Anniversary Cruise! St. Thomas

Arriving in St. Thomas
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We sailed to St. Thomas, arriving early in the morning. We had breakfast at the buffet, and then we went ashore to explore.

Let me just say, I was looking forward to Charlotte Amalie! I remember it fondly from our younger days as a charming place with great shops and boutiques, and there were palm-frond-roofed, little open-air huts on the waterfront where you could enjoy a frozen daiquiri (strawberry, banana, and lots of other flavors) while watching sailboats and cruise ships in the harbor. The last time I saw the SS Homeric (on which I sailed with my family as a child), it was anchored at Charlotte Amalie. I remember, also, flying to St. Thomas in a little three-seater tin can, managing a landing – and, even scarier, a subsequent take-off – at the airport. But that's another story.

Charlotte Amalie
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

The shops are still there, lots of them, but it's different, somehow. Well, of course it is. It's been years and years. For one thing, the little huts are gone, and the town is built up. There went my plan to sit by the water, enjoying one of those frozen daiquiris. The weather being very hot and sticky; it would have been so nice!

In Charlotte Amalie
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

On the bright side, I won that shopping club book, remember? So I shopped! I went to all the stores with a freebie and collected those, along with a Del Sol tote bag (They are fun, because they “colorize” in the sun). Shall I use it as a grocery bag? Maybe. Or not. [I'm actually using it as a yarn bag for my numerous projects. Works great!]

So, we got off the ship and took an open-air “taxi” (open-sided seating for 12 with a canopy on a chassis that must be a pick-up truck, as it had a club-cab front). It was $4 each to downtown, where we did the aforementioned shopping.

It was hot.
Photo by innocent bystander.
All rights reserved.

Then, we decided to walk to the famous sky ride to enjoy a beautiful, panoramic view. Zowie – it was hot, hot, hot and muggy, muggy, muggy in the tram on the way up to Paradise Point. I thought I was going to pass out. Just as we got to the top of the sky-ride and were about to disembark, the sky clouded over. The view was still spectacular! At the top, overlooking the beautiful harbor and picturesque city, I enjoyed that frozen strawberry daiquiri, and Harry had a Pina Colada. And so, you see, all was not lost.

When vacationing,
be sure to take every
opportunity to be a goofball.
It adds to the enjoyment!
Photo by Harry
All rights reserved.

We opted to get a ride back to the ship from the sky ride, as I did not want to walk the two miles back to town, much less four miles back to the ship. These distances are approximate, based upon my perception, which may have been clouded a bit by the heat and humidity. On the other hand, they may be entirely accurate. $5 each, and worth every penny.

Handsome fella!
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Back at the dock, we took some shots of iguanas sunning themselves on the rocks. They were everywhere, smiling – well, they looked like they were smiling, anyway. Such happy creatures to observe.

Back on board, Harry opted for a short nap, while I went to the hot tub at the Sanctuary pool area (adults only at this particular pool area). Ahhh...how nice it was! Hardly anybody was there, and it was peaceful and quiet. Just what I needed. Note to self: Do this again!

Tea is served every afternoon in one of the dining rooms, and so we went to tea, where we met a very nice couple from St. Kitts. They're English, but they moved there a year ago from Indiana, where the gentleman was a professor of veterinary medicine at Purdue. Our political views were quite opposite, and I was very proud of the fact that my husband was able to be rather pleasant, anyway! We got on very well, actually, and only noticed we were the last ones in the dining room because the staff started locking up. You meet the nicest people on cruise ships.

Note to Bob: They said the diving and snorkeling are fabulous at St. Kitts!

Another handsome fella!
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

Tonight was “formal night.” You don't have to get all dressed up, but it's fun, so why not go along with it and have a good time? Most everyone participated, and what a good-looking bunch they all were. [If you're hoping for a hair appointment or a mani/pedi for formal night, you'd better schedule it ahead of time, before boarding the ship. Just sayin'.]

We were a little concerned when our table mates didn't come and didn't come; but, then, there they were, and very friendly and chatty, too, which was awfully nice and a great improvement over last night. So, it must have been that they were tired from the travel.

Here's what we ate. I know you can't wait to find out: I started with a shrimp cocktail, followed by asparagus soup, Caesar salad, beef tenderloins, and “anniversary” cake. If you're celebrating a special day while on the cruise – or you're on the cruise because of a special day – you can pre-order this wonderful dessert. It's complimentary, which is nice. Said cake was so decadent, a person really should only eat a bit or two, especially after such a wonderful meal. But I ate the whole thing anyway, planning to compensate with a few extra trips up and down the "stairmaster." Harry had crab quiche for an appetizer, then the asparagus soup, followed by the beef tenderloins.

A third couple joined us at the table this evening, a very attractive couple from Carolina, Puerto Rico. They are in their 30's and have two children, a boy and a girl. He speaks a little English, but she doesn't speak English at all. I am wondering why the cruise line would partner them with two not-quite-as-young couples, neither of which speaks Spanish, when there are quite a large percentage of Spanish-speaking folks on board? They seemed quite ill-at-ease, though we did our very best to engage them in conversation. The table is quite large and would easily fit eight instead of the six spaces allotted, so it's difficult to converse across it. I hope the young couple will come back tomorrow night, as they are really quite charming. It's just too bad our conversation had to be so basic.

