On the playa



A great way to start the day

 

     Every morning except Sundays we get up early- between 6 and 6:30 and drive down to the playa for our morning walk. It takes about an hour to walk from one end to the other but it is only a couple of miles. As we walk we are greeted with "Bon Dia!" (good morning in Papiamento) from the people passing by. We have met people from Holland, America, the DR, Curacao, Aruba and many Bonaireians.  Americans and some Dutch have stopped us after a few days curious about our badges so we explain that we are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they smile and walk on. Just curious.

 

 Heading Home



     Martin has had fun talking to the Dutch people. The natives all greet us and are friendly as we walk but they don't stop to visit except for Eddy who is very friendly and told us about himself and how he is a religious man and that he had met the missionaries before. Often the walkers are on vacation for weeks or months at a time or from the cruise ships. A couple we speak to each day is from Holland here for a month. They are so nice and very friendly. We see them each morning, sitting on a bench eating their breakfast looking out at the sea. Then we ask what they will do that day?  Run, snorkel , bike ride, go out to the salt pans, dive, hike, or swim? They are very active. They go home next Tuesday so we will give them a note with a pass-a-long card. The Dutch woman looks just like Cathy Longstroth  (a woman in our home ward) but she speaks Dutch!  



Where is my fishing pole??



     We watch as the huge cruise ships come in to the dock and sometimes there are two docked at once. Sightseeing boats and busses are waiting for their loads of tourists. They take tours of the sights of the island or sail or motor boat out to Klien Boanire (small Bonaire) which is a desert island next to the main island. Bonaire is one of the top destinations in the world for scuba diving. People come from everywhere to dive here in the beautiful blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. Small fishing boats dot the bay area and larger sail boats. It looks quite idyllic.



Choo choo tourist train for a tour of the city -  ( Luke this is what I was telling you about)




Here they come again!

     Last Sunday, February 15th, a dozen members from an American cruise ship came to our Sacrament  Meeting. They used all of our headphones and listened as Yomely, a young woman in the branch, translated into English. We were left hoping for the gift of tongues, as the meeting proceeded in Spanish and Papiamentu. Our biggest language challenge is at church.  All the guests were a great boost to that days attendance. They told us there were  about 3,000 passengers on the  ship and a few thousand crew!! It's practically like a floating city.
      This time of year there are 3 or 4 days a week that a cruise ship arrives.  Each morning when the ships come in the locals are all ready to greet the "income" with their souvenir booths, tour busses, diving and snorkeling businesses, restaurants, etc.. Tourism is what keeps this island going.

This morning when we were on our walk it started to rain, so we ran for cover. It doesn't rain for long but it comes down pretty hard. As we waited, looking out to the sea, we saw a beautiful double rainbow. Just as the ship was sailing in. What a gorgeous sight!

    "Somewhere over the rainbow..." -     What a gorgeous sight!

                       The picture does not do this justice!

Well Bye for now, We hope all is well. We love you.