BonaireTalk Discussion Group
Trip Reports: Yet another wonderful trip
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Yet another wonderful trip
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff Kehnle (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #227) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 6:47 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I don't dive. I need a flotation device to snorkel comfortably. And these days, I can't even bask in the sun or splash about in the sea for more than a few minutes, and then only in a floppy hat (which makes me look like a doofus) and slathered in SPF 60 lotion (SAE 40W). Why in the world do my wife and I keep coming back to Bonaire?

OK, my wife has a snorkeling addiction. Whether right off the beach at Harbour Village or on a Harbour Village dive boat run, she is in the water 3-4 hours a day. This year she enjoyed two firsts -- sea horses ( :) ) and lion fish ( :( ). She also saw three turtles. She has nightmares about being in Bonaire and NOT being able to snorkel.

But there is so much more.

Harbour Village -- It is a true haven -- lovely in every respect, albeit ridiculously expensive (but hey, it's only once a year, right!?!). It is perfect for us -- I loll on the beach, she snorkels, we're both in heaven.

International flavor -- Whilst sitting on the beach, I heard people speaking Dutch, German, French, Italian, and Spanish. There were also British and American accents.

Dinners in the evening -- This time around, Cactus Blue, Kon Tiki (twice), Guernica, Bambu, Rumrunner's, City Cafe, Donna & Georgio's, and a whole passel (there you are, Jim) of eateries which will have to wait until next trip. Just had an awful thought -- we didn't have any Love's ice cream this trip, nor did we make it to the new ice cream place in town. THAT was a serious error on our part...

Driving trips around the island -- south past the salt works, past the kite sailing, the light house, the gorgeous windward coast, funky Jibe City, or north to Lake Gotomeer, Rincon, and down again to HV. We've seen it all a dozen times, and never tire of it. And so green this year, with all the rain...

Fascinating people with fascinating stories -- Two students, one from Austria and one from the Netherlands, both in hotel/hospitality schools, both interning at HV. Half a dozen wait staffers here for a few months, then on to something else, someplace else, just lovin' life. Did young people do that in my time? I hope so...

The number of older visitors (I'm 70 this year) -- 60+ -- who enjoy the island, the snorkeling, the diving. One of the guests (age 62) at HV was from the UK (Liverpool), went on two diving trips a day, and, rather than renting a car, he and his wife rented bicycles. (When I asked him about the seeming difficulty of getting around that way, he was quick to inform me that he had bicycled from John O'Groats to Land's End and from Geneva to Florence!)

And so much more -- the kindness of the people, the utterly laid-back atmosphere, the two-hour dawdles over the dinner table (which some categorize as "bad service" but which we see as utter luxury), the respect for land and sea and the occupants of both, and that aura which exists in Bonaire.

Let's see now, when can we get back again...



 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Just little ole me with a (*) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6299) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 7:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Couldn't have summed it up better... "Nothing can compare to diving or snorkeling in Bonaire."....We also never seem to tire of being there!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George Blanchard (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #423) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 7:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jeff, you make it sound magical, which it is. We too thoroughly enjoy ourselves on the Island and never tire of returning.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Barbara "CB" Gibson (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6286) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 8:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jeff, glad you had a good time.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By elaine sculley (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1987) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 2:44 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

jeff
glad u enjoyed ur trip. did harbor village really fill in the sanctuary? the poor birds

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Vince DePietro-www.bonairebeachcondo.com (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3466) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 6:46 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jeff.. Absolutely love your trip report. It does capture the essence of Bonaire and the interesting folks you can meet on the island together with it's addictive qualities.
And yes, HV was a favorite of ours for several years. We are definitely planning to have lunch at La Balandra this trip!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff Kehnle (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #230) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 9:28 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Actually, Elaine, we saw and heard a greater variety of birds than ever before at HV. It was really cool. I've never heard the doves cooing so beautifully. Every day, we saw parrots. The only one missing was the resident pelican which perched on the "bow" of La Balandra every day...

