Five Days in Aruba
Aruba
Wednesday, November 13 - Monday, November 18
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Our flight left Toronto at 6:30 am. That meant out of bed at 4:20 and into the hotel shuttle at 5:00 am. We were surprised to find the shuttle totally filled. Good thing we had booked our seats. A quick trip to Terminal 3 and then the airport shuffle ... hurry, hurry, hurry, Wait!!!
We passed smoothly through customs and security and even had a short time to enjoy the lounge where we indulge in a light breakfast. And then to the gate and onto the small aircraft that would transport us to Charlotte, North Carolina. The problem with a small aircraft is that it is too low to use one of the Sky Bridges. Instead, we had to walk out of the terminal, across a short piece of tarmac and walk up an open ramp to the aircraft door. Some of you will remember that on November 13 the early morning temperature was -15C. Jim and I had worn our winter coats to the airport but had put them in our checked luggage, not anticipating going outside again until we arrived in Aruba. Yikes ... was it cold walking to the aircraft!!!
Jim surprised me by telling me at that point that we had been upgraded to Business Class. What a comfortable treat! Wider seats, more leg room, personalized service. It was a great trip to Charlotte. Part way through the flight, we were offered an alcoholic beverage. Really?? Really!! Vodka with cranberry juice. Mmm! I was finally able to settle into a nap.
In Charlotte (what a lovely airport it is), we had a very short interlude between flights, most of which we spent at the gate. Once again, as we were boarding, Jim broke the news that we were sitting in the Business Section. I could really get used to this. I guess all those flights that Jim takes to collect point and maintain his airline status do pay off.
This flight was also smooth and the sky was quite clear. Most of the time we were high above ocean water so there was really not that much to see. Lunch was served on china dishes with real cutlery. And there were menu choices too. I ordered an antipasto platter, very tasty, but too much food to eat. This time I stuck with tomato juice as a beverage and passed on the chocolate chip cookie that was dessert. I was tired and needed to nap.
Soon after I awoke for the last time, the pilot said we were only minutes away from landing in Aruba. Aruba is small enough that you can see the whole island from the air. Of course, it was green and tropical although it was more densely populated than I had expected. There were coastal roads and many, many beaches. But there were also several towns that were inland and in the more mountainous regions. Something for us to explore.
The best part of what we saw were the reefs that protected several beaches. We have read the there is great snorkelling here but you have to avoid the strong currents. We will choose our beaches carefully but look forward to observing the underwater world in a new place. There is also a large population of sea turtles here as well.
We landed at Oranjestad. The airport was very small and it did not take long to clear customs and immigration and be on our way.
The car rental agency was literally across the road from the exit at the airport. We pushed our luggage across, did the necessary paperwork and within 45 minutes of the flight landing, we were on our way.
We travelled all the way through Oranjestad on the main street. We passed by the cruise ship dock and saw two ships in port and two on their way out. It must have been a busy day! The street was lined with shops, restaurants, entertainment parks, beaches ... all manner of things that provide opportunities to support the Aruban economy. And there were a lot of people doing just that.
We were happy to reach our resort on the far side of town, The Eagle Aruba Resort and Casino.
It is a massive resort with several pools and restaurants and maybe a thousand rooms. We were registered in a king suite which was quite lovely except it had no internet service and very poor tv reception.
We were tired so ordered a pizza from one of the restaurants and slept well through the night.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Thursday morning we inquired about changing rooms and we are now in a suite on the main floor with excellent internet and tv reception. Plus, it is much closer to the pools, the lobby and the restaurants. Making this move has been good all round.
We spent Thursday familiarizing ourselves with the resort and enjoying the nearest pool and hot tub. A nap outside and a nap inside were also very pleasant. There is a grocery store nearby so we bought some light food for dinner, having eaten a delicious lunch in one of the restaurants. (Our meals are not included in our package.) We also have our own supply of gin and tonic.
A quiet day was just what the doctor ordered and another good night's sleep will prepare us for a day trip tomorrow to explore part of the island.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Our goal this morning was to be out the door by 8 am so that we had enough time to complete what was described as a very full day driving tour around the west end of the island. We dropped into a nearby Dunkin Donuts for coffee (yes, fast food has come to Aruba - McDonalds and Wendys as well) and headed out on the open road. There were many sights to see and roads of various qualities to traverse.
The first stop on our tour was Aruba Aloe, a company that has been in business for 125 years. For a long period of time, Aruba was the world's largest supplier of aloe. Sadly, land has been taken over for development and the remaining aloe fields have shrunk dramatically. However, the range of products produced here is very broad, everything from the original product to treat minor burns, to a whole line of skin products and soaps to moisturize the skin. A very popular product is called After Sun ... to treat sunburn which I am sure occurs regularly under the intense sunlight that fills the sky. We went on a tour of the factory, visited the fields of aloe, toured the museum and, of course, the shop.
Not far along the road, we next stopped at the Ayo and Casibari rock formations. The interior of Aruba is very dry and quite rugged. These rock formations are huge and one wonders how and why they ended up where they are. Both Ayo ad Casibari had climbing trails with steps and railings, yet there was no charge to climb. Very curious.
