Aruba

We thought the ship was going to be late getting into Aruba as the seas were rough and the ship was rocking so much that I had to settle my butt deeply in my bed not to roll off. (Single beds are not made for a wide woman’s comfort during a rolling sea.)  We splurged and had Room Service breakfast: B had eggs, sausage and toast; I tried a vegetable and goat cheese omelet - excellent! Barbara went off to sun by the pool and swim. I headed out in search of a quiet place to knit and listen to Scott Brick narrate the further adventures of Pitt and Giordino. I found a nook on deck 2 that fit my needs and settled in to watch the seas surging past.

Back to the cabin, I found we had a new friend. Diana, from Washington state, is our next-door neighbor who had poked her head around the balcony partition to say “Hi.” She and Barbara were deep in a discussion of widowhood vs. divorce when I joined them. We watched the seagulls diving into the froth churned up by the ship’s bow wave and talked for another 20 minutes until B and I had to leave to go to “Name That Tune.” 

Sitting in Ocean Bar, we chatted with a couple because they had the Cussler novel I was reading between them. Turns out they’re from Tennessee and she’s a former English teacher turned administrator! Small worlds collide again. They offered sage advice about Aruba and island touring: bring Kleenex or toilet paper and water everywhere!!! All four of us gave up trying to hear the pianist play as we were too far away to hear him talking, though his piano was very clear. 

We watched a pelican’s dive into the next pier slot as the side thrusters pushed Zuiderdamonto the bolsters (I KNOW that’s not the correct term, but, too bad!) against the pier. Then I was staggered to see only one ramp put into place for all the passengers to exit the ship. When we started onto that ramp, I was viscerally reminded of how distance changes perspective, as it was more than wide enough for two people to walk abreast!

Our tour bus guide/driver was Juan Carlos (Call me Jay.) and was entertaining, if a bit sexist in his humor. His driving skills are beyond compare as evidenced when we drove up to the Alto Vista Chapel site and discovered a HUGE BMX rally going on. I will never know how he maneuvered that huge bus back and forth with such finesse that the BMX riders cheered him as he exited that overcrowded field. Barbara pointed out the irony that his tour company bosses’ company flags adorned the track as one of the event’s sponsors!

Our tour was interesting and time sped by as Jay acquainted us with tidbits about Aruba:

Aruba’s main cemetery is above ground and each grave is painted the same color as the house in which the deceased lived. And, as in NOLA, newer bodies are interred over older ones, until the six the person, then the bottom remains are removed, so there a never more than 5 remains in one grave.

The Bushrini Ruins are remnants of the island's gold mine which was successfully worked for more than 100 years. I kind of wished the bus could have stopped long enough to explore a bit. 


Exxon opened a refinery in Aruba in the 1930’s and supplied oil during WWII, which is why off Eagle Beach are the remains of a German destroyer sent to demolish the refinery but was sunk by Dutch and American forces until Hurricane Wilma forced its derelict shell on shore.

The “Wedding Rocks” are two huge lava boulders on the island’s north shore where newly marrieds have their pictures made.

The north east trade winds that blow 24/7 force the Dividivi tree branches all to point east, so no Aruban can every get lost!

A long time ago, island fishermen left piles of 7 stones along the north shore to make good fishing spots, then the tourists decided the piles looked neat and began making their own. Now there’s a virtual stone garden of little pagoda-esque mounds. And local legend has arisen that each stone is a wish with your most likely to be fulfilled one being made as you lay the top stone. 

I was astounded to find how dry it is. Only 16-18 inches of rain a year!! And some of the biggest cacti I have seen since Barbara and I left Sedona and Fred, Nancy and I toured New Mexico!! 

At Casibari, I was enchanted was enchanted to find this small yellow-bellied bird that (a) sat on the branch long enough for me to take several photos and (b) warbled at the entire time! Made my day!!! If anyone knows what species it is, I'd be interested.  


When I walked around the Casibari Rock formations, I marveled at the cacti, the monstrous boulders and the proliferation of cacti. 

I didn't try to climb the huge rock formation, I left that to Barbara. She was excited to make the climb successfully, but completely bummed to discover once she made the top that her camera's card malfunctioned, so she couldn't capture the whole island vista. But I have this photo evidence of her climb taken from where I stood down below her.

The Natural Bridge collapsed in 2005 and today what visitors see is its "son" or the Baby Natural Bridge. It's still kind of cool. 

I enjoyed the day, but Aruba is not a place I have any desire to return to visit. I will be one of those who defies tradition, as the tourist board claims 688% of all visitors to the island return again and again. Nope. Unless you drink, dance, gamble, off road or adore water sports, there is not enough to do here to keep me interested in leaving the hotel room for more than a day. 

I spent a long time this afternoon catching up on this blog. I’ve discovered that when I don’t post each day, I tend to procrastinate the writing part. (Yes, I know no one is surprised!) I really must make a better effort as I forget things after two days - sigh, gasp, crap!

I finished Barbara’s birthday shawl! 

Tomorrow is Curaçao!!!

Random thought for this day: Who invented the planetarium?