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Trip Reports: An Epistle From Velveeticus Maximus Obnoxious
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2005: Archives - 2003-04-01 to 2004-02-05: An Epistle From Velveeticus Maximus Obnoxious
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By joe brannan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #219) on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 11:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bonaire 1/14-28 2004

Every trip we take, I faithfully promise myself to do a trip report. This time I have 5 hours in the air between Miami and Phoenix, so maybe I’ll actually do what I promised.

The Bad Things
Seems like whenever I read a trip report I look for the bad things first. Sorry, kids, no bad things on this trip. Ok, maybe the weather could have been a bit better (it did rain almost every day, but when you’re a desert rat like me, you learn to appreciate things you don’t see often like rain). The rain brought mosquitoes which I guess would be the one bad thing (I lied before), and there were a lot of mosquitoes and no-see-um type bitie bugs. Every place had bug spray, we used coil burning things in our house, and we easily learned to cope. The good thing about the rain was that the Island, especially the Kunuku (countryside), was lush and green. Everything that could even conceive of blooming was in bloom. Paradise was even lovelier than the paradise of our first Bonaire trip last March.

Lodging
We rented a house in Belnem, 6a Kaya Jupiter, and it was excellent. Three bedroom, 2 bath, very private, nice covered patio, great kitchen, 27 inch TV with RCA plugs in front for way easy dive picture viewing. About 200 meters from the water at Belnem north dive site. Paid like $80/nite including taxes. OK, 3 bedrooms for 2 people is way too much space but for the price you couldn’t beat it. I’d recommend Belnem to anyone who is interested in renting a house. Drop me an email if you’d like further info on where we rented.

Rental Truck
Total Car Rental….This was probably the one area that I was most apprehensive about before our trip. I’d seen several posts that were less than enthusiastic about Total. We had no problems…the truck was in reasonably good shape, check in was easy, drop off was easy, no unnecessary charges. It did have the world’s most obnoxious alarm (Beep, BEep, BEEp, BEEP) but after a while you learn the trick of leaving the key in the ignition until the last possible moment…..a trick that several Brights can make you forget. I did have one flat, in front of the house, and had trouble getting the offending tire off the rim….called Total and Marcel (I think…the boss guy) showed up like 10 minutes later with a big ole hammer, two whacks the tire was off, the spare actually had more tread than the flat tire. I took the flat to Lisa and it was fixed 2 hours later for 8 Guilders. No charge for Marcel coming with the hammer. I’d have no problem recommending Total for a rental truck. We did pay the extra for air-conditioning and would do it again. It’s comfortable enough when you’re cruising with the windows down, but a hot truck is a hot truck and the AC was worth the difference to us.



Food
I forget whether I chose Bonaire for the diving or the food….both are outstanding and I feel like both topics can be kind of addressed on two levels. You can eat and dive at a resort and have good diving, good food and a good time. You can also eat and dive on your own and, in my opinion, find better food, better diving and learn a bit more about where you chose for your vacation. This is not a restaurant review, so I’ll just list old favorites, new favorites, and all time favorites

Old Favorites
. Pasa Bon Pizza….one of the best reasonable meals on the island
Gibi’s…..It’s worth going for the conversation with the BTers but the food is excellent as well (just remember that I did give up the last garlic shrimp to someone else the second Tuesday (the Wahoo was excellent though))
It Rains Fishes….our island arrival meal and a way perfect place to end a travel day
Casablanca…..meat frenzy, not to be denied, but excellent beef and great service
Mona Lisa….great food, impeccable service,

New Favorites
Lost Penguin…”I am a cheeseburger Junky”…..I know I have a problem and I’m willing to admit it. Great burgers, primo breakfast, the wife looooooves the nachos. We hadn’t found the Penguin on our first trip, but this time I think we ate there like 5 or 6 times in two weeks.
Old Inn…..Across from the Plaza Resort, tied with Lost Penguin for best breakfast. Excellent fresh baked French bread with your omelet and yoghurt. They also open at 8 am for us early risers.


All Time Favorite
Bobbejeans Barbecue…..the best ribs and chicken sate on Bonaire, very reasonable, only open Friday to Sunday. We ate there three times in two weeks.


We ate at other places and never had a bad meal, but these would definitely get my unqualified recommendations.



The Diving
Was wet, awesome, and totally enjoyable. I’ve still not gotten the wife past snorkeling, but I think every trip makes her a bit more amenable. Josie gave her a great pep talk at Gibi’s and I think I might have her buying dive toys by our next trip to Bonaire. She snorkels while I gear up, then bird watches (and truck watches) while I’m diving, then snorkels while I ungear (do you gear down), so we never had to worry about anything getting ripped from our truck.

