deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

An island country in the Lesser Antilles: Curacao. It is not independent, but is a ‘constituent country’ in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The name Curaçao derives from the Spanish map that referred to the people who lived there as ‘Indios Caqueto’. With a lower case ‘c’ Curaçao is a cordial flavored with the peel of a sour orange.

The indigenous people came from Venezuela and Argentina. They were the Arawak and Caquetio people. The island is another one that was the victim of colonization. The Spanish came first and enslaved vast numbers of the people. When the Dutch won their independence from Spain after the 80 Years War, Netherlands took the island. Next France fought the Netherlands for land. The British attacked the island several times. There were major slave revolts throughout it’s history. In current time, the Dutch Shell Oil company has ruined their economy and left the island near destitute.

The Dutch ‘ownership’ and influence is still active.

The flag is a blue field (top blue for the sky) bottom blue (the sea) separated by a yellow stripe (the sun). Two five pointed stars represent the five continents people have immigrated from. Vexillologically it is a good flag – simple, distinct easily recognized.