So we're finally back into the swing of things. We were only gone a week but it felt like a lot longer. I need to get caught up on reading everyone's blogs and finding out the latest happenings. We did have an awesome trip though! I had to chose the above pictures out of hundreds so hopefully it will give you a good look. Our adventure actually gettin to Curasao was crazy. In the middle of the night Delta sent an email saying that my scheduled flight to Atlanta had been indefinitely delayed so they put me on a flight that was 2 hours earlier. So, how and I supposed to know that while I am sleeping away planning on waking up in time to catch my flight that was already considered early? So, I wasn't going to make that flight which means I would miss the one and only flight that goes from Atlanta to Curasao each day. We got on the phone with Delta to find some other way to get me there. Luckily they have other airline partners that they can schedule you on but it didn't go so smooth. Our Delta 1-stop flight with a first class ticket turned into a US Airways & American Airlines 2-stop flight going throuh Charlotte, NC and Miami, arriving 6 hours later. We barely made our flight out of Charleston because the Delta counters were swamped and they had problems switching our tickets. We sat on the runway for and hour and a half waitin for a fog delay in Charlotte. We missed our flight to Miami and spent on hour waiting in line to get re-booked when Scott called and said he got us on another flight that was leaving right that second. We had to literally sprint to another concourse and gate to make the flight that we got the last seat on. Once in Miami I got the run around from American Airlines people on Easton's paper ticket (required for international travel even though they don't have their own seat). I spent forever waiting in a line that it turns out I didn't have to wait in in the first place. We barely made it through security in time to get to our gate before they closed it. After all that, we were ready for a week of relaxation! We spent most of our time hanging out on the beach and swimming in the pool. Easton learned all about the sand and building sand castles. He found a little boy from Trinidad who he followed around everywhere and played with out on the beach a number of times. It was pretty cute because the boy was 4 years old and Easton is not quite 2 yet. :) We did do a major hike one day with some of our local friends to the top of the highest mountain on the island. It was cool but I'll never do it again. I thought it was going to be a normal type hike but it was climbing straight up big rocks forever and ever. I was sore for 3 days! We also visited an ostrich farm, which sounds kind of wierd but it was pretty cool. It the largest one outside of Africa. Easton loved it! I was able to reserve some of my tan even after all the peeling I've done. He he he. Easton was VERY SAD to leave Yaya & Papa (Grandma & Grandpa). I won't lie, I was as well. It was so good to see them and spend time with them.
Curacao is an island in the Southern Caribbean that is part of the Netherlands Antilles (a little north of Venezuela). I have been there once before about 2 years ago so I am excited to go again. I loved it! Many people have not caught on to how cool it is so when you're there you feel like you are really "away" and don't feel like the place is crowded with tourists. There is a lot of Dutch influence and they speak a language there that is only spoken in the Dutch ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). It's called Papiamento. Simply put, it is a combination of Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish and English (with a few French and Indian words thrown in as well).
About the only thing to do there is hang out on the beautiful beaches and go scuba diving (however there are a few family oriented attractions and some fun shopping at the markets - downtown Willemstad is fun to explore). Most of the diving there is shore diving which makes it very convenient. No 30-40 minute boat rides out and back. The coral reefs are amazing and they even have a couple of wrecks to dive. One is a small tugboat in only about 20 feet of water, and one is a freighter called the Superior Producer who's hull sits in 100 feet of water. On the last trip I was fortunate enough to dive both of those sites. Scott had a little bit of trouble getting his ears to clear on the deep dive and I kind of get chewed out by our dive master because I left him and went down further so I could see the boat. By diving rules you are supposed to stay right next to your "buddy" but I wasn't going to miss out on seeing the ship! :0)
Another sweet dive is the Mushroom Forest. Highly recommended if you ever visit. We also did a dive with a sea lion when we were there too (I think I brushed up against some fire coral on that dive - not fun). So, needless to say we are really excited to go. The weather here has been pretty okay but the water is not yet warm enought to start going to the beaches. And I am terrified to swim at a beach because of stories I have heard about shark and jelly fish. Once you become a scuba diver, snorkelling and swimming on top of the water is unacceptable. You never know what lurks beneath you!!!!