In the middle of all the bad stuff that is being communicated about the attacks - I wanted to bring a bit of good news to everyone's attention.

When I was on the island on the same time the attack happened to Albert and Barbara I lost my wallet with Credit Cards and cash due to my own stupidity. Well, an Angel - Felippna Trinidad found it, went to her daughter that works for the Tourist Board. They in turn called all the hotels to try to locate me. Susan at Bon Bini Divers knew I have a residence on the island which she told the Tourist Board - so when I came home in the evening, a message was on my voicemail from the Tourist Board. I went to the offices the next day and met Felippna. She handed me the wallet - and NOTHING was missing.

So why do I want to bring this up? Well, as so many of you have expressed, we too love the island and the people. It comes to show that a few bad apples can make it difficult for a lot of people as these attacks are an example of - but I truly believe that the very vast majority of the inhabitants of this wonderful island are like Felippna Trinidad - honest and straight forward.

I agree with you all the way Flemming.....I miss my lil paradise.

I too had similar good experiences in my recent visit to Bonaire. Some how, my brain must have been on over load - or maybe just out to lunch as I enjoyed just being on Bonaire, because it seemed that every day I left something of value behind and each time I walked back each thing "lost" was still there. This includes leaving my uw camera and housing in the dunk tank on the Divi dock a couple of times, leaving my camera on the table in the Divi business center, leaving my fleece skin on the rail outside the DePalm gift shop a the Divi, leaving my gear all sitting outside the Divi business center another time... Each time I either got all the way to my room at the Dive Inn and quickly walked back, or at least walked half way to the room and walked back. Nothing lost :-) Not to downplay the serious crime issues on Bonaire, but good to remember the nice and honest people there as well.....

Flemming...the good luck is with you. like everywhere in the world you can find good and bad people, you found good people (honest) in Bonaire . now your wallet is with you and nothing was missing,good news for you and for us

My first trip to Bon in 2001, I was leaving the Cultimara store after picking up some goodies, was attaching the bag to my little motor scooter and a young lad came running after me. Before my natural "Chicago" defense mechanisms could kick in, he handed me some paper money I had dropped on my way out. I think it was a 5 or 10 guilder note. Needless to say I fully thanked the lad and gave him the note as HIS reward for being a "good guy" and doing the "right" thing.

That kind of stuff happens WAY more often than the bad things. But the bad things can make a deeper impression on visitors. Let's hope something good comes out of all the bad.