{Flora from our Curaçao Vacation}

Just like to show you a bit more from the flora that we found on the Caribbean Island of Curaçao while on vacation at the Hyatt Regency. We did a lot of walking around the Santa Barbara Plantation, Curaçao ←click it . Around this finest golf course and marina resort community in the Caribbean it is nice hilly. 

Here I am standing in front of one of the many towering Kadushi cactus  ←click it.

The Cereus Repandus ←(click it), better known as the Kasushi cactus is more like a multi-trunk tree with thousands of needles!

Surprisingly hard indeed. Click→ Christoffel Park, Curaçao for more info on this unique cactus.

Observing birds and everything else that came on our path...

I do need some help with identifying this large leafed plant or shrub with its amazing flowers. 

Any hint is appreciated as we are curious!

Thanks to a courteous reader (see comment below) I got a link to Dutch Caribbean Species Register with this photo by Gerard van Buurt showing the Katuna di Seda. Is Papiamento name.

Pieter is showing you here the Acacia dealbata or Silver wattle, Mimosa ←(click it) flowers. Did you notice that this shrub also does have needles? One better watches out for it can really hurt you. 

When we visited the capital of Willemstad, we of course did go also to the floating market. Fresh fruits from Venezuela are being sold every day on the quay. We bought several varieties and here I want you to see the yummy Sweet Calabash, Sweet Cup or Calabasi. Botanical name: Passiflora maliformis. 

A typical fruit for Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands...

We certainly did enjoy this paradise and we will be back!

Have you ever been to the Caribbean?

Tell me do you love exotic fruits as much as we do?

Would love to hear from you...

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{Our Curaçao Vacation II}

Our Curaçao dream vacation at the then Hyatt Regency and now: Santa Barbara Plantation ←(click it) in the Caribbean, gave us great joy for the 8 nights spent. Curaçao is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Let me show you today something more from the island Curaçao, from the day that we went to the capital city of Willemstad. Bon Bini (Welcome) to Punda, the fascinating and picturesque oldest part of Willemstad, with its tall Old-Dutch style warehouses along the Handelskade, is often called the 'Amsterdam of the tropics'. 

The Penha Building ←(click it) on Heerenstraat 1, Punda, is a typical baroque architecture with its characteristic 18th century gables.

In particular, the Breedestraat is worth mentioning. In common with New Amsterdam, now New York, the so-called 'breede straat' (Broadway) originally formed the boundary between the fort, built in 1635, and the town behind it. See this informative video about the Caribbean paradise island Curaçao ←click it.

Pieter, left, is on the Queen Emma Bridge that connects Otrobanda and Punda over the St. Anna Bay. This characteristic bridge is the only floating pontoon bridge in the world! We were lucky enough for seeing it open up and videotaped it. Impressive. During that time, pedestrians can use the ferry till the large sea vessels have passed by and the bridge closes again.

Pieter on the Queen Emma pontoon bridge facing now the Otrobanda city part.

This gives you a good idea of the pontoon bridge with Otrobanda in the back.

Now we're on the other side and looking from Otrobanda towards Punda, which is the oldest part of Willemstad.

What a colorful buildings...

View more to the right at Punda with the Governor's Palace ←click it.

Governor's Palace again.

Full view of the Governor's Palace.

Behind Pieter you see the tall Juliana bridge where sea vessels can pass through, to the deep water harbor where also the Shell Oil Refinery is located.

Looking at Otrobanda...

No, it's not the taxi... you will not travel on a cannon ball to the moon like Jules Verne...!

That's me in front of a special  19th century architectural building at the Molenplein z/n Otrobanda ←click it.

Again, the same 19th century building at Molenplein z/n Otrobanda.

The police station at Molenplein z/n Otrobanda. 

Hendrikplein z/n De Tempel in Punda. I loved this building with its warm oker yellow and cream color!

A statue of a lady holding a ROSE!

To the left you can see part of the Governor's Palace.

I don't know its meaning, wish some local from Curaçao would fill me in here...

Time for having a cappuccino with some Dutch apple tart. It was not too sweet and with cinnamon, a healthy spice.

Hope you enjoyed this impression of Curaçao!

We will be back, for me a third time and for Pieter a fifth time. 

Pieter's daughter Liz went with him twice before and it would be great if she and Hans could join us...

So many fond memories.

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{Hyatt Regency - Santa Barbara Plantation Curaçao}

Pieter did treat both of us with a free flight to Curaçao for his 70,000 frequent flyer miles on American Airlines. That proved to be a great choice! Together with the newly build Hyatt Regency at the 1,500 acres (607 hectares) Santa Barbara Plantation it worked out perfect. Over the years we have narrowed down our airlines and hotels for the best possible bonuses. Hyatt is one of them and ever since Pieter was Vice President Training & Development for Campbell's Soup, he has kept his Platinum card valid. Since he's over 62, there are quite some benefits and special rates. So we booked our ocean view room with a king size bed in paradise. The Hyatt's botanical gardens are 27 acres or 10.9 hectares and such a joy to walk, bike, golf, swim or whatever outdoor activity one prefers. There is a great Marina and the best Golf Resort as well. Click: Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort Curaçao for seeing more of this tropical paradise. 

Pieter took this photo from the blue sky with the palm trees and the great architecture of this Hyatt.

It was a local architect who designed it and he did a marvelous job. 

In April it will be only two years since it opened and the gardens are incredible.

Lots of lime stone used for building walls in the gardens.

The gardens are irrigated of course.

You get an idea about the outlay of the gardens, together with the rooms.

Adjacent grounds are also being sold as Estates for some luxury homes in this 1,500 acres (607 hectares) gated area of Santa Barbara Plantation.

The Pro Shop is to the left with adjacent the Shor, seafood restaurant.

To the right you see two old wagons on a piece of rail with the famed Curaçao marble from the old Quarry. The legendary Pete Dye designed, the par 72 Old Quarry Curaçao golf course, named after the historic quarries.

Standing at lobby level, this is the view on the pools and the bay where the Marina is. Also a beautiful white beach, where you also can go for a stroll or for sunbathing.

From the same lobby area a view on paradise...

Pieter and I had just gotten back from a walk.

Just look at the details...

Incredible architecture with great eye for detail.

Look at the details above...

View from our balcony, we were at the 2nd level and there is still one up.

Walkways everywhere...

It was such a joy to sit on the balcony with this view!

Looking straight to the south, into the ocean.

We were only some 35 miles away from Venezuela, actually my iPhone showed Caracas time.

From the room looking onto the balcony and the ocean.

The good thing is that this tropical island of Curaçao is hurricane free!

Now we get some coffee!

We also watched Dutch TV... funny for being in one of the countries within the Kingdom of The Netherlands. Dutch newspaper and Dutch language we did hear, with Spanish, English and Papiamento.

We sure had a happy time!

This was after breakfast inside, you also can sit on the patio.

That was our experience at the Hyatt Regency, Curaçao. 

Meanwhile it is no longer under the Hyatt group... but no less a dream place!

Good enough for wanting to go back again!

Stay tuned for some more photos from the island...

Related articles:

{Back Home from Curaçao} | previous post by me

{Our Curaçao Vacation} | previous post by me