The Second Half

For the second half of our trip, we changed hotels and moved over to the Renaissance.  After the move, our trip settled down and became very relaxing.  Since we no longer had a car, our days fell into a pattern.  Breakfast in the room or at the hotel buffet, pool time with lunch poolside, more pool time followed by dinner either poolside or at one of the cruise port restaurants.  Each night we went to bed early because, well, the kids were exhausted from all that pool time!  

So please, enjoy these pictures!

The Renaissance has a salt water infinity pool. So, it looks like they are in the water with the cruise ship, but they aren't!

I discovered that the Iguana Cafe had Orangina and my trip got even better!

Obligatory picture of my feet.

Poolside pizza.

Yes, that is caviar and champagne. It's a rough life.

Caviar joins lobster and steak on the list of expensive foods she loves.

She tried on this hat, looked at Rob and said, "can I have this?" It's a good thing she was only asking for a hat and not a pony.

Dodgson! We've got Dodgson here!

Sometimes you forget you aren't in the US anymore. Then you see a cigarette machine and remember.

Watching the bridge open never gets old.

After ice cream one evening we thought it would be great to let the kids run off their energy in this grassy field. Nope. It was full of mosquitos.

She's so tan!

He's loved digging in the sand since he could walk and hold a shovel.

The salt water pool was full of these snails.

Just out for a stroll.

Love.

This guy was easily 3 feet long.

Happiness is going on vacation with your best friend.

I think we've all had too much sun at this point.

Oh, Anne.

They got tired of eating at restaurants.

Before I wrap up our time in Curacao, I have to mention one of the best parts of our time at the Renaissance Resort.  Our second or third day there, we met a family from Holland who had a 5 year old son and a baby girl.  We ended up spending a lot of time hanging out with them at the pool, talking and letting the kids play.  Their son attends an international school so he was able to chat with our kids, and introduced Ryan to bitterballen.  This popular snack looks like hush puppy but is really deep fried meat paste.  It was heart warming to watch them play together and Ryan still asks every day to go and see him in Holland. I jokingly call Ryan "The Mayor" sometimes because he talks to everyone.  Maybe he has a future in international relations?

Our final morning, Rob had to fly, which, ya know, was the whole point of the trip.  Since the hotel was in his flight pattern, we timed it to be at the pool when he was flying over and had the coolest photo opportunity!

My photo of the mighty stratotanker in flight, taken from the beach/pool at the hotel.

Taken from the cockpit of the mighty stratotanker. See the cruise ship? Ok, look to the left of it. See the pool at the hotel? That's where I was standing taking the picture above!

After his flight, it was time to head to the airport.  

"Ok, daddy. Kiss me right here!"

We loved every minute of this adventure and are so grateful that Rob's career allows us to travel.  Our kids were able to really see what another country is like.  I challenged myself to travel by myself with the kids.  And although we talk now of returning to Curacao, we also have a strong desire to see the whole world.  Who knows where our next adventure will take us!.