Did you notice I was off, a few days

It was in honor of a long weekend, family vacation, in Curaçao.

We booked Divi Divi Air and Kura Botanica for our stay and as far as these two companies are concerned, they delivered 100% on their promises.

No delays, no glitches, it all worked like clockwork!

We already stayed at Kura Botanica two years ago for the North Sea Jazz. The hotel was just taken over by new ownership, recovering from a fire and a bankruptcy, and we did not have a perfect stay. I looked at my blog from that trip. I did not even mention where we stayed, but this time I am full of praise. We loved it all, from super helpful front desk staffers to friendly housekeepers, a diligent bartender, and Miguel, an all-around charmer, a manager who is everywhere at the same time.

Kura Botanica. What opened in 1999 as Kura Hulanda by late Dutch philanthropist/billionaire Jacob Gelt Dekker as an 80 room luxury boutique resort housed in meticulously restored 18th and 19th century Dutch Colonial Caribbean buildings spread over several glorious courtyards, multiple pools, three award-winning restaurants, a cafe, and brand new spa and fitness center, was parred down and received a rewrite, a more sustainable format, in the form of a 40-room hotel, set in a specialty boutique and restaurant filled village. The village is open to the public, its tenants pay rent to the property, and I even met some life-loving residents who live, long term, on site. The hotel is enclosed within its gardens. Six gardeners, work around the clock to keep up with dropping leaves. We introduced ourselves to a few resident mousers, happy fat cats, hanging out at the Gelato corner, next to the band platform, and at the foot of the marble lions. Just one pool — stroll over to the village for all you F&B needs.

As I said, it was perfection, complete with new beds, and large pool towels.

The Kura Hulanda Museum has suffered in the transition from private loving ownership to financial independence, now paying rent to the property. The museum collections are not as complete and the air conditioning in one of the rooms has been out for three years. Nevertheless the museum is an especially important cultural component of any visit on the island of Curaçao. A gift to the island by the generous Dekker, a gift that keeps on giving, especially the Slavery Museum, as complete as I remember it from opening day!

I checked some prices to perhaps engage the services of a guide, to share with us what is new and what is happening. I was surprised how expensive tours got and decided to be the weaver of fact and fiction myself! My family members confirm, I did a decent job at explaining the sites, complete with dates and personalities.

There is a lot happening in Curaçao. A lot is good. But service is the Achilles heel, as the product diversifies and grows, while the service infrastructure has a tough time keeping up.

Luxury Taxi Service Curaçao took a credit card, which was helpful since I did not get any local currency upon arrival. Note to self, next time, do. On the other hand upon departure, the female taxi driver casually demanded cash, no change, no receipt of course. I am grateful the Kura Botanica crew came to the rescue, charging my card against cash.

We visited Flores Otrobanda, for several rounds of coffee and refreshments, at the Kura Botanica Village. A Cappuccino goes for 7 Xcg, and it is served with a cookie and a smile.

Viva Pizza and Pasta Bar fed us on two occasions, lunch. Their dining room is air conditioned. Did I mention Curacao is as hot as Aruba, in early October. Viva’s goat salad with pear, and chicken Xcg 42.

Gouverneur De Rouville left an extremely poor impression, when after being seated and given menus, we were asked to relocate, leave our front row table overlooking the bay, and Handelskade, because they had reservations, later. You should have seen the expression of disbelief on my face. The restaurant was not busy at all. You would think they “would cross the bridge when they got there,” and handle reservations as they come in, without throwing three lunch clients out. Their prices are reasonable, Poke Bowl Xcg 32.75, but they have zero common sense.

Very disappointing dinner at the second most expensive restaurant, Ocean House 19, Riff Fort Village. Zero effort at presentation. Staffers hurried, no attention to details or tiny requests. Dining terrace chaos. Every Thursday Curaçao throws a fireworks show over the abandoned Plaza Hotel tower. Restaurant guests get sparkler sticks, to swirl, which perfume the night air with Sulphur.

Very pleasant, mid-morning cocktails at Saint Tropez Ocean Club, Aperol Spritz Xcg 22. The gracious waitress tolerated my dissertation about French sex kitten actress Brigitte Bardot whose poster hangs on the wall. The Gen-Xer had no clue whose face she was looking at every day.

