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We missed Bonaire while we were in the States.  It was nice to get home.  We have a beautifully decorated home in Bonaire, with decorations that came with the house.  Over the past three years we have tried to incorporate our stuff and style so that we feel more at home. It's an ongoing process to have things that are our choice in the house. Nevertheless, we love our house in Bonaire.

The Sahara Dust welcomed us home with a layer of dust everywhere including the pool.  It's a fact of life in Bonaire this time of year. I promised myself that I would not complain about the conditions on the island because it is still paradise for us...dust and all.

I am now a wildlife photographer (ha).  I was floating in the pool and was harassed by a dragonfly that wanted to land on me.  I shooed him away many times and then decided to embrace the moment.  So here is my attempt at capturing the dragon fly resting on my toe.

Bonaire has the best sunsets. The Sahara Dust and clouds seem to make each sunset more spectacular. It's good to be home!

 

Kansas City

Rick and I traveled to Kansas City to visit his brother who is going through chemo treatments. A trip that found us in the middle of winter on the American Plains to bring moral support and positivity to the patient and his wife. Two of our kids also made the journey a week prior to our trip. It became a family affair. We named our efforts to encourage toughness and resolve as: "Go Team Luce".

 

I had promised myself I would never see a snowflake again or shovel snow. But there we were in a snow storm with temperatures in the low 30's. Rick and I had packed every warm sweater, sweatshirt, long pants and socks that we owned.  We don't have winter coats so we wore fleeces and rain coats. Believe me it was not enough to keep us warm.

One day we discovered palm trees in Kansas City. Okay, they were metal but palm trees nonetheless.  It reminded us of home even though we were wearing everything we brought to stay warm (not wearing flip-flops) and standing in the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant.  

The locks on the grocery carts that require a quarter to unlock the chain holding them together was a familiar sight as we have the same system on Bonaire.  We shopped in a Walgreens that shocked us. The shelves were empty and disheveled. An armed guard stood at the main entrance.  Some items were locked behind wire mesh.  The store manager told us that rampant shop lifiting was real.  He said, " The stuff you see on the news is happening here everyday",  They could not keep the shelves stocked or orderly.  We have never seen a store in such bad shape.

We had an opportunity to get some Cruzan rum which we haven't had since we were on St Croix.  It's a rich spiced dark rum distilled on St. Croix but not exported to Bonaire.  It did a fine job of warming us in the evenings from the Kansas City cold.

The Superbowl was held while were were in Kansas City.  The whole town was going wild after the win and then went quiet after the shooting.  We saw and felt the highest high and the lowest low. 

The hospital had a huge balloon display and so we had to take a selfie to commemorate our Kansas City visit. 

Bocce

One of our friends set up a Bocce league at a local snack bar out in the kunuku. We joined up and played our first games.  It's a great Sunday afternoon pastime.  We used to play Bocce at our  water ski lake in Colorado. Now we have an actual playing course instead of playing on the beach.

Happy's is a snacky which a hut out in the wilds of Bonaire.  Every Sunday they reserve a table and at Bocce course for us.  We play for free but buy loads of beer and food.

 

It's quite competitive and we have a referee with tape measure that settles all disputes about who got what points. I would like to say its a friendly game but we do have some keen competitors and there is a lot of trash talking going on throughout the match.

We all have a lot of fun just being together ....drinking beer lightens our mood.

Carpal Tunnel

I had carpal tunnel surgery on my wrist/hand to alleviate the numbness I have had for the past 5 years. They took my clothes, left me with my panties, gave me a paper dress and drugs.  It was a simple 15 minute surgery that took 4 hours from the time I got drugged to the time I came to from the anesthesia .  A pain block was administered which kept my hand numb for about 12 hours.

My right hand was wrapped and put into a sling. My fingers looked like sausages especially with the bright pink anti-bacteria wash they put on my hand and arm. My hand remained pink for a week because it doesn't wash off until you pour alcohol on the wound.  Left me with 6 stiches which makes me look like I slit my own wrist. It will be two weeks before the stiches come out.

Two days after the surgery, the surgeon took off the bandage and put on a sticky pad. He gave me instructions to change the pad every two days, use alcohol and don't get the wound wet.  

I am now using my worthless left hand.  It does not know how to brush my teeth, pick up or hold anything. I don't know why they gave me a left hand because it can do nothing.  Rick has had to pick up the slack because my two hands are not helpful. 

As a side note, we had an island wide blackout for a full day and into the night.  Rick and I were well prepared with our rechargeable lights, a head light, wine and dip-it artisan bread. You just have to embrace island life no matter what it throws at you.

A Year of Selfies

Happy New Year from Bonaire

Beach Christmas

The east side of the island is famous for it's beach art.  This year the local artists erected interesting and unique driftwood works of art.  Everyone stopped to take pictures, as well as Rick and I.

Merry Christmas (Bon Pasku) from Bonaire! 

 

Christmas Time

Sinterklaas and his merry Black Petes are gone from the island.  Santa Claus has arrived. Santa (the oldest man I have ever seen dress like Santa) entered the main square in Kralendijk assisted by two people on either side guiding him to his chair.  The kids flocked to him. It was a heart warming event and part of the week's activities leading up to Christmas.

The island is fully decorated with Christmas lights.  Every round-about, every government building, houses, street lights and restaurants are all decorated with Christmas trees and lights.

There have been Christmas markets each night in various barrios around the island.  The stores in downtown Kralendijk stayed open until 9:00 pm which is only done at Christmas time.  They usually close at 5:00 pm. The festivities included kiosks with handmade gifts for sale, food booths and music. We saw our friends strolling the boulevard.  

 

The resorts also hold Christmas markets and decorate with lights and trees.  Its a full week with an event happening every evening. The island really knows how to celebrate. Last Christmas we were sick and not able to partake in the festivities.  It was a real treat to do Christmas in a small community.

Boats

I have been taking pictures of boats that come to Bonaire and I thought I would share them with you.

The best cruise ship is one that is heading out to sea.
 

The large sail boats that bring a small number of tourist to the island are more welcomed than the 10 story cruise ships carrying 5 thousand people.

Cargo ships are our favorite.  They bring in all our food, construction materials (wood, sand, gravel, steel, asphalt, pavers) cars, and household shipments. They also bring in gas, oil, jet fuel and propane. They carry Bonaire salt away to markets around the world.

Dutch military ships, including the Coast Guard, dock at Bonaire. They are here for military exercises, catching drug runners, picking up illegals, and saving fisherman who are stranded.

My personal favorites are the pleasure crafts that sail at sunset. These boats are the stars of sunset pictures from the shore. 

Concert

The Classical Music Board of Bonaire put on a wonderful Christmas concert. Choirs sang Christmas songs in four languages and tunes that we knew and could sing along. The Bonaire Kuarta Ensemble played beautiful music and sang in Papiamentu and Spanish. Our favorite tenor performed a fabulous "Ave Maria".  The evening ended with and audience sing-a-long to "Angels We Have Heard On High". 

The concert was held in the biggest Catholic church on the island called San Bernardo. It a beautiful, austere church with wood kneelers, hard wood benches and no air conditioning.  We sat for two and half hours with the other 300 attendees.  It was a miracle that we could still walk when it was over.  It brought back memories of going to church and suffering through kneeling, sitting and long sermons. Lightning didn't strike me down so I feel lucky about that.  After spending that long in church we certainly needed an adult beverage. So we ended the evening with beers at Little Havana bar.

All the round-abouts (all four of them)  have lighted decorations.  This roundabout is in front of the church where the concert was held. You know us, we can't pass up an opportunity to take a selfie.