Every year for my birthday I take a trip. I usually wrangle up one or two friends and we go somewhere for 4 to 5 days. This year was different. I traveled by myself. I don't usually travel by myself for vacation however, with my previous job I did a lot of solo work travel so I wasn't too worried about spending the time alone.
Here's the thing you need to keep in mind when you decide to travel alone. You need to know there will be moments when you feel a lonely because you are in a beautiful place by yourself. There will also be moments when you meet some amazing people and you hear great stories about other people's travels throughout the world. Both of those happened to me and I couldn't be happier about it.
I don't have a particular reason why I chose to go to Curacao but I'm glad I did. It was an interesting island. Part of the appeal was the history of the island. Curacao used to be a colony of Holland and was a slave depot. So for me this was something I thought was very interested in seeing. I'm fascinated by countries that were known for slavery or were known as checkpoints for slave traders. The dynamics of the country was also very interesting. Curacao is no longer a colony of Holland however there is still a layer of racism that exists. Racism is something to be expected no matter where you go, but it was interesting to see how blatant it was in this country. There's a clear divide between the Dutch people and the natives on the island. There's also a clear divide between classes of natives who have money and the natives who don't.
When I first arrived on the island it was 3pm EST. So I knew I wouldn't have too much time to explore. I found a taxi and went straight to the hotel. I unpacked and relaxed then went down to the restaurant for dinner. I was pretty tired so I knew it was going to be an early night. I wanted to have a good night's rest so I could get up and explore the island the next day.
When I first arrived on the island it was 3pm EST. So I knew I wouldn't have too much time to explore. I found a taxi and went straight to the hotel. I unpacked and relaxed then went down to the restaurant for dinner. I was pretty tired so I knew it was going to be an early night. I wanted to have a good night's rest so I could get up and explore the island the next day.
My first full day on the island was my birthday. I got up, got dressed, and went down to the restaurant for breakfast. The hotel staff knew it was my birthday so they came over with cheese cake and brownies and sing me Happy Birthday. It was very sweet! A little awkward because it was early in the morning and few people were in the restaurant, but it was the thought that counts! After breakfast I took the shuttle into Willemstad and explored the town. I met two girls while on the shuttle who were also from the US. They were very friendly and we developed a fast friendship. The three of us walked around town took pictures of the beautiful buildings, looked in shops, and explored the culture of the city. We also stopped into a local restaurant for some traditional island food. It was delicious. I ordered the okra soup. Now, if you know okra you know it's very slimy however the way that the soup was cooked with fish, the delicious broth, and a side of polenta made me very happy! While we walked around we stopped at some local vendors and I picked some local artwork. After exploring town we headed back to the hotel and I spent the rest of the day at the beach. That night I had a simple dinner at the restaurant and stayed up talking with the two girls.
On my way second full day on the island I spent the day at the beach. The hotel is located right on the ocean so being at the beach was a non-negotiable. Although the hotel beach is wonderful we decided to walk down to the next hotel location and hang out at Moomba Beach. It was beautiful. It was quiet and few people were there. We played in the water laid on the beach had lunch. That night we went back into town because there was a firework show we wanted to see. It was nothing over the top but, to see the locals on the island in their element and be so excited about their country was wonderful. I also picked up a great pair of earrings while we were out. I'm not quite sure what they were celebrating but it was fun being there.
On my last two days of the trip I just took it easy. I got up, had breakfast, went to the beach, and had dinner. There was a jazz festival going on while I was there so I did end up going to the Festival on night three of my trip. I decided what the heck?! Why not? I might as well make the best of my time while I'm here! I saw Patti LaBelle and Damian Marley before I headed back to the hotel. But there were so many more people to see. Sting, Shaggy, KC and the Sunshine Band, and Christina Aguilera. I actually wanted to see Christina Aguilera but she was on day two of the festival and I didn't want to spend another $200 on the ticket. However $200 for seven shows is actually very good!
Blue Swimsuit: Forever21+(Old) //Floral Dress: Forever 21+ (Old)//Black Swimsuit: Similar HERE and HERE (Old)
All in all Curacao is a beautiful island. There's a lot of culture and a lot of history there on the island. The people are friendly and the food is amazing. If you're ever looking for a place to go that is relaxing I definitely recommend Curacao.
Post a Comment