By: Marcia Abramson
According to the early history of the island, Ojeda was greeted by the Arawak Indians, (also known as Caiquertios) with the word "oibubai" which actually means guide. But he thought they were telling him that gold (oro) was on the island, when they only offered to show him around the island. When he did not find the gold deposits and found that the climate was too dry for farming, his sponsors lost all interest in Aruba. According to local historians, over the next 150 years, Aruba was the perfect hideaway for pirates since it was easily accessible for them along the South American coast. It was also free of European armadas. Then in 1636 when the Dutch were forced out of St. Maarten by the Spanish, they got even by taking Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao (the ABC) islands from the Spaniards and established their colonial New World presence here. Except for a 10-year period during the Napoleonic Wars when the British took Aruba, the Dutch remained in control. Aruba became prosperous when gold was discovered in the early 19th century. The gold rush lasted for 75 years until 1916 when black gold (oil) was found. And today Aruba's main industries are oil refineries and tourism. The tourism industry is boosted by world-class casinos and an active night life. Having brushed up on the history of Aruba, I was delighted to find that this island which I had actually never visited was the last port on the itinerary of the Radisson Seven Seas Diamond Cruise. I found that I could also arrange for an extended stay at the Radisson Aruba Caribbean Resort. My daughter and I were impressed by the luxurious setting of the resort. It is a perfect complement to the luxurious Radisson cruise ship. It is located on Palm Beach, purported to be the finest beach on Aruba with lush tropical foliage, exquisite landscaping, and many lagoons on the property. Needless to say, our room was beautiful with every convenience we could possibly ask for. We chose to have dinner at one of the three restaurants bordering on the huge beach front. On the horizon there was the famous TV Gilligan's Island ship, adding to the glorious tropical setting. The barbecued beef ribs and chicken were wonderful as was the glorious sunset. We were surprised to find the prices modest for the quality of the food and the ambiance of the restaurants. Aruba is also the island sanctuary for more than 80 species of migratory birds from herons, egrets, cormorants, coots, gulls, skimmers, terns and ducks. What a treat for bird watchers! We also found a bird show in the lobby of the hotel. It seems that this is an added attraction for the Radisson hotel guests with a bird trainer and lecturer on hand twice a day. Before leaving Aruba, we managed to find time to get to one of the great beaches. We chose Manchebo beach, not knowing that this beach is the only authorized topless beach on the island. However, even though topless bathing is officially banned, we learned that there is no enforcement of that law and toplessness is as prevalent here as on the Riviera and the other European beaches. Of course we found wind surfers, parasailers, jet-skiers at the beaches. There is also a delightful Baby Beach with a natural wading pool that is ideal for families with children. Unfortunately, we were not able to do any deep-sea fishing. This is the ideal place to pull in a sailfish, marlin, tuna, bonita or Wahoo. Each October there is an International White Marlin Competition in Aruba. Another exciting event we got to see was Carnival in Aruba. It is usually celebrated in February with parades, music, barbecues in Oranjestad, the capital where the steel bands can be heard and wheels of every description can be seen. It seems that this island has just about everything for the tourist to enjoy. It is no wonder that I overheard two women chatting in the supermarket about their winter vacation and what a wonderful time they had at the Radisson Aruba Hotel. It seems they had originally planned to go to Dominica, but their teenage children wanted to go to Aruba during their Winter school break. You can consult your local professional travel agent for information on the Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and on Aruba hotels and events.
©Copyright by Marcia AbramsonE-mail: mascribe@aol.com