The rock formations were quite different from the surrounding landscape which is mainly arid brush along with huge and abundant saguaro cactus plants. As we travelled along many country roads, we saw no signs of agriculture - plants or animals. Much of the land seemed to be simply wild. The terrain is rugged and houses are scattered in a somewhat random pattern throughout the area. Sometimes it was clear that a developer had planned a community and several modern and well maintained homes were clustered together. Otherwise, any given row of houses might have one that is under construction, one or more that are abandoned, some that are occupied but in poor repair and a few that are freshly painted, fenced and well maintained. The roads wander about the countryside with no particular pattern, perhaps following the line of homes that had been put in place even before the roads had been constructed. At times, it was a wild ride rounding blind corners and sharp curves on narrow roads. Exciting!!
We also visited Hoolberg, also known as the haystack. It is a very large hill that does resemble a haystack. It also has climbing trails and I am sure that the view from the top would be spectacular. But climbers are warned about the steep terrain, the lack of water, and the heat from the sun. Neither Jim nor I had any interest in making our way up Hoolberg, given how hot it was outside. So, we travelled on ...
Next we came upon the Aruba Ostrich Farm, a rather rundown place with ostriches and emus on the property. Again, we decided that visiting ostriches in Aruba was not one of our primary goals and so we passed up the opportunity to go in ($12.00 each might also have been a deterrent. Why are there ostriches on Aruba?)
We travelled along some more circuitous roads which led us to the coastline and the ruins of an old gold mine. The structure that remained was large and sturdy, built with thick bricks and located right along the shoreline of the Caribbean. It was quite a sight to see.
It was there that we saw several groups of jeeps that were clearly on a jeep tour with a leader and up to ten jeeps following. Most of the jeeps were open air and the dust blowing behind each jeep was thick. Most drivers and passengers were wearing hats, eye goggles and face masks. They all seemed to be having a great time. We began to travel along a road they had traversed but were warned by the leader of the group that it was not passable with a regular vehicle. We wisely turned around and found another route to our next destination.
We visited the town of Noord, a country town, quite a contrast to the capital city of Oranjestad. As with many country towns, Noord offered limited services and had a small population. There were a number of abandoned homes and even more abandoned vehicles. We had thought about having lunch there but decided to go to the beach instead.
Before the beach, we made two more stops. One was at the California Lighthouse which is at the top of a high cliff at the westernmost point of Aruba. It is a very impressive lighthouse with a companion restaurant and a food truck. There was also a golf course nearby, the first we have seen on the island.
Our final stop was in fact our favourite stop of the day. High on a hill sat a small and charming chapel, primarily used for special ceremonies such as weddings and baptisms. Lining the road on the way up the hill were a series of crosses that guided the drivers to the destination. It was lovely, all round.
It was also at this location that we had a chance to observe the most common creature of Aruba - geckos and skinks. A group of about 10 of them were gathered together and fighting over some particularly desirable food. It was fun to watch them chase one another away so as to grab a nibble of the delectable dish that attracted them all. Some were blue and others were brown. Earlier today, we had seen a couple of green lizards on the roadside, somewhat larger than either of the varieties we saw at the chapel. And later, back at our resort, Jim encountered a very large iguana near our unit.
Mid afternoon, we travelled along the seashore back to our resort. In the end we actually had lunch at 'home' and soon after headed to the pool for some sun and relaxation. We remained outside until almost dinner time when we forced ourselves to get dressed again to go out for dinner. A fish dinner for Jim and linguini pescatori for me. The seafood in both dishes was delicious. There was a band playing in the courtyard and several people dancing or swaying to the music. It was relaxed, warm, friendly and fun.
Later, Jim went to the Baskin Robbins store at our resort and brought ice cream cones back for both of us. What a great way to end a very full and interesting day.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Friday morning we donned our swim wear and headed to the beach, one of the beaches that was said to have great snorkelling. It was a gorgeous, clear sky sunny day and the temperature was rising quickly. Being at the beach on a lounge chair under the protection of an umbrella sounded idyllic. It was still early when we arrived and we were able to get a spot right along the water's edge. Soon after we were settled two bus loads of cruise passengers arrived. But, you know, the beach as big and the ocean bigger. It never felt crowded or overwhelming.
We gazed at the beautiful colours in the water for a while and listened to the rhythm of the gentle waves. Pelicans flew overhead and dove straight into the water looking for something to eat.
Seagulls plied the beach for scraps. Happily the beach was very clean so the seagulls were generally not a nuisance.
It was a fairly steep slope to get from the beach to the water. The tide was coming in early in the day and we watched as the waves broke higher and higher on the slope and the water's edge came closer to us. After a while, we decided it was time to take the plunge and enter the Caribbean Sea. How lucky were we to be there!! At first contact, the water felt a bit chilly but as the day heated up, the water was very refreshing. It was possible to walk quite a distance out from shore and still be able to touch bottom.
After some time, we decided to go snorkelling. Masks and snorkels at the ready and water shoes already on, we were prepared to see some of the fish that we had heard lived in these waters. Close to shore there were hundreds of small silver fish, about 10 centimetres in length. Swimming among them were literally thousands of smaller silver fish, huge schools that moved through the water together. No wonder the pelicans liked this beach. Food was abundantly available. Every gulp of water would have had a huge number of tiny fish in it.
Jim and I struck out for the coral reef that was not far from shore. Sadly, there were fewer fish there than we had expected. Most of the coral was dead and coated with sand. A few valiant fish of various species darted about but, overall, the snorkelling was disappointing. That, and the ocean's current was decidedly stronger the further one got from shore. With no interest in being whisked off in the wrong direction, we soon abandoned snorkelling and simply enjoyed the pleasure of being in the tropics and having such abundant access to warm, ocean water.
