Trip Report & Photo Links ~ Aruba May 2007
May 20th, 2007, 07:00 AM
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Trip Report & Photo Links ~ Aruba May 2007
This was our second trip to Aruba and we had a great time. We traveled with another couple and left our 2 year old with my parents. We did a lot more drinking/going out this trip than we do on our regular family vacations. And while I missed my baby terribly it was a great and relaxing trip. 5 years ago we stayed at the Radisson but this time we took advantage of the preview package so we got a really cheap rate and stayed in a 1 BR unit at the Marriott Ocean Club.
I’ll start with a brief overview of our daily activities and then get into more specifics afterward…
We flew in on Tuesday…USAirways has gone downhill! But we are arrived pretty close to on time to that is all that matters. Customs was a breeze. We took a cab to the Ocean Club, freshened up and then headed to Moombas for a few drinks (where the bartender told us it was going to rain..it never did) and then over to Smokey Joe’s for dinner. Had a great time. After that we went to the Pelican’s Nest at the end of the Pier by Playa Linda. Oh and we ended the evening in the hot tub.
Wednesday was beach day. I went down for a palapa at 7:45 and was able to secure the last one in the 2nd row. Had lunch by the pool at the Surf Club. Dinner that night was at Marandi. From there we headed to Pincho’s for a few drinks and then back to our hotel.
Thursday was MiDushi. We walked down the beach to the DePalm pier to catch the water taxi to the boat and checked out the hotels along the way. Super day! After they dropped us off, we took a swim at the Radisson beach on our walk home and stopped at our pool bar for a couple of adult beverages. That evening we walked down the beach to Bugaloe for a drink and to watch the sunset. Then we went to Fishes & More for dinner then called it a night. Our friends checked out Soprano’s Piano bar and had a great time.
Friday morning was the timeshare presentation. We started at 8:30 and were done by 10:00. Then we headed to the beach. Went to Moomba’s for lunch, then hit the lazy river. It was okay for a few times around but the current almost stopped on one side so you had to swim or push yourself along. Also checked out the water slide. It was okay but pretty small..meant for kids obviously Super windy back there!! That night was the Kukoo Kunuku! They were late picking us up so we watched the sunset on the ride to the lighthouse. But it was a great time! We got dropped off at the Radisson with our new found friends and hit Soprano's for a while. By now it is after 2 am and we are hungry! No pizza, no nothing is open at this hour except a Chinese place down the road from Soprano's. Big mistake. Everyone but me ordered a full entree and nothing sat well with anyone the next morning but my friend's husband had it the worst. Not sure if it was the msg or food poisoning or what but we wasn't right the rest of the trip (thankfully the trip was almost over).
Saturday morning we headed in town to do some shopping and then our Heli-Tour. After that we hit Iguana Joe’s for lunch then back to the beach for a little while. This was El Gaucho night and my husband could not wait! After dinner we went to Champions for a bit and then off to our room.
Sunday – our friends’ were able to get check out extended until Noon so we enjoyed a few hours on the beach in the morning. After we got cleaned up, we walked over to Tomato Charlie’s for lunch and then it was off to the airport L Leaving Aruba is more involved than entering the country. Check bags twice, go through security twice etc. My husband got yelled at for opening his suitcase to get his sunglass case while we were waiting to check bags for the second time. Oops.
WEATHER :
I stressed about this due to a big system over Venezuela before we left… but aside from a few clouds the first day, the weather was great. Bright and sunny. No rain at all. The wind was stronger than it was in September. A couple of days it was really gusty. But it was fine and felt good. But the humidity insured that my hair was a frizzy mess all week!
EXCURSIONS:
MiDushi – Great time. We much preferred this over Jolly Pirates. (but will do Jolly Pirates again when we bring the kids) Did the Taste of Midushi from 9:30 – 2:30. Crew was great, lunch which was catered by LeDome was very good and the drinks were free flowing from the premium bar. We met some great people, snorkeling at the wreck was cool as always. Just an overall great experience and a good value for what you got.
