A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Another thing Bonaire is known for, besides fabulous watersports, birds, donkeys and goats, are their pink salt mines, located in the southeastern part of the island.

Bonaire’s salt is unique because it is naturally produced through solar dehydration using the island’s intense sun, low rainfall, and steady trade winds. They are a distinctive lines of white salt pyramids at the southeastern end of the island. Each pyramid, roughly 50-feet high, contains approximately 10,000 metric tons of 99.6% pure salt. Depending on the time of the year, there can be upwards of 200,000-500,000 metric tons of salt neatly stacked in long rows awaiting shipment. The salt mines, owned and operated by Cargill, occupy about 13% or 16 square miles of the entire island of Bonaire. Bonaire’s salt is exported all over the world in roughly equal portions to Europe, Asia and North America.

The salt of Bonaire is processed through using a natural brining process from the brine lake known as Pekelmeer, which means brine in Dutch.

The unique pink color which is caused by a microorganism called halophilic bacteria, which flourish in high salinity brine and in reality are not bacteria at all but a single cell life-form. The cell membranes contain carotenoid pigments which give the crystallizers the pink-red color. The dark color increases the absorption of sunlight which increases the temperature which in turn increase evaporation and salt production. Eventually it will form an 8 to 10 inch layer of essentially pure salt. The entire process takes 10 to 12 months, depending on the prevailing temperature and wind, as well as the precipitation and the degree to which dust and other contaminants in the air provide the nuclei that spur the crystallization of the salt.

One of the characteristic features of salt produced by solar dehydration is the size of the resulting salt crystals. Unlike “rock salt” from sub-surface mines, or salt obtained from brine solutions created by injecting hot water into underground salt deposits, salt obtained from “natural” processes like solar dehydration produces much larger crystals of salt. Nicknamed “sun gems,” these large crystals are particularly prized for use in water softeners and swimming pools. Bonaire salt finds myriad of other uses, from the dinner table, to a variety of industrial processes, including the production of chlorine gas for water treatment to the more prosaic use to de-ice roads in winter. Every time we go to Bonaire, we bring back some of the Bonaire salt too.

Salt Pier, right across the road from the salt mines, is a favorite dive location on Bonaire as well. It is probably one of the most dived locations on the island. We love diving Salt Pier because it is so full of diverse marine life.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of the salt mines and salt pier. Have a great day and make everyday great. Life is short. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

Bonaire is home to many water sports, NOT just scuba diving, though scuba diving is by far the most popular water sport in Bonaire. It is also home to wind surfing and kite boarding. Both of these are big sports in the southwestern part of the island, where the trade winds blow, warm and steady, at about 15-20 knots, for about 300 days per year. We watched both for a bit. Both of these sports require a lot of strength and control. These are incredible athletes!

The only place too officially wind surf on the island is Lac Bay or Sorobon.

They were whipping by at really fast speeds.

Atlantis Beach, aka Kite Beach, is the only place to legally kite surf on the island. Some of these kite surfers were as high as 15-20 feet above the water’s surface. They were literally flying on the water. I wish I could do this!!!! But since I can’t, it is fun to watch those who can. They make it look so graceful and easy. 🙂

Bonaire definitely calls to the wild, and to the wild at heart. It is NOT a place to just sit back and relax. It is an island full of extremes, so it is only fitting it would be a place for extreme sports too. If you are planning on going to Bonaire, walk, or surf, or dive on the wild side.

Life is short. Live life to the fullest and make the most out of everyday. Enjoy the ride. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

The Cadushy Distillery was founded on March 7^th, 2009, by the Gietman family and grew from a small start-up to a thriving company. The Distillery’s passion is to produce authentic products with traditional flavors. The unique products are produced in small batches in a responsible and sustainable way, by a dedicated team of craftsmen. Cadushy is the local liqueur of Bonaire. It is made from lime juice and the local Kadushi cactus plants.

