Bonaire
Bonaire, together with Aruba and Curaçao, forms the group known as the "ABC" Islands, less than a hundred miles off the north coast of South America near the western part of Venezuela. Unlike much of the Caribbean region, the ABCs lie outside the hurricane belt. In 2010, Bonaire became a municipality within the country of the Netherlands and Kralendijk is the capital. Thirteen of us booked a tour with Bonaire Vista Tours. Edwin was our excellent guide, showing us the highlights of Bonaire while sharing its history, culture and customs. Leaving the dock area we drove south to view the salt pans.
Bonaire has long been recognized as an ideal locale for the production of salt, which began in 1636. By 1837 Bonaire's salt production had grown so large that four obelisks were built to guide ships coming in to load their salt cargo. Three of the four obelisks can still be seen today. Salt is still produced on Bonaire and we bought some to bring home.
Heading north we stopped for a view of Gotomeer Lake but Theo and Thomas liked the views of the iguanas better.
Our last stop was Seru Largu, or “Large Hill". At the summit of the mountain, at 404 feet, we had a spectacular view of the island’s southwestern shoreline.
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There is a monument at the site which reads in the Papiamentu language as "Kristu Ayera Awe Semper" and means "Christ, Yesterday, Today and Forever".
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Edwin pointed out Gio's, telling us that they had the best gelato on the island, so we just had to head there first!
We browsed the stalls of the Arts and Crafts Market in Wilhelmina Plaza.
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Our group split up, some of us heading back to the ship and some to wander the shops or have lunch in Kralendijk.
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The island's national bird is on signs, shops and restaurants all over town.
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We had lunch at Karel's Beach Bar, with a view of the harbor and our ship, a lovely way to end our first day in port.