Kukoo Kunuku Party Bus – A blast. We did this on our first visit and it was just as fun this time. Definitely buy the insulated drink bottles and a CD. We play our CD from last time all the time around the pool. The bars were great, love learning the new dances though we didn’t learn as many this time around. Meal was mediocre but filled us up! The only kind of weird thing was seeing “Big Momma” do a partial striptease. Yikes. Last bar we hit was Grammy’s the karaoke bar which was fun.
Heli-Tours - We did the island tour which lasted about 30 minutes. Our pilot, Peter was great. Did a great informative narration. Helicopter is new and I got to sit up front so a very neat experience. This was my first ride. Our friends had done several others in Hawaii. Seeing the turquoise water, the beaches, hotels and all of the rugged landscape is just breathtaking. Great way to see the island in a short amount of time. We had done the jeep safari last time so decided to try this. I think the coolest thing was seeing the Antilla wreck from that height. Next time we’ll do the ATVs.
HOTELS:
Let me preface this by saying that I am a beach snob so I may be more critical than others
Marriott Ocean Club – Very nice property. Grounds were nicely landscaped. Pool was pretty good (we aren’t big pool people though on vacation). We were very happy with our room..a 1 BR unit on the 6th floor with a partial ocean view looking toward the Surf Club. It had a living area, full kitchen and Jacuzzi tub. Bed was super comfortable. Beach was pretty good though the sand was much coarser here than further up the beach. Way too many watersports tents etc cluttering up the beach. My husband went down around 7 am most mornings for a palapa and had to stand in line for 30 minutes. But never could we get one in the first row. The 2nd row was fine but I am wondering how long people must have waited for one in the front row. I am happy to report that the sea floor was just fine..nice and sandy, not slimy at all like I had read in some reports. This timeshare resort seems to cater mainly to families with small children and retirees. The waterfront was the most crowded of the 3 as everyone from the Surf Club swam here. I was very happy with our stay especially for the deal we got, but I probably wouldn’t stay there again. The location is a little far down the beach from most of the places we went to and I prefer the beach as you get closer to the Hyatt and Radisson.
Marriott Surf Club – On the positive side, the rooms are very very nice. On the negative side, the beach is not good (though they say they plan to fix it). It is very rocky and seaweedy. I never got a chance to test the sea floor for slime as my feet hurt after 2 steps. But if you go as close to the Ocean Club as possible, it is okay. And those canopy chairs are scattered everywhere making the beach look messy. I hope they also plan to do something with the walkway area between the pool and beach. Landscaping or something. Moving on to the pool. Oh my…I felt claustrophobic walking through the pool deck area. There are so many chairs they are all touching each other. Rows and rows of them. No way could you walk between 2 chairs. And they are lined up along both sides of the walkway. Now there weren’t always people in all of the chairs but still it was hard to walk and unpleasing to the eye. Otherwise the pool was nice. The lazy river is a bit overrated as it doesn’t have sufficient current, but we didn’t find it to be overly crowded.
Marriott Stellaris – Didn’t see much of the hotel but at the far end of the beach was a big metal fence, a crane, and pick-up trucks. Just not a serene view. But they did have the good beach chairs..the fabric ones as opposed to ones with the rubber strapping. The pool bar looked kind of dated as did the part of the lobby I saw. The casino was nice and big though.
Holiday Inn – Didn’t have a great beach…seaweedy at the end near Moomba’s and the beach was very narrow. It was lined with palm trees whose roots were all completely exposed. The pool area looked okay though as did the bar. The hotel itself is kind of ratty looking. But the worst was seeing the plastic kids’ playhouses in the sand. I have a 2 year old and even I thought it looked tacky. Who wants to see that on a Caribbean beach?
Playa Linda – I was pleasantly surprised by this property. Nice beach and pool area. Great balconies/porches. The little bar/restaurant at the edge of the beach looked nice. I would stay here.
Hyatt – The beach was very crowded but the grounds were just gorgeous. I would definitely stay here.
Occidental – We cut through here on our way home from Fishes & more. Looks very nice but I only really saw it at night.
Radisson – My favorite. I think the Radisson sits on the best stretch of Palm Beach. It’s wide, the sand is soft and they didn’t try to cram too many palapas in. Plus they have the good beach chairs. Never did the Radisson seem crowded. The tropical landscaping is great and I love the walkway to the beach from the hotel…a sandy path among the gardens and waterfalls. I love the open lobby so you can look through and see the Caribbean. The Hyatt has this as well. I also like the location of Gilligan’s but we did not eat here this time. Plus the proximity to Bugaloe is great!
