dvrliz1
Guest
Ed and I decided we need a little R&R and hoped to get a couple of dive in on Aruba. Unfortunately due to weather we didn't dive, but the trip all in all was great.
We flew Tiara Air from Bonaire to Aruba. We left at 11:00 am and and got in around 11:45. Direct trip, no stop over in Curacao which was nice. I don't mind flying, but am not keen on the takeoff's and landings! The flew something called a "Short" 33 seats one side single seat and the other 2 seats, for a total of 33 seats. Clean and updated inside, prop plane, decent leg room.
We arrived in Aruba, got through customs, etc pretty quickly considering a charter from Venezuela arrived the same time we did. Our luggage was already circling on the rack, so we picked it up and off we went. Grabbed a taxi for the 10 minute drive to the Renaissance right in the center of town. $13.00 plus tip.
We checked in, but couldn't get into our room until about 3:30. The room was a standard room, but really nice. Comfy pillowtoped bed, fridge, coffee maker, nice bathroom and we overlooked the interior courtyard. Only problem was it was a little noisy during the day, but fine at night, quiet.
After getting into the room, we went down to the infinity pool. Great pool, with food and drink service. Excellent lounge chairs with a choice of single or double size. It was later, so we had to get one away from the pool as everything else was taken. It was overcast, but warm with tiny bits of sunshine coming in and the pool was the perfect temp.
We decided on Aquaris, the "all you can eat buffet" for dinner that evening. It was GREAT! They had a "bread" station with all kinds of great breads, a "cold section with salads, sushi and sushimi and a hot table with things liked stirfry veggies, pork tenderloin sate, beef, chicken, rices, roasted potatoes, etc. Our favorite part was where you could go up to the chef and pick an assortment of seafood and he would cook it for you. Both Ed and I choose 2 lobster tails, king crab legs, scallops and shrimp. Yum! He sauted everything in a wonderful sauce and butter...delicious! They also had fresh tuna and wahoo that day.
The next morning we were looking to dive, but the seas were pretty rough, so we decided we would get 2 dives in the following day. We did some shopping and walking around town. We loved the market right on the water in town, had dinner at "Blue" Martini Bar (they also serve food) and it was I had sushi and Ed and a couple of smaller things. They serve all their meals in these Japanese style boxes. He got chicken wings and something else...it was average. We hit the casino for a couple of hours and did ok at 3 card poker.
We got up the next morning and decided we would head out to their private island and do a couple of dives and hang out at the beach. The island is great! You take a boat from the inside lobby (every 15 minutes) under the street and then about a 5-10 minute boat ride to the island.
We arrived and the weather was already turning bad, so we opted not to dive (thank goodness!) They had 2 beaches (the sand is amazingly soft) with great lounge chairs and once again waitress/waiter service for food and drink. We went onto the Adult side and there were about 6-8 amazingly pink flamingos that greeted us. I got some great pics (see below). We then headed over to the family side to go to the restaurant and do an early lunch. As we walked over we noticed that you could rent sea kayaks and they had all kind of "water sport toys and games" for the kids and families. Nice touch. Anyway while walking over we noticed a couple of cages with Macaws (Blue & Gold, Scarlet and 2 Catalinas) and one with a juvenile flamingo. I went up to see the flamingo and Ed shouts out "OMG" I've never seen anything like it before" I turned to him and said, Ed, it's just a baby flamingo, still gray with just a little pink, what is the big deal???? They he said no LOOK! and he pointed down. WELL IN ALL MY LIFE I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE!!!! There right in front of my feet was the PINKEST DUCK I had ever seen! That is right a PINK DUCK! I think was probably white, and shared the brine with the baby flamingo and turned pink, and I mean HOT PINK!!!
I told Ed I was going to get the camera. When we returned to the Adult side we noticed an almost completely blacken sky and they opened up. Well, we decided since it was raining we might as well get wet, so in the water we went. One other couple "braved" it out with us, and the remainder of the 20 or so people headed back to catch a boat back. Well the rain began pelting us hard and it started to thunder so out we went.
The island workers then came by and said they were closing the island due to "freak" weather storms coming and and everyone had to leave. As we were waiting for our boat to come and get us I was able to catch a waterspout form right off the coast of the island....too cool (see below).
We got off the island safely, made it back, shopped a bit more, napped then to the casino. It was pouring and nothing to do except go to the casino or shop. We decided to extend out stay one more day and finally enjoyed some sunshine and stayed at the pool the next day all day. It was great.
We did want to go out to the Island again, but I the only down side was the mosquitos. Now we live on Bonaire, so when they say "we are having a mosquito problem" I just say...I understand, I live on Bonaire. We let me tell you something, the day we were on the island there were a lot of mosquitos, so we ended up buying repellent. These mosquitos must be on steroids or something. Some of the poor people had AMAZING reactions. One poor lady of color walked into the gift shop and asked if they had anything for the bites. The girl behind the counter said no. I turned and looked at this poor lady. The bites on her face and body were ENORMOUS! I mean, I've never seen anyone have a reaction like that. The odd thing was she wasn't the only one. A few people left the island after on 15 minutes because the reactions were so bad. I got one bite on a toe and the dang toe just swelled up! Yikes.
All in all it was a very relaxing trip. It is very "Americanized" (walking into Sole to Sole to by a pair of sandals was like I was in NYC...it was owned by a wonderful woman from there). We ate at Taco Bell one afternoon and brought our staff back Dunkin Donuts.
