detail from: KRK Art dizajn

IN PARADISE ON THE ISLAND OF CURACAO

The island of Curacao is one of the islands in the Caribbean Sea that tourism organizations say is "Heaven on Earth," and there is a lot of truth in that.

When I set off on a three-month technical assistance mission to the Republic of Peru in October, the journey brought me to an earthly paradise. Early in the morning, a thick fog descended on the plains of Vojvodina, and Maja burst into tears, begging me not to go. She felt that I would not be back for a long time. Staša had already left for school. And when I arrived at the Surčin airport, the fog had already lifted, but we were still late for our departure to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, Mr. Kampman Olsen, the CEO, and Mr. Hansen, the president of the company ABC Hansen International from Copenhagen, were waiting for me. I had met Olsen several times in the past, and Hansen had traveled from Switzerland to meet me. They were interested in hiring me to work on projects for Africa. They kept me company until we left for the Netherlands Antilles.

Boarding the DC-10 did not begin until around ten o'clock in the evening, and the passengers were quiet, most of them already sleepy. As they took their seats, most of them settled into sleeping positions. We flew first to Frankfurt and immediately, after the passengers there had boarded, continued on to Lisbon. In Portugal, a heavy downpour awaited us, so only those passengers who were flying to Lisbon were able to get off the plane. And it was already past midnight, so some passengers had not even woken up.

And when our plane took off from the runway, we entered a terrible darkness over the Atlantic. Flying west, our night was extended by six hours. Nothing could be heard except the quiet, even sound of the plane's engines, and I didn't feel like sleeping. I imagined the "earthly paradise" I was heading to, along with the children I had left behind in tears. There were about 360 passengers on the plane, and only occasionally would a stewardess march past as if on a military parade.

When dawn broke, the endless blue of the Atlantic surrounded us, and when the first rays of sunlight appeared, our giant headed for the runway of Dr Albert Plesman Luchthaven. In the distance, about 35 miles away, the continent of South America was visible. The outlines of Cuba, like a twisted banana, were also visible.

And as soon as the plane stopped, about a hundred meters from the terminal building, I rushed to breathe in the heavenly air as soon as possible, but the tropical heat hit me and fog formed on the camera lens. It was cool in the building, the air-conditioning system was working, and we all refreshed ourselves there. The plane was completely empty, only fourteen of us remained, who were traveling onward. Intercontinental passengers get a twenty-four-hour break here for acclimatization, and we were taken by minibus to the Arthur Frommer Hotel.

In the hotel room, water condensation was dripping down the walls, and bananas were growing in front of the window. The real refreshment came in the pool, when a light breeze blew from the nearby hill.

The island of Curacao has an area of ​​about 180 square kilometers, with about 150,000 inhabitants, who enjoy independence within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The island was discovered by Lieutenant Alonso de Ojeda, a member of Columbus's crew, in 1499. Since then, it has belonged to Spain, and from 1634 it was conquered by the Dutchman Peter Stuyvesant, who remained in his possession until the Napoleonic era when it was occupied by the English. Since 1954, it has again come under the domination of the Netherlands, and then gained independence within the framework of the given kingdom. Willemstad is the capital city consisting of the parts of Puna and Ostrabanda, interconnected by the 17th-century Queen Emma's pontoon bridge over the St. Anna Canal. This bridge is the oldest steel bridge in the world, made of prefabricated elements. It is 495 m long and 14.5 m wide. Fifteen nationalities live on the island of Curacao. The average annual temperature is 27°C, with 360 sunny days a year. The cool sea breeze refreshes the island and makes it one of the healthiest places in the world. The language of the islanders of Curacao is Papiamento, which is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, English and Dutch, with an African dialect. The entire population speaks English, Spanish and Dutch. Medical services on the island are exceptionally good, drinking water is obtained by desalinizing seawater, the island is the busiest in the Caribbean Sea, and its excellent beaches and hotel accommodations place it at the highest level of world tourism.

Since 1975, the Netherlands Antilles have become a Republic, maintaining a foreign policy and defense common with the Netherlands. The island is also rich in mineral deposits, and it is very well connected to the world in terms of communication. Their education is European, and there are almost no illiterates. English and Spanish are compulsory languages ​​in schools, while for university education students usually go to the Netherlands.

During my short stay on the island of Curacao, I learned several everyday expressions in Papiamento. They show the influence of dialects from other languages. Here they are: Bon dia - Good morning; Bon tardi - Good afternoon; Bon nochi - Good evening; Con ta bai - How are you; Bon danki - Thank you, I'm fine; Masha danki - Thank you very much; A ja - Goodbye and Aworo - See you later.

The currency is the Antillean Guilder (F), whose exchange rate was 1US$ - 1.77 F.

Having experienced all of the above, I understood the motto of tourist organizations that the island of Curacao is truly ''Heaven on Earth''. And when I was leaving the Arthur Frommer Hotel, I waved to the reception staff, saying to them in their Papiamento language ''Masha danki'' and ''A I''.

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