After a significant period of time, we made our way to shore once again. I relied on Jim to help me up the bank. As I said, it was steep. It was lovely to sit again on our chairs and people and bird watch. We were a little surprised when a drone flew overhead and circled the beach a few times. We decided it was probably the cruise line creating a video of their day at the beach. There were also professional photographers taking photos of cruise passengers, no doubt to market when they returned to the ship later today.
It was about lunch time when we decided to head back to our resort, a short 15 minute drive. We had an afternoon date with our favourite football team, the University of Michigan Wolverines. Yes, even in Aruba, they broadcast American college ball. It was great fun to see a great game in the air conditioned comfort of our suite. And, Michigan won!!! What more can we say!
After the game, we went out for a drive to the south end of the island. The first stop we made was at the airport to inquire if a book I had left on the plane was anywhere to be found. In fact, American Airlines has a lost and found in their office and, ta da, my book was there!! I was delighted to get it back.
The south end of the island is much more industrialized than the area we had previously visited. The highway and roads were better maintained; there were shops, restaurants and service stations at regular intervals; the villages were well maintained and the homes generally well cared for. There was a wetland area, the Spanish Lagoon, that is protected as part of a national park. The water we were able to see was well populated with several varieties of water birds, in particular herons and cranes. We also saw several industrial areas.
There is a large marina where fishing occurs. A couple of refineries were located along the coastline where ships carrying oil would come into port. And there is a desalination plant on the island. All the water for household and commercial uses is desalinated ocean water.
As we travelled back toward Oranjestad, the sun was setting over the ocean waters. The colours in the sky were gentle and subdued, yet beautiful at the same time. Of course, we stopped to take a couple of photos. There are still many sights remaining where we want to take photos. But they will have to wait until tomorrow. We stopped into a Dominoes Pizza and ordered a pizza for dinner. We were happy to be home and in for the evening. Heat and sun have a way of making one tired!
Sunday, November 17, 2019
This is our last full day in Aruba and it feels like there is so much we still have not seen or done. Yet, we chose to have a leisurely morning. It was after 11 am when we left for breakfast. We had not planned to go out for breakfast; rather, we were going to go out for a lovely dinner. When I began to research where we might go, I learned an important fact about Aruban culture. Mosts stores, business and restaurants are closed on Sundays. I did find one that was open, The West Deck. It offered patio seats looking out over the water and a range of Aruban dishes. Perfect for lunch. By dinner, the sun will have set and the water view would be dark as well.
When we thought about the Sunday closings a bit, we made a connection about the many, many churches we have seen, mostly Christian. Perhaps there is a connection between the church and the practice of taking Sunday off.
We made our way downtown, commenting along the way about how much traffic there was considering that most places were closed. We asked a about the traffic at the restaurant and we learned something else about Aruban culture. Today was Sinterklass, the day on which Santa comes to town. There was a big parade followed by a festival with food, activities and, of course, photos with Santa. The cause of the traffic was that we were following the parade. We were sorry to have missed this event. It reflects the Dutch traditions which as so much a part of Aruban culture.
Happily, the traffic moved slowly but steadily and we finally reached the turn-off to The West End. Parking was easy and there were many tables available including one right at the edge of the deck with a perfect water view. There were two enormous ships at the Cruise Port; there were two cargo ships anchored just offshore; and there were many, many private craft in the water. There was a boat launch right beside the restaurant and we were able to see several boats put in and taken out of the water. Most of the boats seemed to be occupied by extended families, going out for a Sunday ride on the water. It reminded me of the Sunday drives of my childhood. Some were rigged with multiple fishing poles. I wonder how successful they were.
Jim and I each ordered a cocktail, unusual for us at lunch. But we were determined today to enjoy all things Aruban and so we began.
We enlisted the help of our server to make suggestions for lunch. She recommended four items and we ordered them all to share - fishcakes with a light tartar-style sauce; cheese bread with a pickled jalapeno and red onion mixture; pulled chicken in a light dumpling with a spicy papaya sauce; and thick buttered toasted bread. They were all very tasty although I have to admit that the fishcakes were the best. Jim had a small flan for dessert and we headed on our way.
There is a tram that runs on a track through the main part of Oranjestad. It goes every 25 minutes and has a 50 minute route. Perfect. Lots of opportunities for photos and to see things we may have missed. Just one problem ... it does not run on Sundays in spite of the fact that there are two enormous cruise ships in town. Oh well ... we do not fly out until tomorrow afternoon so we still have time to take it in the morning.
Feeling a bit stymied, we had to pause for a few minutes to regroup. We found a place to fill the car with gas and made some new decisions about how to spend the afternoon. Yesterday we had travelled a short distance to the east point of the island. There, the road turns and heads south. We had not yet explored that part of Aruba so that is where we headed.
Along the way, we stopped to take photos of things we now felt were of value for our memories and photo book - shops, plants, a bridge over the only river on Aruba. We also stopped to buy some laundry soap (how mundane) at an Asian store that was open. We have noticed that a number of retail stores have Asian names, especially supermarkets, hardware stores and large bargain-style department stores. It seems to us that Chinese vendors have begun to populate this island, as they have in other countries including Canada.