We will definitely be back to Aruba when we need our "American" fix.
Liz
We flew Tiara Air from Bonaire to Aruba. We left at 11:00 am and and got in around 11:45. Direct trip, no stop over in Curacao which was nice. I don't mind flying, but am not keen on the takeoff's and landings! The flew something called a "Short" 33 seats one side single seat and the other 2 seats, for a total of 33 seats. Clean and updated inside, prop plane, decent leg room.
We arrived in Aruba, got through customs, etc pretty quickly considering a charter from Venezuela arrived the same time we did. Our luggage was already circling on the rack, so we picked it up and off we went. Grabbed a taxi for the 10 minute drive to the Renaissance right in the center of town. $13.00 plus tip.
We checked in, but couldn't get into our room until about 3:30. The room was a standard room, but really nice. Comfy pillowtoped bed, fridge, coffee maker, nice bathroom and we overlooked the interior courtyard. Only problem was it was a little noisy during the day, but fine at night, quiet.
After getting into the room, we went down to the infinity pool. Great pool, with food and drink service. Excellent lounge chairs with a choice of single or double size. It was later, so we had to get one away from the pool as everything else was taken. It was overcast, but warm with tiny bits of sunshine coming in and the pool was the perfect temp.
We decided on Aquaris, the "all you can eat buffet" for dinner that evening. It was GREAT! They had a "bread" station with all kinds of great breads, a "cold section with salads, sushi and sushimi and a hot table with things liked stirfry veggies, pork tenderloin sate, beef, chicken, rices, roasted potatoes, etc. Our favorite part was where you could go up to the chef and pick an assortment of seafood and he would cook it for you. Both Ed and I choose 2 lobster tails, king crab legs, scallops and shrimp. Yum! He sauted everything in a wonderful sauce and butter...delicious! They also had fresh tuna and wahoo that day.
The next morning we were looking to dive, but the seas were pretty rough, so we decided we would get 2 dives in the following day. We did some shopping and walking around town. We loved the market right on the water in town, had dinner at "Blue" Martini Bar (they also serve food) and it was I had sushi and Ed and a couple of smaller things. They serve all their meals in these Japanese style boxes. He got chicken wings and something else...it was average. We hit the casino for a couple of hours and did ok at 3 card poker.
We got up the next morning and decided we would head out to their private island and do a couple of dives and hang out at the beach. The island is great! You take a boat from the inside lobby (every 15 minutes) under the street and then about a 5-10 minute boat ride to the island.
We arrived and the weather was already turning bad, so we opted not to dive (thank goodness!) They had 2 beaches (the sand is amazingly soft) with great lounge chairs and once again waitress/waiter service for food and drink. We went onto the Adult side and there were about 6-8 amazingly pink flamingos that greeted us. I got some great pics (see below). We then headed over to the family side to go to the restaurant and do an early lunch. As we walked over we noticed that you could rent sea kayaks and they had all kind of "water sport toys and games" for the kids and families. Nice touch. Anyway while walking over we noticed a couple of cages with Macaws (Blue & Gold, Scarlet and 2 Catalinas) and one with a juvenile flamingo. I went up to see the flamingo and Ed shouts out "OMG" I've never seen anything like it before" I turned to him and said, Ed, it's just a baby flamingo, still gray with just a little pink, what is the big deal???? They he said no LOOK! and he pointed down. WELL IN ALL MY LIFE I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE!!!! There right in front of my feet was the PINKEST DUCK I had ever seen! That is right a PINK DUCK! I think was probably white, and shared the brine with the baby flamingo and turned pink, and I mean HOT PINK!!!
I told Ed I was going to get the camera. When we returned to the Adult side we noticed an almost completely blacken sky and they opened up. Well, we decided since it was raining we might as well get wet, so in the water we went. One other couple "braved" it out with us, and the remainder of the 20 or so people headed back to catch a boat back. Well the rain began pelting us hard and it started to thunder so out we went.
The island workers then came by and said they were closing the island due to "freak" weather storms coming and and everyone had to leave. As we were waiting for our boat to come and get us I was able to catch a waterspout form right off the coast of the island....too cool (see below).
We got off the island safely, made it back, shopped a bit more, napped then to the casino. It was pouring and nothing to do except go to the casino or shop. We decided to extend out stay one more day and finally enjoyed some sunshine and stayed at the pool the next day all day. It was great.
We did want to go out to the Island again, but I the only down side was the mosquitos. Now we live on Bonaire, so when they say "we are having a mosquito problem" I just say...I understand, I live on Bonaire. We let me tell you something, the day we were on the island there were a lot of mosquitos, so we ended up buying repellent. These mosquitos must be on steroids or something. Some of the poor people had AMAZING reactions. One poor lady of color walked into the gift shop and asked if they had anything for the bites. The girl behind the counter said no. I turned and looked at this poor lady. The bites on her face and body were ENORMOUS! I mean, I've never seen anyone have a reaction like that. The odd thing was she wasn't the only one. A few people left the island after on 15 minutes because the reactions were so bad. I got one bite on a toe and the dang toe just swelled up! Yikes.
All in all it was a very relaxing trip. It is very "Americanized" (walking into Sole to Sole to by a pair of sandals was like I was in NYC...it was owned by a wonderful woman from there). We ate at Taco Bell one afternoon and brought our staff back Dunkin Donuts.
We will definitely be back to Aruba when we need our "American" fix.
Liz