The show tonight in the main theater was a song-and-dance extravaganza called, “Do You Wanna Dance?” I really enjoyed it, but it wasn't Harry's cup of tea. After that, we went to the lounge for “Fernandez,” a hypnotist act. He was amazing! And the volunteers were a stitch, especially one young man whose “job” it was to keep the noise level down...in “Chinese.” Very politically incorrect, and I'm pretty sure any Asians in the crowd might have found it offensive. But he was so intense and sincere and hilarious. It would have been difficult to not forgive him.

Tomorrow: Dominica!

Leaving St. Thomas.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Anniversary Cruise! Arriving in Puerto Rico

My husband and I were celebrating a Big Anniversary a couple of years ago, so we thought it would be nice to cruise the Caribbean, then revisit our “old haunts” in PuertoRico, which is where he was stationed (NAS Roosevelt Roads) just a month after we were married. Back then, I had to stay behind to save up enough funds to ship our household goods, our car, and myself to the island to join him. That took six months. It was a very long six months!

This time, though, we were going together. At the same time. Here's my diary from the trip:

April 24 – San Francisco to Charlotte

 

Here we are on US Air Flight 404, on the first leg of our red-eye flight. We'll transfer in Charlotte, NC. I haven't been in North Carolina since many years ago, when I was a preteen and my family drove through the state on our way to Florida. We were moving from the Montreal area to the United States. But I digress, as I am so prone to do!

Tired but excited!
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

They've loaded the plane early. Everyone must be on board, because they are getting ready to shut the door – almost ½ hour early. Come on! Who ever heard of that?! Night-night. The cabin lights are about to go off.

April 25 – Charlotte to San Juan

I have a hard time sleeping on airplanes, even red-eye flights. I couldn't stay awake, and I couldn't stay asleep. Note to self: Next time, get some Ambien or Benadryl or something!

So, the sleep deprivation (and a little stress, but we won't go there) explains what happened at the airport in San Juan. Without thinking, we allowed our carry-on luggage to be loaded into the van and transported to the ship along with our checked luggage. So, it wasn't with us. What a knuckle-headed thing to do [Just how knuckle-headed, we wouldn't find out until later]! When we got to the ship, which was just a 10 or 15 minute ride on the shuttle, the bags had been “delayed” [ya...no kidding...they were probably going through all the unlocked bags...], so there we were in our traveling clothes instead of the bathing suits I had specifically packed in the carry-ons so we could hang out by the pool or in the hot tub. Ah, well.

The main lobby. Fancy!
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

The ship, the Caribbean Princess, is lovely. It's almost exactly – if not exactly exactly – like the Sapphire Princess [another cruise...], which makes it easy, convenient, and nice for orienting oneself and finding where things are located.

We went up to the buffet for a light lunch around 2 p.m. The weather was cloudy and warm on this day, but no rain. Then sunshine. Then cloudy again. We must be in Puerto Rico. Yay!

Have the bags arrived?
In our cabin. Very nice!
Photo by Harry. All rights reserved.

It seemed like a good idea to drop by the cabin to see if our bags had arrived yet. And, hurray, the carry-on with the shoes and snorkel gear had arrived (very useful on the ship...). Just a tiny problem, though: The bag was in total disarray, and Harry's brand-new, never-been-used-before, purchased-just-for-the-trip camera was not in the zippered pocket of the bag. Sometime between when we entrusted our luggage to the cruise guys [As far as we knew at the time, it was “the cruise guys.” Turns out, it was a “independent” transport crew that the cruise line is not responsible for. Beware!] and the time it arrived in our room, someone had rifled through the bag and stolen the camera. I called the concierge desk to report the missing camera and filed a report. Since we didn't have the cruise line's own travel insurance, having opted for one through the travel agent, we would have to file a claim with our insurance company if the camera didn't turn up. I was very upset. It wasn't about the camera being stolen...it was about not being able to take pictures with it.

Making the best of it.
Actually got compliments!
Photo by Harry. All rights reserved.

As I had walked away from the bags at the airport, a small voice inside my head said, “Take your carry-ons with you!” But I was too tired and sleepy from the trip to go back to the luggage area. Very disappointing way to start a dream vacation.

A second carry-on, the one with my swimsuit cover-up/dress, arrived, so I changed into that. Harry was able to at least take off his boots and put on some sandals.

To make a long story short, the bag with our clothing finally arrived, but not before we had already gone to dinner. Note to self: See? You packed too many clothes, anyway. Response to self: Oh, yah? We'll see about that.

Waiting for the movie.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

After dinner, we went up on deck to watch the “movie under the stars.” It was a Tina Turner concert, and it was a lot of fun. [I know you want to know what we had for dinner. I'm getting to that, don't worry.] After the movie, we went to the Explorer Lounge to see a flamenco guitarist, Juan Carlos, complete with really terrific dancers. Juan Carlos was outstanding. What with the ship being docked right next to Old San Juan in Puerto Rico, it seemed entirely appropriate to enjoy a Pina Colada. San Juan is, after all, the place where Pina Coladas were “invented” or “created” or “concocted” or whatever. How about “first served”? Yes, that's it.