We stopped for a while to look around the town of San Nicolas. Over the past several years, San Nicolas had sponsored an art project in which murals have been painted on several walls on buildings and fences. This work is currently underway for 2019 and we were able to observe three artists at work using different techniques to apply their murals. Two were using a range of colours of spray paint. One was working free-hand while the other had a sketch of the planned image on the wall to guide the painting. The third artist was working with paint brushes of various sizes. These projects were well underway but there was still a lot of work to be done. In all, I think we counted about 15 murals in San Nicolas.
While we were wandering about the town, we noticed that the gate to the refinery was open ... so, of course, we drove in. Much of the equipment and structures appeared to have been de-commissioned. Tanks, smokestacks and pipes were very rusty and some buildings were quite dilapidated. In another area, far from where we could drive, there were new storage tanks and buildings and probably a more modern, functioning refinery. Of course all the oil used in Aruba has to come by ship. Seeing the refinery so close to shore made us think about how easily a spill could lead to a disaster.
Aruba is very self-sufficient in resources - water is desalinated here; oil is refined here; energy is generated here. But there is no appreciable agriculture or industry so the Aruban people are totally dependent on the products being shipped from other countries.
We spied a community high on a hillside where the homes seemed to be larger and of higher quality than most. Being curious by nature, we travelled up the hill and took a drive through the subdivision. Many of the homes were quite large and had a water view. They also had multiple higher end vehicles and some garages to store them in. This was where the wealthier people clearly lived. Some had made an effort to do some landscaping but the lack of water makes it difficult to grow anything other than succulents.
We carried on our exploratory drive and next came to two beaches. One beach was well developed and heavily populated. It was a beautiful setting with calm and protected water due to a reef formation at the outer edge of the cove. It was called Baby Beach because it is a safe place to bring your children. Sadly, while there is good snorkelling beyond the reef, the currents are strong and the reef is structured in such a way that one can get caught in 'corridors' and not be able to find a way out without crossing shallow coral, a dangerous practice due to skin abrasions that are easily infected. Jim and I had read this information before we came so we left our bathing suits back at the resort. It was not worth taking the risk.
The other beach, Rodger Beach, was a much less developed area and had far fewer people on the beach. The sand was so light and the water looked so calm and inviting. Far away (not really that far) from the madding crowd. Our beach of choice for sure ... except we were not going to the beach today.
As we drove along new roads, we spied a large building across the landscape. It looked a lot like a prison although I cannot imagine enough people being incarcerated in Aruba to occupy such a large facility. Nonetheless, we went searching for the building along new and unfamiliar roads. We came upon another community, completely hidden from the main road. How can that be?
Well, the Stenocereus griseus cactus grows so tall and occupies the land so densely that it is like being in a forest with no leaves. Accompanying the cactus is forest of thorn trees, not very tall, but extremely unfriendly when you get too close to them. Suffice it to say, that we found a whole village but we never did find the building we were looking for.
Instead, we found something quite exciting. We found several wind turbines, clearly new, at the top of a hill, spinning round and round. Even here in Aruba, they are looking for alternate ways to generate power. Bravo!!
On a similar note, as a part of the Netherlands, Aruba is responsible for enacting the laws of that land. One of the things that has recently happened is that single use plastic grocery bags have been totally disallowed. If you do not bring your own bag to the supermarket, you are out of luck. You cannot even buy a plastic bag although you can buy a cloth bag.
We turned the car and headed back toward Oranjestad, about a 45 minute drive from our current location. Perfect because we would get back before dark. We were on familiar roads again and the trip was smooth. The sun set as we travelled along but we easily made it 'home' in the daylight.
Tonight, we will do the laundry and pack our bags. Tomorrow we leave Aruba and fly to Curacao for our next 5 day adventure. We are ready ...
Monday, November 18, 2019 From Aruba to Curacoa
We pack our bags and put them in the car, heading to the city at 8:30 am. We were determined to catch the tram that we had been told would be working from 9 am this morning. We found a bench by the tracks and waited and waited ... We were at the entrance to the cruise terminal and hundreds of passengers were pouring off the ship to engage in a variety of activities and adventures. Maybe the tram was among them ... we remained hopeful. A rumour went through the crowd that the first tram today was to be at 10 am, not 9. We waited. Some of the souvenir shops began to open so I went to have a look at their wears. One proprietor told us the first tram was to be at 10:15. Another said it was having technical difficulties. And another said that it was to begin at 11.
Finally, we gave up. We retrieved the car and took our own final tour of the city. We actually found some buildings and monuments that had eluded us until today - the Parliament House and the Legion were among them. We also took some final photographs of the blue horses and the cow sitting on the bench. Why they are there, we have no idea. We have not seen any cows or horses while on Aruba.
Our last stop was a beachfront restaurant where we enjoyed an early lunch before heading to the airport. We returned the rental car (a reliable one this time) and crossed the road to the terminal. As we were going on a domestic flight, the check-in process was quick and painless. They did not even charge us for our extra baggage. We were travelling to Curacao on a small propellor driven plane (maximum 20 passengers). Everyone must have checked in early because they called the flight well ahead of time and we were on our way. We flew at 5500 foot and the flight lasted less than 30 minutes. The sky was clear and the Caribbean Sea was brilliant blue. Of course, we took some photos as we flew over cargo ships and fishing boats and small fluffy clouds.
A quick trip through immigration and customs and we were off to find our rental car. A shuttle picked us up just as described in the arrangements and soon I was at the wheel of a bright red Hyundai Accent, making our way toward a lovely rural guesthouse where we be staying for the next 5 days.
Dinner on the patio, watching the sun set and the planets and stars emerge. How peaceful it was. We are looking forward to more evenings just like this.
