Monday, October 19, 2009

An ABC Getaway

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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!?



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.





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


Beauty`s of Curacao - Curacao FashionWomen stand tall - Individual paintingsFishes - Many fishes swimming around, make sure you know which one you want to catch
Cayena - This is the view from knip, the Cayena`s represent arms crossing each other.Piska den Bashi - Many times we use the wrong techniques to fish and also we fish in vain





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




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.




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

16 comments:

  1. I went to Aruba in 2005 and loved it -- the blend of Dutch-African-Carribean-Venezuelan influences, the food, the colorful towns, the GORGEOUS water....aahhhh....

    Would TOTALLY go back.

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  2. Wow, I want to go too!! Amazing colors!!

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  3. No, but it looks like Paradise. We are going on our annual Florida vacation next week. These photos really put me in the mood to get away.

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  4. That one shot is so Holland meets Jamaica! (all the narrow houses). I say: go for it. Tell the family that straining your ankle is rough, and you need a complete vacation to recover!!! You should sniffle a little as you say this :)

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  5. I would love a little trip there, and my paints would be ever so happy!
    pve

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  6. I went there on a family trip when I was a teenager and it was stunning- really is a beautiful place to visit!

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  7. Looks charming and colorful! Thanks for the sweet comment on my blog today. xo

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  8. That was nice. Thanks for the mini getaway!

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  9. I'd be there in a heartbeat! And don't worry...You're headed for some warm weather. Fall teased us a bit. It's back to business as usual tomorrow. Back up in the 80s. : )

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  10. The town in the first pic looks like my kind of town... Love the gorgeous colour! x

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  11. Your images brought me back years and years ago as a college student in Boston i spent my first Spring break at a friends's house in Curacao. It has not changed from the pictures i still have in my album. I loved the dutch architecture, the beach, the people and the food. I, however, miserably failed at trying to water ski ...without skis....barefoot...as the tradition calls for.

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  12. Wow- it's beautiful!! Are you and Mr. Southern really going?

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  13. Oh that looks wonderful! Such pretty beaches and beautiful water.

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  14. I was there w/my family this past August. The people are warm & lovely. Diving/snorkeling is terrific - aquatic life abounds. Highly recommend the Dolphin Academy - though somewhat rustic, is one of the best aquarium's we've been to (& we've seen Atlanta, Monterey, Singapore). The weather is wonderful, there is a constant breeze. However, do your homework regarding accommodations!! DO NOT STAY AT THE MARRIOTT! They ran out of beach towels - we went 2.5 days w/out (had to bring bathroom towels). They ran out of bathroom towels for a day & a half. Public areas are lovely but the rooms very dated & not very clean. Carpeting appears to be 20 yrs old & never vacuumed for the entire week we were there. Read the reviews on Trip Advisor - wish I had before we went. Would love to return to the island but unsure where to stay.

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