aruba_island.gif Come explore the
"Happy Island" of Aruba.

We escaped the Chicago cold for solid week of sunny, 82o weather in January 2001.

Here's a picture tour of our trip. 		Sue and Mark cruising


Jeep trail in Arikok Park. We sure did!
Our resort, the Wyndham on Palm Beach. Our room was on the other side, about 7 floors down from the top. But we did have a view of the water.
Point to see the view from our room.
Click to enlarge
Here is the Alto Vista church. This building dates from 1952, but there has been a church here on and off since the 1750's.
Point to see the interior.
Click to enlarge
Outside the few towns and resort areas, the roads are pretty bad. Narrow, rutted, unpaved in many areas. But no, this is an off-road trail in the Arikok National Park. Of course we had a 4x4 again, so we went where ever we wanted.
Click to enlarge

Rock Painting in Arikok Park Sue on stage
A rock painting - about 18" across - of a mysterious bird, in a grotto of the Arikok National Park. Note the very thick beak facing left. We took a "Sunset Booze Cruise" on the catamaran Pelican Two.  Before sunset, but after a little booze, Sue gets down with Peter (from South Africa) and Miguel Carlos (from Columbia.)

Don't Litter ! The native language of Aruba is papiamento, which originated in Curacao and spread to the other "ABC" islands - Aruba and Bonaire.  Its origins are in Spanish, as the early African slaves sought to communicate. There are also influences from Portuguese and Dutch.   It makes for some interesting signs.
"Don't litter" becomes NO (don't) TIRA (throw) SUSHI (well, sushi I guess)

However Dutch is the "official" language - also leading to odd signs. "No Passing" looks like some Bill Clinton excuse to us.

(And everyone speaks English too! ) 		Bill Clinton Memorial Hwy

The California lighthouse (named after a ship wrecked on the reefs) stands on the far northwest point of Aruba.  Indeed there are at least 5 shipwrecks still visible along this coast.

Strangely, it is no longer functional, but we did not see any "modern" replacement beacon.

Although most of the northern coastline is made up of ancient coral reefs built up when the sea level was significantly higher, there are extensive white sand dunes near the lighthouse and also further east near Boca Prinz. 		California Lighthouse
If you didn't get a postcard,
here's one from Mark

           
or point to see a postcard from Sue.

Evening sky on Palm Beach
After sunset, walking back along the beach from our cruise, the moon and Venus glow brightly in the twilight sky.

Click to enlarge
 This is the Natural Pool on the rugged north coast, accessible by a bone jarring jeep ride. Somehow we kept ending up on the horse trails!
Point to see a close up.
But who's that swimming? Click to find out.
Yes, you could have guessed it, there are still more pictures from Aruba.
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