We woke up in time this morning to see us sail up to Aruba. We saw the pilot arrive and guide us in to today's Port, Oranjestad; as we snapped pictures of our progress and the smaller Cruise ship
Tradewinds which was also in port. I have no idea who the owners are of the Tradewind vessel, it had a crown with waves underneath it. I tried to research it on the internet but couldn't find it. Then as we were snapping photos a rain showere came up so we
dashed inside and went to breakfast.
After eating we strolled around the Promenade deck and on the Starboard side we noticed that very, very near was a reef with a tree growing on it as well as
some other vegatation and a few birds. Also we saw 13 super tankers off in the far distance which appeared to be at anchor. Perhaps since we are only 83 nautical mile from Curacao they are waiting to load or off load fuel there at the refinery.
We departed our ship and walked downtown. Oranjestad is a very clean city with nice wide streets, even where the Markets are situated.
We started
walking to our right on the main street towards the Marina, stopping from time to time along the way; me much more so than Bob. I like to look at all the trinkets and things at the Market, Bob doesn't. Bob got away ahead of me as I stopped to take some photo's
of a Pelican who was sunning himself on the rocks.
Then as I walked on I came across 4 young men who had just filleted a large fish. I think they told me it was a Bareacuda (spelling ??). They
were now chopping at it's head and they told me they use that for soup. They then wanted to know if I would like my picture taken with one so myself and one of the guy's each held up a fish and another took our picture. They then washed my hand's off with
a hose they had and i thanked them and trotted away to find Bob waiting patiently beside a Palm tree.
We then walked along farther to the Hotel, I believe it was the Radison. Just before it there
was a small outdoor Mall with stores running down both sides and connected by arched rods. There was a Dunkin' Donut's , a Starbucks, and other stores with everything from clothing to magnet's. This area was very nicely decorated for Christmas and had benches
and some table's and chairs you could stop and have a rest or a cold drink.So I snapped a few photos of this area and will post them here.
Then we started to head back and we had to go through
the Parking area to get to the main Street and we noticed that the cars license plates had a strip about a 1/4 of the plate's width added on top with the year. All from Aruba were the same. Later we saw some old plates for sale in the Market and the Seller
told us that that is what they put on each new year rather than stickers like some countries have.
After we got through the parking Lot we crossed the street and headed back towards our ship.
We stopped from time to time to take photo's. One of the Aruba Sign, a Manger scene, a very large decorated tree and other street scenes.
It started to shower so we ran for cover into the outdoor
undercover Foyer of a very large Hotel. At the front they have a very nice rock waterfall with flowery plantings all around it. We saw a pedestrian bridge up and over a brook which flowed into the Foyer from the Marina and came under the Street. There was
a speedboat loading passengers from the hotel and it left and went under us and the main street out to the marina and on to the Sea. Cool.😎👍
We next crossed over the footbridge and we were into the large "expensive" Mall. We looked around and since the shower had ended we exited out another
door back unto the Main Street.
We then had a look around the pretty Plaza and then on to the outdoor markets on this side of the street. Same articles as the other side.
We then crossed over to the Port entrance and a short walk back to the
Prinsendam.
By now we were more than ready for our very late lunch at the Lido. First we both headed to the Terrace Grill by the Lido Pool and I ordered Bitter Badden (I think I spelled it right). Bob had a Cheese Burger. Then we went into the Lido
and got a bit of Salad and found a seat in the Greenhouse; when the sun is behind the clouds it's lovely in here but when the sun shines, oh it's hot". The Bitter Badden are a deep fried meat ball of some kind which has a very smooth center and a very crispy
outside. Actually they were very good, I wasn't sure when I ate the first one but by the time I finished I found that I quite liked them.
After lunch we took a cold drink down to our deck and sat outside and watched all the traffic on the street and
the passengers coming back to the ship. Some stroll , some walk with a purpose, some hurry; and then there was the last one to come, I think it was one of the musicians or technicians, and he was running as he almost missed the boat.🙃 Then we pushed off from the peir and just as we got nicely under way some one in a speed boat cut right across in front of our Bow. The Captain and/or Pilot blasted him
with the ships horn. Some people can be so stupid.
If that wasn't enough excitement, there were about 5 planes that flew right over us and landed at the airport that runs right down to the water.
Tonight after dinner we went to the Showroom to
see and hear Joe Yanetty who is a star of stage, screen and television. His Comedy act was hilarious, I have never heard an audience that talked back and hollered out to a Comedian like they did tonight. He sure was quick to react to everybody from all around
the Showroom. At the end he said he had about six DVD's for sale if anyone wanted to see what his show had been going to be about. Our sides were sore from laughing as we left the showroom.
We then just walked around the ship a bit and went back to
our cabin and i got my camera and went up to the Lido to photograph the "chocolate extravaganza". There wasn't as much as I have seen on other ships, but then this ship is not nearly as large as the others and doesn't even carry half the passengers that the
Vista ships carry. It was very nice anyway and we were also offered a glass of champagne but I declined and made myself a cup of green tea and got a glass of ice water to bring back to our cabin.
So that's all the partying for tonight folks, now I will
sit out on our deck and watch the stars and drink my tea while Bob sleeps.