Curaçao, Netherlands 库拉索，荷兰
December 11, 2025
Curaçao lies only about 40 miles from Venezuela, and during our visit the nearby region felt unusually close to the headlines. Reports of heightened military activity, aircraft carriers offshore, the seizure of oil tankers, and even the dramatic escape of a Nobel Prize winner reminded us that, despite the island’s relaxed, colorful vibe, Curaçao sits beside a region of real geopolitical tension.
That morning, we crossed the Queen Emma floating pontoon bridge to explore Willemstad’s UNESCO-listed historic core—Handelskade’s pastel waterfront, Fort Amsterdam, and the rainbow-colored streets that make the city feel like a living postcard.
When it was time to head back across the bay, the bridge was open and we couldn’t cross. We learned that whenever the bridge stays open for an extended period, a small ferry shuttles people back and forth. It sounded like part of the fun, so we hopped on. But instead of taking us where we expected, the ferry dropped us at a dock right next to our ship—far earlier than we intended. We asked around, stayed onboard, and hoped the next run would bring us closer to the bridge. Instead, it looped right back to where we started.
Stubborn as we were, we stayed on again—three times. On the last ride, a Dutch military ship glided past, adding an unexpectedly dramatic note to our little harbor adventure. In the end, we accepted that the ferry itself had become the highlight. After three ferry rides—and fantastic views of both sides of the harbor—we gave up our original plan and returned to the ship for lunch.
In the afternoon, we joined a shore excursion that took us beyond the city. We visited the Curaçao Museum, continued on to Hato Caves, and ended at a liqueur distillery to learn about the island’s famous blue curaçao. The tour, however, didn’t quite live up to expectations—the pacing and overall quality felt underwhelming.
That night, the ship wasn’t scheduled to depart until 9:00 p.m., so we wanted to return to Punda to experience the nightlife. At the same time, we worried the bridge might open again and leave us stranded on the wrong side. After an early dinner, we set out with plenty of time—only to see the bridge begin to open again, posted as a 45-minute opening. We headed straight for the ferry.
This time we made a mistake: we entered through the wrong access point, and by the time we reached the dock, the ferry had already departed. We waited for the next one, but then the bridge started closing—meaning ferry service would stop and we’d have to walk back across. Just then, a kind bus driver offered us a lift and dropped us near the bridge. Throughout our travels, we keep meeting people like this—small acts of kindness that make a place feel warmer and more welcoming.
Crossing the beautifully lit bridge, we lingered over the night views of Curaçao before returning to the ship.
And then came the finale. Every Thursday at 8:00 p.m., fireworks light up the sky. As our ship pulled away, the waterfront glowed, colors shimmered on the water, and Willemstad looked absolutely stunning—one of the best sail-away scenes of the entire trip.
2025年12月11日
今天我们的船来到加勒比海著名的荷兰 ABC 群岛之一的库拉索（阿鲁巴 Aruba、博奈尔 Bonaire、库拉索 Curaçao）。库拉索距离委内瑞拉只有约40英里。我们到访期间，有关周边海域局势的消息频频登上新闻头条：海上军事活动升温、航母现身、油轮被扣押，甚至还有诺贝尔奖得主戏剧性逃离的消息。这些都提醒我们——尽管岛上氛围轻松、但它所处的位置，紧邻着一片充满政治紧张感的海域。
今天除了我们的船，另外还有三艘大邮轮也来到了库拉索的威廉斯塔德 （Willemstad）港。我们俩趁早先下船，街头巷尾还很安静，我们先走过艾玛女王浮桥（Queen Emma Floating Pontoon Bridge），前去探访威廉斯塔德被联合国教科文组织列为世界遗产的老城区：Handelskade沿海那排柔和的彩色建筑、阿姆斯特丹堡（Fort Amsterdam），以及一条条像明信片一样绚丽的街道。
当我们准备回到海湾另一侧时，浮桥正好打开，我们一时过不去。正好看见有小渡轮在两岸往返接驳，我们觉得挺有意思，便上了船。没想到渡轮却把我们送到了紧挨着邮轮的码头——对我们来说，回船还太早。我们向几位乘客打听后，决定继续留在渡轮上，希望下一趟能把我们送到更靠近浮桥的地方。结果渡轮绕了一圈，又回到了最初上船的地方。我们仍不死心，干脆又坐了一趟——前前后后一共坐了三次。最后一趟时，一艘荷兰军舰从身旁缓缓驶过，场面颇具戏剧性。最终，在三次往返、尽览海湾两岸风景之后，我们只好放弃原计划，回船用午餐。
下午我们参加了一个出城的岸上游，先去了库拉索博物馆（Curaçao Museum），接着参观哈托洞穴（Hato Caves），最后到了一家酒厂，了解岛上著名的蓝色库拉索酒（blue curaçao）。不过这趟行程整体不太满意——节奏和品质都有些差强人意。
今晚邮轮要到晚上9点才离港，我们原本还想再回到彭达（Punda）体验夜生活，但又担心浮桥再次开启，把我们困在另一侧。于是先提前吃了晚饭，给自己留出充足时间。没想到刚走近，浮桥就开始开启，告示显示将打开约45分钟，白天已经经历过，浮桥开启时间较长时有渡轮，我们便直奔渡轮码头。
自以为已经熟门熟路的我们，却还是走错了入口。等赶到渡轮站时，船已经开走了。正等下一班时，浮桥却开始关闭——这意味着渡轮服务暂停，我们只能步行返回桥边。正当我们有些着急时，一位好心的巴士司机主动提出载我们一程，把我们送到了桥附近。一路旅行中，总能遇到这样愿意多做一步的好心人，让人倍感温暖。
走过灯光璀璨的浮桥，我们再次欣赏库拉索迷人的夜景。而压轴的惊喜也随之到来：每周四晚上8点，这里都会燃放烟花。我们回到邮轮上，在船上看海湾两岸灯火辉映，烟花在夜空中绽放，整座城市美得令人惊叹。
当邮轮缓缓驶离，库拉索的灯火渐渐远去，这无疑是我们这次游轮之旅中，迄今为止最美的一次离港景象。