Colorful Curacao

Colorful Curacao is the last stop on my Southern Caribbean cruise from January.  It’s taken me this long to get to this last port of call, but it’s a pretty one.  The major city in Curacao where all the cruise ships stop is Willemstad.  Curacao is a Dutch owned Caribbean island and it is indeed colorful and that’s the first thing we noticed when we pulled into this beautiful port city.

The port was very nice with a long dock extending out to the cruise ship with rocks bordering the island.

We could see the large shopping area across the way with a tall bridge above. We were on that bridge on our bus excursion, so we’ll see a view from there later.

A look back at the Carnival Breeze from the port.

We took a bus excursion around the island with our tour guide giving us lots of fun information about Curacao. She was really informative and friendly.

Driving through the streets, I couldn’t help but notice all the colorfully painted buildings and houses.  They definitely believe in color on this island and it was beautiful.

Take a  look at all the shutters and details on the houses too, so many pretty things to see.

A view of our cruise ship from that tall highway I pointed out earlier.  And how about the pretty view of those terra-cotta tiled houses and buildings all across the way.  Quite the colorful sight!

Looking back towards the Harbor and the old walking bridge that connects the 2 lands.

We had time for a stroll in the town when we came back from our excursion.

I just loved this view so much with that blue water and sky in the distance and the cruise ship so majestically docked in port.

Our first stop on the bus trip was the Curacao liqueur distributor.  This is where all the Curacao liquor is made and comes from that you’ve probably seen in the states.

It comes in all sorts of flavors, from citrus to chocolate and we got to taste them all.  They were quite good!

Next, we drove on around the island and saw many pretty buildings and sites, like this cemetery. This reminds me of New Orleans in the way in looks.

With all the colorful buildings, it it had a very happy feeling.

This yellow church was really gorgeous and stood out.

You can see the aqua domes in the distance.

Our next stop was the Curacao Museum about the island, with lots of history and artifacts displayed.

It was so pretty inside and had some gorgeous floors, which I think are mahogany and lots of neat British Colonial furniture, which was also mahogany.

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the island, sharing lots of tidbits of information.

I loved so many things about the items in here, including those doorways. Do you see them?

Just look at the magnificent woodwork on these arches.  So stunning!!

I couldn’t get over how thick this wood casing was, probably 2 feet wide.

Some beautiful examples of British Colonial furniture was on display.

Dark mahogany is such a beautiful wood for furniture and floors, don’t you think?

A tiled breezeway on one side of the house museum.

A kitchen area with old pottery displayed.

The old way of cooking in a wood burning fireplace.

And a real live Dutch door, which has gained popularity in the States.

Many art pieces were on display as well, showcasing artistic talent of the island.

This stain glass window of the islands was quite stunning and awe-inspiring.

Outside, there were many replicas of the types of housing you can see on Curacao, from this metal house made from recycled metal to other types.

An airplane was also in the museum, the first KLM airplane to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1934.

An example of a thatched hut house.

We drove by a flock of flamingos in the distance and she said this was a salt area and they live here all the time.

They sure are pretty birds!

Next stop was the Hato Cave and it was an interesting spot too.

This iguana was holding court by the sidewalk to the cave.

Inside the cave, it looks like you’d expect a cave to look, dark and damp.  We saw a few bats flying around.

Our cell phones didn’t take great pics, but Beth and I got a selfie inside.

And a shot outside for good measure, to remember the island tour of Curacao. It was perfect weather that day!

Back in town, we took in the beauty of all those colorful buildings in the shopping district.

Aren’t they so pretty with all those wild colors?

The Queen Emma bridge originally built in 1888.

It’s only a pedestrian bridge and well used.

Curacao is a picturesque place to visit.

We enjoyed strolling on the sidewalks and in a few shops along the way. This is where I bought my perfume duty free.

Loved this building with all the gingerbread and how vivid it looked against the blue sky.  Yellow and blue, a perfect complement!

Another view of the Carnival Breeze.

And one more tourist shot.

It was another fun excursion in Curacao and those Caribbean islands have a lot to do and see.  I’d go back in a minute to the Caribbean and enjoy it all over again.

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing all the excursions from the Carnival cruise we took, it’s been fun to share with y’all!

Don't Miss a Post, join my list!