Paseo Herencia, Aruba

One shopping alternative near the high-rise hotels is the Paseo Herencia Mall, which was completed recently. Almost all the stores are active now. You can buy sneakers, jewelry, local crafts, high-end lingerie, watches, clothing of all types, and more. Here’s a look at one of the entrances.

There are several restaurants here, too. Mr. Jazz is a club where you can hear live music. A multi-screen movie theatre is tucked upstairs. The popcorn and soda is priced reasonably, I might add, unlike in the United States. Here’s another look, this time at the interior of the plaza.

The central fountain helps keep the place cool and sometimes bands set up here. Other cultural events ranging from dance show to historical displays are put on as well. The guy who gives the motorcycle tours of the island is located on the outer edge of the mall. He’s usually there in the evenings, during which you can make your reservation and check out his bikes.

This is just one of several shopping areas found on Aruba. I’ll post more photos and details over the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Published in: on July 10, 2008 at 3:49 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Eagle Beach, Aruba

Eagle Beach is one of the most famous beaches in Aruba. The sand here is powder soft. The Caribbean Sea that laps the shore is bath-water warm. This photo is taken from far away simply to show the expanse of the beach, which goes on for a couple of miles.

As you can see toward the left of the frame, there are number of palapa huts set up if you want to get out of the sun. Further down, there is only sand and more sand. Notice there is a gentle swell to the sea. Most of the time in Aruba, this is what it is like. You can swim or float along at your leisure.

In the distance you’ll see a tower crane that stands at a location where another condo project is being built. Don’t let this discourage you. The beach does get crowded from time to time, but that is only an opportunity to make new friends and share the relaxation of coming to a place like Aruba.

As always, enjoy your vacation responsibly. Go with the flow, be prepared for diversions, and remember you’re here for the fun of it.

Published in: on July 10, 2008 at 1:21 pm  Comments (2)  
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Working on the Railroad

In the previous post, I mentioned my short story Big Iron Holiday. It takes place in December of 1918, just after the end of World War I. Thanks to another blog, I found a link to the Library of Congress site, which has now digitized a number of panoramic photographs. I found these two that were relevant to the story. The first one shows Mauch Chunk, PA, USA, which is just up the tracks from the Central Lunch shown in the previous post. The town is now called Jim Thorpe, named after the famous athlete. This view shows the railroad tracks, canal, and a little piece of the town. If you look closely, you can see the clock tower on the courthouse, the same courthouse where the Molly Maguires were convicted. (Sean Connery was in the movie of the same name for those who remember.)

The next photo is not from Pennsylvania, but it does show a train wreck and the salvage crew at work. This is the type of job supervised by the character Ellsworth Botcher.

This was quite a violent wreck. The locomotive on the right side of the frame has its cab crushed. No doubt the engineer did not survive. Luckily, it appears that nothing exploded. Steam explosions are among the worst.

People forget how many train wrecks there used to be as well as how many people died in them. These days it’s more likely that a plane crash makes the news. However, in general, traveling is a thousand times more safe than it was in the days of Ellsworth Botcher and his pal, Ned Fry. Nonetheless, be careful out there. Or there will be a crowd around like this one shown below:

Another big THANK YOU to the Library of Congress for keeping track of all the books, photos, and paperwork that they do. If I worked there, I would never leave.

Published in: on July 1, 2008 at 12:25 pm  Comments (4)  
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Another Beach

Here’s a look at another beach, this one in Margate, New Jersey, USA. The surf was calm, the weather hot, and plenty of people took advantage of both.

In the distance, you can see the Atlantic City casinos. It’s true, they weren’t built by the winners.

I used to pass by here when I worked aboard tugboats. Using binoculars we would scan the beaches for the prettiest sights. But, we were too far from shore for a decent view. Funny thing is, despite spending six months a year in Aruba, I’m not much of a beach person. A quick dip in the ocean is enough for me.

That said, I’ll never forget the thrill of seeing someone on the beach reading my novel, An Island Away. I wanted to stop by and ask, “Do you like it?” And, “Did you get to the part where….?” That would have been rude and shameless so I left them to their privacy and (hopefully) enjoyment.

Feedback from readers is something I truly appreciate. For the most part, a book is written away from the reader, and yet it is for the reader. If the author doesn’t hear the reader’s commentary, he never knows if he successfully conveyed the messages he set out to. Therefore, don’t hesitate to comment. A book is a dialog between the author and the reader, it just takes place through a different medium.

Published in: on June 24, 2008 at 12:06 pm  Comments (2)  
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