TIMESHARE PRESENTATION:
Much less painful than I had anticipated. We were not harassed at all before or after the talk (they are not allowed to contact you after the presentation). It lasted exactly 90 minutes and wasn’t high pressure at all.
RESTAURANTS:
When we ate breakfast, it was in the room with food purchased from Ling & Sons. But we ate all of our lunches & dinners out.
Smokey Joes – Great casual and fun restaurant with phenomenal food and drinks. The ribs were the best I have had and the jerk BBQ sauce was wonderful. I tried to buy some but they don’ sell it. Also delicious was the garlic & citrus infused rotisserie chicken. Yum. And the beans and rice were tasty too. Portions are very large. We also had some great drinks here which are served in jelly jar glasses and are very potent. The Moonshine, Happy Tourist & Mojitos were excellent. We wanted to try a fried oreo for dessert but had no room L Can’t forget the shark bites and calamari appetizers!
El Gaucho – We had the BEST meal here 5 years ago. My husband always talks about this restaurant. It was still very good this time but not quite as excellent as we remember. The restaurant itself is larger and seems a bit more commercial. The price of success I guess. It was definitely more intimate with a more local feel last time. The steaks were still great but not quite as tender as I remember. The dipping sauces were very good though and the calamari appetizer was different…sauteed in a brown sauce, Argentine style I guess. Very good. The mushroom side dish was excellent. The sangria was still as awesome as we remembered. I thought the prices were very reasonable.
Marandi – I had high hopes for this restaurant but it did not live up as far as food quality. The setting was wonderful though in a giant palapa on the beach. The food was okay but after all the excellent reviews I was expecting more. The beef tataky and brie appetizer were good though. The seafood pasta in lobster sauce was more like a buttery soup. And the catch of the day was okay but a little bland and overcooked.
Fishes & More – I was happily surprised. We had intended on eating at Salt & Pepper but when no one came to wait on us we left. Again we had the calamari appetizer (can you tell we like calamari?). The sangria was good but not as good as El Gaucho’s. The pina colada shrimp were very good but sweet. The calamari and grouper special was also a hit.
Tomato Charlie’s – Great pizza! We went here for lunch on our last day. We were very impressed. They have a great drink called the “Powerhouse.” And the misters are a great touch to keep diners cool.
Moomba – food was pretty good and prices were decent. Standard beach bar fare.
Seaworthy’s - This is the poolside bar/restaurant at the Surf Club. High prices and decent food. Again, standard beach bar fare.
Iguana Joe’s - Food was fine, nothing out of the ordinary though. Chips and salsa were very good. Again got the calamari which was good. It’s hard to keep straight all of the calamari apps that we tried! I did try a pink iguana which basically tasted like a strawberry milkshake.
BARS:
Moomba - Set right in the sand. Nice place for a few drinks. Typical beach bar atmosphere.
Pelican’s Nest - Quiet bar at the end of pier by Playa Linda (can't recall the name). Good views.
Bugaloe - We patronized this place a lot when we stayed at the Rad and it was Kokoa’s. Looks pretty similar but we only went here once due to the location of our hotel this time. Great place to watch the sunset. It was very quiet, not as bustling as I remembered Kokoa to be, but then again we only went this one evening.
Pincho’s - very cool place. The setting on the water with the blue light and swing was neat. Plus we had a great bartender (Eric).
Sopranos’s - Great Piano bar. Themed aftet the TV show.
Champions - For a hotel sports bar this was very nice, or at least that’s what our friends’ said. I’m not much interested in an indoor sports bar when I’m in Aruba.
MISCELLANEOUS:
The path between the hotels is great, only problem is it doesn’t start until the HI. Don’t try to walk on the street from the Marriotts as you either have to walk a long way around or cut through a big field. Much better to walk on the beach then pick up the path.
The cabs are super nice..most are newer minivans or SUVs..very comfortable. And there a few BMWs. But I was just as happy on the bus. I like seeing all hotels and people watching.
