Our first foray into Oranjstad. Not as picturesque as either Willemstad or Kralendijk. The town has been turned into a cruise liner paradise; full of expensive shops... all the famous names are here, Vuitton, Gucci, and the like. The craft market is big but selling all the same stuff. Apart from a few renovated old buildings, most of the front and the marina have been taken over by the renaissance hotel and concessions like Starbucks and Dunking Donuts... given that there are 3 cruise ships in residence the place is heaving. Main Street at the back is a bit better, lined with palm trees, it feels a less crowded and it is not all high end. And we like the tram.
Meandering in the lanes outside of the tourists reach, it soon becomes apparent that there are plenty low income people here. Not all the cars are big nor pristine. Some of the houses have seen some better days but some other have been lovingly restored. It does feel very American in the layout though. Coming home is not fun though, we got drenched to the bones.