Fabulous! Juan Carlos & Dancers
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Dinner in the dining room was simply excellent. I started with a very tasty spring roll with peanut sauce, followed by a fresh and crisp Caesar salad. Next, I chose a cool and refreshing Pina Colada yogurt soup. For my main dish, I decided on pan-seared barramundi with rice pilaf and asparagus spears. Finally, for dessert, Bananas Foster. Yum! Harry had seafood terrine, mushroom soup, Cajun-style crawdad pot pie, and also the Bananas Foster. Having trouble breathing because you're so stuffed after imagining all that? Yes, you can order an appetizer and the soup and a salad and a main dish and dessert. Still hungry? Yes, you can order two appetizers and two main dishes and two desserts. No, you don't have to decide between two equally enticing dishes. You can have them both! The answer is “Yes!” Don't feel like eating in the dining room? The same delicious food is being offered in the buffet area (in case you want to eat twice...).

There were only two table mates who joined us at our table-for-six this evening. They seemed very nice but were rather shy and non-conversational. It was hard work. But perhaps they were really tired from their flight, too.

Castillo San Felipe del Morro
("El Morro" for short)
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Following dinner, my husband and I went to the lounge for a comedy act, but it turned out to be rather vulgar. We stayed for maybe 5 minutes of it (thankfully), then went up on deck for the sail-away past El Morro. It was unfortunately a very dark night, so pictures with my camera were a waste (Harry's MIA camera would have caught the scenes perfectly...grrr...). Well, “It is what it is,” as they say; I am over the initial anger and have determined not to allow this one unfortunate incident to ruin a fabulous vacation.

Our room, A219 – Aloha Deck, is just like the cabin on our cruise to Mexico [more on that soon in another blog entry], only the floor plan is reversed. The lovely soap and shampoo and lotion are the same (must be a specially-made formula for Princess lines). Smells delicious (but don't eat it)!

This afternoon, I “won” a port and shopping book at the drawing, so now I shall have to go shopping so I can save lots of money.

My husband did really well today, all things considered, except he made me a tiny bit crazy asking, “So, what's next?” while I was trying to empty the bags and stow our stuff. It was almost as though he was doing it on purpose to frustrate me. Almost. But of course he would not do that, right?

As we sail away from Puerto Rico, I find I'm looking forward to our longer stay on the island right after the cruise. My husband's brother and our sister-in-law will be joining us. I hope they want to visit Old San Juan! But we shall have a wonderful time, no matter what.

View from balcony, stage left.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

My legs are kind of sore from all the trips up and down the stairs today. I prefer to use the stairs rather than the elevators. This is so I can burn off all (or at least some) of the extra calories I know I'm consuming because of the tasty, ever-present, enticingly delicious, and pretty-much-always-available food and snacks. Yes, I know I could be eating light. But you're kidding, right?

All in all, it's an excellent start. Tomorrow, we'll be in St. Thomas.

Aruba! One Happy Island

Saturday – One Happy Island

Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Here we are at the airport. We've gone through customs, which only took an hour, so now we wait for our flight. So sad to be leaving this island! But isn't it great that they have you go through customs right away, instead of half-way through your trip home? Very accommodating.

The cab driver this afternoon was a woman, very friendly (like most everyone else here) and chatty. So I asked her a lot of questions, because I'm curious. She made the short trip to the airport fly by in a flash, and I'm glad we got in her cab.

Like most natives of Aruba, she speaks four languages: Dutch, English, Spanish, and Papiamento (the Aruban language). Her daughter is studying in Holland to be a dietician, and she's already all over her mom about her diet. Kids are the same the world over, eh? She (the cabbie) said that everybody in Aruba owns a home, however modest or lavish it may be. The average wage is about $6 (“working” folks at the hotels and so on...not the doctors and lawyers!). Both spouses have jobs, and everyone lives well and comfortably. If not (she says), it's because the person is lazy and won't work. There is no unemployment here, she says. She has no sympathy for the lazy!

When Arubans vacation, they visit the other islands, Venezuela, Colombia, the United States, and Holland (She calls it Holland rather than The Netherlands). She's been to Holland twice and says it's beautiful, but she wouldn't want to live there. She says it's too big (She likes the size of her island), and it's way to liberal for her. Arubans are Dutch citizens and can just up and move to Holland, but not vice-versa. Folks from Holland have to have a special visa to live in Aruba. Otherwise, she says, they would all be in Aruba! She's glad Aruba is still a safe place, but it has grown a lot in population, and she doesn't know how much longer it will be that way. “You never know who you're letting into the country,” she says. [Again, this was just a couple of weeks before Natalee Holloway disappeared.]

Factoid: Did I mention that the tap water in Aruba is fantastic? I mean, it is truly just delicious and better than most bottled water I've had. It's desalinated, and it's very soft. There's no need for conditioner in your hair.

Factoid: People from other places come here and sometimes sunbathe topless and appear all over the island in various states of undress. While the people at the resorts turn a blind eye, I'm told that Arubans find it highly disrespectful and immodest. So, please try to respect the local culture when you visit the island. We didn't see a lot of toplessness, but we did see one beautiful blond who was completely naked on the beach. However, she was about two years old, so I guess it's okay.

Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We boarded our plane, and my heart grew heavy. As we lifted off, tears flowed freely down my cheeks. I did not want to leave. Not yet. Aruba really is “One Happy Island,” except when you're going home. That part is devastatingly sad.

