|
Curacao |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Curaçao is
located in the southwestern Caribbean. The largest of the
Netherlands Antilles, it is 38 miles long and from 2 to 7.5
miles wide. It is located just 35 miles north of Venezuela,
42 miles east of Aruba and only 2 1/2 hours by air from
Miami. Curaçao is outside the hurricane belt, making it a
sure holiday destination for good weather.
Curacao is a popular cruise port and a
beautiful place to visit. Willemstad's colorful buildings
are architecturally reminiscent of Amsterdam, with the
colors of the Caribbean, and there are lots of things to do
and see. Shopping is great, the heat is tempered by cooling
trade winds, an underwater park and little beaches to
explore make Curacao a great Caribbean island. |
 |
|
|
What's more, it's out of the "hurricane belt," since most
storms don't move that far to the south, so it's a super
destination for the late summer and fall months when the
other parts of the Caribbean and its islands are often
ravaged by these huge storms.The
average temperature is about 27° C. Refreshing trade winds
blow constantly from the east, picking up in the spring
months. The rainy season, October to February, is marked by
short, occasional showers, usually at night, and continued
sunny weather by day. Total annual rainfall averages only
570 mm, occasionally a tropical storm brewing elsewhere in
the Caribbean can cause uncharacteristically cloudy weather
for a day or two. |
 |
Considering its small size,
contemporary Curaçao has a surprising ethnic and religious diversity. For
much of its written history the island was home to just three major
groups: the black majority, which was largely Catholic; the small Dutch
Protestant aristocracy; and a small Sephardic Jewish elite. With the
opening of the Royal Dutch Shell oil refinery immigrants poured in from
all over the world, recasting Curaçao as a multi-ethnic, diverse island.
Each immigrant group has brought its own customs, food and religious
practices, which have intermingled and adapted to local realities,
creating a unique culture. Most groups are well-integrated into society
today; Curaçao has a high percentage of inter-ethnic and interracial
marriages.
|
|
|
 |
Unlike the official language,
which is Dutch, the Curaçao vernacular is Papiamento. The name Papiamento
is probably derived from the Portuguese word papear which means to speak,
and -mento is the suffix used to form a noun. A translation of the word
Papiamento would render something like speaking. It is a Creole language
taken from Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, Dutch and West African,
that is believed to have originated in the 17th century to enable slaves
from different regions in Africa and their masters, and the slaves among
themselves to communicate with one another. Because of the multicultural
society on the island, besides Papiamento and Dutch, English and Spanish
are also spoken. |
 |
|
|
|
|
 All
Inclusive Hotels |
Bed
and Breakfast |
|
|
|
|
Design by:
Miller
Fernandez - Copyright © 1994 - 2008 latin-tours.com / All rights reserved. |
|
|
