Oranjestad, capital of Aruba

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Colorful Caribbean! Oranjestad (Orange Town in Dutch language) is the capital and largest city of Aruba. L.G. Smith Boulevard in the center of Oranjestad is lined with many enjoyable restaurants, shops, cafés ans casinos.

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Alto Vista Chapel is a small Catholic chapel also known as "Pilgrims Church".

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Philipsburg, capital of Sint Maarten

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Philipsburg is the main town and capital of the country of Sint Maarten. The town has a population of about 1,400. Sint Maarten is a ‘constituent country’ of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Sint Maarten and its French counterpart Saint Martin are both sides of the same island.

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Allure of the Seas is the world's largest passenger cruise ship. With a capacity of about 6,000  passengers (16 passenger decks!) and 2,300 crew. 

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The Bottom, capital of Saba | Dutch Caribbean

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With 500 inhabitants, The Bottom is the largest town of the island of Saba. A very small island, it measures only 13 square kilometers. Saba is one of the special municipalities of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean.

   

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A Lesser Nighthawk. The stamp is part of a set of 12 bird stamps, issued 2015. 

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The map of Sint Maarten | Dutch Caribbean

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“The term Dutch Caribbean refers to all of the islands of the Kingdom of the Netherlands that are located in the Caribbean, regardless of their legal status in Dutch law” (thank you Wikipedia).

The legal status of St Maarten is a “constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands”. A country within a country, sort of.

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A Lesser Nighthawk. The stamp is part of a set of 12 bird stamps, issued 2015. 

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Willemstad, capital of Curacao

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Willemstad is the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea.  The floating market is located in Punda, the oldest part of Curacao. Venezuelan salesmens sell fresh fruits, vegetables and fish directly from their boats.

Punda, a derivation of the Dutch word “punt” that means “point”, was established in 1634 when the founding merchants built offices, warehouses, stores and living quarters on the eastern side of the bay.

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Part of a set of 6 stamps issued 2014 about the 21st World Orchid Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa.

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The Unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean: Saba

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Saba is a Caribbean island and the smallest special municipality of The Netherlands. The island consists largely of the 887 metres high Mount Scenery volcano. With only 13km² and 2,000 inhabitants, Saba is one of the smallest islands in the Caribbean.    

 

Thank you so much Olga!

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Flamingo Express Dutch Caribbean is the mail service company for the BES-islands (Bonaire, Eustatius and Saba).

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Bonaire Sea Turtle

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The island of Bonaire is located in the Caribbean, about  50 miles north of Venezuela and 86 miles east of Aruba. The population is only 17,500. 

Sea turtles are threatened with extinction. Populations are declining worldwide due to fishing, increased coastal tourism and marine pollution. Nearly all Caribbean populations are severely depleted.

 

One of the sea turtle species found in Bonaire is the hawksbill. Adult hawksbills lay their eggs on the island's beaches each year. The capture of sea turtles is prohibited on Bonaire, as is the buying and selling of sea turtle products like shells, meat, eggs and jewelry.

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Just a postmark, earlier this year no stamps were available on the island. Probably as a result of all the postal issues on Bonaire.

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Greetings from Curacao! A postcard from the West Indies

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Curacao's beaches are its best-kept secret. The best beaches are not the long, expansive patches of sand found in other islands, but rather smaller, more intimate beaches found in secluded inlets, called "bocas" in Papiamentu. 

 

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Part of a large set of fish stamps: Cocoa Damsel fish. These fish can be found in the Western Atlantic & Caribbean region growing up to 13cm in length.

Freewinds is a Caribbean cruise ship.  Its home port is Curacao.

Thx Cheryll!

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Orient Bay | Baie Orientale St Martin but sent from Sint Maarten

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A view of the Orient Bay, a popular beach on the French side of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean. The only beach on St. Martin with a large number of beach bars and restaurants directly located on the beach.     

Orient Bay, or in French "Baie Orientale", sweeps around a blue cove, facing east, as the name suggests. The 2 mile long, white powdered sand beach is protected from the Atlantic waves by a reef, and the bottom has a very gradual slope.

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(left) One more from the Department of Tiny Stamps. Very small stamp picturing St Maarten Harbour.  

Thx Olga!

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Willems Toren Lighthouse, Bonaire

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The Willems Toren Lighthouse is located at the Southern tip of the island of Bonaire. Together with St. Eustatius and Saba the islands are known as Caribbean Netherlands. The lighthouse was established in 1837 and recently completely renovated.

