November 23 – Aruba
It has been many years since we visited Aruba and we are looking forward to seeing what is new. What we remember is heat and wind and friendly people. As a Dutch territory, along with the islands of Bon Aire and Curcao, Aruba is quite well organized and prosperous. The only stain on its reputation is the disappearance of Natalie Holloway a number of years ago – a crime never completely solved, maybe because the chief suspect was the son of an Aruban Judge.
We walked down the pier to this market which I remember from previous visits .
We then walked through town to the Wind Creek Hotel and Casino which I believe has changed its name since my Nephew and his Bride honeymooned there.
We found a sitting area off of the casino floor which had Wi-Fi (remember we have been off the grid for several days) and I was able to pay some bills and handle some other items. I have come to rely upon Wi-Fi on the ships and when it isn’t there I kind of panic.
From the Wind Creek we took a cab to the north part of the island where all of the newest resorts and malls are. The Marriott is the most impressive of these – with a huge pool area, a great beachfront facility, and a long walking path along the ocean.
After exploring this area, strolling along the beach path, Sally and I decided to head back – the heat was getting to us – while Dan decided to explore further. Zaga had split from us in town, to pursue a snorkeling adventure. We took a cab back to the pier and hiked to the ship.
One would think that the structure of the bow of the ship would be “knife like” to cut through the water, but a number of years ago, maritime engineers discovered that extending a “bulb” on the front of the ship was more efficient and cut down on the wave motion of the ship. The top of the “bulb” structure can be seen in this photo. On one of our cruises this structure collected a dead whale and the captain went to great lengths to explain it was already dead, and he didn’t kill it.
Aruba as we pulled out heading for the Panama Canal.
Next stop Panama