Page 73 - Discover Curacao

‘CHU’ JESUS MARIA ZIMMERMAN

“ I was just 14 when I started working at Netto Bar. I’d go to the bar
right from school to the bar and work ‘til late. My brother would pick
me up late at night and drive me home, because I was living in Boka.
When I finished school, I came here to work full-time. Back then
we didn’t have music and there were no photos on the walls. Now
the whole bar is full of them. Visitors who took photos here, bring
me a copy when they come back. Everything goes up on the walls.
People even bring footballs, shirts and scarves. Look, there’s a PSV
Eindhoven shirt on the ceiling. People talk about everything - except
politics. We’re busiest on Friday when the weekend starts. That’s
when they dance. Look, here’s a photo from a night of dancing. Salsa,
bachata, merengue, everything. On Friday’s, three of us work here:
me, my son and the son of the previous owner, Ernesto Koster. He
died in 2004. Netto Bar is my life. I couldn’t work anywhere else. We
have a lot of regulars, who drop by every day for a drink before work!
We go through about six bottles of Ròm Bèrde a day. We used to put
nothing but rum and mint in the Ròm Bèrde, but these days there’s a
bit of anise, too. People like that.
You can’t come to Netto Bar without trying our Ròm Bèrde.
King Willem Alexander has been here twice: in 1999, when he was still
prince, but I missed him then. In 2012, he was back and he dropped
by to say hi.
He chatted to everyone. A really nice guy.
”
BARTENDER, BORN AND RAISED ON CURAÇAO
www.nettobar.com

“ When you visit us at Netto Bar try our Ròm Bèrde (green rum) with
coconut. To sample Blue Curaçao, head over to Landhuis Chobolobo
where you can taste it right from the factory.
”