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Transcription: {SPEAKER name="Jeanne Porterfield"}
[00:09:17]
Curaçao is the largest and most important island of all six of them as it is the seat of government for all of them.
[00:09:23]
Now the Dutch West Indies, or Netherlands Antilles, as they're officially called, form an independent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
[00:09:31]
Before 1954, they were colonies, belonging to Holland, but in that year, Queen Juliana gave them their autonomy, making them self-governing and on a basis of equality with the Netherlands.
[00:09:43]
Well, after a most glamorous flight, we reached Curacao and anxiously anticipated what lay before us.
[00:09:53]
Luckily another unsuspecting Dutchman offered to help us. [[laughter]] But this, I'm sure, he didn't anticipate. Nor did we anticipate the strong tradewinds. This is certainly no place to wear one of those new fashionable wigs.
[00:10:12]
With what coiffures we had left, we took the bus into town. Willemstad is the capital, in fact, the only real city of Curaçao. And what a surprise it is to find down here in the tropics the colorful Dutch waterfront reflecting the quaint charm of Holland.
[00:10:34]
One of the most memorable features of Willemstad is this unique swinging bridge fondly called Queen Emma after the present Queen Juliana's grandmother.
[00:10:43]
This most restless of bridges connects the two main sections of town. One side being called the Punda, the other, the Otrabanda.
[00:10:51]
It's constantly opening for the many people, for the many boats that come and go. And there's always considerable hurrying and scurrying when the opening signal is given.
[00:11:00]
If the cars don't make it over the bridge, it's a 15-mile drive around to get to the other side. Well, you know, they have a really good excuse here for being late.
[00:11:10]
These people, it seems, got caught in the middle, but most of the pedestrians take the busy little ferry boats that shuttle back and forth while the bridge is in operation.