Photo of the Day: Day 1

The blog has suffered this year, I know, and not because there hasn't been plenty to blog about. In an effort to salvage what has been an abysmal effort at record keeping for 2009, I am going to post a picture every day this month in the hopes of providing 1) anyone still reading a reason to continuing doing so, and 2) some evidence that though we haven't be writing about our life this year, we have, in fact, been living it.

Here are Kenny and Caleb (Isaac did not join us on this trip) at the Sea Aquarium in Curacao petting a shark. Moments before this we saw the shark bare it's myriad teeth as it was fed. We were petrified, Caleb was enthralled.

We visited Curacao with our dear friends Adrianne and Mario in January. Curacao is just a 30 minute flight from Venezuela and boasts pristine beaches and laid-back living. The island is part of the Netherlands Antilles and because of this, it's proximity to South America, it's history of being a slaver destination and the thriving tourism trade, there are four recognized languages spoken on this small island of fewer than 150,000 inhabitants.

The grocery stores on Curacao were overflowing with a wonderful assortment of "impossible to find in Venezuela" products and we stocked up on cheese, root beer, salad dressing and European chocolate. Our visit also included lots of sun-bathing and swimming and we even rented a car to drive to some of the more remote parts of the island to enjoy more beautiful beaches and glorious weather. A highlight of our trip was an afternoon at the slavery museum. It is one of the most interesting, informative and accessible museums we have ever been to. We learned from the exhibits at the museum that in the 1600s, the Dutch West India Company made Curacao the center of it's slave trade and for 200 years slavery was the major economic force on the island.

The architecture and design of the capital, Willemstad, are a unique blend of many cultural and historical influences. Many of the buildings are well-preserved and historically significant which has resulted in Willemstad being designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a great maritime museum in Curacao as well. We enjoyed our visit to this island so much, we would go back in a heartbeat.

Okay, I know I said one picture, but Curacao is so lovely, a single photo just isn't sufficient.

Dolphins at the Sea Aquarium

Enjoying an afternoon at the beach

Inside the slavery museum

Beautiful Willemstad