With all of my travels, I surprisingly haven’t spent much time in a place that is fairly close to home: the Caribbean. I had the typical college spring break trip to Jamaica where I had a greater exposure to US college students than I did to actual Jamaicans.  Meals of “rasta pasta” and just enough rum punch to keep you from wandering too far from the package deal hotel.  Then a trip to Costa Rica for a dear friend’s destination wedding where I also had limited exposure to the local culture. My last attempt at a Caribbean trip was to Panama, but that trip sadly ended just 36 hours after it began due to a tragic van accident.

It took this most recent trip to Curaçao for me to feel like I got a sense of what at least one Caribbean island is like. And I loved it! Being there for just under a week, I cannot kid myself to think that I got to fully know the island. Hell, I can only speak 1 of the island’s 3 (or is it 4) official languages and I didn’t get a chance to taste the local iguana soup…yet! But I did meet amazingly friendly people, stayed in the home of a local family, ate hearty affordable meals at local food stalls and even got a glimpse of underwater life with my long overdue return to scuba diving.  All this while a capoeira batizado was going on.

Head over heels for Curaçao!

There will be a number of follow up posts on my experiences in Curaçao, but for now let’s start with an introduction through a few of my favorite images from the trip.

I’m writing about an island in the Caribbean, so of course I should start with some photos of gorgeous beaches.

How many shades of blue can you count? Wet & Wild Beach Club.

Sweet Solitude

Total Relaxation under a thatched umbrella

Final sunset at Cas Abou Beach

And trust me when I say that the colors of the island are as beautiful as the beaches themselves.

Curaçao’s colorful take on a caipirinha.

The iconic colorful buildings of Punda

A colorful list of things to do at Cas Abou beach.

Even the license plates are a rainbow of colors

While I happily spent most of my stay either on the beach or in a capoeira roda, I did get a brief introduction to the island’s ties to the African slave trade. Just before I left, my host was kind enough to take me to see a park dedicated to those who fought against slavery.  Definitely a place to revisit and explore further on my next trip.

Entrance to the small seaside park recognizing historic figures that fought for freedom both in and outside of Curaçao.

The plaque by this statue reads “Liber al Fin” or “Free at Last”.

Monument built in the Park to commemorate Tula, an escaped slave who led a powerful slave revolt.

Narrow alleyway in Otrobanda neighborhood filled with a revolutionary mural

So where is this lovely island paradise and how do you get there?  If you’re wondering where Curaçao is located, don’t worry. You’re not the only one. This was the most common question I got from folks when I told them of my travel plans. Curaçao is located in what was formerly the Netherland Antilles. To find it on a map first locate Venezuela on the northern coast of South America then head straight north slightly and you’ll find what you’re looking for just to the east of Aruba. From Los Angeles, I was able to find a flight through Miami on American Airlines, but it appears that JetBlue and United fly there as well. Going in October meant that I just missed the hurricane season, which the locals tell me rarely even hits the island. At this time of year the weather is hot (perfect for beaches) the mosquitoes are biting (perfect for 100% DEET) and if there is any rain, it is short lived and infrequent. With any luck I’ll be there again this time next year, but until then, continue to check back for more updates on my fist trip to Curacao.