We didn't have a tour until the afternoon so I had the entire morning to catch up on publishing the blog (thus, all the postings)! It was wonderful to sleep in a bit and have time to go to breakfast in the dining room instead of quickly ordering something from room service early in the morning.
Bonaire is a small island that officially became part of Holland in 2010. There are 17,000 residents on the island, which is 25 miles long and 4 miles wide. Taxes are 30% but our guide was quick to point out that their social services and medical services are completely covered. Minimum wage is $4.60/hour. She joked throughout our tour about how no one cared about Bonaire since there was absolutely nothing useful on the island that would help them get rich so everyone leaves them alone! There is not much entertainment on Bonaire and the only movie theater on the island is quite dilapidated and has been closed for many years. People pass the time by playing dominoes, soccer and baseball.
The island was formed from land created when two tectonic plates came together, so volcanoes are not an issue here. There are over 400 caves on the island, many beautiful rock formations including a natural arch which residents refer to as the "arch of love." They believe that a couple who stands under the arch will have a long and happy life. Our guide told us about the seven species of bats that inhabit the island. She said she has bats outside her house that she goes out to see every night! Evidently, bats play a critical role in maintaining the ecosystem of the island. The bats (who eat only insects!) are the only ones who pollinate the columnar cactus. This cactus plays an important role in feeding many of the animals and reptiles when conditions become very dry due to a lack of rain on the island.
We headed for the north shore to see the flamingos, as well as the other animal and plant life on the island. The residents of Bonaire are extremely proud of their biodiversity on their island and are fiercely protective of anyone who attempts to disturb it They were the first island in the world to create a marine park. Since Bonaire receives very little rain the water is calm, crystal clear and free from silt. It is divable all year. Although there are only a few sandy beaches on the entire island, divers from all over the world come to enjoy the spectacular diving here. Bonaire is considered to be one of the top five sites in the world for diving. A few of the fish that live in their waters include parrot, angel, hog, peacock flounder, lizard, scorpion, and goatfish.
We passed a popular diving area which can be accessed from the road by descending the famous "1000 steps." Our guide told us that actually there are only 72 steps but urban legend is that an old sea captain used to ascend these steps after he had taken his boat out fishing and had imbibed in the spirits and it always felt to him like there were 1000 steps to climb!! Thus, the name!! Still, when divers climb the stairs toting diving gear I'm sure that many of them would agree with the old sea captain!
As we drove our guide pointed out a variety of trees, cacti, and flowering plants that grow throughout the island. The acacia tree has numerous thorns and can be used to keep unwanted "critters" out of an area. Many people surround their yards with cactus fences which are strings of wire with thorny cactus attached, mother-in-law cushion cactus (not so funny since I'm a MIL), kadushi cactus (liquid from this cactus is used to make liquor), prickly cactus, yatu cactus (which are the ones used to make the fences), brazilwood trees (used to make red dye), and castor oil plants (you know what this is used for...I stayed far away from those plants).
In addition to the plants we saw quite a few animals, birds, and reptiles (thankfully, no snakes on the island). When I asked our guide if there were snakes on the island she laughed and said she is always asked that question. It is the only unfortunate part of living on the island. There are cobras, anacondas, rattlers, vipers, boas, etc...... As I was nearly ready to stay on the bus until we returned to the ship she laughed (really hard) and said NO, there are no snakes here. Well, there is one about 6" long, harmless, and they rarely see them. NOT FUNNY!!! I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or slug her but I was quite relieved to know I could relax and enjoy our time on the island!!
We saw quite a few animals, birds, and reptiles. We saw green and yellow parakeets perched on trees and learned that they sometimes lay their eggs inside of termite nests. We also spotted a few yellow shoulder amazon parrots, and some beautifully colored iguanas creeping along the ground. Our guide told us that they are often killed by hunters and sold for food, which is illegal. We saw lots of vibrantly colored lizards, as well as goats, wild dogs, and pigs. Our guide pointed out a sign that she said we probably wouldn't see at home. It warned drivers to stop for billy goats crossing! I'm sure she's correct. We won't see this sign at home on the Southern California beaches.
We arrived at the north shore of the island and saw a group of pink flamingos relaxing in the shallow lakeshore water, frequently ducking their heads and long necks under the water to collect food. They were such odd looking creatures with their very long skinny legs but they were actually quite graceful in the water and in flight. When they flap their wings you can see the patches of black underneath them. They come here because of the plentiful brine shrimp in the calm waters on the island. A bit surreal to be out here in this isolated place watching flamingos, lizards, and iguanas. Absolutely love it.
We started our trek back across the island to the ship. It's not a particularly beautiful island but it is quite interesting. Residents absolutely love their isolated lifestyle and are happy to live a slow, uncomplicated life. Our final sight before we drove back into the port was a large tree decorated with flip flop sandals hanging like Christmas ornaments. I thought it was quite a cute idea for trees at home during the Christmas season! As soon as we returned to the ship it was time to sail for the Dominican Republic. First, however, we have a lovely day at sea tomorrow so I can relax and get a little extra sleep!!!
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