Aruba! Rental Cars, Souvenirs, and Lost Credit Cards

Friday

California Lighthouse
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Today, the rental car agency came by to get the car. They claimed there was damage to the bumper. I did notice the scratch after our towels were stolen, but I can't say whether or not it was there when we got the car. I do know this: We did not hit anything. Anyway, bummer. We were dinged $100 and found out later this is a common scam here when you don't rent with the big guys. So, it would have been cheaper to spend the extra $30 for an air-conditioned, new vehicle instead of the rattletrap we got. Though, to be fair, it started and stopped on command. C'est la vie. Note to self: Rent from the big guys next time!

I went over to the Alhambra shopping area to see about souvenirs. Sure enough, they had everything right there, and cheaper than downtown! Note to self: Bargain hunting isn't necessarily a bargain! Oh, and the Delft is real [blush]. There was a great teapot, but they don't ship and so I couldn't take it home. We were concerned about the weight of the bags. When we got to the airport, they didn't even weigh them. Good thing, too... I picked up some Aruba Aloe after-sun lotion and bath gel. As I mentioned before, it is great stuff.

Druif Beach, Aruba
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Then we went to relax at the beach. Ahhhh.....bliss.

Resident pelican.
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

Happy hour at the Tamarijn was extra special, with an extended time and live music by a “no stress” band. It was very fun interacting with the folks who had just arrived, as well as with some who, like us, were leaving. Reluctantly. The sunset was splendiforous, complete with sailboats passing and all that. The resident pelican was diving for his dinner from the pilings, rather successfully. [Interestingly, we ordered a calendar a couple of years ago that accidentally had pictures of bathing suit models in the center. Guess what I saw in the background? Yep. The picture you see here, complete with the resident pelican. Those lucky ladies were in Aruba for a shoot.]

I went for a last swim in the sea. It was a surprisingly emotional experience. As I watched the sun go down, I thought about all the sights and sounds and smells of our vacation, and I'll admit to being a bit teary-eyed at the thought that it was almost over.

We went to have pizza at Pizza Bob's, then walked to the Alhambra to catch the shuttle (Did I mention there's a shuttle that makes a circuit around the resort areas? You just hop on. It's free) and realized when I tried to buy a couple of CDs (I'd found some local music! Have a listen to Nico Connor's "Fragile" from "Caribbean Moods") that I didn't have my credit card. We went back to Bob's to see if they had it, but they couldn't find it, either, and were pretty frantic. I wasn't accusing anyone of anything, but they were taking no chances and looked everywhere. They were taking my plight to heart. In fact, everyone in the place was. Everybody was checking under all the chairs and all over the bar area. So, it was a tiny bit embarrassing when my husband showed and had my card with him [blush]. Everyone was so relieved – especially me – and the owner bought us a drink for our trouble, or to celebrate, whichever. How nice is that? They wanted to make sure we left Aruba with good feelings.

So, we stayed at Pizza Bob's for a while, it being our last evening on the island, and we chatted with some of the customers, one of whom has been coming to Aruba for 21 years in a row. That seems to happen a lot! Again, very nice people, mostly from Boston. I wasn't in a big hurry to get back to “our place,” but I needed to pack our bags. Sigh. No-o-o-o-o-o-o..........

Aruba! Conch, Coconut Shrimp, and Barracuda

Thursday

This morning, after sleeping in until an unusual and decadently late hour, we decided to explore the more famous beaches on the island, Eagle Beach and Palm Beach. This is where the multi-storied resorts and fancy hotels are, kind of like Waikiki in Hawaii, but not. This is a much smaller island than Oahu!

This is living.
Photo by Harry. All rights reserved.

We wanted to see what Divi Phoenix was like. It had been our first choice, but was unavailable. That's why we're at Divi Village. And we're happy to be at the Village. There's nothing wrong with the larger, taller resorts. They're on beautiful beachfront and have all the amenities you could possibly want. It's just that we're happy to be enjoying a quieter vacation, relaxing under a palapa on the sand by the water. Without a bunch of other people vying for the lounge chairs. The Phoenix (and the Hyatt and the Wyndham and the Radisson and the other resorts) is really nice, but I prefer “our” beach. But that might have been because it was an especially windy day, and my legs were getting sandblasted. In a good way, of course.

I think we've officially been on every part of the island now...tip to toe, side to side, up and down. But we still haven't hiked up the hill (Mt. Jamanota, 617' – or 188 meters or 188 meters – elevation...) in the middle.

Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We went to Oranjestad to have a bite to eat and to look for souvenirs to take home for the peeps. For lunch, we went to Iguana Joe's by the harbor and were seated on the upstairs deck. (Speaking of iguanas, I'm sure I've mentioned the large number of iguanas here. There are even signs that say, “Please don't feed the iguanas.”) What an excellent view and relaxing place! We had conch as an appetizer. Oh, my. It is just so delicious. I could eat conch every day. And then we had some coconut shrimp, and it was scrumptious, too. We might have indulged in a Balashi beer to go with that. Maybe. It's really hot out, and a light pilsner is just the thing. Refreshing.

