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Transcription: [00:16:03]
Here's an appropriate name for a flower shop.
[00:16:06]
And from the looks of this house, a Picasso or Dali might live here.
[00:16:11]
It's fascinating to wander around looking at all these rainbow hued houses, but don't be surprised if one looks right back at you. [[laughter]]
[00:16:23]
In seeing all the various houses, we came to the one where the harbor pilot Johan [[Fainstra??]] lives with his wife and family.
[00:16:30]
Both Johan and his wife Jancha are from Holland and were married there 13 years ago. Now Johan says what a joy it is to be able to come home after a day's work instead of the way it used to be for the first five years while he was away at sea most of the time.
[00:16:46]
While he was an officer on a Dutch Shell Oil ship that kept coming to Curacao, he decided he'd like to make their home here. Well, that was 8 years ago and they've all been happily here ever since.
[00:17:00]
Just off the main waterway, in a small lagoon, is the picturesque floating market. Schooners from South America line up here by the dozens to sell fresh fruit and vegetables right from their decks.
[00:17:16]
It's here where Jancha, the harbor pilot's wife, likes to do some of her marketing.
[00:17:25]
As Curacao has a very dry climate, little food can be grown on this arid land so much of it comes from Venezuela which is just 38 miles to the south.
[00:17:36]
Johan and Jancha always enjoy shopping for the many bargains that are available here, and of course, so do the many tourists who come here from all parts of the world.
[00:17:50]
One of the main shopping streets is the Mall, where even a donkey could find something to buy if he were so inclined.
[00:17:58]
Everyone's most anxious to fill up their shopping bags but seem a bit confused as to just which direction to proceed in, which store to go to.
[00:18:09]
And when they find another store, do they have any money left to buy just one more thing?
[00:18:17]
We too were unable to resist the lure of shopping and headed for one of the finest jewelry stores.
[00:18:23]
Business in Curacao is conducted in 22 languages and the currency of any country is accepted so the language barrier doesn't exist here. But after enough shopping, neither does your currency.