We are really enjoying getting to know people here on the island. We even got invited to a birthday party! However, we didn’t know that the tradition here is for the birthday person to provide the treats and food for people and that giving gifts to them isn’t proper. We have a lot to learn about Dutch and Papiamento culture. However, I think the bottle of wine will get used at some point. Margot even liked the crumpled picture of her sailing during the Regatta. The “gift” really didn’t survive the dinghy ride to shore and got munched. We will have to give her a proper photo in a frame.
While cruising, we have found that you can be as busy as you want to be. Every night, there seems to be something to do. Here on Bonaire, Tuesday is Jazz Night and Wednesday is $8 Burger Night at the Paris Bistro next to the Marina. Tuesday and Friday are free shuttle rides to the grocery store nights. They seem to turn into social hours as well. Friday nights, locals show up to The Million Dollar Bar (aka Kanti Awa to locals) across from where we are moored, and they serve $2.25 beers. Also on Fridays, another group of local expats we have met meet up for Happy Hr and/or dinner somewhere on island. We seem to never be lacking in finding something to do, if we so chose. Angie still has not been able to make it to the 7:30 water aerobics.