Please don't feed them.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

The souvenir shopping was less successful. Something unusual would have been good, but all we saw was the standard stuff you find in all touristy places – ball caps, t-shirts, beach bags, super-thin beach towels, and baubles made in China that you can order from Oriental Trading. But they do have some Delft, also probably made in China. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but on a Dutch island, it should be the real deal. This might be a good place to admit that I have a weak spot for Delft, so I really do want to bring some home. Not big, beautiful, heavy things that'll break in the suitcase, but something small to remember the island by. Some local music would be nice to take home, too. There's a souvenir shop at the Alhambra Casino, and I think I'll go there tomorrow. I noticed some things I liked there, but I assumed the prices would be higher because of the location. We'll see.

Tonight at dinner, we decided to try The Driftwood Restaurant (and Fishing Charters). It came highly recommended, and we were told that the fish that's served is whatever was caught that day by the owner. The fish soup was flavorful and delicious. The coconut shrimp appetizer (okay, we like coconut shrimp, too!) was perhaps the best I've ever had. Light, crunchy batter. Tangy and sweet dipping sauce. Rich, succulent, fresh shrimp. You bite into it, and there's a flavor explosion in your mouth. Well, my friends! We were impressed, and we hadn't even had our main courses yet. Harry had blackened mahi-mahi, and I had Aruban-style (pan-fried with creole sauce) barracuda. It was my first time tasting barracuda, and it was outstanding. Neither dinner disappointed. We were stuffed. But who could resist flan for dessert? Or key lime pie? Everything was superb. And the service was absolutely outstanding. Perhaps that is because the standard 15% service charge was not automatic at The Driftwood. I hope they are still open if I ever return to Aruba.

Cute, no?
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

In our explorations today, we drove through some pretty diverse neighborhoods, all the way from opulent, movie-star mansions to banana republic rusted hulks. In your wildest dreams construction right next to seemingly abandoned, windowless shells. We only noticed one wood house, as most construction seemed to be cinder block. I wonder if it's reinforced? Makes one wonder, in case of earthquake. But I guess they don't have those here. Or hurricanes either, as a rule. So...no earthquakes, no tornadoes, no hurricanes, beautiful beaches, refreshing ocean waters, friendly people, excellent food. Sounds pretty perfect to me.

We did have one low note, though. Our hotel beach towels were stolen from the rental car today while we were downtown. The car is a convertible with no trunk, so we just rolled them up and placed them pretty much out of sight behind the seats. I can't imagine why anyone would want them. They are generic sea-foam green and well used. I guess I should have just left them draped over the seat backs so the thief could see they weren't much! We weren't supposed to take them with us from the resort, though, so...uh, oh. [We fessed up at the front desk upon returning and asked them to please put two towels on our tab, but they said not to worry about it. They were irritated at the thief rather than at us, which just goes to show how nice the people are here, and how generous.]

Ah, well. Other than that, we've found it pretty amazing how safe Aruba is. You can go anywhere without having to be concerned at all. At least, that's been our experience so far on this adventure. The people are warm and friendly and helpful, and a man actually came over to the car to tell us he had noticed the thief and tried to stop him when he saw what the guy was up to, but the thief had outrun him. He seemed very disgusted with the whole thing and apologized over and over. I got the impression there's some concern on the part of the locals as to the backgrounds of folks who are being allowed to come here from other places to find employment or just to live. They feel Aruba's reputation is in danger. [This was just a couple of weeks before Natalee Holloway disappeared.]

Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

Tomorrow is our last full day in Aruba. I can hardly believe it. A week is just not long enough. Would two weeks be too long, I wonder?

Aruba! Wild Goats, Parasurfers, and Turtle Nests

Wednesday

Oh, dear. Should have remembered to apply and re-apply and re-apply sunblock yesterday before taking that drive around the island. Yes, you can catch a little too much sun in an enclosed vehicle. “Well, it was only for a few minutes,” are famous last words in Aruba. Believe me. Use maximum protection sunblock. All the time. I have seen some of the nastiest, beet-red, all-over sunburns on tourists here. I've never seen sunburns this bad before. The locals all seem to know better. 

Much of the sand had been displaced
by a storm that didn't even hit the
island. But the waves did.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Today, we drove down to the south end of the island, to Baby Beach. Baby Beach is a calm and shallow lagoon, perfect for families with children and beginning snorkelers. It was kind of crowded, especially compared to our beach, which generally has maybe a dozen people on the entire expanse. So we parked and walked on, exploring the surrounding areas.

Cute, eh?
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

We met a totally strange but very friendly local woman, an artist. She was wearing a loose shirt with long sleeves and long, loose pants, and she had an incredibly broad-brimmed straw hat on. Very smart! The color of her skin (what I could see on her face) was like caramel, and her eyes were the most beautiful green-blue. We came upon her on a remote section of reef/beach past the pet cemetery. She was digging in the sand, looking for shells to use in making her painted bracelets. They were pretty, too, but I liked the plain ones made with bits of coral better. She very conveniently had plenty of bracelets in the oversized cloth bag she was carrying!

 I admired her utterly shameless “circle of love” spiel as she showed me her jewelry, trying to steer me towards the more extravagantly colored (and more expensive) bracelets. Hey, you gotta make a living. I purchased a couple of the aforementioned plain coral ones, and she said she was so happy to be sending a part of Aruba to a distant land with someone who would hold the island in her heart. [And I have. I still have the bracelets, and I still wear them. Every once in a while, I take them to the ocean so I can dip them in salt water to “refresh” them. That way, I can still smell Aruba in them. And my heart drifts away to a far-away place where I hope to return someday.]

