Tamarijn Resort, Aruba

The Tamarijn Resort in Aruba is located along the “low-rise” hotel portion of the island. The rooms are literally on the beach. The staff is friendly and helpful. And there is a shuttle service that will connect you to other Divi owned properties. Take a look at the video.

I held a book signing here for An Island Away. The staff was incredibly gracious, supported the effort with announcements, and steered people to my table with a warm smile. This type of hospitality is what put Aruba on the map as a favorite destination in the Caribbean.

Enjoy your stay and don’t forget the sunscreen. Bon dia from Aruba.

Sunday Breakfast at La Vista

La Vista Restaurant at the Marriot Hotel and Resort, Aruba has been recently remodeled. We enjoyed the Sunday Breakfast Buffet a few weeks ago and here is a brief video showing the spread.

The view out over the beach is fantastic. You can see all the way to the ships at anchor. The price of this buffet is quite reasonable given all the food choices and omelets made to order. Guests of the hotel and visitors from other places come for the friendly service and quality cuisine.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Church of the Immaculate Conception, Aruba

This example of the Church of the Immaculate Conception is located in Santa Cruz, Aruba. The interior has been repainted a beautiful sky blue on the ceiling and around some of the niches. Take a look at the video.

The church is located in the center of Santa Cruz. The blue cross atop the bell tower is illuminated at night and can be seen for quite a distance. As the sun sets to the west, northwest, it is a striking backdrop for the bell tower and this cross. Another interesting sight is the adjacent cemetery were there are many examples of fine statuary and haunting photos of the deceased.

There are several more large churches in Aruba and I hope to make videos of every one. Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on January 27, 2009 at 11:08 am  Leave a Comment  
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Book Signing Fun

The story told in An Island Away, takes place in Aruba, Dutch Caribbean. I have the good fortune to live on the island six months of the year, and thus, meet many people interested in the book. Here are some photos from a book signing event at the Tamarijn Resort.

tamarijn3It’s a true pleasure to meet people who have read the book or heard about it and want to know more. I’m surprised at the questions asked, which actually serve as inspiration to keep writing. After all, if a reader wants to know more or found something particularly interesting, it is a cue to include it in the next story.

tamarijn2Of course, hearing people’s stories about Aruba is also fascinating. There are many visitors who have been going to the island for 20 or 30 consecutive years. That’s quite a few frequent flier miles. Aruba is a wonderful island full of nice people, good restaurants, and fringed by beautiful beach. However, I don’t write much about that part of Aruba.

tamarijn1I write mostly about the refinery boomtown of San Nicolaas. It was here that I came in 1994, when I first visited the island. It’s a strange place, full of characters and stories, all of which are incredible when understood in the context of the Caribbean.

My thanks go out to all the people who have bought and read An Island Away. Similarly, I would like to express my gratitude to the staff of the Tamarijn Resort as well as all the retailers on the island who have helped make it the best selling book in Aruba for 2008.