Travel Agent - June 23, 2008 - (Page 96) Your Vacation Begins the Moment You Board US 1.800.523.5585 | UK 0.208.570.7999 | www.AirJamaica.com diving delights, CULTURAL DIVERSITY afés abuzz with multilingual conversations and a city filled with 17th and 18th century architecture and chic shops and clubs lend a European air to Curacao, while its dreamy white-sand beaches, wade-in dive and snorkel sites and trade-wind-fanned tropical sun are clearly Caribbean. Located just 35 miles off the coast of Venezuela, Curacao is outside the hurricane belt and averages just 21 inches of rain per year, giving much of the island a dry, cactus-dotted landscape. The main city, Willemstad, also capital of the Dutch Antilles, has long been an important trading center. Its Free Zone, the largest distribution center in the Caribbean, has a tax-free shopping area for consumers. While Dutch is the official language, English, Spanish and Papiamentu — a mix of Dutch Portuguese, Spanish and English — are widely spoken in this cosmopolitan capital, and its historic, pastel-painted, Dutch-gabled architecture earns it a place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. C A RICH HISTORY The city’s main sections – Punda and Otrobanda – are connected by the Queen Emma floating bridge. The island’s rich history is part of everyday life. The 1732 Mikve Israel Emmanuel Synagogue is the oldest in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere. Early fortifications such as Fort Nassau, Riffort and Waterfort, built as protection against pirates, provide pretty settings for restaurants, shops and CURAÇAO GEOGRAPHY: Curacao is located in the southwestern Caribbean, 35 miles off the coast of Venezuela. LANGUAGE: Ninety percent of the local population speaks Papiamentu, a Creole language. Most official government documents and many road signs and advertisement signs are in Dutch. English and Spanish are also widely spoken. POPULATION: 192,000 inhabitants. CLIMATE: Annual average temperature: 80ºF. Average humidity: 77%. Average annual rainfall: 21”. Windspeed: 16 mph. TIME: EST +1. GMT -4 96 www.caribbeantravel .c om http://www.AirJamaica.com http://www.caribbeantravel.com
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