Page 10 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - October '20

Page 10, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
Curaçao ‘The Cure’

By Don Kiselewski, MCC, and most populated of the ABCs.
D.S., Palm Beach Gardens It became an autonomous part of
Travel Leaders the Kingdom of the Netherlands
The “C” in the ABC in 1954. Curaçao’s government is
islands, just off the coast based on the parliamentary system,
of Venezuela, stands for with elections held every four years,
Curaçao. Curaçao, along and is governed by an executive
with Aruba to its west and council (commissioners) and a
Bonaire to its east, form the legislative council. Willemstad, the
very Dutch territory of the largest city, serves as its capital.
Lesser Antilles. However, Curaçao is 38 miles long and
it was the Spanish who runs in a northwest to southeast
were to record the first visit to the islands. direction. It’s anywhere from two
On his way to South America in 1499, Amerigo to seven and a half miles wide and
Vespucci left a few of his scurvy-afflicted sailors on the lies 35 miles north of Venezuela,
island to die. Upon his return less than a year later, he 42 miles east of Aruba and 30
expected to find them dead, but instead was astonished to miles west of Bonaire. Perhaps
see them alive and well, having been completely cured. they should be called the ACB
for this reason he named the island Curaçao, based on islands. The average temperature
the Portuguese word for “the cure.” is 82 degrees Fahrenheit with
The news of “the cure” brought the Spanish settlers in very low humidity and refreshing
the early 1500s. They were followed by the Dutch, who year-round trade winds of more
captured the island and founded the settlement with Peter than 13 knots to keep things cool
Stuyvesant becoming governor. When the Dutch West and comfortable, even under
India Company took Curaçao from the Spanish in 1634, the tropical sun. Outside of the
their intention was to use it as a strategic base to fight hurricane belt, the sun shines every Floating fishermen’s market in Willemstad, Curaçao
their enemies. The ABC islands had once been designated day and the total annual rainfall is
“inutile” (useless) because of the dry climate, lack of only 22 inches, with November and December being the settled on the east side and called it De Punt meaning
fresh water and minerals but, as it turned out, Bonaire rainiest months. “The Point.” Over time, it was changed into what we
and Curaçao functioned as salt producers and Curaçao There are five locations on the southwestern side now know as Punda. Fort Amsterdam, which is the oldest
became a very busy depot, until the beginning of the 18th of the island that provide a narrow passage for ships structure on the island, controlled the entrance from
century. through the coastline, which then opens up to a larger the very tip of the point. Punda was a well-planned and
Trade had its high point in 1713 and then fell off. This protected interior bay. This feature provides excellent typical Dutch settlement. Otrobanda, on the other side of
decline turned the merchants of Curaçao to contraband protection from the seas, as well as loading facilities for the inlet, was a happy-go-lucky collection of all kinds of
and trading expeditions with the surrounding region. materials. Recognizing the shipping friendly attribute buildings in twisted alleys and streets, with monumental
Curaçao’s climate and the industriousness of its Jewish of these harbors, the Royal Dutch Shell Refineries were mansions rubbing shoulders with the modest houses of
immigrants soon made it an international trading port, established in the 1920s. These handle the huge oil tankers
which furthered its economic growth. Mikvé Israel- from Venezuela, processing the crude oil and shipping Curaçao ‘The Cure’on page 11
Emanuel Synagogue, founded in 1730, remains today to various world ports.
as evidence of this movement. It is the oldest active These refineries caused the
synagogue in the western hemisphere. demand for employment to
The basic need for communication among Dutch rise and prompted sizeable
Protestant Company representatives and soldiers, emigrations from Europe
Jewish families from Portugal, native Amerindians, free and the surrounding regions
people and the mélange of traders and sailors, etc., led of the Caribbean. During
to the creation of Papiamentu, a Creole language still WWII, Curaçao served
spoken today by the majority of residents. In addition to as an American base for
Papiamentu, most residents are also fluent in three other allies and oil-transshipment
languages: Dutch, English and Spanish. facilities, and its unique
Curaçao became the site of several large plantations harbors served the war
but was never considered a real plantation colony. Maize, effort well.
sugar on a small scale, peanuts, melons and other fruits Willemstad is divided by
were grown. Sheep and goats were plentiful and in good the inlet to St. Anna Bay.
times the island could supply enough food for all the In 1634, the Dutch West
island’s inhabitants. Because of population growth and Indies Trading Company Floating fishermen’s market in Willemstad, Curaçao – another view
the dry years, the residents depended upon Holland and
the continent for food. Today, enterprising merchants sail
their small boats through the open water from the South
American continent to bring fresh fruits and vegetables
to the islanders. Palm Beach Beauty Salon
Following the demise of the Dutch West India Company,
Curaçao became under the jurisdiction of the Dutch
Parliament, but it was also ruled twice by the British from
1800 to 1803 and 1807 to 1815. The island’s population
in 1816 was 14,000. Today there are about 160,000 10%
residents with as many as 55 different backgrounds
from all over the world living in Curaçao, the largest
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