Sunset Serenity

Sunny Florida skies, year-round warmth and sunshine, a buzzing nightlife and a mix of cultures define this cosmopolitan city. Celebrity-drenched South Beach attracts people-watchers and the Art Deco District is the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world. Tropical style shopping experience’s are readily available from Bal Harbor to Lincoln Road and Coconut Grove. Enjoy authentic Cuban cuisine and culture along Calle Ocho or travel back in time with a visit to the historic Venetian Pool. There is something for everyone in this city dubbed the “Gateway to the America’s.”

While the city exhibits beautiful examples of both Dutch and Spanish architecture, it is now a Dutch city, taking its name from the Dutch royal house of Orange, and became the capital Aruba in 1979. When not heading for the famed beaches, the first spot most visitors enjoy is Wilhelmina Park, a lovely tropical garden by the waterfront, great for catching the Caribbean breezes. From here, travel on to the Archaeological Museum of Aruba or the Numismatic Museum of Aruba. The first offers an historical perspective; the latter, a fascinating display of coins from over 400 countries. Fort Zoutman (1796) is the oldest example of Dutch architecture on the island. In 1867, Willem III tower was added. Not only an excellent vantage point for photos, the fort also hosts music festivals and craft fairs.

Discover a touch of old Amsterdam transported to an island paradise. Pastel-hued buildings decorate the waterfront of this very Dutch Caribbean island. Don’t miss a visit to the colorful floating market, just a short walk from the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge. A World Heritage site, the Punda district preserves hundreds of buildings as national monuments including Fort Amsterdam, the Governor’s Palace, Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, one of the first synagogue’s in the New World, and the waterfront’s colorful Penha building.

Montego Bay, the capital of Saint James Parish on Jamaica’s north coast, is a major cruise ship port with numerous beach resorts and golf courses outside its commercial core. Popular beaches include Doctor’s Cave Beach and Walter Fletcher Beach, home to an amusement park. There’s also snorkelling and diving at coral reefs in the protected waters of Montego Bay Marine Park.

Christopher Columbus discovered the Cayman Islands in 1503 and named them Las Tortugas, because the only inhabitants found were turtles. By 1530, they were known as the Caymanas, meaning “crocodile” in Carib. Although Sir Francis Drake visited the islands in 1568, they did not come under British rule until 1670. The Caymanians are descendants of the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh seamen who settled the islands and later intermarried with Jamaican immigrants.