In 1795 the slaves revolted but the Dutch suppressed the uprising and put the leaders Tula and Karpata to a cruel death.

 

Politics in Curacao is an intense activity with a lot of name calling, but in the end everybody sticks to the democratic rules. The brutal murder of politician Helmin Wiels in 2013 was a big shock to the community. The killer was arrested and jailed for life, but the person that ordered the killing has not had his day in court yet.

 

Curacao's capital Willemstad sprawls around the Schottegat harbor, where you also find the outdated and heavily polluting Isla refinery.

A scenic pedestrian pontoon bridge connects northern Otrobanda with southern Punda.

Banda Abou (lower side) is the rural northern part of the island, while the more industrious and touristy southern part is called Banda Riba (upper part).

 

For a small island Curacao has a surprisingly rich and diverse wildlife, in particular birds.