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Issued in 2012 as part of a set of four stamps about Sailing Ships. The Optimist is a small, single-handed sailing dinghy intended for use by children up to the age of 15. 

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A postcard from the Dutch Carribbean: Bonaire

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The island of Bonaire is located in the Caribbean, about  50 miles north of Venezuela and 86 miles east of Aruba. The population is only 17,500. 

Bonaire's economy is mainly based on tourism, it is a well known scuba diving location. Together with Sint Eustatius and Saba, Bonaire is a special municipality of the Netherlands.

Kralendijk, which means "coral dike", is the capital city and main port of the island. This is where you'll find the vast majority of the island's restaurants, businesses, traffic and shopping.

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Issued in 2012 as part of a set of four stamps about Sailing Ships. The Optimist is a small, single-handed sailing dinghy intended for use by children up to the age of 15.  

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Two nations, one Island: Saint Martin - Sint Maarten

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Saint Martin is an overseas collectivity of France located in the Caribbean. Sint Maarten is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It encompasses the southern half of Saint Martin.

Going clockwise we see:

Marigot, the main town and capital on the French side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin.

Orient Bay, a coastal community and beach on the French side of the island.

Grand Case Bay also known as "Gourmet Beach".

Pinel Island, a little island just off the coast of St. Maarten / St. Martin.

Thx Pat!

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Aruba Beach

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“The beaches in Aruba consistently rank among the best, not only in the Caribbean, but in the world. Enjoy miles of pristine white sand, crystal blue waters, and cooling trade winds.

       

Aruba’s beaches include wide shaded expanses, quiet retreats, and busy sunbathing and water sports meccas.”

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Alto Vista Chapel is a small Catholic chapel also known as "Pilgrims Church". 

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The Friendly Island: St-Martin / St Maarten

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Saint Martin is an overseas collectivity of France located in the Caribbean. Sint Maarten is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It encompasses the southern half of Saint Martin.

It is the smallest island in the world ever to have been partitioned between two different nations. The border is almost imperceptible and people cross back and forth without ever realizing they are entering a new country. 

Princess Juliana International Airport serves both the Dutch and the French part of the island. It is named after crown princess Juliana of the Netherlands in 1944, the year after the airport opened. The airport is famous for its short landing strip which is barely enough for heavy jets. Because of this, the planes approach the island flying extremely low, right over Maho Beach.
It’s a spectacular sight!

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From a set of three stamps issued 2011 about tourism.

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A postcard from the West Indies: Sint Maarten

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Saint Martin is an overseas collectivity of France located in the Caribbean. Sint Maarten is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It encompasses the southern half of Saint Martin.

It is the smallest island in the world ever to have been partitioned between two different nations. The border is almost imperceptible and people cross back and forth without ever realizing they are entering a new country. 

Princess Juliana International Airport serves both the Dutch and the French part of the island. It is named after crown princess Juliana of the Netherlands in 1944, the year after the airport opened. The airport is famous for its short landing strip which is barely enough for heavy jets. Because of this, the planes approach the island flying extremely low, right over Maho Beach.
It’s a spectacular sight!

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From a set of three stamps issued 2011 about tourism.

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A postcard from the West Indies: Curacao

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“Un-drenched beaches, Clear Turquoise Ocean, and Unbelievable weather are just some of the few trademarks that make Curacao a true paradise to live in.”

Willemstad is the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea. The historic centre of the city consists of two quarters: Punda and Otrobanda. The original name of Punda was “ de punt”  in Dutch. Otrobanda, which was founded in 1707, is the newer section of the city and is considered to be the cultural center of Willemstad. Its name originated from the Papiamentu otro banda, which means "the other side."

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A blue and yellow Cherubfish with two stars of the Curacao flag.

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A postcard from Aruba: Eagle Beach

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In 1951 Aruba and the other Dutch Antilles became more independent from The Netherlands. In the 70's a movement was formed which wanted Aruba to separate from the other islands.

Aruba was part of the Netherlands Antilles until 1996 when they were the first of the six islands (Leeward: Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao Winward: Sint Maarten, Saba and Sint Eustatius) to have a “Status Aparte” which makes it independent within the kingdom of The Netherlands.

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(left) from a set of three stamps about Art (2006), picturing a painting of Jean Georges Pandellis.

(right) from a set of four stamps about historical museums: the Museum of Antiquities.

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