Ling & Sons..very nice food store (better than the one I go to at home!) and I found the prices to be very reasonable. Got a nice bottle of wine for $6! Only thing is if you take the bus, there is no real bus stop near the store and by the time we lugged our stuff back to the main road and waited in a random area that the driver pointed to everyone was hot and tired so we just took a cab. Taking a car would be even better!
I am happy to report that we never saw one bug or smelled an unpleasant odor anywhere on the island.
We tried to got to the Bucuti webcam one morning and to check out the hotel but the driver forgot to stop and by the time we would have gotten back around it would have been too late so we missed that.
So many iguanas walking around..I love it. Especially cute are the turquoise ones. My daughter loved looking at the pics I took of them..to her they are the gecko from the Geico commercials J
And finally, I recommend picking up some Aruba Aloe lotion. Great stuff. Wish I had bought more because to order online it cost $12/bottle plus shipping as opposed to $7/bottle if you buy it on the island.
PHOTOS:
Here are the links to my Shutterfly albums. I had to break them into two albums since I exceeded the max number of pics to share. The first album is everything but the Heli Tour and the 2nd is the Heli Tour.
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IcMWzRu5aMwG
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IcMWzRu5aMwk
I’ll start with a brief overview of our daily activities and then get into more specifics afterward…
We flew in on Tuesday…USAirways has gone downhill! But we are arrived pretty close to on time to that is all that matters. Customs was a breeze. We took a cab to the Ocean Club, freshened up and then headed to Moombas for a few drinks (where the bartender told us it was going to rain..it never did) and then over to Smokey Joe’s for dinner. Had a great time. After that we went to the Pelican’s Nest at the end of the Pier by Playa Linda. Oh and we ended the evening in the hot tub.
Wednesday was beach day. I went down for a palapa at 7:45 and was able to secure the last one in the 2nd row. Had lunch by the pool at the Surf Club. Dinner that night was at Marandi. From there we headed to Pincho’s for a few drinks and then back to our hotel.
Thursday was MiDushi. We walked down the beach to the DePalm pier to catch the water taxi to the boat and checked out the hotels along the way. Super day! After they dropped us off, we took a swim at the Radisson beach on our walk home and stopped at our pool bar for a couple of adult beverages. That evening we walked down the beach to Bugaloe for a drink and to watch the sunset. Then we went to Fishes & More for dinner then called it a night. Our friends checked out Soprano’s Piano bar and had a great time.
Friday morning was the timeshare presentation. We started at 8:30 and were done by 10:00. Then we headed to the beach. Went to Moomba’s for lunch, then hit the lazy river. It was okay for a few times around but the current almost stopped on one side so you had to swim or push yourself along. Also checked out the water slide. It was okay but pretty small..meant for kids obviously Super windy back there!! That night was the Kukoo Kunuku! They were late picking us up so we watched the sunset on the ride to the lighthouse. But it was a great time! We got dropped off at the Radisson with our new found friends and hit Soprano's for a while. By now it is after 2 am and we are hungry! No pizza, no nothing is open at this hour except a Chinese place down the road from Soprano's. Big mistake. Everyone but me ordered a full entree and nothing sat well with anyone the next morning but my friend's husband had it the worst. Not sure if it was the msg or food poisoning or what but we wasn't right the rest of the trip (thankfully the trip was almost over).
Saturday morning we headed in town to do some shopping and then our Heli-Tour. After that we hit Iguana Joe’s for lunch then back to the beach for a little while. This was El Gaucho night and my husband could not wait! After dinner we went to Champions for a bit and then off to our room.
Sunday – our friends’ were able to get check out extended until Noon so we enjoyed a few hours on the beach in the morning. After we got cleaned up, we walked over to Tomato Charlie’s for lunch and then it was off to the airport L Leaving Aruba is more involved than entering the country. Check bags twice, go through security twice etc. My husband got yelled at for opening his suitcase to get his sunglass case while we were waiting to check bags for the second time. Oops.
WEATHER :
I stressed about this due to a big system over Venezuela before we left… but aside from a few clouds the first day, the weather was great. Bright and sunny. No rain at all. The wind was stronger than it was in September. A couple of days it was really gusty. But it was fine and felt good. But the humidity insured that my hair was a frizzy mess all week!