My third visit at Kome restaurant was tasty. Smoked Beef Brisket Xcg 60. Service was adequate at best. Plates arriving at the table before the previous course cleared. Minimal engagement with guests. I admire the staffers, up and down the steep stairs balancing ice buckets and cocktails. Desserts was out of this world. They are busy.

Caleo Crudos at Kura Botanica village delivered the most personable, caring service – our server, more like a hostess, made dinner a pleasant experience, and the food was particularly good. My bag hanger failed at its job. Must find another solution for ladies’ handbags.

When I first visited Mundo Bizarro in 2001, it was eclectic and Bohemian. Now it is just shabby and broken. Their kitchen is good. The cutlery could use a refresh. In fact the whole thing could use a refresh. Roti Xcg 34.50

As expected, lunch at the old market in town, Plaza Bieu, was stellar, Lunch x 4 Xcg 168.75. The iconic soul-food market is not air-conditioned, the dining-hall lined with food stalls offering traditional island cuisine. While renovated, it still looks the same. Memorable island food experience.

We loved walking over the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge and past the world-famous pastel-colored row of colonial merchant houses on the waterfront to the fruit & vegetable market. OK, some stalls offer souvenirs just like Aruba, but on others the variety of fresh fruit and vegetables is staggering. One of the vendors told us it takes 6 hours to Coro, Venezuela, to load up his boat, and that he makes the trip often, to feed Curaçaoënan with quality crops. He said he was hoping to expand his reach to Aruba in 2027.

We walked all over Punda and Otrabanda at all hours of the day and night. It is perfectly safe, and clean. Locals gathered at plazas on both sides of the bay to watch the National Soccer Team qualify for the quarterfinals in Panama at the nations league. Very cool to see, men, women, children, watching their heroes on giant screens.

Grote Knip was too crowded, and overpriced. Playa Kelki offered a better beach experience.

Numbers do not lie, the island must be doing something right, but must pay attention:

Curacao 578,814 / Aruba 1,152,109 = Stayover Arrivals YTD AUG 2026

Curacao 4,793,691 / Aruba 7,767,967 = Total Nights YTD AUG 2026

Curacao 590,829 / Aruba 628.511 = Cruise Arrivals YTD AUG 2026

Curaçao is heading to where Aruba is. Fast!

The airport is great, it is well roganized, yet extremely loud. The PA system blew our eardrums with frequent thunderous flight announcements.

La Cabana at 35: A Resort Built on People, Memories and Perseverance

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/la-cabana-at-35-a-resort-built-on-people-memories-and-perseverance/

Two Pieces for Tuesday

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/two-pieces-for-tuesday/

At St Regis Aruba, Un Viaggio d’Italia, A Culinary & Wine Journey Through Italy

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/at-st-regis-aruba-un-viaggio-ditalia-a-culinary-wine-journey-through-italy/

BlyP plants 50 indigenous trees, in the Bucuti & Tara Nature Preserve in Noord

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/blyp-plants-50-indigenous-trees-in-the-bucuti-tara-nature-preserve-in-noord/

Sustainability cannot be Selective

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/sustainability-cannot-be-selective/

Bucuti & Tara Joins Fundacion ABO to Make Aruba Pink and Share “The Gift of Rest”

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/bucuti-tara-joins-fundacion-abo-to-make-aruba-pink-and-share-the-gift-of-rest/

The Minister of Tourism, Wendrick Cililia, circulated two documents recently, Strategic Tourism Implementation Plan, draft, 2026 – 2031, a 99-page document, and National Tourism Transformation Program, draft, 2026-2031, a 207-page document, total 306 pages, which must have been written by a man paid by the page.

If you are paid by the page, you aim at producing many.

We fed the documents to Claude, and he produced a 13-page summary. Also too long and boring.

Then we asked Claude to give us a Ministerial Presentation, and he produced 14 pages of easier to understand graphs and tables, and even that was boring.

If you cannot present your plan in 15 minutes, over five pages, you lose the audience. Nobody will ever read the two documents above. And I am willing to bet big bucks that none of the ministers read it.

P.S. AHATA responded in a two page document.

Additionally, the new bureaucratic body, the minister suggested to manage the new system, is 100% useless.