Wednesday, November 13 - Monday, November 18
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Our flight left Toronto at 6:30 am. That meant out of bed at 4:20 and into the hotel shuttle at 5:00 am. We were surprised to find the shuttle totally filled. Good thing we had booked our seats. A quick trip to Terminal 3 and then the airport shuffle ... hurry, hurry, hurry, Wait!!!
We passed smoothly through customs and security and even had a short time to enjoy the lounge where we indulge in a light breakfast. And then to the gate and onto the small aircraft that would transport us to Charlotte, North Carolina. The problem with a small aircraft is that it is too low to use one of the Sky Bridges. Instead, we had to walk out of the terminal, across a short piece of tarmac and walk up an open ramp to the aircraft door. Some of you will remember that on November 13 the early morning temperature was -15C. Jim and I had worn our winter coats to the airport but had put them in our checked luggage, not anticipating going outside again until we arrived in Aruba. Yikes ... was it cold walking to the aircraft!!!
Jim surprised me by telling me at that point that we had been upgraded to Business Class. What a comfortable treat! Wider seats, more leg room, personalized service. It was a great trip to Charlotte. Part way through the flight, we were offered an alcoholic beverage. Really?? Really!! Vodka with cranberry juice. Mmm! I was finally able to settle into a nap.
In Charlotte (what a lovely airport it is), we had a very short interlude between flights, most of which we spent at the gate. Once again, as we were boarding, Jim broke the news that we were sitting in the Business Section. I could really get used to this. I guess all those flights that Jim takes to collect point and maintain his airline status do pay off.
This flight was also smooth and the sky was quite clear. Most of the time we were high above ocean water so there was really not that much to see. Lunch was served on china dishes with real cutlery. And there were menu choices too. I ordered an antipasto platter, very tasty, but too much food to eat. This time I stuck with tomato juice as a beverage and passed on the chocolate chip cookie that was dessert. I was tired and needed to nap.
Soon after I awoke for the last time, the pilot said we were only minutes away from landing in Aruba. Aruba is small enough that you can see the whole island from the air. Of course, it was green and tropical although it was more densely populated than I had expected. There were coastal roads and many, many beaches. But there were also several towns that were inland and in the more mountainous regions. Something for us to explore.
The best part of what we saw were the reefs that protected several beaches. We have read the there is great snorkelling here but you have to avoid the strong currents. We will choose our beaches carefully but look forward to observing the underwater world in a new place. There is also a large population of sea turtles here as well.
We landed at Oranjestad. The airport was very small and it did not take long to clear customs and immigration and be on our way.
The car rental agency was literally across the road from the exit at the airport. We pushed our luggage across, did the necessary paperwork and within 45 minutes of the flight landing, we were on our way.
We travelled all the way through Oranjestad on the main street. We passed by the cruise ship dock and saw two ships in port and two on their way out. It must have been a busy day! The street was lined with shops, restaurants, entertainment parks, beaches ... all manner of things that provide opportunities to support the Aruban economy. And there were a lot of people doing just that.
We were happy to reach our resort on the far side of town, The Eagle Aruba Resort and Casino.
It is a massive resort with several pools and restaurants and maybe a thousand rooms. We were registered in a king suite which was quite lovely except it had no internet service and very poor tv reception.
We were tired so ordered a pizza from one of the restaurants and slept well through the night.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Thursday morning we inquired about changing rooms and we are now in a suite on the main floor with excellent internet and tv reception. Plus, it is much closer to the pools, the lobby and the restaurants. Making this move has been good all round.
We spent Thursday familiarizing ourselves with the resort and enjoying the nearest pool and hot tub. A nap outside and a nap inside were also very pleasant. There is a grocery store nearby so we bought some light food for dinner, having eaten a delicious lunch in one of the restaurants. (Our meals are not included in our package.) We also have our own supply of gin and tonic.
A quiet day was just what the doctor ordered and another good night's sleep will prepare us for a day trip tomorrow to explore part of the island.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Our goal this morning was to be out the door by 8 am so that we had enough time to complete what was described as a very full day driving tour around the west end of the island. We dropped into a nearby Dunkin Donuts for coffee (yes, fast food has come to Aruba - McDonalds and Wendys as well) and headed out on the open road. There were many sights to see and roads of various qualities to traverse.
The first stop on our tour was Aruba Aloe, a company that has been in business for 125 years. For a long period of time, Aruba was the world's largest supplier of aloe. Sadly, land has been taken over for development and the remaining aloe fields have shrunk dramatically. However, the range of products produced here is very broad, everything from the original product to treat minor burns, to a whole line of skin products and soaps to moisturize the skin. A very popular product is called After Sun ... to treat sunburn which I am sure occurs regularly under the intense sunlight that fills the sky. We went on a tour of the factory, visited the fields of aloe, toured the museum and, of course, the shop.
Not far along the road, we next stopped at the Ayo and Casibari rock formations. The interior of Aruba is very dry and quite rugged. These rock formations are huge and one wonders how and why they ended up where they are. Both Ayo ad Casibari had climbing trails with steps and railings, yet there was no charge to climb. Very curious.
