Hula Girl Co-Pilot

Remember that penguin from the movie Madagascar? You know, Skipper, the one who was in charge. He fell in love with the hula girl on the console of his airplane. I happened to be on a flight from Miami to Aruba the other day and spotted this.

You’re looking into the cockpit of a 757 there. A close examination reveals…

That’s right, the hula girl is ready to assist the co-pilot. By the way, these pilots were a gregarious pair. They walked the aisle before takeoff, chatted with passengers, and led a round of applause for military servicemen and their families. Little touches like that, make a fine trip even better.

“Don’t look doll. This might get hairy!”

Published in: on July 16, 2010 at 1:05 am  Leave a Comment  
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Tuscany Residence, Aruba

If you were looking for a new place to live in the Caribbean, you might want to get in at the beginning with Tuscany Residence, Aruba. Lately there have been a few high-end developments springing up between the cactus and the divi trees. Here’s a look at the builders rendition of what’s to come this time.

You’ll have your choice of 78 apartments and 75 houses. May be difficult to decide. They spent some money clearing the site, which was an eyesore for many years. Here’s the long view.

That photo is looking generally west. In the distance you can see the Marriott Hotel, which fronts the beach. So, you’ll be close to the water, probably a major selling point. Just off to the right of the frame is JJ Snack, a great place to get a cold beer on a hot day. Well, progress marches on in Aruba.

Bon dia.

Published in: on July 15, 2010 at 12:06 am  Leave a Comment  
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Gnomes take over Aruba!

Check out this wall I spotted in Aruba. The gnomes are taking over.

This was only a portion of the wall. Pulling back, you’ll see they went all the way to the end.

Then there was the rest of the wall, which stretched about 30 feet in the other direction. Amazing. That’s quite a collection. If you’re driving through the rural part of Balashi, on the way up to Jamanota, you’ll see this display in Aruba. Be careful. I’m not sure what those gnomes are up to.

Published in: on April 14, 2010 at 11:03 pm  Leave a Comment  
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ICF in Aruba

Insulated concrete forms have been around for a long time. Imagine sheets of styrofoam on the outside and concrete and reinforcing steel on the inside. The advantage of this building system is that the forms remain in place, creating an insulating barrier on both the inside and the outside of the structure. At the same time, the concrete and steel create an incredibly strong wall, that when poured at once, becomes a monolithic feature.

Here in Aruba, I have not seen many ICF structures under construction. However, the other day I was in San Fuego where a number of new homes are under way. There I spotted a bunch of forms. Here’s what they look like when they are delivered un-assembled.

Just a stack of styrofoam. The next step is to use brackets to join two pieces. Take a look:

You can see how the cavity is formed in the photo above. At the same time, note that the forms have been “glued” to the footer and held in place with a wooden block. The rebar sticking up helps to connect the wall to the floor. Next, is a view of the portion of the assembled wall:

The vertical wooden braces help to support the forms when the concrete is poured. Significant pressures can develop as concrete is heavy. The story goes that this will be a wine cellar for the house above. I can’t wait to see the finished home. It should be impressive.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on March 25, 2010 at 12:39 pm  Leave a Comment  
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