This is not something I'd like to try.
But I love to see the skill of others!
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

A bit farther, on the “wild side” of the island, we saw some parasurfers. I was fascinated. Man, they go fast! They were flying through the air, doing stunts on the waves. Simply amazing. They're so young...that must be why they have so much strength and energy!

I was going to call this one
"Trees in the Park."
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We drove up to the caves and saw some wild goats and the wildlife preserve/national park, but the sun was going down in a hurry and I was nervous on those “back country” dirt roads. The signage is “not the best,” so I think you could easily become completely disoriented and lost in the dark. And when it is dark on that side of the island, it is very, very dark. There are no lights at all. No houses. No street lights. No headlights of other vehicles. Just enveloping darkness.

Once we hit Santa Cruz, it only took a few minutes to get back “home.” The island may only be 21 miles long and 6 or 8 miles wide (at the widest), but it takes hours to get from one end to the other, especially on the dirt roads (or “the roads less traveled,” as my husband likes to call them...okay...).

Barricades protecting the turtle nests
on "our" beach.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Yesterday, I forgot to mention that there's a turtle nest on the beach! It is all barricaded up and cordoned off. Isn't that exciting, though? The turtles just arrive, lay their eggs, and cover them with sand. And soon there will be hundreds of little turtles hatching and making their way to the waves.

And speaking of beaches and waves, the waves were bigger today. Also, about the weather report: Yes, the temperature and humidity (which I didn't even notice today) are accurate, but it seems that “mostly cloudy” here means lots of clouds will pass by, but nothing much will come of it except a sunburn if you aren't careful. Please see the first paragraph. I am not kidding.

The beach (west) side of the island is gorgeous. White sand. Palm trees. Divi trees dotting the landscape. The east side is wild and desolate, with waves crashing and foaming and blowing plumes of mist way up into the air. This is an exotic place. I may have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating.

Dinner tonight was at “Jamaica Me Krazy,” and it was very good. We didn't want a huge meal like last night's very excellent Argentinian fare, and jerk hit the spot. Harry had goat (they were out of pork tenderloin), and I had shrimp (they were out of conch). Tonight's light, highly seasoned, cream of pumpkin soup was totally different from last night's, which was thick and mild. Both were excellent.

A shower felt especially fabulous tonight, followed by a generous rubbing of Aruba Aloe after-sunlotion. Did I mention that we bought a bunch of Aruba Aloe products today? We did.

We only have 2 ½ more days in Aruba. Now, that's very, very, extremely, terribly, awfully sad!

Aruba! It Must Be Tuesday?

 I think it's Tuesday. Who cares what day it is when you're on vacation, right?

Aruba = beautiful beaches
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Yesterday, I was swimming about in the clear, clean, deliciously salty, and perfectly refreshing – yet warm – water off the sparkling – no, dazzling – palm-lined, white-sand beach, watching the aqua waves rolling gently onto the shore. And I had an epiphany, my friends. Yes, I know...another one:  That is why people come back to Aruba year after year, never going on vacation anywhere else. The beach and the water and the weather (hot and muggy, but the breeze makes it all okay, and you get used to it really fast). That's it. You want to fall in love with Aruba? Get in the water.

I actually spoke with some folks at the Ocean View (the beach-side watering hole) who have come to Aruba for 2 weeks a year for 17 consecutive years. They have not been to any other vacation spots in all that time. They are from Boston. [We met lots of nice people from Boston, as it happens.]

At dinner, we decided to try the Pirate's Nest restaurant. Surprisingly, the service was terrible, and the food was worse. My husband sent his meal back to the kitchen for the first time EVER. To their credit, they comped us both entrees and threw in dessert. It's a gorgeous setting, right on the beach, palm trees, open air – but we will not go back. We had been sitting at our table for two hours before we got our food. We would have just left, but it was late. We were hungry. Up until that experience, it was a perfect day. [This restaurant was highly recommended and has good reviews. Maybe it was just one of those things. But when you're on vacation, you don't give a place a second chance if the first time was a disaster. If you've eaten there and had a wonderful experience, please leave a comment. I don't want to be unfair to the place.]

Natural Bridge
See the tiny person on top?
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Today, I went to the beach for a while as my husband ordered up a little Suzuki 4WD rental car from a cut-rate, independent place. More on that later. And off we went to explore the island! We drove up to California Lighthouse, and then we went 4-wheeling down the wild, eastern side of the island in hopes of finding the natural bridge and other sights.

Stacked rocks...
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

There were stacked rocks everywhere. Someone said it has something to do with prayer, but to whom and for what, who knows? Nobody could enlighten us. Or they chose not to, whichever.

The Wild Side
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

The “other side” of the island reminds me of the Northern California coast, with waves crashing and foaming on the rocky shore. Except that the Northern California coast is relatively lush, whereas this one is absolute desert, with tall cactus and no trees. Perhaps when California falls into the ocean, that's what the coast will look like. Not that I believe that's going to happen.

The exhaust pipe came loose on the car, so, after some initial hesitation and blame casting, the agency came and replaced it (the car) when we got back to home base. My husband enjoyed the 4-wheeling. He generally has a hard time “slowing down” on vacation due to the high-stress nature of his work. He might get to a place of relaxation by the end of the week.

