In Spring of 2018, Marty and I planned a 41st Anniversary trip in July that would celebrate Marty’s final year-to-come teaching middle school geography. Having visited almost all of the Northern Caribbean, we wanted to see what it was like Down South and picked Aruba because it was so different from anything we’d ever experienced - a tropical desert-like island with a rich indigenous Carib-Dutch culture. We agreed to stay off social media and our cell phones for the week, to plan activities on a day-by-day basis, and to just be. After a great deal of online searching, we booked a week at an all-inclusive, adults-only beach hotel and a compact Renault sedan. After a three hour flight from Miami, a short trip through Immigration, and a thirty minute drive north to our hotel, we were ready for the Caribbean Sea. We were surprised to find that water temp was only 80 degrees F – about like Miami in May – a far cry from the 85 degree waters we'd just left. Sunny skies, constant tradewinds and warm air made a dip in the Caribbean all the more refreshing. On days we that weren’t out adventuring from one end of Aruba to the other, we lounged around the huge pool with its waterfall, splash pad, and daily activities such as water aerobics, yoga, corn hole, Zumba classes, along with an endless supply of exotic adult beverages – many garnished with little parasols. We didn’t have to go far to find wildlife: green iguanas and electric blue Caribbean whiptail lizards on the artificial turf around the pool, and grackles swooping to snag crumbs. The sunsets were spectacular; a wide variety of music was always pumping; people watching was interesting; beach weddings were a nightly event, and we enjoyed delicious food from all around the Caribbean. We left Aruba well-rested and ready for a return visit.
Categories & Keywords
Category:Travel and Places
Subcategory:Caribbean
Subcategory Detail:
Keywords:Arikok National Park, Aruba, California, Hadicurari, Oranjestad, Palm Beach, San Nicholas, cactus, kite surfing, lighthouse