The rock formations were quite different from the surrounding landscape which is mainly arid brush along with huge and abundant saguaro cactus plants. As we travelled along many country roads, we saw no signs of agriculture - plants or animals. Much of the land seemed to be simply wild. The terrain is rugged and houses are scattered in a somewhat random pattern throughout the area. Sometimes it was clear that a developer had planned a community and several modern and well maintained homes were clustered together. Otherwise, any given row of houses might have one that is under construction, one or more that are abandoned, some that are occupied but in poor repair and a few that are freshly painted, fenced and well maintained. The roads wander about the countryside with no particular pattern, perhaps following the line of homes that had been put in place even before the roads had been constructed. At times, it was a wild ride rounding blind corners and sharp curves on narrow roads. Exciting!!
We also visited Hoolberg, also known as the haystack. It is a very large hill that does resemble a haystack. It also has climbing trails and I am sure that the view from the top would be spectacular. But climbers are warned about the steep terrain, the lack of water, and the heat from the sun. Neither Jim nor I had any interest in making our way up Hoolberg, given how hot it was outside. So, we travelled on ...
Next we came upon the Aruba Ostrich Farm, a rather rundown place with ostriches and emus on the property. Again, we decided that visiting ostriches in Aruba was not one of our primary goals and so we passed up the opportunity to go in ($12.00 each might also have been a deterrent. Why are there ostriches on Aruba?)
We travelled along some more circuitous roads which led us to the coastline and the ruins of an old gold mine. The structure that remained was large and sturdy, built with thick bricks and located right along the shoreline of the Caribbean. It was quite a sight to see.
It was there that we saw several groups of jeeps that were clearly on a jeep tour with a leader and up to ten jeeps following. Most of the jeeps were open air and the dust blowing behind each jeep was thick. Most drivers and passengers were wearing hats, eye goggles and face masks. They all seemed to be having a great time. We began to travel along a road they had traversed but were warned by the leader of the group that it was not passable with a regular vehicle. We wisely turned around and found another route to our next destination.
We visited the town of Noord, a country town, quite a contrast to the capital city of Oranjestad. As with many country towns, Noord offered limited services and had a small population. There were a number of abandoned homes and even more abandoned vehicles. We had thought about having lunch there but decided to go to the beach instead.
Before the beach, we made two more stops. One was at the California Lighthouse which is at the top of a high cliff at the westernmost point of Aruba. It is a very impressive lighthouse with a companion restaurant and a food truck. There was also a golf course nearby, the first we have seen on the island.
Our final stop was in fact our favourite stop of the day. High on a hill sat a small and charming chapel, primarily used for special ceremonies such as weddings and baptisms. Lining the road on the way up the hill were a series of crosses that guided the drivers to the destination. It was lovely, all round.
It was also at this location that we had a chance to observe the most common creature of Aruba - geckos and skinks. A group of about 10 of them were gathered together and fighting over some particularly desirable food. It was fun to watch them chase one another away so as to grab a nibble of the delectable dish that attracted them all. Some were blue and others were brown. Earlier today, we had seen a couple of green lizards on the roadside, somewhat larger than either of the varieties we saw at the chapel. And later, back at our resort, Jim encountered a very large iguana near our unit.
Mid afternoon, we travelled along the seashore back to our resort. In the end we actually had lunch at 'home' and soon after headed to the pool for some sun and relaxation. We remained outside until almost dinner time when we forced ourselves to get dressed again to go out for dinner. A fish dinner for Jim and linguini pescatori for me. The seafood in both dishes was delicious. There was a band playing in the courtyard and several people dancing or swaying to the music. It was relaxed, warm, friendly and fun.
Later, Jim went to the Baskin Robbins store at our resort and brought ice cream cones back for both of us. What a great way to end a very full and interesting day.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Friday morning we donned our swim wear and headed to the beach, one of the beaches that was said to have great snorkelling. It was a gorgeous, clear sky sunny day and the temperature was rising quickly. Being at the beach on a lounge chair under the protection of an umbrella sounded idyllic. It was still early when we arrived and we were able to get a spot right along the water's edge. Soon after we were settled two bus loads of cruise passengers arrived. But, you know, the beach as big and the ocean bigger. It never felt crowded or overwhelming.
We gazed at the beautiful colours in the water for a while and listened to the rhythm of the gentle waves. Pelicans flew overhead and dove straight into the water looking for something to eat.
Seagulls plied the beach for scraps. Happily the beach was very clean so the seagulls were generally not a nuisance.
It was a fairly steep slope to get from the beach to the water. The tide was coming in early in the day and we watched as the waves broke higher and higher on the slope and the water's edge came closer to us. After a while, we decided it was time to take the plunge and enter the Caribbean Sea. How lucky were we to be there!! At first contact, the water felt a bit chilly but as the day heated up, the water was very refreshing. It was possible to walk quite a distance out from shore and still be able to touch bottom.
After some time, we decided to go snorkelling. Masks and snorkels at the ready and water shoes already on, we were prepared to see some of the fish that we had heard lived in these waters. Close to shore there were hundreds of small silver fish, about 10 centimetres in length. Swimming among them were literally thousands of smaller silver fish, huge schools that moved through the water together. No wonder the pelicans liked this beach. Food was abundantly available. Every gulp of water would have had a huge number of tiny fish in it.
Jim and I struck out for the coral reef that was not far from shore. Sadly, there were fewer fish there than we had expected. Most of the coral was dead and coated with sand. A few valiant fish of various species darted about but, overall, the snorkelling was disappointing. That, and the ocean's current was decidedly stronger the further one got from shore. With no interest in being whisked off in the wrong direction, we soon abandoned snorkelling and simply enjoyed the pleasure of being in the tropics and having such abundant access to warm, ocean water.