The Dutch Caribbean Islands are full of Heritage and History. This sparked the creativity of the Cadushy Distilling team. The team made a unique liqueur for every Dutch Caribbean Island based on the traditions of these Islands: Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Sint Eustatius (AKA Statia) and Saba… Only for Sint Maarten they did not find traditions they could use. So… they took a great Dutch tradition that was ready to be renewed and made a Royal Orange of Orange Liqueur for the Kingdom of The Netherlands.

We visited the Cadushy Distillery, located in the northern part of the island, in Rincon. Rincon itself was the old capitol of Bonaire, and was established by the Spanish in 1527. The Distillery actually produces more than just Cadushy. They make six different kinds of liqueurs, one to represent each of the six Dutch Caribbean islands, as well as the award-winning Rom Rincón, Captain Don’s Whisky, Cadushy Vodka, and Salú! Gin. It is the only distillery on the island.

Our hostess with the mostest, Amanda, graciously explained the process of how all the liqueurs and spirits were made, then she gave us a small sampling of all the spirits we wished to try.

These are the tools used to pluck the cactus.

These tall cacti, Kadushi cactus, are found all over the island in abundance. They are the primary ingredient of Cadushy.

The different herbs, spices and flavorings that go into each batch of these specialty liqueurs.

Everything is made 100% by hand here in this distillery production area.

There are rum (Rom), gin and whiskey productions and tastings too.

And the award winning results of these handmade Caribbean spirits.

When Master distiller, Eric Gietman, wanted to develop a spirit line he decided to call it “The Spirit of Bonaire”… a tribute to the Island of Bonaire and its community. Since he was a rum drinker himself, he first developed his own rum and named it Rom Rincón, after the old Capital of Bonaire. Other spirits like vodka, whisky and gin followed.

Rom Rincon is spiced in the classic Caribbean tradition. Today’s Caribbean rum distillers have hundreds of years experience perfecting the art of distillation, aging and blending. In the early days, adding spices to rum was needed because the rums were so crude and harsh that seamen would blend and mix in any spices they had to improve and smooth-out its flavor.

Master distiller Eric Gietman combined the good things of the Big Whisky’s of the world to create the very first Caribbean Whisky. A Caribbean Whisky? Yes! He named it Captain Don, after Captain Don Stewart, the founder of the Bonairian diving industry. Captain Don’s Whisky won a Silver medal at the World Spirit Competition 2017 in San Francisco.

This Caribbean gin is made from 13 botanicals, Aloe Vera and Yerba di Holé (local basil) and of course the juniper. The end result is a bold gin with a soft edge. Master distiller and entrepreneur, Eric Gietman, worked on the recipe for four years before he was satisfied with the result. He is pleased with the positive reactions to his gin.

We tried all of these deliciously colorful liqueurs, as well as the rum (rom) and whiskey. They all had their own unique characteristics and personalities, that reflect the personalities of each island. We ONLY had very tiny amounts of each; just enough to get a taste. The green Cadushy represents Bonaire. The others represent the other Dutch Islands.

So in honor of the Bonairian and Caribbean spirits (all kinds of spirits), Salú! “Salú!” means to your health, cheers.

Larry and I even created a new spirit we call “The Donkey”, using Cadushy. We based it off a “Moscow Mule”. It is Cadushy, rum and ginger beer.

1 shot Cadushy

1 shot rum

ginger beer

served “on the rocks” or over ice.

Salú!

Salú! We all need a little Cadushy and spirits. Lighten up and have some fun. Life is short. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, Bonaire though a small island, with a small population, has a very diverse population. There are over 75 different popualaions represented on this small island, including a Brazilian group.

One of the restaurants we dined at, also a restaurant we have visited in the past, was Blue Garden. Blue Garden specializes in seafood and Brazilian foods, and is decorated with many Brazilian influences.

