Curaçao - Adventure Guide to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - page 279

Sunday, 9 am-4 pm. Maduro & Curiel's Bank at Zuikertuintje Supermar-
ket

466-0777 or 466-1100, call for directions) is open Monday-Friday,
8 am-6 pm, and Saturdays, 8:30 am-6 pm.
CAPITAL: Willemstad
DEPARTURE TAX: US $20 for international departures (usually added
to the cost of your airline ticket). $16 for travel within the Netherlands
Antilles.
DRIVING: Traffic travels on the right side of the road, as in the US, Can-
ada, and most of Europe. Valid foreign and international driver's licenses
are accepted. International road signs are used. Right turns on red lights
are not allowed.
ELECTRICITY: The electrical voltage is 110-130 AC (50 cycles). Most
outlets accept the same plugs used in North America. Electrical items
from North America will function on this voltage, but not perfectly. Timing
devices will not be accurate and heating appliances, such as hairdryers,
may overheat. Use a surge protector for computers, and charge underwa-
ter strobes and videos at dive or photo shops with regulated systems. Most
plugs are the same as those in North America, though older hotels may
have European plugs. Adapter plugs are available on the island.
EMERGENCY: Police and fire department, ambulance, hospital, and
Coast Guard,

(

911.
GAS STATIONS: Gas stations are conveniently located on the ring road
around Willemstad and along the main roads throughout the island. Pay
before you fill up. Most stations accept credit cards and will convert prices
to US dollars and accept dollars as payment. Only a few stations stay open
late in the evening or on Sundays, so fill up Monday-Saturday between 7
am and 9 pm.
GOVERNMENT: Curaçao is the capital of the Netherlands Antilles,
which includes Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius.
Willemstad is the capital of Curaçao. The Netherlands Antilles is an
autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which includes Hol-
land and Aruba. Citizens of Curaçao and the other islands in the Kingdom
are Dutch nationals and carry European Union passports. The governor of
the NA and the lieutenant governor of each island is appointed by the rul-
ing monarch of the Kingdom. Each island's parliament is elected by popu-
lar vote, and citizens may vote at the age of 21.
HOSPITAL: St. Elisabeth Hospital, at Breedestraat 193 in Willemstad, is
well equipped and uses up-to-date treatments. The modern facilities
include beds for 550 patients and a recompression chamber.

462-4900.
In an emergency, dial 910 or 912 for information or an ambulance.
LANGUAGE: The official language is Dutch, but locals speak
Papiamento (spelled Papiamentu on Bonaire). Many are multilingual and
also speak Spanish, English, and German.
LEGAL AGE: 18 for drinking and gambling.