Curacao - New Year's Day!!

A rather early morning.

We got up early this morning (year?) to go to Mass.  Theresa had located the closest church to the port, and we expected it to start at 9AM, but that was based on a 2021 posting on the internet.  (It did.)  After church, we meandered around the area and walked back along the waterfront.  It was a classically “Dutch” looking island with the colorful buildings and intricate design.  There was a pontoon bridge (Queen Emma Bridge) built in 1888, which we explored up close (along with the other side of the water).  Along the way, we found a former fort converted into a Renaissance hotel, with a shopping mall in the middle. 

A brightly colored street in Willemstad, Curacao.

The waterfront and pontoon bridge (to the right).

The waterfront on the other side, with the pontoon bridge to the left.

Feel free to call me King (Koning) Willem IV.

That fortress wall doesn't seem enough against the cruise ship.

The main bridge.  Notice it is sort of painted like the flag of Curacao.

The Flag of Curacao.

The fort was "reborn" into a Renaissance hotel.

The mall inside the fort with the hotel.

Iconic view of Curacao and pontoon bridge.

One of the defense holes in the fort.

Christmas tree with Palm trees.

Coasters!

We headed back to the ship for…by this point…lunch.  Well, first, we started some laundry, but then lunch (at 1pm).  Anyway, after some time in the room to do the blog and check some emails, we headed to the afternoon trivia.  It was absurdly easy.  We actually got a perfect score (20/20) and so our team won the coveted “coaster”.  Now our drinks will not leave marks all over!  😉

We got ready for dinner at the main restaurant, and were sat at a table for two but right next to another table for two.  The couple was very talkative.  They were in their 80s, had been retired since 55, had taken about 30 cruises.  One day…

A Blue Long Island and Blue Hawaiian made with Blue Curacao 

After dinner, we went to an evening trivia, then a game show where they split the room into two teams, and had a ‘Captain’ for each team.  Our captain was a middle aged guy, who seemed to always be on the wrong side of something.  We weren’t sure if he was fighting with the host or being coy, but we guess the former.  The other captain was a 20-something girl (yes girl), who was a lot more spry and fast on her feet.  So, they would play a song, and the first team to buzz in got to answer with the song title and artist.  They could consult with their whole side of the room (or the bunch of players huddling close to the stage) and then run back to the mic to buzz in.  See how the fast on feet starts to matter?  They could NOT buzz in then go consult with their team.  It was pretty close, but the two sides got VERY competitive and the two captains as well.  It was almost funny to watch how wound up people were getting for bragging rights minus any actual prize!

We then went to the show for some singing and dancing.  Yay.  The ship left the port about 9-10PM, and we saw some fireworks on shore about the time we were leaving.  Finally, we went to see the late night comedian.  He was pretty funny, but got a little risqué toward the end.  That wrapped up a late night for us!

We'll end with a bang!!