In the distance we could see the smoke from the oil refinery. As you know, Venezuela has rich reserves of oil and the refinery has been producing since the 1920's. We touched down just after it had rained. Our flight from Miami is quick, seemingly over before we knew it. On the trip down over the awesome waters of the Caribbean, there were many times we could actually see the bottom of the ocean for miles and miles.
Trade winds keep the island pleasant.
The drive from the airport through the sometimes hilly countryside to Willemstad, the capital and only city, is a beautiful contrast as we drove through the surrounding suburbia amidst the limestone and volcanic hills. This is downtown. The Penha building on the corner was built in 1708, and as you might notice, all the buildings have wonderful Dutch architecture. The clear blue skies became a daily habit for us. And the shopping downtown has to be some of the world's best.