Monday, October 2, 1995 - Bonaire

Went to the Venezuelan Consulate to try to get our visas. Had no problem finding the place, but the door was locked. I knocked and knocked. Someone inside said something in Spanish that I couldn't understand. After I'd knocked for about five minutes, he finally opened the door. Another man took my application. He needed the original of our boat registration renewal. I had a copy but didn't seem to have the original. (Actually, I did have it but didn't recognize it.) The visas are $30 each. He gave me a form to take to the bank and deposit the money. He told me to bring back the receipt and the original of the registration renewal. Went to the bank and deposited the $60. Then I mailed a letter at the Post Office and went to the super market for vegetables and chicken. Returned to the boat and put the groceries away. Our flag halyard had broken yesterday, so Roy replaced it with a new one. Looks much better. Something told me to turn on the VHF in case someone was trying to call us. I'd no sooner turned it on, than I heard, "Jofian. Maruba." It was Don, calling to give us the name and phone number of a reporter in Cura‡ao who was very much interested in the pictures. Roy and I walked over to the hotel and phoned him. He knew of the case. Told me they hadn't been smuggling drugs but had an illegal load of whiskey and cigarettes. Two were still in jail, but the other four had been set free. The reporter, whose name was Norman, was still interested in the pictures. He gave us the name and phone number of his associate in Bonaire, but when I tried to phone the associate, all I got was a fax machine. I called Norman back, and he said he'd keep trying to contact Bill and have him come out to the boat this evening or tomorrow morning. After lunch, Roy and I went back down to the Venezuelan Consulate, but this time no one answered the door. We stopped at Bonaire Tours and made reservations for a half-day tour of Washington-Slagbaai Park this Friday. Then we went to the super market and bought a few more things. Roy returned to the boat, and I went to the Tourist Information Office to try to get a bus schedule. Found out the only buses on this island are private minibuses, and they don't run on anything resembling a schedule. You just wait at a bushalte until one comes along. Maybe we'll try to go for a ride while we're here.