by Alicia Roache, Entertainment Coordinator

Romain (in front) poses with (from left) Inga, Jodi-Ann, Executive Producer Paula Pinnock-McLeod and Lenya on a bridge in Curaçao, while on their way to the Plaza Hotel, on Tuesday. - Alicia Roache

willemstad, curaçao

Facing the caustic quips of judge Anthony Miller should now be a breeze for the 'Rising Stars'.

The vitriolic judge, whom Jodi-Ann once named as her worst fear, could not compare to the experience of visiting the Kura Hulanda Museum in downtown Curaçao. This is a museum which features remnants from the transatlantic slave trade.

In a tour that was so quick one barely left time to contemplate some of the atrocities perpetuated against the African slaves. Jodi-Ann Pantry, Romain Virgo, Inga Stewart and Lenya Wilks got a view of history and an appreciation of the present through Yflen Florentina, the tour guide. From the shackles hung on the wall, to the metal chairs and nozzles used for punishment, to a replica of the cargo bay of the slave ship, the museum brought the slave trade to life. For the 'Rising Stars', this was reality TV.

"Down the bottom scary, freaky," Jodi-Ann said as she emerged hurriedly from the replica of the bottom of the ship.

Romain took a seat in the thick metal chair, made in the form of a cage, in which slaves were locked and placed to burn in the sun. On Wednesday, he said this was the most memorable part of the trip.

"I was just happy that I wasn't in those days because our ancestors have gone through a lot," he said.

Inga was also taken aback. "I was amazed by a lot of the stuff I saw, though I was really taken aback when [I] saw where we are coming from," she said. "When I sat in the cage chair, I can't believe that people actually put human beings in that thing," she said.

But their mood would later lighten when, close to the end of the tour, they were taken to a section of the museum where drums that were used by the slaves to make music were displayed.

At the end of the tour, they were whisked away by tour guide Chernov to The Dolphin Academy.

There, they got a chance to see a portion of the dolphin show, watch the feeding of the turtles and take photos of the 17-centi meter-long green moray eel. The highlight of that visit was undoubtedly petting and feeding the Nurse Sharks.

While they are not aggressive, and their teeth are closer to the back of their jaws, the suction which they use to remove the fish from the metal rod is so powerful, it could definitely also remove fingers.

The guide asked who would help him feed and pet them. There were not many takers at first, but after a bit of reassurance, Lenya and Inga, along with other visitors, eventually mustered up the courage to do it.

Lenya, further reassured by Inga's experience, went through the process quickly and later said that it was not so scary.

Romain, who only got a chance to pet the sharks, described the feeling as akin to rubbing his hand on worn sand paper.

Jodi-Ann stayed behind the barriers, all the while observing the action. She said she did not want to pet the sharks. "They just look fierce. I didn't want to get my hands bitten off," she said.

Nonetheless, Jodi-Ann admitted to enjoying the visit, including the Dolphin Academy trip.

"I think coming to Curaçao has helped me to relax in order to prepare myself both physically and mentally for the results show on Friday," she said. "And I want to say that whatever happens on Friday, this is a great experience. The competition has opened a lot of doors for me and I'll use it as a stepping stone to further my career."

Though someone has to be voted off the show, these four will always have Curaçao.