Aruba

            On Monday, 03 Feb, we awoke to our alarm at 5:30 AM, ate a quick breakfast, and proceeded to our excursion meeting point on the pier about 7:00.  Although we arrived well ahead of the 7:20 AM meeting time, somehow we ended up being the last two passengers to board the bus.  It turned out well, however, because we sat in the back row of seats, the only ones left; the back windows were much larger than the others, and since we had the entire row to ourselves, Jesse was able to move back and forth between seats to get photos from both sides of the bus.  Hearing the tour guide/bus driver’s voice from the back was easy; understanding his heavily-accented English was difficult.  His name was Luis (pronounced Lou’ee).

The tour began with a drive through the small island’s capital, Oranjestad.  Luis pointed out Aruba’s colorful markets (many jewelry stores) and Dutch colonial buildings.  Although Dutch is the first language and is taught in the schools, Spanish is also common, with English third.  Purchase prices for modest homes in Aruba range between $100,000 and $200,000 US, but homes in the more exclusive areas range from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 US.  (We decided that we could afford to live on Aruba, but what would we find to do here?)  The island is about 70 percent Catholic, with several Catholic churches, schools, and cemeteries.  Families buy cemetery plots that are used over and over again; after 50 years or so, the bodies are exhumed and the bones are re-buried in smaller boxes to create space for the newly deceased.

Very soon on our bus tour, we noticed very tall, skinny cacti everywhere.  The shrubbery around most of the homes includes several cacti.  Luis pointed out the island’s desalinization plant, from which Aruba gets almost all of its water, although the roofs of many of the houses drain into water storage barrels.  Water in Aruba is very expensive.  (Therefore, there is usually a charge of $1 to use a restroom unless a purchase is made, as in a store.)

Our first stop was the Casibari Rock formations, a shrub-covered landscape shaped by boulders, some the size of small houses and weighing several tons.  Arawak Indians would visit here in order to hear incoming thunderstorms.  Many of our group climbed the stairway to the top of the largest rock; however, when we saw people standing in line on the narrow stairway, we opted to snap photos from below.



Lava Rocks on Aruba's Coastline

Our next stop was the sea-worn Natural Bridge that collapsed in 2005, and the still intact Baby Natural Bridge, an arch carved out of rock and coral.  In an area near the bridge, we saw small brown rocks stacked on bigger ones, and were told that people do this with the hope that a wish will come true.  Sally stacked a few to get the feel for it.

Our next stop was the California Lighthouse, which is named after the steamship California, which sank off the coast of Aruba in 1891.  From the base of the lighthouse, we were given time to admire stunning island views.

Our last stop was the beach.  Aruba is famous for its white sandy beaches, where the sand is very fine and soft; and where the calm, clear water is “perfect for swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing.”  Although we had expected warm ocean water as in Florida from the Gulf stream, this water felt like it had come from Antarctica!  Sally ventured out a little farther than Jesse, who only went out waist deep.  There was a strong undertow.

At noon, we returned to the ship, and then showered and went to the crowded Horizon Court for lunch.  We joined a table with two other couples.  One couple was from Canada and the other from Kansas City.  (We have met numerous Canadians on this cruise; and we were told that twelve passengers from Kansas City are traveling together.)  After lunch, we returned to our cabin for a nap (Sally) and relaxation.

            At 6:00 PM we left our cabin for dinner; however, we had to wait 45 minutes for a table.  We ended up being seated (again) with John and Barbara of Kansas City; “Go-toe” (a woman from Japan); Les and Marge of Calvary, Canada (on their 20th cruise); and Bob and Sandy from Warren, Michigan.  Ironically, it turns out that Bob is a retired mechanical engineer from General Motors, and Sandy is a retired Department of the Army civilian for the Tank, Armament, and Automotive Command (which had been Sally’s last employer before she retired)!

            After dinner, we danced to the Playlist Band in the Wheelhouse Bar and retired to our cabin about 10:15 PM.  And tonight we set our clocks back.  Hurrah!

Tomorrow morning we will port at Cartagena, Columbia.