When we planned out all my surgical interventions this year, one of our questions was how to get away for a bit like we usually do that will not be negatively influenced by a bum foot or the new implants. Normally skiing would be in the cards for a few days, but this year we took some good friend advice and chose Aruba.
Aruba is a small island just north of Porto Fijo in Venezuela, so pretty close to the equator. A Dutch Caribbean island with perfect sea breezes to keep the equatorial climate comfortable, it is a interesting island with a diverse identity. One of our guides informed us that elementary school involved learning Dutch, Spanish, Portugese, and English as well as advanced swimming skills. The local dialect is a wild mix of languages which was really fun to pick out words and try to figure out what my fishing captain was saying. The swimming skills are so every islander knows that if a local or a tourist is in trouble, they all have lifeguard level survival skills to help. Pretty sweet if you ask me.
Aruba has been considered a colony of the Netherlands for centuries with some land disputes originating with spain in the 1400s and tossed around a bit during the Napoleonic period. The original inhabitants native to the island were the Arawak tribe. Because of this diverse culture, you see pottery influences from native traditions to the blue and white pottery adapted from Dutch heritage. Everything has a story and the people are not shy about sharing!
The tourist zone
The north tip of the island encompassing Palm and Eagle beaches are the main hotel zones, some all inclusive. They are gorgeous and self sufficient for the less adventurous, but you will accrue a good amount of extra spending on all activities from eating to snorkeling in these areas. I get it with small kids or just not feeling up for excitement, but Aruba offers so much more than high rise hotels...go to the DR if that's your jam, in my opinion. You don't want to sell yourself short stopping at the cruise port where everything is the same as any other cookie cutter area.
Airbnb
We stayed at Palm Aruba Condos, about 0.6miles (1km) off the main hotel zone. It is a newer property with good accomodations, plenty of beach towels, and a nice pool and grill area. Really all you'd need outside of full service food and beverage. Total cost for 7 days was less than 2k for a sizeable condo with vaulted ceilings, 2BR, fully functional kitchen and laundry so sand doesn't invade EVERY crevasse. And! security gate with key cards and free parking are also included.
Getting out and about
Getting there is a tiny bit challenging from the midwest. Because our timeline was flexible we went to Atlanta first, hotel overnight, and direct to Queen Beatrice Airport the next morning. Word of warning on Atlanta these days...it's insanity. I needed a wheelchair due to recent foot surgery so I was expedited, but take photos of your boarding pass in advance to avoid wi-fi disasters. I don't recommend being handicapped, of course, but it was a life saver to and from Aruba. People told us that you absolutely need to get to the AUA airport for departure 3 hours in advance and we thought they were joking...they are not joking. For real. You clear customs leaving and there are at least 4 checkpoints with long lines regardless of global entry etc. It takes every bit of the 3 hours. Example: they actually have installed mist machines for the lines to ensure you don't overheat while standing for endless periods. Knowing this will help you stay smiling while on the way out.
buses and more!
The Arubus lines have quite a few destinations, so if you didn't want your own vehicle, that is certainly an economic option. With the kids and some scuba diving plan, we opted for rental car. Picking up the rental car is a piece of cake on the airport property. Drop off, however, is just WOW. I wish I had advice on how to make that piece smoother but it is just like trying to figure out what lane to drive in in India when you return to car. You've been warned. Taxis are also plentiful but rideshare apps not as much.
Currency: The Florin
The Florin is about 1/2 the value of the dollar and most stores and restaurants will list if they are in one vs. the other. Service charges are common in the high tourist areas and tipping is option (but usually 10-15% if you're really happy). ATMs will give you either dollars or Florins and are as plentiful as gelato and burger stands.
Food:
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