We popped in for a late dinner after a night dive and a shower, and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of our evening. We ordered a mixed seafood plate as an appetizer and a plate of lionfish. Both were cooked to perfection. The mixed seafood was a combination of shrimp, calamari, mussels, and fish.

Lionfish is a big problem in the warm Caribbean waters. They are an invasive fish that can easily destroy the whole reef, especially since they breed so prolifically in the warmer waters. They are an invasive species all throughout the Caribbean. It is hard to keep the lionfish population under control, so a few years ago, many local Caribbean governments sponsored and encouraged catching and killing as many lionfish as people could catch. They became very popular on many menus, which is a good thing for seafood lovers. They’re delicious to eat once you cut off the poisonous spines. They are beautiful fish, but deadly; certainly deadly to the local reefs, and are toxic, though not deadly, to people when alive. Only the spines are toxic, so once those are removed, lionfish is good eating! Lionfish are venomous rather than poisonous to humans, meaning their meat is completely safe to eat once cooked, but their sharp spines can inject a painful neurotoxin if you touch them.

Life is short. Make the most out of everyday and live life to the fullest. Enjoy the ride. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

Not only is Bonaire known as the shore diving capitol of the world, and famous for its bird watching and donkeys, but is it also home to a lot of goats, both wild and domestic. When the Spanish explorers first came to Bonaire, they brought both donkeys and goats, and then left them there to fend for themselves when they departed.

At first, the Spanish brought goats to the island for their hides, rather than for their meat, but today, goat is a popular staple to the Bonairian diet, consumed as meat, cheese, yogurt and goat’s milk. The goats are now seen as a traditional symbol of resilience during times of hardship. We see goats all over the island, every time we go. They are definitely resilient and are comfortable all over the island, whether it be in the wilds or at the edges of town.

Even though the goats have called Bonaire home for centuries now, they are still seen as an invasive species and can be quite pesky, especially if not controlled. These new inhabitants led to a series of direct and indirect changes to marine and terrestrial ecosystem, significantly impacting the environmental health of the island. As grazers, goats often feed on young plants, eliminating local plant populations from reproducing or spreading. This has eventually led to a domination of the local landscape of thorny bushes and cacti. Furthermore, overgrazing eventually leads to increased soil erosion or an over decrease of water retention on the island

Life is short. Make the most out of everyday and live life to the fullest. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

You all know how much I love my birds. Bonaire has some very beautiful, exotic birds. Aside from being a diver’s paradise, it is also a haven for birdwatchers. We were lucky enough to see quite a few of them, on the rare occasions we were above the water. 🙂 Here are just a few of the beautiful birds we saw on this trip.

Green Parrots

Chibi Chibi

Yellow Warbler

Gulls

Egrets

Greater Yellowlegs

Bananaquits

Troupials

Crested Caracara

And of course, Pink Flamingos

We saw plenty of other birds too, but we didn’t always have the camera with us. There are plenty of reasons for us to go back to Bonaire; lots more DIVING and more birds for starters. 🙂

Life is short. Take in as much as you can and live life to the fullest. Make the most out of everyday. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

This is a bonus post. I hear it is international dolphin day. We did NOT see any dolphins in Bonaire, but we did see some in Portugal, in the Algarve, when we visited in March. I have ALWAYS had a special place in my heart for dolphins, and I think I am actually 1/2 dolphin. They are one of my spirit animals. I have a few. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

Bonaire is a small island, with only about 26,000 full time residents, and there are roughly 75 different populations represented in Bonaire’s small and diverse culture. This means that you can find just about any type of food you are looking for. But because the island is small, and has a small population, there are also only so many restaurants available, and most of those are located in Kralendyke, the capital and the largest urban area of the island. We have been to Bonaire 4 times now, and we have been to a lot of the same restaurants over the years. El Mundo is one we have enjoyed a few times while visiting the island. Their food is very good.

