I just thought: let’s go to a random place. I picked Soto, a small village in Curaçao.
I caught the bus and got out. Hot… pffft.
Halfway to the beach, I felt sleepy, so I lay down in the shade on a stone wall. I have no problem taking a short nap there. A car passed by; the driver honked his horn and asked if I was OK. I was OK. A few minutes later, I continued down the road.
I arrived at a very small, rocky beach. There was the “horn guy” again. We cracked some jokes about the blessing of being alone. Then I asked him if he knew of a path along the rocky shore heading north. He said there wasn’t an official one, but he encouraged me to go anyway. He mentioned there were stairs… but they were on private property.
I tried to sense if it would be okay, then I went on my way. The whole time, the guy was yelling at me to keep going, not to be afraid. I thought it was easy for him to say—I was the one taking the risk. I went up the stairs and came to a sign that said: “No Trespassing, Private Property.” Clear, isn’t it?
But somehow, I forgot what that meant. I passed the wire fencing. With him still yelling for me to go on, I reached a closed gate made of vertical iron bars.
I sat down on the stairs. Suddenly, I saw a man with a dog behind the gate. All sorts of scenarios ran through my head, but I stayed seated.
The man said loudly: “This is private property.”
Playing a bit of “obvious conscious guilt,” I replied: “Yes, now that you mention it, you’re right. But sir, do you know a way to the other beach?” He looked me up and down a bit…(Dreadlock Holiday – 10cc) and asked: “Would you like to pass through?”
Yes!
I passed. The man had a soft voice and wasn’t angry at all; he was a nice Dutch guy, just as I am. I followed the path and came to a construction site for new hotels. It’s a pity, because soon those places will be private too. In a short time, all the beautiful spots here will be forbidden.
Hot and sweating, a car stopped for me. A lovely couple asked if I wanted a ride. For a moment I hesitated, but then I said yes. With this couple, Kenia and Louis, I visited two more beaches. I really liked them; they were pleasant company. Even on the beach, we got lucky, we got the beach beds for free.
To this couple: I wish them a long and prosperous life.
For me: it was a day of luck, coincidence, and wonderful encounters.
Humanity has a heart, and I love that heart.