Coca-Cola can still be had in the 8 oz. bottles here in Aruba. There is a local bottling company and they strictly adhere to the formula. The Coca-Cola is perfectly refreshing, wonderfully effervescent, and never too sweet. Here’s a look at the local bottles.
Here on one happy island, that’s a happy sight. This bottle was photographed at the world famous Charlie’s Bar, my local and place of mystery and intrigue. Don’t forget, enjoy Coca-Cola ICE COLD. That’s the way it’s meant to be served.
We enjoyed a very nice meal at Moby Dick’s Restaurant. We joined some good friends, took a table upstairs, and proceeded to feast. Moby Dick’s is located at the Paseo Herencia Mall in the high-rise hotel area near Aruba’s famous Palm Beach.
They have a very nice bar there as well as indoor and outdoor seating on two levels. The lower level is shown in the next photo.
Staff here are very friendly and well trained. The decor is nautical as you would expect, complete with these illuminated, etched glass dividers.
As for the food, well, it is very good. We started with Pomodori Soup (think tomato soup with a little extra garlic). Very tasty and not so much that I didn’t have room for the main course. Moving on, my wife ordered the grouper and can be seen in the next photo.
I’m not a fish eater so I didn’t taste it but she said it was delicious and cooked perfectly. Speaking of cooked perfectly, I went with a simple NY Strip steak, ordered well-done. It was perfectly well-done, something some restaurants are afraid to do out of fear that it will be over-cooked. Moby Dick’s got it just the way I like it and you can see it here.
I didn’t photo graph the food our friends ordered. They both said that it was great. We finished up with chocolate ice-cream for dessert, no explanation necessary. I’d like to stress that the service here was very good. Everyone from the hostess to the busboy did a solid job. Moby Dick’s will be on my list of Aruba stops. You might want to give it a try when you’re here on the island.
I’ve eaten out a little too much lately. It’s time to get cooking at home again. Nonetheless, stay tuned for more zany Aruba posts here at The Bent Page.
Bon dia from Aruba.
Seashell hunters will be disappointed if they come to Aruba in search of augmenting their collection. The geography of the island and surrounding waters does not provide much in the way of dramatic shells. The photo below shows the paltry pickings of a recent walk along Druiff Beach. This was after a passing storm churned up the bottom. Otherwise there would have been even less.
The pen is there to show scale. Not an exciting bunch. Still, the walk along the beach, especially in the morning is refreshing. Aruba’s beaches are among the finest in the world. So, forget about the shells and pull up a chair, or go for a walk, or just lie on the sand. You won’t be disappointed.
Bon dia from Aruba.
The Great Rich Bar and Restaurant is located in Paradera, Aruba. This is what you would call a local joint. On Sundays they offer a BBQ of smoked ribs, chicken, rice, coleslaw, and corn on the cob. Here’s how it works. You skip breakfast so that you’re good and hungry. Then you pull in and park at the Great Rich, shown below.
You go inside where you tell the nice lady behind the bar that you would like the Sunday BBQ. You pay her and get a ticket like the one in the photo here.
This ticket you take outside, past the smokers which are doing a great job of cooking up those chickens and ribs as you can see here.
The guys working the chow line speak Papiamento and Chinese, but not much Spanish. However, a few smiles, some hand gestures, and you’re good to go.
That guy there swings a Chinese cleaver the way Paul Bunyan swung and ax. He whacks a rack of ribs into three parts, a half chicken into four more and then puts them atop a pile of fried rice and cole slaw. A small piece of corn on the cob is added for color and good effect. At this point, most people tote their meal home for a feast. I prefer to dine at such establishments as the characters who appear are nothing short of incredible. Thus, I trot back into the bar, ask for utensils, and proceed to mow down everything you see here.
That’s right, all that food (1/2 a chicken, rack of ribs, about 3 cups of fried rice, 1/2 cup cole slaw and corn on the cob) cost 15 florins, call it an eight and a half dollar bill. Beverages are extra. I enjoy this kind of meal once in a while, especially in this setting. No franchise uniforms, no pre-programmed patter from the staff, no flavorless items found the world over. You’ll see various BBQ’s like this around Aruba, but each one is different. Give one a try; your heart surgeon will love you for it!
Bon dia from Aruba.
The Bent Page 
You must be logged in to post a comment.