Another Savaneta Sunset

The sunsets seen from Savaneta, Aruba, are some of the best in the world. Here is a video of one to make the point.

Can never get enough of this.

Published in: on January 21, 2009 at 9:54 am  Leave a Comment  
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Aruba’s Burrowing Owls

Aruba’s burrowing owls are fascinating creatures. They nest in the ground as opposed to in trees. They’re well adapted to the environment as their coloring and marking makes them difficult to spot in the landscape. I made the following video when I happened upon a pair nesting at the base of a sand pile. No doubt this was easier to dig than the usual burrows. Take a look.

As you can see, their movements are rather snappy. One stands guard from his perch atop the sand pile, while the other minds the next below. I never disturb these owls. Instead, I use the maximum zoom on my video camera which enables me to stand off a good distance.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on January 18, 2009 at 10:33 am  Leave a Comment  
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Aruba Beach Wedding

Aruba is a great wedding destination. During the northern winters you can have the perfect day here on the the island. One of the keys to a pleasant and memorable day is selecting the right location and official. The Bucuti Beach Resort and the Reverend Robert Gibson are a fantastic combination. Yes, Reverend Gibson is a friend of mine, but I’ve been to my share of weddings here in Aruba. His ceremony is the most thoughtful and heartfelt of any. Take a look at this video to get an idea of the setting and see Reverend Gibson in action.

It was the perfect day, complete with a beautiful sunset. If you’re thinking about having your wedding here, be sure to check out all your options and talk with others so that you are sure to have a stress free day.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Aruba Maps

Until recently there were very few good maps of Aruba. Yes, it is a small island. Nonetheless, you can get lost here, which can be fun or annoying depending upon your purpose. Well, I was in the Samsom Bookstore the other day and found this Guia di Caya, or street guide as it is known in English.

auamap1This is quite a good resource. For example: If you’re looking for your friend’s house, especially that friend who has invited you to visit his home in Aruba but told you it was EASY to find. He might have said, turn left at the Divi tree, right at the big rock, go about half a mile then turn right again by the third cactus on the left. If this is the case, you definitely want this book.

Seriously… let’s say you would like to buy a home on the island and you’ve been looking through the listings. You’ll be able to see individual neighborhoods, whether or not the roads are paved or packed dirt, and how they fit into the larger scheme of the island.

auamap22

The page above shows the De Bruynewijk area of Savaneta. The red line in the center of the right page is the main highway. The gray lines are paved secondary roads and the yellow lines are dirt roads. As you can see, some house numbers are listed, but not all of them. You’ll also note that house numbers are not sequential. It is my quest to convince the powers that be in Aruba to name all the streets and assign sequential numbers. The lack of them plays havoc with deliveries. It’s quaint until you spend half a day waiting for something that could have arrived in mere minutes.

Once again, I found this book at the Samsom Book Store on L.G. Smith Boulevard, across from the container port. The book was situated on a series of shelves under the heading “Aruba History.” Cost was rather expensive, $25.00 US. Given the price of gasoline, it is probably well worth it.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on January 14, 2009 at 11:10 am  Leave a Comment  
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