Look closely...
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

He's very taken with the lizards, though, and is taking pictures of them. They're everywhere here at the Village, along with cooing doves and colorful finches. The tree branches are decorated with them.

Tonight, we went to Oranjestad for dinner at El Gaucho, another highly recommended eatery. It's an Argentinian steakhouse. As bad as the food and service were last night, that's how opposite tonight was. The service was very attentive, and the food was plentiful and delicious. The gigantic steak was like butter. The salad, the baked potato, the ears of corn...everything was supersized. When I say the food was plentiful, I mean we (both of us!) could only eat about half of our portions, and we took the considerable leftovers back to our place for future reference. So far, I wouldn't say anything here is a great bargain, but it would have cost as much or more back home.

There was a mariachi band going from table to table, and they sang for us. My husband asked if they knew Eric Clapton's “Wonderful Tonight,” and they played and sang it so beautifully. Oh, my. I couldn't help myself. The emotion was overwhelming, and I cried happy tears. It was so romantic! I was wearing a flounced skirt and a dressy tanktop and strappy heels and big earrings (all black and red), and I felt like a princess.

As we walked hand-in-hand down the sidewalk in the cool of the evening after that wonderful meal, I couldn't imagine a more magical “date.” Thank you, Harry.

Downtown. Cute, eh?
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Town had a very Caribbean feel to it, and it reminded me so much of Puerto Rico and St. Thomas. Not in specifics, but in ambiance. You can definitely see the Dutch influence, too, which makes it “it's own” place.

The island depends on tourism for its livelihood, and the people work very hard. We drove through some neighborhoods today to see the houses, which are, for the most part (at least from what we saw today), neat and tidy, with wild colors. Some are fenced and gated, others are not. I was reminded very much of our neighborhood in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, many years ago. It was the same type of construction, but with a Dutch flavor.

An excellent day!

Aruba! Getting There (Part 2)

Sunday

Well, I didn't get much sleep on the plane. Surprise! There was a loud child, the child's mother, and the grandmother sitting behind us. So many questions, so little time. But I probably wouldn't have slept much anyway. And airport lay-overs aren't very sleep inducing for me, either. But I did doze a little bit on the final leg to Aruba, which was the part of the flight I actually wanted to be awake for. Figures, right? But only a little bit, so it was exciting to spot the islands in the Caribbean and to see the beautiful sea, and landing on Aruba was an experience!

Here's this tiny island at the far side of the world (seemingly, though it's just off the coast of South America), and you can see all the sights from the air. The lighthouse, the chapel, the hotels, the entire island brochure is right there. Aruba is a desert island without a lot of camouflage to cloak it in secrecy. As we approached, I had a fleeting moment of anxiety as I saw the diminutive size of the sliver of land before me:  What was I going to do with myself here on this speck in the water for an entire week? (Well, I hadn't been there yet, now, had I?)

From the air, the water was a marvelous shade of aqua, with sailboats bobbing here and there. The approach to the airport was down the west side of the island, offshore, so I could see all the resorts lined up on the breathtakingly white beaches as we zipped past, practically at eye level. You can pick out the one where you're staying, no problem. Well, I could, anyway, having investigated everything online ad nauseum. I think I had the whole island memorized already.

A very quiet taxi driver delivered us to Divi Village, which in my opinion is the nicest resort on this part of the island. I haven't seen the other resorts close-up yet, so it's hard to tell. But it's definitely the nicest in the “low-rise” section (as opposed to the “high-rise” section, where the many-storied resorts are lined up on Palm Beach).

View of pool area from balcony.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We were greeted by the friendly staff with a Planter's Punch in the open-air lobby as we checked in, and we made our way to our room. As I mentioned previously, Divi Village is a timeshare resort. It has golf courses and restaurants, and the beach (Druif Beach) is right there. I have nothing to compare it to insofar as timeshares go, never having stayed in one before, but our room is very, very nice.

View from the balcony.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

It's a studio with a perfectly equipped kitchen. Everything you need is there, including a toaster and a blender and good knives (in case you are going to cook...). Well, everything except food, that is. The bathroom has a whirlpool tub and shower and comes completely outfitted with Aruba Aloe bath products, shampoo, lotions, and potions. The floors throughout are tile, it's air conditioned, and, best of all, we found that we had a roomy, covered balcony with an incredible view of both the swimming pool area and the unbelievably turquoise Caribbean waters! Thank you, God!

It's very hot and muggy today, but the strong tradewinds make it comfortable. Don't let that fool you. Wear your super-duper sunblock.

Setting off on foot, we went looking for the grocery store, which is nearby. However, it's Sunday. So, it closed at 1 p.m. Oops. You might want to arrive on Saturday so that you can stock your fridge with goodies. We kept walking about and came to a flea market, which is right up my husband's alley. It was not in the most spruced-up touristy area and looked a little sad and in need of a serious revamp. Actually, so did the folks shopping there. Including us, probably!

We walked back to the Divi along the beautiful, white-sand beach. The water is amazing. It is perfect. The sound of the sea lapping at the shore, the wonderful aroma of clean salt air, the stiff breeze blowing my hair back from my face, the warmth of the sun, the feel of the hot sand between my toes...really, what more do I need?

