The Discovery of Curacao Beyond The Beautiful Beaches

The bright colored buildings of red, blue, green, yellow and green had started to fade inside my mind as we drove away from the pier. The restored, board up and under construction old houses showed the part of town once lived by rich Jewish immigrants and their families. The Star of David is still found on some of the gates in front of the houses.Hugh (not his real name) showed us the house with 60 bathrooms and The Wedding Cake house in the Jewish Heritage part of Willemstad.

Before we knew it, we were crossing Queen Juliana’s Bridge, the bridge that collapsed on the first day when it was opened to the public in the 60s (according to Hugh). This bridge is 185 feet high, the highest in the Caribbean. Pointing to our left, the part of town that is ‘cheap’, mostly for locals he said.

A little about Hugh, the cab driver…Hugh spent most of his adult life in Europe and South America working in the travel and tourism industry before moving back to Curacao. He speaks more than four languages and it is common in the Dutch ruled Caribbean islands. Papiamentu, Dutch, Spanish and English are most commonly spoken in this island.

Within fifteen minutes, we discovered our tour guide/cab driver whom we paid $200 (US $ for four hours) is not your ordinary tour guide. He’s got an attitude…and lots to say about slavery and the past…we were in for a discovery we never asked for.

Our first stop was the Monument in honor of Tula and the rebel slaves in the south coast of Curacao. On August 17, 1795, Tula led about 50 slaves in a quest to fight for freedom. He went into jails, sugar plantation like Saint Kruis and on to other farms to free slaves. Hugh said, “if they were thirsty, they were given salt water” and “if they were sick, they were asked to swim back to Africa”.

Off we went into the countryside in the west of the island. Our whole intention of hiring him was to take us to the West Point of Curacao. We got more than what we bargained for…stories about slavery and plantation history.The countryside was much cooler than the unbearable heat of Willemstad.

Interestingly, he made a stop at a farm and ordered a goat for himself. He said one kilo for $4 if the goat is not butchered and $8 for a butchered goat. According to him if any goat were to pass through the fence to your property, the goat belongs to you. So you can slaughter your neighbor’s goat and sell it for profit.

Without warning, he took another stop at a gas station for gas. While we were there, he began to voice his frustration and got out of the cab and yelled at the owner of the car in front of his. He yelled, “these Dutch…on and on…and more.” The owner left her car unattended after filling her tank at the gas pump, chatting with her friends across the street.

Obviously showing his dislike for the Dutch….

The Dutch claimed Curacao in1636 and by 1700 there were about 1,500 slaves in Curacao to work in the plantations and all the hard labor that went with developing a new island. By the mid 1800s there were more than 7,000 slaves in this tiny island.

Today, this multi-cultural nation is filled with people from all nations including the Dutch and descendants of slaves. From our experience with Hugh, his conversation and attitude, we sensed an unforgiving spirit, judgment and anger.

How long will the people of this little island live in peace and harmony with each other?

We came to discover the beauty of this island, and indeed found a piece of paradise with diverse natural beauty, colorful and unique houses and architecture and untouched beaches and crystal clear seawaters.

And we also found friendly people and hurting people like Hugh, who dearly loves the island he was born in, yet has been hurt along the way. I did not tell him this, but this is what I would tell Hugh if I had a chance:“Let go and forgive for it is more powerful and empowering than to live with hate and resentment for a group of people. You are passing this resentment to the next generation.”

Curacao is a beautiful island…”bon bini!” Today we discovered Curacao beyond the beautiful beaches and colorful buildings. Have you been there? Let us know.