Island Profiles

To wrap up our exploration of the ABC Islands, I thought it necessary to make mention of the famous blue liqueur that shares a name with the island of Curaçao. It has become a staple of beach bars everywhere. Although Curaçao comes in various colors –  clear, green, red & orange – it is the blue that is most famous. There are various other orange flavored liqueurs on the market that are considered to be Curaçao but have no association…

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Once a sleepy, neglected, almost barren island, Aruba is now a major tourist destination and one of the richest Caribbean Islands. The settlers and explorers in this part of the world were so unimpressed with the island, that they actually left the Indians alone here, making it almost an unofficial reservation for the Caiquetio. As many as two thirds of Arubans are part Indian as a result. The island is actually a desert and most vegetables are grown hydroponically. Large…

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Bonaire, the most eastern of the ABC Islands (the order from left to right on the map is actually ACB) is widely considered a nature lover’s paradise. Most notable on the long list of Bonaire’s unique inhabitants is the pink flamingo. There are only a handful of places on earth where there are such large numbers of flamingos. They do like their privacy though and are notoriously difficult to photograph as they do not seem to appreciate being disturbed by…

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The ABC Islands count among the best places in the Caribbean for fine dining. At the many upscale resorts and in the restaurants of the main cities, you are likely to find anything you might be looking for. But what about the traditional cuisine of the Netherlands Antilles? What can you find that is unique to the islands? It seems that there are culinary adventures to be experienced. If the sight of a iguana or a cactus makes you hungry,…

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