Did 34 dives in two weeks, probably as many north as south, and only had one I didn’t enjoy, my next to last dive was in the Karpata Maytag. Way bad waves and I happened upon a group of 11000 divers in a dive club (ok maybe not that many), actually cut that one short at 31 minutes. More than made up for that one with my last dive at Fish Hut South where I tooled up on a way old turtle just calmly munching on some soft coral. I’m glad I didn’t have to pay him to pose for the video because he was there for long enough to cost me a bunch at turtle union actors scale. Others have probably seen this feller; he’s got a big shark chunk out of his side. The wife asked me how my dive was when I got back to the truck and I just grinned and said “Hun that was THE Chamber of Commerce dive!”
Did three dives on the east side with Bas and would totally recommend this to anybody with a bit of experience who’s comfortable with potentially a bit rough entries. The life is different, way more soft corals, bigger critters, well worth the (to my way of thinking) minimal extra expense, and hassle of getting to the other side.

Other Highlights

We celebrated our 30th anniversary and, with great guidance from Bonaire Talkers, we chartered the Oscarina for an overnight cruise and dinner. A complete surprise for my long suffering wife and a complete success. The weird thing is, we’d never sailed before and, as soon as we got to Bonaire, she started talking about how we should learn to said and buy a boat for retirement, no prompting…she just got this idea in her head (which I made no effort to discourage). We cruised from Kralendijk about 2 pm, up the coast and then across to the far side of Klein for a nice long snorkel, had a few (OK more than a few) Brights and Karen (the skipper) cooked a gourmet meal for our dinner. Between the beers, an excellent dinner, Karen’s great selection of R&B CDs, and being on a boat, it wasn’t a really late night. Got up, had a great breakfast and coffee, had another beautiful snorkel off Klein and sailed back to town. We even got to meet the Dutch Coast Guard who boarded and, minimally, searched the boat. Very pleasant and professional, they didn’t even sweat in their coveralls, Kevlar vests, and life jackets. They do have, what appeared to me, great big ole guns, but they were totally professionals.

We also did the Cave Snorkel trip with Hans (he’s Dutch, yup) at Caribbean Club???. I can’t zactly remember the name of the shop but they’re related to Photo Tours and his brochures are all over the place. The shop is on the way down the hill just before you get to Andrea in Caribbean Club or Caribbean Courts…..the old man forgets at times. Anyways, Hans is most educational about Bonaire’s caves and life and the snorkel was awesome. The cave life is excellent as well (all those stalactites and mites).

Wild Side Diving with Bas…..enuf said under diving. If your comfortable with your diving and can handle a bit of a rough entry and exit….don’t hesitate to give it a try.

Sundays at Lac Cai…a local event. Every Sunday the little settlement across the bay from Jibe City has live music from 3:30 until everyone’s vision fades (I made it till about 7 pm both Sundays). Mucho Brights and Polars, good food, great music and good fun. I, of course, in my endless quest for knowledge, paid careful attention to the gluteal gyrations of the dancers (if you have to ask you don’t wanna know) in an attempt to determine how much energy was being generated. To me an excellent way to have a bit of local fun while you’re on Bonaire.

Benediction

This is hinging on a long report, but it’s hard not to go on and on about a great trip to a great place. We made new friends (Hi to the Canadians who always get searched at airports….you know who you are), Hi Bas, Hi Bob the Realtor (Want some “watah” in that beer?), Hi Josie, Hi Karen, Hi Hans, Hi Ho Hi Ho it’s off to work I go (dangit Monday looms over the horizon). Saw some old friends, Jake, Gibi, the crew at Toucan, the ladies at Cultimara who taught me the Dutch word for hairbrush…which I promptly forgot.

Both of our visits have been made vastly better with the information that I’ve gathered on BonaireTalks and I’m starting a “wave” to recognize the work that Jake and Cynde and others do in keeping up with what could easily be total chaos. Ready….one, two three
WAVE


Photos will follow after the 22 tons of laundry are completed

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3108) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 1:36 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey, Joe...you put your layover time to great use! Thanks for the trip report. You two certainly did have a great time. Kudos to you for booking the Oscarina for your 30th anniversary!! What a wonderful surprise and treat. Ready to sail off into retirement sunset? Sounds like a plan to me. Can't wait to see some pics when you land and catch your breath. Safe trip the rest of the way. CArole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eileen Kimmett (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4237) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 6:20 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great Report!!! Can't wait for photos! As for the laundry after a trip, I hear you!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gail Thomas (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #165) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 9:49 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joe,

Great report. You have a gift for whimsical writing, which I enjoy.