After a significant period of time, we made our way to shore once again. I relied on Jim to help me up the bank. As I said, it was steep. It was lovely to sit again on our chairs and people and bird watch. We were a little surprised when a drone flew overhead and circled the beach a few times. We decided it was probably the cruise line creating a video of their day at the beach. There were also professional photographers taking photos of cruise passengers, no doubt to market when they returned to the ship later today.
It was about lunch time when we decided to head back to our resort, a short 15 minute drive. We had an afternoon date with our favourite football team, the University of Michigan Wolverines. Yes, even in Aruba, they broadcast American college ball. It was great fun to see a great game in the air conditioned comfort of our suite. And, Michigan won!!! What more can we say!
After the game, we went out for a drive to the south end of the island. The first stop we made was at the airport to inquire if a book I had left on the plane was anywhere to be found. In fact, American Airlines has a lost and found in their office and, ta da, my book was there!! I was delighted to get it back.
The south end of the island is much more industrialized than the area we had previously visited. The highway and roads were better maintained; there were shops, restaurants and service stations at regular intervals; the villages were well maintained and the homes generally well cared for. There was a wetland area, the Spanish Lagoon, that is protected as part of a national park. The water we were able to see was well populated with several varieties of water birds, in particular herons and cranes. We also saw several industrial areas.
There is a large marina where fishing occurs. A couple of refineries were located along the coastline where ships carrying oil would come into port. And there is a desalination plant on the island. All the water for household and commercial uses is desalinated ocean water.
As we travelled back toward Oranjestad, the sun was setting over the ocean waters. The colours in the sky were gentle and subdued, yet beautiful at the same time. Of course, we stopped to take a couple of photos. There are still many sights remaining where we want to take photos. But they will have to wait until tomorrow. We stopped into a Dominoes Pizza and ordered a pizza for dinner. We were happy to be home and in for the evening. Heat and sun have a way of making one tired!
Sunday, November 17, 2019
This is our last full day in Aruba and it feels like there is so much we still have not seen or done. Yet, we chose to have a leisurely morning. It was after 11 am when we left for breakfast. We had not planned to go out for breakfast; rather, we were going to go out for a lovely dinner. When I began to research where we might go, I learned an important fact about Aruban culture. Mosts stores, business and restaurants are closed on Sundays. I did find one that was open, The West Deck. It offered patio seats looking out over the water and a range of Aruban dishes. Perfect for lunch. By dinner, the sun will have set and the water view would be dark as well.
When we thought about the Sunday closings a bit, we made a connection about the many, many churches we have seen, mostly Christian. Perhaps there is a connection between the church and the practice of taking Sunday off.
We made our way downtown, commenting along the way about how much traffic there was considering that most places were closed. We asked a about the traffic at the restaurant and we learned something else about Aruban culture. Today was Sinterklass, the day on which Santa comes to town. There was a big parade followed by a festival with food, activities and, of course, photos with Santa. The cause of the traffic was that we were following the parade. We were sorry to have missed this event. It reflects the Dutch traditions which as so much a part of Aruban culture.
Happily, the traffic moved slowly but steadily and we finally reached the turn-off to The West End. Parking was easy and there were many tables available including one right at the edge of the deck with a perfect water view. There were two enormous ships at the Cruise Port; there were two cargo ships anchored just offshore; and there were many, many private craft in the water. There was a boat launch right beside the restaurant and we were able to see several boats put in and taken out of the water. Most of the boats seemed to be occupied by extended families, going out for a Sunday ride on the water. It reminded me of the Sunday drives of my childhood. Some were rigged with multiple fishing poles. I wonder how successful they were.
Jim and I each ordered a cocktail, unusual for us at lunch. But we were determined today to enjoy all things Aruban and so we began.
We enlisted the help of our server to make suggestions for lunch. She recommended four items and we ordered them all to share - fishcakes with a light tartar-style sauce; cheese bread with a pickled jalapeno and red onion mixture; pulled chicken in a light dumpling with a spicy papaya sauce; and thick buttered toasted bread. They were all very tasty although I have to admit that the fishcakes were the best. Jim had a small flan for dessert and we headed on our way.
There is a tram that runs on a track through the main part of Oranjestad. It goes every 25 minutes and has a 50 minute route. Perfect. Lots of opportunities for photos and to see things we may have missed. Just one problem ... it does not run on Sundays in spite of the fact that there are two enormous cruise ships in town. Oh well ... we do not fly out until tomorrow afternoon so we still have time to take it in the morning.
Feeling a bit stymied, we had to pause for a few minutes to regroup. We found a place to fill the car with gas and made some new decisions about how to spend the afternoon. Yesterday we had travelled a short distance to the east point of the island. There, the road turns and heads south. We had not yet explored that part of Aruba so that is where we headed.
Along the way, we stopped to take photos of things we now felt were of value for our memories and photo book - shops, plants, a bridge over the only river on Aruba. We also stopped to buy some laundry soap (how mundane) at an Asian store that was open. We have noticed that a number of retail stores have Asian names, especially supermarkets, hardware stores and large bargain-style department stores. It seems to us that Chinese vendors have begun to populate this island, as they have in other countries including Canada.
We stopped for a while to look around the town of San Nicolas. Over the past several years, San Nicolas had sponsored an art project in which murals have been painted on several walls on buildings and fences. This work is currently underway for 2019 and we were able to observe three artists at work using different techniques to apply their murals. Two were using a range of colours of spray paint. One was working free-hand while the other had a sketch of the planned image on the wall to guide the painting. The third artist was working with paint brushes of various sizes. These projects were well underway but there was still a lot of work to be done. In all, I think we counted about 15 murals in San Nicolas.