Food. That's what. There's a buffet at the pool-side “Sea Breeze” at the Divi (at least, there was at the time), and they feature a different cuisine each evening. It isn't included, so you don't feel as though you “have to” eat there. This particular night, we decided to try “Italian Night.” Everything was very tasty, and there was plenty of it (always a good thing when you're really, really hungry). Pastas, salads, fish, chicken, desserts, all well-presented and appealing. And tasty. But I said that already. I thought I would try one of the local beers with my meal. As it turns out, there's only one: Balashi. It was a light and refreshing pilsner, which was just what I wanted. The bottle was kind of tiny, which I understand is normal in these parts. That size is perfect for me, but a lot of people will want two!

Back at the room, I relaxed in the jacuzzi, looking forward to sleeping like a log. And what book was I reading as I soaked, you ask? You know me so well! Where Is Joe Merchant? by Jimmy Buffett. Yes, really. His books are a perfect vacation read. The Aruba Aloe body wash? It's amazing.

Aruba! Getting There (Part 1)

Saturday, several years ago...

Aruba
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Many moons ago, when my husband was in the Navy and we lived in Puerto Rico, one of my co-workers at the El Conquistador Hotel went on holiday to Aruba and came back all gaga over the island and its beautiful beaches. Ever since then, Aruba has been in the back of my mind, but I never thought I'd have an opportunity to go there. Never say never.

My husband's manager has offered us the use of his RCI timeshare to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and so we are off to Aruba! Dave Moore, you are a prince among men. Thank you!

The traffic from home was simple terrible, and it took forever to get across the Bay Bridge. We arrived at US Air Gate 1 at the San Francisco airport, having had dinner at the terribly sophisticated International House of Pancakes with our son, who graciously and with his arm barely twisted was kind enough to drop us off for our flight. We were surprised to find ourselves first (and only) in line at security (Is it the right day? Are all the flights canceled?). We made it to the gate without any hassle or delay, and now we're waiting for the first leg of our flight, a “red-eye” (night flight) to Philadelphia. Once there, we will transfer to our destination flight.

I just looked at my boarding pass, and it hit me...I'm going to ARUBA!!! Sounds pretty exotic, doesn't it? I'm hoping to get some sleep on the way to Philly, but I'm so excited. The adrenaline's rushing, and I'm wide awake. So, we'll see.

Next up:  We arrive in Aruba!

Western Caribbean Cruise - Day at Sea

Friday

Just another sunset picture.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

The sea was like glass. The sun shone brightly. All was calm as we enjoyed our last day of the cruise, sailing slowly in the Caribbean and back towards our “home port” of Houston.

I'd heard from some that sea days can be excruciatingly boring, with no shore activities to look forward to and just “the stuff to do on the ship.” You know, "stuff" like soaking in the hot tub, swimming in the pool, reading a good book in the shade as a soft, warm breeze kisses your skin and tousles your hair, watching a movie, enjoying live music in one (or more) of the myriad lounges, having a fancy tea with canapes and amuse-bouches and petits fours and tiny tarts in the dining room, competing in a variety of games, taking dance lessons, enjoying a cool drink with friends recently discovered, catching some rays. And don't forget the required eating of mass quantities of fabulous foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, too. Oh, ya. Excruciatingly boring. That's what I'll tell everyone so they'll take other kinds of vacations and leave the cruise ships to me.

I might not have mentioned that they keep the
common areas kind of cool. Bring a light wrap.
See how relaxed we are? Okay, we're tired from
too much fun. Wait. There's no such thing
as too much fun!
Photo by Harry. All rights reserved.

This was a day to relax at the end of a fabulous vacation. A day to just...be. And also a day to pack our bags and place them outside the cabin door by 10 p.m. So, you'll want to have an overnight-type duffel tucked away somewhere to stuff your sleepwear (wink) and toiletries into the next morning. Fortunately, you can purchase a lovely souvenir tote (or t-shirt or sun hat or bathing suit or sarong) on the ship or at on of the many ports of call, in case you “forget” to bring one from home.

Just as at a nice hotel, your bill will miraculously appear in your cabin for inspection. You might want to actually check it over to make sure it's correct. Ours was perfect. It occurred to me at this point that it might have been a good idea to check our tab at the purser's desk now and then along the way, just to make sure we weren't going to have a heart attack on the last day. But, no worries. If you have a tendency to purchase drinks for everyone at the bar or to take expensive shore excursions each day, you would probably be wise to keep track of your tab. There was one person, for instance, who discovered that his bar tab was more than the cost of the cruise. Much more. I'm sure his newly acquired friends thought he was fabulous company. And so it goes.

Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

And taking the stairs instead of the elevator to keep the pounds off? It totally works. Do it, if you can. I lost a couple of pounds, actually. Of course, I gained it back right away...but that's a different story.

Disembarking was terribly organized and efficient and interminable. Customs was a drag. So, what's new there, right? But Fred had our vehicle conveniently parked in the adjacent lot provided (at a very reasonable fee) for that purpose, and we weren't in a huge hurry to catch a flight. We had our vacation on!

Back in north Houston, we stayed with Cathy and Fred overnight and went to church with them at Second Baptist the next day. It was a lovely service filled with wonderful music as only a large choir and a full orchestra can deliver it. The message was solid and inspiring and appropriate for the season. It was a couple of weeks before Christmas, and I had a lot of work and planning awaiting me back home. But I wasn't thinking of that yet. I was determined to make the vacation feeling last. And I did.