OK, maybe if I do up my trip report it will alleviate my PBD ( or maybe make it worse?)!

FLIGHTS on Air Jamaica were uneventful, on time, not overly crowded so had room to spread in most cases, food was ‘good’ for airline food, but lost 2 pieces of luggage out of 3 on way home (they went to LAX, we went to Boston). Luggage caught up with us 2 days later. It happens with all airlines, just don’t pack something of sentimental value just in case …. A woman on the same flight had her luggage missing and was concerned because she packed a very large round of expensive cheese and some butter! Ha! Not funny to her of course though.

DIVI was wonderful. It has most everything we would need and is clean and nicely laid out, right on the water, lounge chairs on the stone pier, business center for downloading my pics, gift shop, etc…. Found I needed a battery for my dive computer and they replaced it on the spot in the dive shop for just a couple of dollars. We stayed in a studio, supposedly to save some $ cooking in. But then we still went to various restaurants so there goes that theory. All the resort staff was very friendly to us, front desk, security, restaurant, housekeeping, and dive operation. We would definitely go back again – been there 5 times now ….. But if another resort takes up support of the dive cams, I am with them!!

DINING was a new experience in Bonaire for us. In the past we were always part of a charter group and all meals were included at the Divi. This was good because the food was good and we all would talk about our dives and watch the day’s videos while eating – good food, and fun. But this time we went to Bonaire alone. We had breakfast daily included in our package, at the Divi, which is good – easy, tasty and plentiful to start a day of dives. We cooked in a couple of times for lunches and dinner. But we did go to Gibi’s for Tuesday BT night. That was great, very very slow service but who cares when meeting new people and enjoying all the conversation. The food was very good, and plentiful. Atmosphere is very laid back and very casual, eating at a long table under trees with lots of tiny lights. A few hits from bugs under the table as the night went on, but not bad. We had a great time. We did eat at the Chibi a couple of times because it was convenient. We enjoyed the food and sat at railing so we could see and feed the big fish in the water. Food was good, service good and friendly. By Far, the best restaurant we ate at was It Rains Fishes. Teddy had Shrimp thermadure (spelling?), and I had grilled shrimp and salmon on pasta with a pesto sauce, and we had tomatoes with fresh mozzarella cheese balls in vinaigrette for an appetizer – very good and great atmosphere. There are resident Macaw birds (2 golden 2 red) hanging out on a wall that are beautiful and loud – cool! We also ate at a small local place, which I do not know the name of, but translated it means Local Kitchen, very good – we ate outside. Food was good, but we were fortunate we had a friend who lives on Bonaire who could translate for us reading the menu. Although I am sure the woman taking our order would have helped, she was very nice and friendly. Food was very good, we had grilled fish and rice. Not a place we would have thought to choose but we said we wanted local and this was suggested. Good choice for something outside the usual nice/big restaurants. We wanted to get to Casablanca and another place that Darlene Ellis recommended but too much to do, so little time.

DIVING, the reason we were in Bonaire remember, was awesome as always. We did 2 to 3 boat dives per day (2 in AM, 1 in afternoon) and 1 to 2 shore dives a day off the Divi docks, and snorkeled a few times off Divi also. One time the Divi dive masters dropped off tanks on their southern dock so we could dive there too, we just swam northward to bring them back to the usual dock. Although there is lots to see on the reefs, it amazes me how much small life there is around the southern dock and on the steps to it as well. I tried real hard to get pictures of the tiny yellow, “Tweety Bird” fish but they came out a little blurred as they move around so quickly… Ha! My favorite dive was the salt pier, so much life and so beautiful when the sun shines down through the water. All our dives were good. I especially like the wall dives, when I stop and slowly look really close suddenly I see sooooooo much life. Between all the dives we saw turtles, various eels, ... a yellow frog fish and a huge long blue and yellow trumpet at Cliff, 2 sea horses at South Bay, ... juvenile spotted drums (3 very tiny ones together – so cute), the various angels and parrots, and all the usual too many to list fish . We wanted to do the Town Pier, have not done that yet – next time. We passed on doing the Hooker, have done it a couple times before – would rather dive the reefs.

