The Restaurant and Café Gouverneur de Rouville in Curacao

The crimson colored old building reminded me of another place in another part of the world also recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Only this is newer than the other, probably by 100 years.Both shared the same exterior color and were once the governor’s home and have stood the test of time. It's a unique architecture foreign to the local landscape and a piece of history left behind by Dutch colonization.

That was The Stadthuys of Malacca I grew up with and this is De Gouverneur, now functioning as Restaurant & Café Gouverneur de Rouville of Curacao. Travelers in search of a UNESCO World Heritage Site may find these parallels intriguing as they leave clues of the then and now.

Curacao's colorful buildings mesmerized me… from a distance the The Restaurant and Café Gouverneur de Rouville was calling my name and I had to take a peek. It was off peak hours when we arrived at about 3:30 pm. The place was quiet and the Head Chef came to greet us.

With 140 seats outdoor in the balcony and courtyard and indoor in the rooms, the restaurant serves bistro style international and local food with a colorful and best view of the handelskade of Curacao, Queen Emma Bridge and the water.

I'm glad efforts were made to restore this unique building in Curacao. The best part of The Restaurant and Café Gouverneur de Rouville is the balcony.

Note: Forgetting someone's name is a 'no-no' for writing especially when writing about a place. I'm showing my flaw and taking this lesson with me as I travel for 18 months in South America and around the world.