While we were wandering about the town, we noticed that the gate to the refinery was open ... so, of course, we drove in. Much of the equipment and structures appeared to have been de-commissioned. Tanks, smokestacks and pipes were very rusty and some buildings were quite dilapidated. In another area, far from where we could drive, there were new storage tanks and buildings and probably a more modern, functioning refinery. Of course all the oil used in Aruba has to come by ship. Seeing the refinery so close to shore made us think about how easily a spill could lead to a disaster.
Aruba is very self-sufficient in resources - water is desalinated here; oil is refined here; energy is generated here. But there is no appreciable agriculture or industry so the Aruban people are totally dependent on the products being shipped from other countries.
We spied a community high on a hillside where the homes seemed to be larger and of higher quality than most. Being curious by nature, we travelled up the hill and took a drive through the subdivision. Many of the homes were quite large and had a water view. They also had multiple higher end vehicles and some garages to store them in. This was where the wealthier people clearly lived. Some had made an effort to do some landscaping but the lack of water makes it difficult to grow anything other than succulents.
We carried on our exploratory drive and next came to two beaches. One beach was well developed and heavily populated. It was a beautiful setting with calm and protected water due to a reef formation at the outer edge of the cove. It was called Baby Beach because it is a safe place to bring your children. Sadly, while there is good snorkelling beyond the reef, the currents are strong and the reef is structured in such a way that one can get caught in 'corridors' and not be able to find a way out without crossing shallow coral, a dangerous practice due to skin abrasions that are easily infected. Jim and I had read this information before we came so we left our bathing suits back at the resort. It was not worth taking the risk.
The other beach, Rodger Beach, was a much less developed area and had far fewer people on the beach. The sand was so light and the water looked so calm and inviting. Far away (not really that far) from the madding crowd. Our beach of choice for sure ... except we were not going to the beach today.
As we drove along new roads, we spied a large building across the landscape. It looked a lot like a prison although I cannot imagine enough people being incarcerated in Aruba to occupy such a large facility. Nonetheless, we went searching for the building along new and unfamiliar roads. We came upon another community, completely hidden from the main road. How can that be?
Well, the Stenocereus griseus cactus grows so tall and occupies the land so densely that it is like being in a forest with no leaves. Accompanying the cactus is forest of thorn trees, not very tall, but extremely unfriendly when you get too close to them. Suffice it to say, that we found a whole village but we never did find the building we were looking for.
Instead, we found something quite exciting. We found several wind turbines, clearly new, at the top of a hill, spinning round and round. Even here in Aruba, they are looking for alternate ways to generate power. Bravo!!
On a similar note, as a part of the Netherlands, Aruba is responsible for enacting the laws of that land. One of the things that has recently happened is that single use plastic grocery bags have been totally disallowed. If you do not bring your own bag to the supermarket, you are out of luck. You cannot even buy a plastic bag although you can buy a cloth bag.
We turned the car and headed back toward Oranjestad, about a 45 minute drive from our current location. Perfect because we would get back before dark. We were on familiar roads again and the trip was smooth. The sun set as we travelled along but we easily made it 'home' in the daylight.
Tonight, we will do the laundry and pack our bags. Tomorrow we leave Aruba and fly to Curacao for our next 5 day adventure. We are ready ...
Monday, November 18, 2019 From Aruba to Curacoa
We pack our bags and put them in the car, heading to the city at 8:30 am. We were determined to catch the tram that we had been told would be working from 9 am this morning. We found a bench by the tracks and waited and waited ... We were at the entrance to the cruise terminal and hundreds of passengers were pouring off the ship to engage in a variety of activities and adventures. Maybe the tram was among them ... we remained hopeful. A rumour went through the crowd that the first tram today was to be at 10 am, not 9. We waited. Some of the souvenir shops began to open so I went to have a look at their wears. One proprietor told us the first tram was to be at 10:15. Another said it was having technical difficulties. And another said that it was to begin at 11.
Finally, we gave up. We retrieved the car and took our own final tour of the city. We actually found some buildings and monuments that had eluded us until today - the Parliament House and the Legion were among them. We also took some final photographs of the blue horses and the cow sitting on the bench. Why they are there, we have no idea. We have not seen any cows or horses while on Aruba.
Our last stop was a beachfront restaurant where we enjoyed an early lunch before heading to the airport. We returned the rental car (a reliable one this time) and crossed the road to the terminal. As we were going on a domestic flight, the check-in process was quick and painless. They did not even charge us for our extra baggage. We were travelling to Curacao on a small propellor driven plane (maximum 20 passengers). Everyone must have checked in early because they called the flight well ahead of time and we were on our way. We flew at 5500 foot and the flight lasted less than 30 minutes. The sky was clear and the Caribbean Sea was brilliant blue. Of course, we took some photos as we flew over cargo ships and fishing boats and small fluffy clouds.
A quick trip through immigration and customs and we were off to find our rental car. A shuttle picked us up just as described in the arrangements and soon I was at the wheel of a bright red Hyundai Accent, making our way toward a lovely rural guesthouse where we be staying for the next 5 days.
Dinner on the patio, watching the sun set and the planets and stars emerge. How peaceful it was. We are looking forward to more evenings just like this.
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