in Shete Boka National Park on the north coast

Boka Tabla, the other major feature of the national park

Lizard checking out the relatively new stairs

Another iguana

Iguana blended into the desert bushes as we continued to explore the park

Exploring the caves of Boka Tabla

Inside the cave, the waves are a lot closer

A last look at the violent waves, before we headed back to the hotel

Tom’s flight was much earlier than mine, so I dropped him off at the airport and hung around the hotel until it was time for my flight. Although Tom had a flight through Montreal, I routed myself through Miami, where I met up with Karen on her way back from Aruba. It was a nice end to our visits to country #91 and #92.