Ribs at Amazing Restaurant, San Nicolaas

This restaurant is now called, “Amazing.” It was formerly known as The Promenade and is located at the beginning of Main Street in San Nicolaas, Aruba. I enjoyed many meals with friends at The Promenade and now like to head to the same place, albeit under a different name for the Thursday night, all-you-can eat, rib special. Here’s a look at the outside.

There is a waitress here who does an exceptional job, supported by another fellow who is as warm and friendly as you’ll find anywhere. I’ve been to this place enough to have a regular table, but truth be told, everyone is treated as if they’re a well-known regular. Here’s the dining room:

It’s a very welcoming space and usually quiet, which I appreciate as I have some difficulty hearing in a crowd. So let’s get to the ribs. Here’s a photo of round one.

There’s plenty of meat on those bones. The baked potato is also a decent size. Cole slaw and beans come on the side as does a dish of the rib sauce for extra flavor. There were three of us at the table and we each gnawed off two racks of ribs, drank a couple gallons of water, and polished the sides to boot.

If you’re on the island and you want to head down to San Nicolaas, why not stop here to fill your belly? It’s worth the ride and the price is right.

Published in: on July 13, 2008 at 9:32 pm  Comments (1)  
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Baby Beach, Aruba

Many people like to get away from the main hotel area of Aruba and come to the southern end of the island. There, they find Baby Beach, so named because the water is shallow, calm, and warm. Here’s a first glance.

I took this photo on a hazy Saturday morning at about 6:30 in the morning. Still, the water comes through as clear and blue as it really is. That ridge of coral is a decent snorkeling spot. The best time to come here is early in the morning on a weekday. Weekends usually crowd with more locals than tourists. Here’s another shot.

The one above really shows the wide expanse of sand, which goes on to the left quite a distance beyond where this frame ends. Can you imagine this place back in the 1940’s when Exxon owned the refinery on the island and just a few yards away they had a full-blown nightclub? It must have been fantastic. Well, it still is, just a little different.

There are several of these thatched huts that face the water. If you arrive early with your clan you can claim one. A snack stand, beach chair rental, and toilet facilities are also available. In that last photo, you can see a tanker bound for sea, which is a reminder that the refinery still works on this island.

Again, go early, enjoy the snorkeling and sunbathing. Then, stop at Hotel Astoria or Charlie’s Bar in San Nicolaas on the way back to your vacation rental. Nothing like an ICE-COLD Coca-Cola after some hours at the beach.

Published in: on July 13, 2008 at 2:21 pm  Leave a Comment  
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An Aruban Original

Sometimes when you’re traveling, you meet the kind of person who can only be described as “original.” I mean this in the true sense of the word: the first of a kind. Well, one of the people I’ve met and become friends with who meets this criteria is Mr. Speziale of Aruba. I first met him in the 1990’s and over the years he’s shown me more of Aruba than anyone else. He grew up on the island, living in the colony that Exxon built for its American workers who operated the oil refinery here. Thus, he had a unique childhood. There were 21 people in his high school graduating class. He went on to work for Exxon in Alaska and New York City among other places. He returned to his boyhood home in retirement. That’s him on the left receiving his personal copy of An Island Away, which I’m hand delivering to him at Charlie’s Bar.

Thanks to my friendship with Mr. Speziale, I was able to see and do things in Aruba that I would have otherwise missed. Through him, I got to know Charlie (owner of the World Famous Charlie’s Bar), and Charlie (may he rest in peace) is one of the characters in An Island Away. More than simple introductions or explanations, Mr. Speziale provided running commentary as a sort of curator for the town of San Nicolaas and Aruba in general. This type of first hand information and insight is critical to good story telling. I’m grateful to know him and look forward to many more years of friendship.

Have you met someone who is an original? Let me know here or post on your own blog.

Published in: on July 13, 2008 at 10:28 am  Leave a Comment  
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