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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Aruba Hyatt, Part 2

We’re on to the second part of the photo essay of the Hyatt Hotel in Aruba. We left off on our way into the grounds that form the central part of the complex.

Down the steps you go, across that bridge there, noting the water, the black swans, the parrots in their cages who might call out to you. A little further on, you see that the stream flows down to the swimming pools.

There are several pools here, one with a slide that plunges anyone willing to take the ride into the cool, refreshing water. Looking back, you’ll see the waterfalls.

Then there are the restaurants that front the koi pond where those black swans I mentioned also glide along from time to time.

In the evening the torches are lit and the lights in the pond. The place oozes romance. During the day it is just as beautiful. And then there are the bars next to the beach.

This is another haunt of mine. There was a bartender here that used to make me laugh so much I couldn’t get any writing done. He should have been a comedian. Maybe he was. Whatever the case, I enjoyed many an afternoon at this spot, scribbling in my notebook, watching people, and hacking through stories. For those interested in something a bit more nutritious, there is a juice bar beside the regular bar. Good thing, too, as sometimes we need a shot of vitamins to propel us through the afternoon.

Well, now you’ve had a look at the Hyatt in Aruba. I can still see my characters from An Island Away, acting out their parts here at this hotel. I think it is important to put characters into real places, locations that readers can see for themselves. It lends authenticity and provides an additional connection to the reader, which furthers the concept that a book is a dialog between the author and the reader. Just something to think about.

As mentioned before, I’ll be posting similar photo essays of other hotels in Aruba, Spain, and other places as I happen to work my way through the world and the stories I write.

Published in: on July 12, 2008 at 8:51 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Hyatt Aruba, Part 1

The next two posts will be mostly a photo essay of the Hyatt Hotel in Aruba. (Don’t worry, I’ll be doing the same for many other hotels. Just give me some time.) I used to stay at the Hyatt before relocating to another part of the island. This is the main entrance from the access road.

This is a circular drive accessed by taxis and buses. There are also valets at the entrance to the lobby. The hotel resembles a massive hacienda. When you reach the top of the stairs and look left, you’ll see the reception desk and the concierge is located to the right.

There are some guest rooms in a wing on this side of the complex. Looking right, you’ll see deeper into the lobby. On this side are located the casino, shops, and another wing of rooms. It is from this side that a pair of my characters in An Island Away enjoyed a view of the ocean from their room.

I stay out of casinos but my pal likes to gamble here. There is a live band that plays in a loft overlooking the bar and they’re quite good. Straight ahead from the entrance steps, you’ll catch a view of the lush foliage that is part of the central grounds.

There are man-made streams that cascade over waterfalls and ultimately end up in a koi pond or the swimming pools. First go down those stairs and look right, at the bar.

I’ve done a fair amount of writing at this bar (drinking, too), usually while I’m waiting for my pal to lose (I mean win) some money at the casino. Before heading further onto the grounds, take a look at the central courtyard and fountain through which the restaurants are accessed.

 Here they serve an absolutely fantastic Sunday Brunch, one I think rivals the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Every breakfast item is available, as is a carving station with both ham and roast beef, and a raw bar with oysters. Then there are shrimp, bananas foster, a donut machine, salads, three lunch entrees, numerous sweet dessert selections, and on and on and on it goes. I’ve been known to graze here for hours, until they close. Service is top notch.

In the next post we’ll have a look at more of the grounds. In the mean time, hang out and relax.

Published in: on July 12, 2008 at 6:16 pm  Leave a Comment  
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