Next yr is our 30th, and I was thinking of the Disney cruise ship, (we get a discount), but your "private" cruise sounds so much more creative and romantic! We'll be back on Bon in July for trip 5, so I'll have to check out the Oscarina!

I'm looking forward to your pictures - hopefully you'll show you face in some!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DARLENE ELLIS (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #963) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 10:06 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joe, Iloved your trip report! It was very informative and to the point. Come to think of it, I don't know what my favorite reason for loving Bonaire so much is: The friends, the food or the fish! I guess it's all of them!!! :-)
Hubby and I will be there March 6th and can't wait!!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Stoltzfus (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #158) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 1:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Velveeticus,
All the pre-trip talk about Mac-n-cheese and not one dining report that included your favorite food!? HA!
Great report...thanks for sharing!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #10370) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 3:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cheezy, great report:-) I'm glad you had a good time, great anniversary, and some wild dives on the east side:-) I've missed the cave snorkeling the last two trips, and next time I'm going to find someone to take me come hide nor hare! I need to remember Hans' name...looking forward to the pics (and a new profile pic perhaps?:-))

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By joe brannan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #224) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 4:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde............Hans the Dutch Guy..........that's all you need. Who's complaining about my profile.....everybody wants to see Velveeticus, all the more reason to keep my identity secret.

joey

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #892) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 9:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joe: I'm keeping my fingers crossed that next time you're in Bonaire, there are TWO divers. You were SUCH a gentleman about giving up the garlic shrimp at Gibi's. Didn't he bribe you with an Amstel??

Great to meet you. I have just two more days...SO sad to be leaving.

Josie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By joe brannan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #228) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 11:50 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Josie, great meeting you and thanks mucho for the peptalk for the wife. It was a polar and I had to fight Bob the realtor for it.

I'm sure you'll be welcomed to cold weather in upstate New York, we're even expecting light snows in southeastern Arizona around Tuesday.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3119) on Sunday, February 1, 2004 - 12:57 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joe, are you near Joseph City? I have some friends who are avid divers who live there. They have not yet been to Bonaire and I have been "working" on them for almost two years now....I think they are biting on the hook....hard not to, right?! Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By joe brannan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #236) on Sunday, February 1, 2004 - 1:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Carole

Joseph City is east of Flagstaff about 350 miles north of me. I'm right in the southeastern corner of AZ right on the Mexican border. I expect your friends are snowed in today and it's about 65 and sunny here.

Good luck with your friends
velvis

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3121) on Sunday, February 1, 2004 - 6:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks, Joe. I love the US SW desert. I miss seeing the flowers bloom in the desert springtime. We used to visit friends in North San Diego (Sandy Eggy) County and then trek on out to the Anza Borrego desert for a few days to watch the growth and beauty out there. Guess that's one of the many reasons we love Bonaire, too....the desert terrain amongst the obvious waters, people and fauna. Thanks, Joe!

Have any pics of the area where you are in Arizona? Mountains? Flat terrain? Get into Mexico at all? cb

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Meryl Virga (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4001) on Sunday, February 1, 2004 - 6:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Oh you big Cheese! Great report...I love finding new restaurants on Bonaire..seems like with each visit there are new ones to enjoy! Keep working on your wife's diving...If she wants to sail...she can dive!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By joe brannan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #241) on Sunday, February 1, 2004 - 7:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Carole, I'll try to dig out some local pics after I winnow through 2 hours of video. Between that and going back to WORK UGH, I'm gonna be pretty tied up for a couple of weeks, remind me if I forget. Yes, I do get to Mexico pretty often, both for pleasure and for work. I pretty much seen about all of northern Sonora (state just to the south of us) and have dove the Sea of Cortez quite a few times (never enough though)

cheesinator

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Igor van Riel (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2270) on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 11:05 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thx 4 the great report CheeseMan.
Cannot wait 2 see the pictures. Cave-snorkeling... ok another addition to the ToDo-list :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mary Mueller (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1610) on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 - 12:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joe - wonderful report - your wife will come around to diving sometime - though the snorkeling in Bonaire is superb!!! Though just snorkeling there made me want to diver there - I am now in process of getting certified!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Darryl Vleeming (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #277) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 5:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey Joe,
How come you didn't mention everything that happened in the caves :-)

From one of the Canadians who got searched.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By joe brannan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #289) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 10:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Coz it's a gol darn SECRET Durruhl

 


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