EXCURSIONS:
MiDushi – Great time. We much preferred this over Jolly Pirates. (but will do Jolly Pirates again when we bring the kids) Did the Taste of Midushi from 9:30 – 2:30. Crew was great, lunch which was catered by LeDome was very good and the drinks were free flowing from the premium bar. We met some great people, snorkeling at the wreck was cool as always. Just an overall great experience and a good value for what you got.
Kukoo Kunuku Party Bus – A blast. We did this on our first visit and it was just as fun this time. Definitely buy the insulated drink bottles and a CD. We play our CD from last time all the time around the pool. The bars were great, love learning the new dances though we didn’t learn as many this time around. Meal was mediocre but filled us up! The only kind of weird thing was seeing “Big Momma” do a partial striptease. Yikes. Last bar we hit was Grammy’s the karaoke bar which was fun.
Heli-Tours - We did the island tour which lasted about 30 minutes. Our pilot, Peter was great. Did a great informative narration. Helicopter is new and I got to sit up front so a very neat experience. This was my first ride. Our friends had done several others in Hawaii. Seeing the turquoise water, the beaches, hotels and all of the rugged landscape is just breathtaking. Great way to see the island in a short amount of time. We had done the jeep safari last time so decided to try this. I think the coolest thing was seeing the Antilla wreck from that height. Next time we’ll do the ATVs.
HOTELS:
Let me preface this by saying that I am a beach snob so I may be more critical than others
Marriott Ocean Club – Very nice property. Grounds were nicely landscaped. Pool was pretty good (we aren’t big pool people though on vacation). We were very happy with our room..a 1 BR unit on the 6th floor with a partial ocean view looking toward the Surf Club. It had a living area, full kitchen and Jacuzzi tub. Bed was super comfortable. Beach was pretty good though the sand was much coarser here than further up the beach. Way too many watersports tents etc cluttering up the beach. My husband went down around 7 am most mornings for a palapa and had to stand in line for 30 minutes. But never could we get one in the first row. The 2nd row was fine but I am wondering how long people must have waited for one in the front row. I am happy to report that the sea floor was just fine..nice and sandy, not slimy at all like I had read in some reports. This timeshare resort seems to cater mainly to families with small children and retirees. The waterfront was the most crowded of the 3 as everyone from the Surf Club swam here. I was very happy with our stay especially for the deal we got, but I probably wouldn’t stay there again. The location is a little far down the beach from most of the places we went to and I prefer the beach as you get closer to the Hyatt and Radisson.
Marriott Surf Club – On the positive side, the rooms are very very nice. On the negative side, the beach is not good (though they say they plan to fix it). It is very rocky and seaweedy. I never got a chance to test the sea floor for slime as my feet hurt after 2 steps. But if you go as close to the Ocean Club as possible, it is okay. And those canopy chairs are scattered everywhere making the beach look messy. I hope they also plan to do something with the walkway area between the pool and beach. Landscaping or something. Moving on to the pool. Oh my…I felt claustrophobic walking through the pool deck area. There are so many chairs they are all touching each other. Rows and rows of them. No way could you walk between 2 chairs. And they are lined up along both sides of the walkway. Now there weren’t always people in all of the chairs but still it was hard to walk and unpleasing to the eye. Otherwise the pool was nice. The lazy river is a bit overrated as it doesn’t have sufficient current, but we didn’t find it to be overly crowded.
Marriott Stellaris – Didn’t see much of the hotel but at the far end of the beach was a big metal fence, a crane, and pick-up trucks. Just not a serene view. But they did have the good beach chairs..the fabric ones as opposed to ones with the rubber strapping. The pool bar looked kind of dated as did the part of the lobby I saw. The casino was nice and big though.
Holiday Inn – Didn’t have a great beach…seaweedy at the end near Moomba’s and the beach was very narrow. It was lined with palm trees whose roots were all completely exposed. The pool area looked okay though as did the bar. The hotel itself is kind of ratty looking. But the worst was seeing the plastic kids’ playhouses in the sand. I have a 2 year old and even I thought it looked tacky. Who wants to see that on a Caribbean beach?
Playa Linda – I was pleasantly surprised by this property. Nice beach and pool area. Great balconies/porches. The little bar/restaurant at the edge of the beach looked nice. I would stay here.