Last year, one of the guests was an avid bird watcher. We asked about her favorite place on the island for bird watching, and she said it was the HV parking lot! With all the lovely trees and gardens, I think she might still say that...

BTW, the 4-5 iguanas still come to La Balandra every day for lunch and devour all the tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce leaves the patrons are willing to feed them. Most of them will take food right from your hand. The little kids absolutely love it. For that matter, so to I and most of the adults!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By petra neubauer (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 2:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mr. Kehnle, wonderful report! Was great having you as a guest. Thank you for the note you left at the front desk :)
sunny greets,
Petra (austrian student) :)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By elaine sculley (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1989) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 2:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

thanks jeff i appreciate ur answer. am really glad u had a fabulous time

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By YucatanPat (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #501) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 2:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yup!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sheila K (BonaireTalker - Post #65) on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 - 12:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Nice to hear HV was so good to you. We stopped by there last month to take a look at it for possible future stays, and we were quite impressed. Guess you hit the nail on the head-sounds so nice now, since I am looking out my window at 6" of new snow!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By "Barbie"Ruth******Ken's forever love (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5479) on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 - 4:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Really nice trip report, Jeff! My hubby and I made our first trip to Bonaire as snorkelers and now have our o/w certification. Bonaire just does something to you!

No lover's ice cream? Sacrilege!!! ;)

Sounds like you and your wife had a wonderfully relaxing trip. Thanks for sharing it with us!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff Kehnle (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #231) on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 - 9:09 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Oooh, "Barbie" Ruth, I know what you mean. When I realized what I had done, I had this "mea culpa" moment and even though about going to confession. Then I remembered I wasn't even Catholic.... Skipping Lover's ice cream is a serious thing...but then, skipping anyone's ice cream is just wrong, wrong, wrong! Thankfully we didn't compound the offense by passing on key lime pie -- we had that at every possible opportunity!

Sheila K, the first time we saw HV was from the deck of the Woodwind. We drove by the place that same afternoon, and after one look around, knew it was for us. After 10 years, it still is.

Petra -- thanks to you for helping make a great stay. Hope the rest of your internship is wonderful...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sheila K (BonaireTalker - Post #70) on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 - 6:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

So, who has the best key lime pie on the island? Guess we've missed that delight! Now I'm going to be having dreams not only of Bonaire, but Key Lime Pie...mmmmm!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terese Rutkowski (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Saturday, February 26, 2011 - 6:05 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for sharing! So glad I am going there in 13 days for the first time !!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff Kehnle (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #232) on Sunday, February 27, 2011 - 10:54 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ah, Terese -- First, welcome to Bonaire Talk.

Hope you love Harbour Village. Sounds like you will be there after Ash Wednesday when all the Carnival business is over. We've found that tends to be the quietest time of all to be at the resort.

Let us know how things go!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donna (BonaireTalker - Post #18) on Monday, February 28, 2011 - 8:18 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

We stayed at Harbour Village in 11/09 and are going back there this coming July! We LOVE it there! The staff is sooo nice and the dive setup outstanding!!! Snorkeling along the lagoon is magical with all the habitats! What happened to the pelican? We noticed he had a bad foot:(

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff Kehnle (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #235) on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 - 2:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

It is grand, isn't it Donna!?! No one seems to know about the pelican -- he/she (I can't tell the difference, but I suppose that's only important to other pelicans) seems to have moved on.

However, there is still a one-footed sandpiper...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donna (BonaireTalker - Post #21) on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 - 3:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Maybe he/she found another pelican with a bum foot! Hopefully the sandpiper will get lucky too:D

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #402) on Thursday, March 3, 2011 - 12:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thank you for using the word "passel".

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff Kehnle (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #237) on Thursday, March 3, 2011 - 3:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

You're welcome, Kate. Is that a favorite word?

 


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.


Visit: The Bonaire WebCams - Current Bonaire images and weather!
The Bonaire Insider - the latest tourism news about Bonaire
The Bonaire Information Site, InfoBonaire
Search Bonaire - Search top Bonaire Web sites


Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration