WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT E-GAMING IN CURACAO. I recently read a long article, the Story of Pinnacle Sports, focusing on a bookmaking site, which is illegal in the United States, but comfortable and making tons of money in Curacao. Pinnacle Sports is very famous and successful, and it operated for a long time out of the shabby Holiday Beach Hotel & Casino. For the purpose of the article, published in October, reporters attempted to interview the Pinnacle executives, but on the morning after reporters arrived, Pinnacle began moving its computers and furniture to another location in Willemstad. It’s all interesting, don’t you think so? So, I learned that Internet Gaming became illegal in the US in 2007, and that the island then stepped in and has been doing well, ever since. How do they do it? They offer e-gaming licenses and sublicense. In fact, they have been active in the off shore gaming since 1996. Interestingly enough, Curacao was one of the first islands to regulate online gambling. One of my friends working for a Curacao Trust Company reports it is easy to get a legitimate license for on-line gaming. I looked at the requirements, easier and cheaper than buying a house, as long as you are older than 18 and you block access to minors. Moreover, the island offers turn-key E-Gaming business packages, incorporating everything, obtaining all permits, cla, for a modest fee and a 2% low-tax annual levy! Anyway, it’s a good business, for the free-zone, I know Aruba has been talking about it.
WHAT I LEARNED IN CURACAO ABOUT FUNCHI. We hungrily investigated the funchi situation, while on the island. As explained to me by my expert tour-guide Tabitha Fecunda, funchi in Curacao is soft, creamy and moist, portioned and rolled in silver foil, molded into a giant sausage. We had some at Plasa Bieu, in the far end of the hall, in the kitchen run by Zus’ daughter, who follows in her mother’s culinary footsteps. We also enjoyed similar funchi at the Golden Horse on Caracas Bay. The funchi in Aruba is different, served in squares or slices, a bit dryer, and gratefully, it appears on our plates in smaller quantities. I had to try the typical Tutu, funchi with black eye peas, coconut milk and butter. I totally get why they like it so much. While travelling the western part of the island we came across a Toko, selling pan será. In the mini market across Jaanchie’s restaurant, the skinny shop-keeper, safe and secure behind iron bars, reported that her pan será was sold out. Wow, what disappointment. We asked if any other lady in the area was a baker. Bingo, we found one on the way to Playa Forti. The baker came out of her kitchen dressed in a terry cloth tube, and slippers. Having bought an ounce of worst dushi and an ounce of keshi, we opened our pan será, lined it with goodies and took a bite. I totally get why they like it so much, and Tabitha will never forgive me that I finished mine completely, she wanted another piece. The homemade bread is dense and filling, and soft, and slightly sweet, made with very cold water, and an expert hand I am told, so the dough never hardens. My friends told me that pan será dates back to when there were no bakeries on the island and islanders had to bake their own.
