Curaçao

Before starting this walking tour around the capital Willemstad, first let me
talk you about the history of Curaçao.
Curaçao, as you can see is an island located on the southern Caribbean
Sea, it is about 65 kilometers north from Venezuela, which is the reason the first
inhabitants of Curaçao were the Arawak Amerindians from Venezuela.
Curaçao was first invaded by the Spanish in the early 15th century, but they
didn´t found enough resources so they decided to left to South America in search
of gold.
Around the year 1633 Curaçao was invaded by the Dutch West India
Company and they established the island as a military outpost and trade base not
only for goods but also for slaves. Since then it became an oversea territory of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands. Due to the influence of so many cultures, people in
Curaçao speak at least four languages. This are Dutch as the official language,
Papiamentu their native language, the Spanish and English are also used.
Our first destination is The Renaissance Mall and Rif Fort Village, it was
originally constructed in the 19th century to protect the island from the invasion of
pirates and enemies, it´s surrounded by thick coral walls and was protected by 56
cannons. Nowadays tourists can find on its inside luxurious shops, souvenirs,
outdoor bars and restaurants.
Now we are leading ourselves to the Queen Emma Bridge, this is a floating
pedestrian bridge that connects the district of Punda with Otrobanda. This bridge
was built in 1888 and was named after one of the most memorable queens of
Dutchland. It is supported by 16 pontoon boats. When a ship has to pass across
the bay, the pedestrian pass closes and two powerful motors open the bridge to
one side. If you are on a rush and the bridge is opened, don´t worry, there´s a ferry
that will get you back across the bay at no charge, but most of the people stay to
cross the bridge and take a photo on it.
After crossing Queen Emma Bridge, on the right side there´s Fort
Amsterdam, which is Curaçao´s oldest monument. It was built one year after the
Dutch occupation, to control the harbor entrance. Today the Fort houses the
Governor´s Palace, the Fort Church and the Council of Ministers.
Another spot you´ll get to know in this tour is the Synagogue and the Jewish
Museum, this one is the oldest synagogue building in continuous use in the
Western Hemisphere. Inside the museum there are interesting objects that
illustrate the culture and history of the Jewish community. One curious fact about
the synagogue is that its floor is made of sand, representing the desert the Jewish
walked through in order to get to the Promised Land. Tourists are welcomed to
enter the synagogue, but consider that men have to wear a kippah.
Reaching our final destination, you can appreciate the picturesque colorful
buildings of this UNESCO World Heritage Place. Established in the mid-1600s,
Willemstad’s architecture recalls the charming designs of Amsterdam by the 17th
and 18th century, also with a touch of Caribbean style.
Finally, we arrive at the Curaçao Maritime Museum. It is located in an old
colonial mansion built in 1729. In this place visitors can discover more than 500
years of maritime history of Curaçao. The exhibition consists of authentic nautical
maps, ship models and navigation equipment.
 I will let you here, where you can also learn more about the history of the
island since its first tribes until today that become a tourist destination.