Hyatt – The beach was very crowded but the grounds were just gorgeous. I would definitely stay here.
Occidental – We cut through here on our way home from Fishes & more. Looks very nice but I only really saw it at night.
Radisson – My favorite. I think the Radisson sits on the best stretch of Palm Beach. It’s wide, the sand is soft and they didn’t try to cram too many palapas in. Plus they have the good beach chairs. Never did the Radisson seem crowded. The tropical landscaping is great and I love the walkway to the beach from the hotel…a sandy path among the gardens and waterfalls. I love the open lobby so you can look through and see the Caribbean. The Hyatt has this as well. I also like the location of Gilligan’s but we did not eat here this time. Plus the proximity to Bugaloe is great!
TIMESHARE PRESENTATION:
Much less painful than I had anticipated. We were not harassed at all before or after the talk (they are not allowed to contact you after the presentation). It lasted exactly 90 minutes and wasn’t high pressure at all.
RESTAURANTS:
When we ate breakfast, it was in the room with food purchased from Ling & Sons. But we ate all of our lunches & dinners out.
Smokey Joes – Great casual and fun restaurant with phenomenal food and drinks. The ribs were the best I have had and the jerk BBQ sauce was wonderful. I tried to buy some but they don’ sell it. Also delicious was the garlic & citrus infused rotisserie chicken. Yum. And the beans and rice were tasty too. Portions are very large. We also had some great drinks here which are served in jelly jar glasses and are very potent. The Moonshine, Happy Tourist & Mojitos were excellent. We wanted to try a fried oreo for dessert but had no room L Can’t forget the shark bites and calamari appetizers!
El Gaucho – We had the BEST meal here 5 years ago. My husband always talks about this restaurant. It was still very good this time but not quite as excellent as we remember. The restaurant itself is larger and seems a bit more commercial. The price of success I guess. It was definitely more intimate with a more local feel last time. The steaks were still great but not quite as tender as I remember. The dipping sauces were very good though and the calamari appetizer was different…sauteed in a brown sauce, Argentine style I guess. Very good. The mushroom side dish was excellent. The sangria was still as awesome as we remembered. I thought the prices were very reasonable.
Marandi – I had high hopes for this restaurant but it did not live up as far as food quality. The setting was wonderful though in a giant palapa on the beach. The food was okay but after all the excellent reviews I was expecting more. The beef tataky and brie appetizer were good though. The seafood pasta in lobster sauce was more like a buttery soup. And the catch of the day was okay but a little bland and overcooked.
Fishes & More – I was happily surprised. We had intended on eating at Salt & Pepper but when no one came to wait on us we left. Again we had the calamari appetizer (can you tell we like calamari?). The sangria was good but not as good as El Gaucho’s. The pina colada shrimp were very good but sweet. The calamari and grouper special was also a hit.
Tomato Charlie’s – Great pizza! We went here for lunch on our last day. We were very impressed. They have a great drink called the “Powerhouse.” And the misters are a great touch to keep diners cool.
Moomba – food was pretty good and prices were decent. Standard beach bar fare.
Seaworthy’s - This is the poolside bar/restaurant at the Surf Club. High prices and decent food. Again, standard beach bar fare.
Iguana Joe’s - Food was fine, nothing out of the ordinary though. Chips and salsa were very good. Again got the calamari which was good. It’s hard to keep straight all of the calamari apps that we tried! I did try a pink iguana which basically tasted like a strawberry milkshake.
BARS:
Moomba - Set right in the sand. Nice place for a few drinks. Typical beach bar atmosphere.
Pelican’s Nest - Quiet bar at the end of pier by Playa Linda (can't recall the name). Good views.
Bugaloe - We patronized this place a lot when we stayed at the Rad and it was Kokoa’s. Looks pretty similar but we only went here once due to the location of our hotel this time. Great place to watch the sunset. It was very quiet, not as bustling as I remembered Kokoa to be, but then again we only went this one evening.
Pincho’s - very cool place. The setting on the water with the blue light and swing was neat. Plus we had a great bartender (Eric).
Sopranos’s - Great Piano bar. Themed aftet the TV show.