One of my friends wrote: if you cannot explain it simply, you do not understand it well. A 300-page presentation does not present clarity it demonstrates the absence of it. Even Einstein genuinely emphasized simplicity, that even a child could understand.

We also asked Claude to critique the document and he said that jargon rules over substance. He also cited heavy repetitions, with excessive use of boilerplates. He noticed visible reviewer notes, which should not be in anything circulated, and spotted internal contradictions, which undermined the document’s credibility.

Most importantly, the key message is buried in fluff: Visitors pay more, the money is set aside and protected, cruise is capped, hotels must prove they add value, residents get housing and roads. THAT’S ONE PAGE NOT 300.

The minister should present a 10–15-page policy document. And the monsters above may remain locked up in a drawer.

This avalanche of words reminded me of an article I read by Malcolm Gladwell, one of my favorite non-fiction writers, who discussed Enron Corporation, an American Energy company, some of you would remember — that was a legendary company that performed a spectacular bankruptcy in 2001. Gladwell found that too much detailed information was given to board members and auditors, facts were buried in an extraordinary amount of complicated information, which made it difficult for outsiders to recognize that what was happening was a disaster. The sheer scale and complexity, prevented people from reading let alone understanding.

Same here too much noise to cut through.

Breast cancer awareness, connection with Aruba’s nature, and a complimentary four-night stay bring the resort’s spirit of care to life this October.

This October, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort is joining Fundacion ABO’s Make Aruba Pink campaign through screening education, experiences in Aruba’s nature and The Gift of Rest, a complimentary four-night stay for someone facing breast cancer. Together, these initiatives connect awareness with meaningful care, encouraging people to look after their health and helping those affected feel supported.

For the independent, locally owned resort, the collaboration is a natural extension of its longstanding commitment to its associates, community and Aruba’s natural heritage.

“At the heart of Bucuti & Tara is a very simple desire: to care for people,” says Crescenzia Biemans. “That is why last year we introduced annual health checkups tailored to women’s and men’s health needs. Our collaboration with ABO builds on that commitment. It encourages the women on our team to make time for their health and the men to learn and support the women in their lives. We want our associates to feel that the care they give our guests extends to them and their families.”

Awareness that leads to action

Information sessions led by Fundacion ABO will give associates opportunities to ask questions, learn about available resources and receive assistance with booking screening appointments. For a team devoted to caring for others, this offers practical support to give their own wellbeing the same attention.

Throughout October, reusable pink ribbon pins, pink orchids, an illuminated pink resort sign and a signature pink mocktail will carry the campaign’s message. Guest communications and social media will explain the purpose behind the pink, while the resort’s monthly beach cleanup will connect its familiar tradition of caring for Aruba’s shores with support for its people.

Connection through nature

A gathering planned with ABO for October 25 at the Bucuti & Tara–GMC Nature Preserve will welcome people affected by breast cancer for an experience centred on nature, reflection and companionship.

Among Aruba’s wild flora and fauna, participants will enjoy gentle mindfulness and grounding practices, learn about local herbs and their place in the island’s wellbeing traditions, and plant trees together. The experience will offer space to slow down, engage the senses and connect at a comfortable pace.

Their trees will contribute to the preserve’s continuing restoration, leaving a living connection to the day. In this protected landscape, care for Aruba’s natural heritage becomes an opportunity to nurture belonging and emotional rest.

The Gift of Rest

This same understanding of wellbeing has inspired a complimentary four-night stay for one person facing breast cancer. Anyone facing breast cancer may share their own story or be nominated with their permission.

The gift has a natural home at Bucuti & Tara. Its peaceful Eagle Beach setting, intimate scale and thoughtful, personal service allow guests to settle into a gentler rhythm. Restful nights, nourishing food and wellness experiences enjoyed according to individual interests and energy offer room to disconnect and simply be.

“With The Gift of Rest, we hope to offer a little comfort during a time that asks so much of a person, physically and emotionally,” Biemans adds. “A few peaceful days beside the sea, with no expectations and the freedom to rest in whatever way feels right for them. Our wish is for them to feel gently cared for, knowing that, for a little while, they can leave the everyday details to us and make space for their own wellbeing.”

Stories and nominations may be sent to pr@bucuti.com until October 31, 2026. Submissions will be reviewed privately and compassionately, considering each person’s circumstances and what this gift could mean for them.