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Trip Reports: Trip report Aug 5-12
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2005: Archives - 2001-05-19 to 2001-11-29: Trip report Aug 5-12
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian J. Walsh on Saturday, August 18, 2001 - 4:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Flights: Air Jamaica from Philadelphia. No big problems. One hour delay awaiting connecting flight on the way down. Bonaire flight late to Jamaica on our return but Philadelphia flight held. All luggage Ok. I love getting in in the afternoon.

Rental: Toyota van from AB, no problems.

Lodging: Belmar 3BR. This our first stay there, we loved it. The set up was nice, the staff was great. We did most dives from their dock. We found both a seahorse and frogfish right out front of the dock. The on site diving Toucan was first rate. Our 11 year old did his referral dives with Monique and had a great time. We now have our four children and Mom and dad certified. Mom and Dad discovered that although we have fun as a 6, that the two of us see more on our early AM dives when the others sleep in. We did one boat dive to Klein as a family which was nice but we love the shore diving and that is what we did mostly.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian J. Walsh on Saturday, August 18, 2001 - 4:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Part II

Food: Shopping we mostly used Cultimara which we prefer. We found Warehouse Bonaire easier to get into and out of. On Sunday we picked up some s things at the Plaza"s mini mart which was our only choice then. We tend to do Breakfast and Lunch in our room and dinner out.

Restaurants:
Richards: Nice location on the water, good food.
Crocantino: Our third visit, a nice place downtown with fancy Italian food.
Lions Den: Very Nice, Good food, Kirk(of Green Parot fame) is worth the trip.
DeTuin: Nice place our our kids love it (Ribs) and we enjoy it. You can check your e-mail which we avoid on vacation. Our waiter spoke Dutch to us for half of the night and then realized we were from the US. He had not heard of Delaware. When we told him about it, he told us it sounded like the Bonaire of the States.
Chibi-Chibi: Fun waterfront Place, nice menu, kids can feed the fish out front.
Capricio: A Family favorite also our third visit, Mom's choice for a birthday dinner. Italian influenced menu, nice wine list, super desserts. We considered another visit just for desert.
Amadeus: Neat location, nice food, another fun place for adults and kids.
Lovers Ice Cream: for that fix of Ice Cream from back Home
Priscas: Hard to find, the Ranger at the Park gate has maps. Adults like this more than kids we found.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian J. Walsh on Saturday, August 18, 2001 - 4:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Part III
I am trying to be brief. It has taken we six days to sit down and do this.

The Park: I know you go there to dive and snorkle but take a day and do the park. It is another world. Check out the beaches, the Iguanas and the Parrots.

We stayed at Sand Dollar 4/2000 and 4/2001. We had a 3BR there which we enjoyed. This time there were no 3 BR there so we tried Belmar which we also liked a lot. Where do we go for trip 4 will be a hard choice but I suspect we would enjoy either place. A close family vote during this trip was 4:2 in Belmars favor.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carlin Boyll on Monday, August 20, 2001 - 7:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Brian- Did you take the van into the park, or trade it for something else that day?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian J. Walsh on Monday, August 20, 2001 - 10:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We took the van with no problems. The roads are not perfect but can be done. At points you have to go slow and dodge some potholes. Unless you can get a 4x4 I see no big advantage in getting a pick up for example. I have even seen cars in the park.

 


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