OTHER – we walked from the Divi to Chat ‘n Browse our first night there. We are in fairly good shape for walking but it was wayyyyyyyy too far for me in the hot sun. Remember we did not rent a car. Michael was wonderful to us, let us make a call home even though he was closinmg and insisted on driving us back to the Divi. If it wasn’t so far we would have definitely used his computers for downloading our pictures.
AND -- On our next to last day we got a ride from a friend and stopped in at Chat ‘n Browse to buy a few things. Thank you again Michael!!! And, since we never rent a car we had never seen the island. Our friend who lives on the island took us on a 5 hour tour of the island. It was incredible. I had no idea how beautiful it is outside of the Divi and the down town area. We saw it all and then some. And, Teddy and I sponsor a young boy at the Zuster Maria Hoppner Foundation on Bonaire but had never met him. Our friend took us there as well. I can’t put in good enough words how much all this made our vacation the best ever.
AND – Teddy bought me a very pretty hand made piece of jewelry at the gift shop on the Divi property :-) made by Luti a Divi divemaster who owns the store as well, a gold angel fish pendant. I also have a unique, one of a kind, gold outline of the island with a design cut out with in the outline, made by Luti, which Teddy gave me on a visit 4 years ago. Both are very nice, I recommend you look at his jewelry while there and ask if you want something unusual.

LONG TRIP REPORT, hope it was worth your time, Can’t wait to go back!
Denise, and Teddy

Thank you, Denise! What an enjoyable report. Michael is such a sweetheart, isn't he! We love the Divi, too, and can't wait to return in a few days. Your photos are fabulous! So close-up and real!!! Great work.

You and Teddy must be in great shape to make that hike up to Michael's place....that's quite a hike. It was sweet of him to take you back to the Divi...that's just the way he is....Carole

thanks Carol, glad you enjoyed the report :-)

I like this picture even if tweety is blurred. It's so tiny flitting about on the steps of the dock !

and this little guy is taken care of by most EVERYBODY at the Divi :-)

and, a big advantage to not going on a charter group to Bonaire is meeting new friends :-)
and

Wow....new steps leading from the beach up to Chibi Chibi!! I just looked at some pics from last year and there were no access steps from the beach. Great idea!!! I'll bet more folks will be going up for snacks or cocktails this way.

Nice pics, Denise...love the little guy, too! Was the orange tabby cat still hanging around, too? That's the one who usually follows us back to our unit for some treats! Thanks, again. Carole

PS Here is a shot from last year at the Divi.....no stairs!

Very nice to read trip report and pictures. Nice pic's.
Thank you for sharing.

Great report! I love the pics!!

Hi Denise and Ted! Great trip report and loved the pictures. Also nice meeting ya'll at Gibi's on Tuesday. I wish we had known ya'll were without a car - we could have picked ya'll up for some afternoon shore dives. PM us sometime so that we can stay in touch.
Cindy and Rob from Louisiana

The orange tabby was still there, and both were getting a fair share of attention and treats from everybody.

Hi Cindy and Rob :-) Maybe we'll meet again in Bonaire someday. We plan that on our next trip we'll still do some boat dives, but also will rent a vehicle and do more shore dives, and stay longer than a week!

Great trip report Denise!! I sure do wish I was there right now! Your pictures are awesome!Most often while snorkeling, you just don't get the advantage of those real nice close ups. Carole, nice notice of the new stairs to the Chibi. Frits is really doing a fine job there. I really had hoped that he would host the cams there. The location is so perfect and the Divi is my favorite.

Darlene, I wish you and I were there right now too, together :-) And, even though snorkeling can make it more difficult for some close-ups I've seen some great pictures of yours!!

Hey all, did you notice our new friends sitting on the lounge chair, a certain celebrity/singer and her body guard??? The picture does not do her justice (hint, You are the wind beneath my wings ...) All celebrities look more down to earth with out their make up and hair stylists. Is she or is she not???

:-)

Denise . . . . . Good trip report - thanks. We were at the Divi and Gibi's the same time you were. We really enjoyed Gibi's - He is a nice guy, the food was really good and resonable. You are right, it took them a lot of time to feed us. There were 13 adults and 2 kids.
If you remember the name of the local place where you eat, let us know. You said the name translated to "local kitchen".
We saw a sea horse with Dee. We looked for a frog fish with Renee and and then with Dee, but couldn't find one. There used to be one in the area, but they have not seen it for awhile. I guess we will have to go back to find one.
Thanks again Sue and Ken from PA.

I think the Divi is the perfect spot for the Webcams, too, Darlene! One can only hope, eh?

Bette??? Is that you???!! Carole

You are right that she sure looks like Bette, and no she is not.. But I was by no means the first to point out to her how much she looks like Bette :-) They are Carol and Claude and both are very nice ... Hi Claude if you are checking BT :-)

Great trip report Denise! I do visit BT frequently but post infrequently. Personally, I don't think she looks like Bette but everybody else does. We had a great time with you and Teddy. Thanks for the information regarding child sponsorship. "Bette" will get back to you!
Hi Teddy..