Bonaire looked similar to Curaçao – beautiful water, dry land, desert type plants, wind, and pretty pastel buildings. It is also a Dutch territory and also has multilingual people. Tourism is a big industry because of the wonderful diving and snorkeling. We were told that you can go in the water from anywhere on shore and find wonderful things to see.
By now the water was really calling to us, so we set out with the intention of finding someplace to snorkel. I figured with all the tourists who come to enjoy the water we’d find someone willing to rent us snorkels. Sure enough, we found a resort who was happy to fix us up for $5 each, and let us swim around in their water. Oh the things we saw! The fish were amazing. I wish I had an underwater camera. There were so many different kinds of fish of all sizes. The most striking were probably the big blue parrot fish and some others I think were surgeonfish, who were very curious and followed us around. One even startled me by nipping my leg when I was just floating. The water was cooler than I expected but a very pleasant temperature for swimming, and so clear that it was easy to see everything. Our time in the water was definitely a highlight of our trip.
After snorkeling, we returned to the ship for a shower, dry clothes, and a bit of lunch. Then went back to town to walk around a bit. We spent most of the time walking along the waterfront, as you will see from the photos of crabs and other critters.
Every morning it’s exciting to run up to the upper deck to see what today’s town looks like!
Yes indeed. Bonaire is known as one of the best diving spots in the world.
I must have had a reason for this photo, but I don’t remember now. Maybe it was the menu out front with meals from $7 – $22. Prices didn’t seem too bad for a tourist town where almost everything has to be shipped in.
How pretty and picturesque is this!
We set off down a mainly residential street. The water is on the other side of those building on the left side of the street.
What an interesting tree!
It is dry here too, and things are pretty brown in many places.
The ship looks huge, especially here where they prefer to keep things more natural looking and not build tall buildings.
The resort we found that rents snorkels.
Our snorkel spot.
Oh how I wish I had an underwater camera! If only you could see all the amazing fish that are right under the surface here.
Beveiligd? I don’t know how it’s said but the word looks cool on the sign.
One of a number of iguanas we saw on our walk.
Back in town, walking around a bit.
Another street in town.
Then we went walking along the waterfront. Look at all those sea urchins.
I saw so many sailboats that made me think of my friend Jim in Florida. He is working hard so he can get his own boat and travel the world.
There were the coolest crabs at the edge of the water!
More sailboats, lots of them!
One of the funkier but more interesting places on our walk.
What a great crab!
I took too many crab photos.
I managed to snap a photo of this heron before it ducked for cover.
This iguana was right in front of a restaurant, and not very shy.
There were quite a few of these birds around too.
Another crab, trying to hide against the wall.
A black sea urchin.
Another white sea urchin.
We stopped for a beer at a little place on the water. I did not have iguana soup or goat stew!
Time to get back on board the ship.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
About Kris Cunningham
We live in David, Chiriqui Provence, Republic of Panama! This blog is about some of our experiences in our new country.
The Panama Adventure 
Wow what an awesome trip. Even just seeing the pictures you took, I’ve seen so much!!! So great of you to share!
LikeLike
Thanks, so glad you are enjoying them 🙂
LikeLike
:Love the photos, nice of you to share while you were taking your cruise. Where did you pick up your cruise from, was it Panama City? We plan on taking one to the neiboring Islands around us next year before we move from here. What is the name of your ship? Keep on sending your photos, enjoy seeing them..
LikeLike
Glad you enjoy them. I had time while we were at sea to sort and prepare photos.
It was a Royal Caribbean ship, Vision of the Seas and we left from Colon, the city at the north end of the canal. This was one of the last times they were making this trip though. I heard they were having trouble getting enough travelers to fill the ship, so this is probably why we got such an amazing deal. ($740 for both of us!)
LikeLike
Love the photos, almost like being there
LikeLike
Thanks, glad you are enjoying them!
LikeLike
So many food likes and dislikes are cultural rather than having things to do with the food itself.
I like goat. It’s very similar to lamb, and I think it would be rather difficult for most people to tell the difference between the two. My first encounter with it was in Matamoros, Mexico. I had some barbequed chops and they were great. In Fort Lauderdale, in a shop next to where I ran the office for a friend’s construction company, the owner came from Guyana and every Christmas he had held a party. One of the big features was a curried goat dish which was fantastic. My roommate got the recipe and we would buy goat from a Jamaican market and make it ourselves. I’m surprised we don’t see goat meat for sale here in Panama.
Another thing on the menu in Bonaire you mentioned that I’ve tried before is iguana. They are a real problem in Fort Lauderdale, especially around the canals where they burrow into the ground around the retaining walls. One day my roommate killed a huge one at a friend’s house and brought it home. We scoured the internet and came up with a recipe and gave it a try. Believe it or not, iguana tastes JUST LIKE CHICKEN! Every once in a while my neighbors here will nail an iguana and have it for dinner, and not as a guest, either.
I won’t get into horse, here, but I’ve had it in France several times and I like it, too. If I was in a country where they cooked and ate dog I’d give it a try out of curiosity, but I certainly wouldn’t kill Pirata here to see what she tastes like.
LikeLike
Oh yes, very true I know. I was vegetarian for most of my adult life and still have some qualms about eating the brothers of my four legged neighbors. If I’ve had lamb I was too young to remember it. Goat, dog, horse, it’s all food if necessary. It’s just for us, those things sound strange. It’s probably a good idea to add the Florida iguanas to the menu, but I love the ones in my neighborhood. They are wise to the people who like to eat them, and run at a surprising rate of speed if they spot you!
LikeLike
Vegetables are the food that MY food eats. And yes, those little rascals are rapid, aren’t they?
LikeLike
Ha! LOL So, what do you eat here? We eat mostly chicken and fish, but we recently found a good pork place. Do you eat the local beef? We found a good beef place too so Joel can have his fix now and then.
LikeLike
I, too, eat a lot of chicken. Not much pork. Recently El Rey has been putting out NY strip steaks which, surprisingly, aren’t shoe-leather tough like most grass-fed Panamanian beef.
One advantage you have for shopping is that you have a car. That allows you to visit several different markets in a single shopping expedition to take advantage of better prices and wider selection. What with the Panamanian retailer’s insistence on checking your bags when entering a store that makes it difficult to got to several different markets. Also, not having a car I’m limited to buying what I can conveniently tote with each trip.
LikeLike
If you ever feel like a more extensive shipping excursion, you have friends with a car 😉
LikeLike
What beautiful pictures! It sure looks like a great place to visit. And there’s no such thing as too many pictures. I do the same thing 🙂
LikeLike
Ahh thanks 🙂 Glad you enjoy them.
LikeLike