Bonaire Island Tour

In the morning, our cruise ship arrives at the town of Kralendijk.  This gives us the whole day to see the best of Bonaire. 

The first stop on our bus tour is the slave houses (small white limestone buildings built in the 1850's). By 1837, Bonaire was a thriving center of salt production and the slaves that labored in the salt flats lived in these small huts built along the shore.  Slavery was abolished in 1862.  Today, the huts have been restored and serve as a reminder of Bonaire’s dark past.   

White Slave Huts

 

Because the salt ponds are calm today, the piles of white crystallized salt are reflecting in the water.  On a sunny day, the water takes on a pinkish color. 

 

Our tour bus crosses the island toward the hilly north side -  a desert landscape with lots of cactus plants.  We see the "Bridge of Joy" where legend says when a couple gets married and stands under the bridge, they will stay together forever. 

Bridge of Joy

 

Near the “Bridge of Joy” is the “1000 Steps”.  Actually, it is 64 stone steps from the road down to one of Bonaire’s beautiful beaches … it just feels like 1,000 steps coming back up!  This is one of the locations where divers can access a dive site directly from the shore.



1000 Steps



Our next stop overlooks Lake Goto(meer) which is located on the northwest part of Bonaire.  This is where the pink flamingos gather.  It's the flamingo's diet - plant matter rich in beta-carotene - that gives the flamingos their famous pink color. 

 

 

 

 

 Lake Gotomeer Overlook

Pink Flamingos

 

Just outside of the small town of Rincon is a large white building -  the Mangazina di Rei (translates as the King's Warehouse).  It is the second-oldest stone building (400 years old) on the island.  In the past, it was used to store provisions for slaves.  Today, it has been restored and transformed into a small museum that preserves Bonaire’s early history. 

 



Mangazina di Rei (King’s Warehouse)

 

Grounds Behind Warehouse

 

In the town of Rincon (Bonaire’s oldest town) are two churches - the Protestant Church (dates from 1934) and San Ludovico Beltran Roman Catholic Church.   In 1837, a new but simple structure church was built in Rincon.  In 1907, a hurricane destroyed the original stone church.  While the existing Catholic Church is not in its original form, it is considered a historical attraction.

Protestant Church in Rincon

San Ludovico Beltran Roman Catholic Church in Rincon



The last stop of our bus tour is to Seru Largu (translates to Large Hill).  This monument to the Virgin Mary was built in 2000.  At 404 feet above sea level, it offers outstanding views of the south and east side of Bonaire.  Engraved on the monument are the words "Kristu Ayera Awe Semper" which translated from the Papiamentu language means "Christ, Yesterday, Today and Forever". 

Seru Largu

For more information on visiting Bonaire, click on the following link:
Tourism Bonaire 

 

 

Grand Turk Island Tour

Our cruise ship docks in Cockburn Town at noon.  I opt to take the 2.5 hour island tour.   Since the island is only seven miles long and just over a mile wide, I should be able to see most of the island’s popular destinations.

Our tour bus stops briefly at the entrance to the Grand Turk Island airport where a replica of John Glenn's space capsule – the Friendship 7 is on display.  It commemorates the 1962 splashdown of Glenn’s Mercury spacecraft which landed off the southeast shoreline of Grand Turk. 

Replica of John Glenn’s Space capsule

Our first stop is the White Gold Museum where we learn about the island’s salt industry.  It does not take long to go through this very small museum and gift shop.

Learning about the salt industry at the White Gold Museum

I love to photograph churches and there are some picturesque ones here.  St. Mary’s Anglican Church was built in 1899 and was the first church within Cockburn Town proper.  The St. Thomas Anglican Church was built in 1823-24 and the Methodist Church was built in 1930. 

 St. Mary’s Anglican Church - Exterior & Interior

St. Thomas Anglican Church

Methodist Church

 The National Museum is located in a 200 year old house (Guinep House).  It is uncertain if the mystery ship wreck discovered in the 1970's is Columbus' sailing ship "The Pinta".  But it is confirmed that it dates before 1515 AD and is the correct type of vessel.  After viewing a short video, we walk through the two-story building where we see a 1,000 year old chair and other artifacts. 

Grand Turk National Museum – Exterior & Porch View

The bus drives down the narrow, historic Front Street which parallels the shoreline.  I was on the side of the bus that faced the water views and not the houses.  So, I did not get any pictures of the historic 18th and 19th century buildings that reflect the Bermudan style architecture of the salt era.

Our last stop is at the Grand Turk Lighthouse (built in 1852).  The grounds are closed but we are able to take pictures of it.  The 60’ high tower was built on a small hill overlooking a shallow reef that extends from the northern end of the island. 

Grand Turk Lighthouse and View 

For more information about Grand Turk click on the following link:

Grand Turk & Caicos Tourism