This time at El Mundo, we enjoyed some tuna ceviche and catch of the day fajitas. Both were delicious. We eat fresh seafood and ceviche everywhere we go that is by the water. We have eaten many different types of ceviche too, but I don’t recall ever having potatoes served with ceviche. But all these different twists and added surprises makes things interesting and exciting. Bring the creativity on!

It’s always fun trying new things and getting new ideas on old favorites. It makes life deliciously exciting. 🙂

Life is short. Make the most out of everyday, try new things and new adventures. Live life to the fullest and have a great day. ‘Til next time.

The main purpose of going to Bonaire was to DIVE! And that we did. We did a lot of diving too. We have broken so many underwater cameras that we no longer own one, so we didn’t take any pictures underwater. And we were underwater for most of the trip. We only had one non-dive day, at the end of our trip, since we cannot dive for a recommended 24 hours before flying. On our last day of the trip, we drove all around the island, like we usually do while there, and that was our day for pictures.

Bonaire is of course famous for its spectacular diving, but it is known for its donkeys too. There are over 1000 wild donkeys roaming freely all over the island, and there is also the Donkey Sanctuary that rescues as many donkeys as they can. Currently, the Donkey Sanctuary takes care of about 800 donkeys. The donkeys were brought over by the Spanish explorers over 400-500 years ago, and were left there to fend for themselves. Today, the donkey population has exploded. The donkeys are part of Bonaire’s history and are protected by Bonairian law.

I love seeing all the donkeys every time we go to Bonaire. This time was no different. 🙂 The donkeys are very used to people and come right up to the car begging for food, and a little scratch or two behind the ears, at every opportunity they get.

We had some almonds we shared with some of the donkeys. The big grey donkey was greedy and kept pushing the baby out of the way. I guess he liked the almonds. We did eventually get to give some to the baby too though. It just took a little while.

Life is short and full of surprises. Take them all in and make the most out of everyday. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

Our first real day in Bonaire was a busy day. No matter how experienced you are as a diver, from a newbie to a very seasoned pro, everyone has to attend an orientation meeting and a do checkout dive before they will let you rent any tanks or equipment. So we went to our meeting and had our checkout dive, which was our first dive for the trip.

After our first dive, we changed and went to see the festivities for Bonaire Flag Day or Dia di Boneiru. Dia di Boneiru Bonaire Flag Day, is a national public holiday celebrated every year on September 6th. The date marks the traditional arrival of European explorers Alonso de Ojeda and Amerigo Vespucci in 1499, when they first reached the island.  It serves as a celebration of Bonaire’s heritage, unity, and community pride, rather than just the adoption date of its flag (which was officially raised on December 11, 1981).

Everyone in Bonaire was celebrating Dia di Boneiru. There were speeches, music, dancing in the streets, food vendors and local artists. Everyone showed up to celebrate the day.

Everyone, young and old, was dancing in the streets. Bonairian flags were waving proudly. These ladies were having a blast and had some good moves too.

These two were having a lot of fun as well.

There was a lot of music of all kinds, from steel drums and singing kids to a full blown concert later in the evening. There was something for everyone.

Most things are closed on Sundays anyway, but this day, everything, or at least everything downtown, was closed since everyone was celebrating the day. A lot of the restaurants had their food booths there too. When in Rome, or in this case, Bonaire, do what the locals do. For lunch we ate the local cuisine that was showcased at the festivities. We sampled different things. Larry went for the ribs, and I chose chicken satay that was coming fresh off the grill. Because we had a fridge, microwave and a cooktop in our room, we brought some back for us to enjoy for another meal later too. It was lunch this day and dinner another day.

The festivities were taking place in the capital of Kralendyke, not far from us. We actually went in between a few dives, since the first time we went, they were still setting things up. We found out it really gets hoppin’ after dark.

Between diving and celebrating Bonaire day, more diving, more celebrating, and diving again followed by another round of celebrations, it was yet another very full, but fun, day.

Life is short. make the most out of everyday and live life to the fullest. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.