11/4/2025
Today we went to port in Willemstad, Curacao. This was the highlight of my trip I think. The city was beautiful and clean, the people were friendly, and the water was crystal clear. Right off the ship we walked through a little market then right into an old for that was converted into a shopping mall. I walked around the mall then moved on to the famous pontoon bridge.
The bridge is motorized and angles open to let ships pass. I got to the bridge just as it was closing so I got to see it move. A lot of the architecture here is based on Dutch designs. I didn’t know Curacao was still a Dutch colony. On the other side of the bridge was the main tourist and market area. There a tons of gift shops and other little shops and restaurants in this area. I got snared into a local giving me a tour. I was able to give him the slip after a few blocks though.
After the shops area I crossed the bridge again and went to a brewery that I had found out about earlier. The beer at Swinging Old Lady Brewery was good, but expensive. I found out it was $10 a pint. It was nice to have a good glass of craft beer though. There was a cute girl with a thick Dutch accent that was the beertender that helped too.
After the brewery I walked around the other side of the island. There were some pretty murals and houses. The baseball field really needed some help though. I don’t think it’s been used for a long time. Willemstad is a beautiful city and I would totally come back.
