We Never Noticed

Our visitors pointed out things that we had never seen before or noticed. We saw our island through their eyes and it opened ours.

Along the southern seashore, the salt pans and their historical roots and processes are still visible today.  There are different color obelisks on the shoreline by the slave huts.  These were used to identify the different salt that was available from the salt pans.  The ships would moor near the obelisk to load the salt that was available that day. The slaves would load the salt in baskets, lift it on a woman's head and she would carry the salt out to the ship wading through the water, current, and waves.

Looking through the slave hut windows, makes us realize that working in the salt pans was brutal. These small huts require a person to crawl into them  through a narrow doorway that is only about 2 feet tall. Even though they are beach front, they are rustic and only provide some shade.

The farm house at Karpata (a popular dive site on the north end of the island) is now abandoned and in rough shape.  Accommodations were  better for the Dutch colonists than the slaves. These are large structures with separate rooms for sleeping, cooking and gathering.

The Dutch had brought over red brick for building.  They soon learned that they couldn't ship enough brick for construction.  They started using coral to create concrete, stucco, tile roofs and beautiful courtyard floors. The coral has held up and is still beautiful where it has been used.  But nature is taking over this historical site.

There is a wall fresco in a walkway in downtown Kralendijk. It depicts native birds, donkeys and the sea.  It is really quite extraordinary and is hidden away in a hallway that we've walked through many times but never noticed.

The Cadushy Distillery feeds the parrots. They flock to this area to get the goodies.  It's a perfect place to take pictures of them.  I have been sneaking up on them as they land in my trees to photograph them...with little success I might add.  Here is a place you can get photos of the birds while they eat and don't notice you sneaking up on them.

 

There is restaurant called Yhanni's.  They make arepas.  Our visitors found this place situated behind the marine building.  It's nothing more than a palapa in a parking lot attached to the pickle ball courts.  Who knew?  They serve the best food and it's cheap. 

It took us a year to notice this spot and it was right in front of us...out of sight. 

There is always something new to learn and see in Bonaire.