An ABC Getaway

Hope everyone had a great weekend. It was quite chilly in Atlanta and I'm looking forward to a warming up in Florida this week.

I took a break from indoor cleaning and fall planting to peruse the paper this afternoon (actually, I tripped down our stairs and Mr. Southern "forced" me to ice my ankle.) In the Living section, I noticed an advertisement from Curacao inviting Atlanta to come visit now. I took a quick look online- and figured- sure! According to one site, we can stay for 5 nights at the Marriott, including airfare, for $1,200. Where do I sign up!?

via Eyes On Brazil

The very first piece I noticed was the architectural style, especially evident in the capital city of Willemstad. These buildings, as well as street layouts and use of plazas, offer strong evidence of the island's Dutch colonial roots. The bright colors, on the other hand, seem purely Caribbean.

via jaunted.com

Curacao Villas- Aqualife

In addition to gorgeous seas and unique architecture, the island seems to have a vibrant artist community. A few of my favorites--

Fred Breebaart

Monique Elmondalek

Nena Sanchez

(Note: artists' work used without permission simply to share my discoveries with you)

Casa Carolina

Floris Suite Hotel

Another great feature- the diversity of the Curacao people. Ethnicities represented include Dutch, Spanish, West Indian, Latin, and African. Additionally, Curacao served as a haven for many Jewish settlers- the first of whom arrived in 1659.

Lions Dive

And of course, I can't leave out the diving. There are 40 dive spots around the island. Three of the most famous - Mushroom Forest (mountains of coral), Wreck of the Superior Producer (240' cargo ship), and Hell's Corner (tip of Santa Martha Bay).

Last photos: Curacao.com

I hope the scenery has warmed you a bit.

Curious if anyone been to Curacao? Up for a Blogger Destination Getaway?

--Emmie