Impromptu Book Event

Charlie’s Bar in Aruba is not only a great place to have a snack and a cool beverage but also a locale where you meet fun people. A couple of guys from Connecticut, USA popped in, and since they read my books, we shared some stories and laughs.

I’m sure glad that fellow in the middle liked the books. He’s a big dude. Ah, all in good fun. I signed a few copies for them and some other people in the bar before continuing with the, uh…, beverage sampling program, which should not be underestimated.

It’s always interesting to hear what people have to say about my books. You never know until you hear it from them directly, whether they liked the parts you expected them to or not or what they thought of the ending. At any rate, see you in Aruba or elsewhere. Happy reading!

Published in: on February 17, 2011 at 11:56 am  Leave a Comment  
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Charlie’s in Panorama

Still messing about with that panorama function on the new camera. I arrived in Aruba at 1:40 and at Charlie’s Bar at 1:57. Good timing. I took out the little Sony digital device and snapped a pan before the imbibing commenced. That’s my friend and bartender, Cor, in the center of the photo. You have to click on the photo to open it in another window that will show you the entire span.

Things got a little blurry in the middle. Not the fault of the camera. That was me trying to take the picture and tilt the glass at the same time. Either way, came out quite nice. I’ll be shooting lots of these panoramas in Aruba over the next several weeks. I want to document some locations. Many things have changed on the island since I started coming here about 16 years ago. It’s nice to have a record of what was.

Bon dia.

Published in: on November 4, 2010 at 9:37 am  Comments (1)  
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Harleys at Charlie’s

This post is for my brother-in-law. He and his wife have a pair of Harley-Davidson motorcycles and enjoy riding them most everywhere. Of course, driving to Aruba would be difficult. The good news is you can rent a Harley here on the island and take a guided tour or go exploring on your own. One of the regular stops on the tour is Charlie’s Bar, my favorite watering hole. Here’s a look at the bikes parked out front.

charlieharley_1That’s a nice selection of hardware there. While I’m not much of motorcycle enthusiast, I appreciate the vibe. It has to be a barrel of fun, especially on a Caribbean isle, just rolling along, sunshine on you, breeze blowing, taking in the sights. Nice way to ride.

charlieharley_2There in the background you see Charlie’s Bar, a San Nicolaas institution since 1941. On or off your bike, join us here for some refreshment. And please wear you helmet!

Bon dia from Aruba.

Charlie’s Bar Interior

Regular readers of this blog know that Charlie’s Bar is an Aruban institution of sorts. The place is absolutely packed with left behind items. It’s difficult to describe so here is some video footage.

Charlie was a good friend and may he rest in peace. I made him a character in An Island Away because he embodied the spirit and sensibility of San Nicolaas, which is a town like none other. See you around there someday.

Published in: on November 8, 2008 at 10:19 am  Comments (1)  
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