Champions - For a hotel sports bar this was very nice, or at least that’s what our friends’ said. I’m not much interested in an indoor sports bar when I’m in Aruba.
MISCELLANEOUS:
The path between the hotels is great, only problem is it doesn’t start until the HI. Don’t try to walk on the street from the Marriotts as you either have to walk a long way around or cut through a big field. Much better to walk on the beach then pick up the path.
The cabs are super nice..most are newer minivans or SUVs..very comfortable. And there a few BMWs. But I was just as happy on the bus. I like seeing all hotels and people watching.
Ling & Sons..very nice food store (better than the one I go to at home!) and I found the prices to be very reasonable. Got a nice bottle of wine for $6! Only thing is if you take the bus, there is no real bus stop near the store and by the time we lugged our stuff back to the main road and waited in a random area that the driver pointed to everyone was hot and tired so we just took a cab. Taking a car would be even better!
I am happy to report that we never saw one bug or smelled an unpleasant odor anywhere on the island.
We tried to got to the Bucuti webcam one morning and to check out the hotel but the driver forgot to stop and by the time we would have gotten back around it would have been too late so we missed that.
So many iguanas walking around..I love it. Especially cute are the turquoise ones. My daughter loved looking at the pics I took of them..to her they are the gecko from the Geico commercials J
And finally, I recommend picking up some Aruba Aloe lotion. Great stuff. Wish I had bought more because to order online it cost $12/bottle plus shipping as opposed to $7/bottle if you buy it on the island.
PHOTOS:
Here are the links to my Shutterfly albums. I had to break them into two albums since I exceeded the max number of pics to share. The first album is everything but the Heli Tour and the 2nd is the Heli Tour.
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IcMWzRu5aMwG
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IcMWzRu5aMwk
May 20th, 2007, 08:37 AM
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Thanks for sharing your pictures!!...they were great.I bought some of the Aruba aloe shampoo and conditioner,and aloe gel on our trip to Aruba in 2003.I liked it soo much that I ordered more online.
Sounds and looks like you all had a great trip!!
Christie
Sounds and looks like you all had a great trip!!
Christie
May 20th, 2007, 08:46 AM
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Hi, Kristen--
Great to see another trip report from you, which I enjoyed as usual. sounds like you and your friends had a super time for your return trip to Aruba!
Do you have any future travel plans, for the Caribbean or otherwise?
Great to see another trip report from you, which I enjoyed as usual. sounds like you and your friends had a super time for your return trip to Aruba!
Do you have any future travel plans, for the Caribbean or otherwise?
May 20th, 2007, 09:14 AM
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We never ended up booking the St. John trip because we already had this trip in the works, but next time I get the offer I am going to do it.
Next planned trip will be next summer with the kids..probably to T&C.
Hopefully though a good deal will crop up between now and then and we can sneak in a short trip this fall/winter.
Next planned trip will be next summer with the kids..probably to T&C.
Hopefully though a good deal will crop up between now and then and we can sneak in a short trip this fall/winter.
May 20th, 2007, 01:48 PM
#8
I always enjoy your reports, and love your pictures!
I rather like the crazy hair! ;-)
You always seem to have the best weather possible in all of your travels, always seem to get the nice calm waters.
Glad you had an excellent trip.
I rather like the crazy hair! ;-)
You always seem to have the best weather possible in all of your travels, always seem to get the nice calm waters.
Glad you had an excellent trip.
May 21st, 2007, 06:43 AM
#9
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Kristen
great pics, glad to hear you had a great time in Aruba. one of our favorite islands.
You have been fortunate to have visited some of the BEST islands in the caribbean especially for beaches.
Anguilla
Provo
Grand Cayman
Aruba
what are your favorite islands?
based on
1.beach/water
2.food
3.scenery
4.caribbean vibe
5.activities
we're planning our annual caribbean trip in July with the kids and have narrowed it down,leaning toward Provo(Palms or Beaches), Anguilla(cuisinart)Grand Cayman(Ritz) Aruba( Hyatt)or Bahamas(Atlantis.
just looking for some feedback, pro's & con's for each.
thanks in advance
great pics, glad to hear you had a great time in Aruba. one of our favorite islands.
