First night/day in Curacao

 I had been dreaming of snorkeling in the blue water of the Caribbeans since we went on a cruise a few years ago. Then we snorkeled off the beach of Honduras. (O.O) fishes... there were so many little guys, colorful and fast. The water were hypnotically blue. I had to go back. So I sweet talked Tim into going to Curacao for our vacation. Curacao was supposed to be one of the best island to snorkel by in the Caribbeans. The place hardly ever gets any rain.

I waited and waited for months and months.
Finally we arrived at Curacao airport. It was raining. We caught a taxi to our hotel, it was already in the evening. The hotel staff told us some storm was coming by. I was worried. Nonetheless, Tim and I walked out for early dinner and plan for an easy night.

 Waiting for dinner reminded me about the things people says on "House hunter" shows: the pace on the island is really slow. Here I sat, dwindled in hunger, waiting for food.

 After dinner, we walked back to the hotel and out to the pier. I was excited like a kid seeing the crabs that had come up to it.  I tried to capture one of them, but I think it was impossible.

This is the view of the hotel's bar and cafe area. The lights and their reflection makes everything looks so dazzling.

The next morning, we woke up to this!!!! What what what!!!  What has become of a desert-y island with hardly any rain? I came close to tears, this was not how I had dreamed about it to be.


But Timmo was there, doing what he does best: making me feel better. We patiently waited and spent the morning planning our day. By the early afternoon the weather had lighten  up.

We rented a car ( I dont know why we were so brave. I think I was just ecstatic that the sun was shining ). We drove to the place we had picked for the day. A terrifying thing I found out as I was acting as Tim's navigation officer: most of the streets here didn't have street name plates.

But alas, we got where we wanted to go. Here was where we wanted to go.

Dont you think the water is hypnotizing? It made me wish I could swim well, more than anything.

If I didn't know how rocky and steep that beach was, I would say that this was a tropical paradise. But I did. and I came home with a large purple bruise on my butt to prove it.

Timmo for the most part coveted the different species of cacti and succulents that cover the island - proof that it is indeed a very dry island, and we're just "lucky".

 On our way back from the beach that day, I spotted a coconut stand on the side of the road. we made a short pit stop and got me a fresh of the tree coconut. <3

That evening, we ate at the hotel's restaurant, sitting by the pier and listening to the waves was nice.

 We then hit the bar for drinks.

 Put our feet up, took at deep breath, exhaled. I couldn't believe I was finally there.

Amsterdam part 2 - will comment later

The gorgeous windows facing the street. I can imagine the amount of natural light in each apartment. Just lovely.

The quite streets are the prettiest - not so hustle bustle with tourists.

A spices table set up by one of the vendors. It is in this market that I ate some raw herring. I debated the action for a long time. Walked back and forth, came close to the shop , then walked away. It really wasn't appetizing. But I took the plunge and ate some... NOT good... The pictures died with my camera phone ;(

I'd die, I'd die. Why can't we have this quality of flowers around here?

Restaurant over look a small canal.

Beautiful canal. Spewtiful canal.

I couldn't figure about what kind of berry this was. I tried asking the vendor. But i guess i looked so tourisy, she must have determined I wasn't buying anything, so she ignored me and talk to someone else...

Centraal station at night.

This is a REAL oscar people. It was the closest I'd ever going to get to one... Only after I took this picture that I say the sign that said "No camera" - No wonder why no one was taking any pictures... hee hee

I can't get over how peaceful the water and canals make me feel.

Museum square. I (fairly embarrassed) admit that I did not visit one museum while I was there for 5 days.

Roller skating party for the kids.

Birthday party for someone else in the park.

This boy dog loved his stick...

But it was so heavy for him, he dropped it every few yard. haha'

Ducks in pond.

This little guy got left out of the party. I was wondering why do so to this poor dog... until he went crazy nut on passer by randomly... like Willard-crazy.

Wide open ways in the park for roller skating, bicycling and such.

More loungy people who appear to not have to work during the middle of the day in the middle of the week.

Back to the market.

More to die for flowers.

Any mushrooms hunter knows how precious Morel mushrooms are... These are from Turkey they said. I bought a few back for Timmo... but they were all moldy when i got back. Oh well, he still got the morel mushrooms print I got him.

Fur :(

Pardon my obsession with flowers.

Big canal.

The back of the "floating" flowers market... word is only one of those shops is actually floating anymore.

The largest secret garden of amsterdam. It is secret because its entrance looks almost just like any other house door on the street. After a narrow path way, you enter a (what I'd call) court yard with outdoor space for the public and surrounding residents.

Book market. from across the street. It is here where I snatch up Timmo's mushroom print.

Found the map of VA, MD, WV in Europe in Old French. Cool huh? I thought so. It went home with me.

Came from this pile.

Dachshund!

The vintage print replicas here were over priced. I found similar prints in book stores on the side street for half price. I snatched up 5 huge botanical prints while I was in one of the book stores. To be framed ...