You have been fortunate to have visited some of the BEST islands in the caribbean especially for beaches.
Anguilla
Provo
Grand Cayman
Aruba
what are your favorite islands?
based on
1.beach/water
2.food
3.scenery
4.caribbean vibe
5.activities
we're planning our annual caribbean trip in July with the kids and have narrowed it down,leaning toward Provo(Palms or Beaches), Anguilla(cuisinart)Grand Cayman(Ritz) Aruba( Hyatt)or Bahamas(Atlantis.
just looking for some feedback, pro's & con's for each.
thanks in advance
May 21st, 2007, 09:06 AM
#10
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Patsfan ~ I always choose my vacation destination based on the quality of the beaches 
We loved each of these islands but my favorite by a slight edge is probably Anguilla...the combination of incredible beaches and amazing restaurants can't be beat. But it depends if you are looking for a laid back, low key vacation or want a lot of things to do.
Aruba and GC definitely have the most to do whereas provo and Angulla are defitely less developed. I thinkw e are taking the family back to Provo next summer.
But I will choose my faves based on your 5 points:
1. beach/water - for guaranteed calm water, Palm Beach Aruba wins with 7 miule beach GC a close second. But for soft sand and water clarity, Anguilla, Provo and GC win with provo haveing the absolute finest sand (like baby powder). Throw snorkeling in to the mix and it's between GC and Provo.
2. Food: Anguilla! Then probably GC, Aruba and provo.
3. Scenery: They are all scrubby island, hence the awesome beaches but I'd say Gc probably because it's just a pretty upscale island. And Aruba has the rugged coastline. Anguilla and Provo come in last for this category, but the beaches make up for it!
4. Caribbean vibe - Anguilla, then Provo with Aruba & GC last because they are more americanized.
5. Activities - GC and Aruba have the most, Anguilla the least.
I have also been the Bahamas but that a while ago. It probably has the most caribbean vibe.
In Provo, I'd pick the Palms or would look into the Somerset.
My friends just got back from the Ritz GC and said it is amazing. It's on the best stretch of 7MB.
The kids may be bored in Anguilla. And since you have been to Aruba, I'd pick GC or Provo. If your kids like activities, then GC may be your best bet. Though you can't go wrong with any of them!!
Let me know what you decide...
We loved each of these islands but my favorite by a slight edge is probably Anguilla...the combination of incredible beaches and amazing restaurants can't be beat. But it depends if you are looking for a laid back, low key vacation or want a lot of things to do.
Aruba and GC definitely have the most to do whereas provo and Angulla are defitely less developed. I thinkw e are taking the family back to Provo next summer.
But I will choose my faves based on your 5 points:
1. beach/water - for guaranteed calm water, Palm Beach Aruba wins with 7 miule beach GC a close second. But for soft sand and water clarity, Anguilla, Provo and GC win with provo haveing the absolute finest sand (like baby powder). Throw snorkeling in to the mix and it's between GC and Provo.
2. Food: Anguilla! Then probably GC, Aruba and provo.
3. Scenery: They are all scrubby island, hence the awesome beaches but I'd say Gc probably because it's just a pretty upscale island. And Aruba has the rugged coastline. Anguilla and Provo come in last for this category, but the beaches make up for it!
4. Caribbean vibe - Anguilla, then Provo with Aruba & GC last because they are more americanized.
5. Activities - GC and Aruba have the most, Anguilla the least.
I have also been the Bahamas but that a while ago. It probably has the most caribbean vibe.
In Provo, I'd pick the Palms or would look into the Somerset.
My friends just got back from the Ritz GC and said it is amazing. It's on the best stretch of 7MB.
The kids may be bored in Anguilla. And since you have been to Aruba, I'd pick GC or Provo. If your kids like activities, then GC may be your best bet. Though you can't go wrong with any of them!!
Let me know what you decide...
May 23rd, 2007, 06:14 PM
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Thanks for the great trip report! Did the Kukoo Kunuku CD change from the last you were there? When we were there in 2002, we bought one that had Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" and "I'm Comin up" by Pink on it. Did the CD change from then? What songs are on your version? I still listen to it when I want to be on vacation which is often - LOL! My favorite songs on it are Follow the Leader and the Bacardi Song.
