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                                                                                                           local Wednesday 29 May 2024

            Enjoy one of the best views on Aruba at the top of the Hooiberg Hill



            (Oranjestad)—If  you  are  located  at  the  center  dis-  ment decided to renovate
            a  regular  hiker,  or  may-  trict  of  the  island,  Santa  these  stairs  in  1991.  This
            be  want  to  spice  up  your  Cruz,  the  Hooiberg  Hill  is  new  project  delivered  the
            morning  work  out  session,  the  second  highest  point  newer  staircase  with  only
            then  you  might  enjoy  one  on the island at 165 meters  587  steps.  However,  don’t
            of the most popular climb-   above  sea  level  (or  about  be  fooled—it  may  still  be
            ing sites on the island: The  540  feet  above  sea  level).  a  work  out  to  get  on  top.
            Hooiberg  Hill.  Accompa-    The  highest  point  is  Ja-  In addition, there is now a
            nied  with  a  600-step  stair-  manota  Hill  at  189  meters  gazebo placed halfway up
            case,  this  hill  overlooks  a  (620  feet),  located  in  the  the stair for a little rest. The
            great part of the island, the  Arikok National Park.      view  at  this  resting  stop  is
            Caribbean sea, and some-     The  staircase  that  run  on  also a sight to see.
            times even the Santa Anna  the side of the hill was first  The best time to climb the
            mountain  located  in  the  built in 1951, when Mr. Edu-  hill  would  be  early  in  the
            coastal  state  of    Falcon  in  ardo Tromp constructed it.  morning  or  right  before
            Venezuela,  providing  one  At  that  time,  the  staircase  sunset, as it may not be as
            of  the  best  views  you  can  consisted  of  900  steps.  hot.  However,  the  hill  is  of
            get on Aruba.                Over  time,  as  the  steps  course open all day, every
                                         faced erosion, the govern-   day.q
            Why You Should Not Miss Aruba’s Free City Center Street Car Tour



                                            ORANJESTAD  -  Aruba’s  City  Center  Caya Betico Croes, mostly referred to  tional cuisine restaurants. The “I love
                                            Street Car - or as we call it in Dutch;  as our “main street” has been devel-  Aruba” trademark also belongs to that
                                            “Tram  van  Oranjestad’  -  is  a  single  oped into a pollution-free pedestrian  list. The third stop on the route is close
                                            track tram line in Oranjestad, the capi-  mall. The double-decker offers you a  to a 5-minute walk to the famous Re-
                                            tal city of Aruba. It was inaugurated on  360 degree view of the down town  naissance Marina showcasing luxuri-
                                            22 December 2012, being the first and  area with a picture perfect scenery  ous yachts and Aruba’s blue waters.
                                            so far the only passenger rail service  of the island’s clear blue skies. Who
                                            on Aruba and the rest of the Dutch  would not enjoy a ride on this beauti-  The  “Tram  van  Oranjestad”  starts
                                            Caribbean. There are two trolleys, a  ful and naturally air-conditioned ve-  from a balloon loop near the Port of
                                            single-deck one with 42 seats and a  hicle? The tour consists of a total of 9  Call and serves the downtown area
                                            double-decker with 64 seats. The line  stops approximately 200 meters apart  and ends at Plaza Nicky. The first ride
                                            was inspired by the popular battery-  from each other; all stops are clearly  starts at 10:00 am sharp with intervals
                                            powered streetcar operation at the  marked. The tram will bring you close  of 25minutes. The last trolley departs
                                            Grove in Los Angeles, USA. Aruba’s  to different museums, historical plazas,  from the cruise port at 5:00pm. Don’t
                                            streetcars are powered by hydrogen  monuments, the Protestant church,  miss this tour of the beautiful Aruba’s
                                            fuel cells, which are charged by the  Aruba’s high- end mall, retail shops,  City Center– it is free for all!q
                                            island’s year-round trade winds.      and a variety of local and interna-


               Visit the historic museum at Fort Zoutman!



               (Oranjestad)—Located in the middle of down-   called “Willem III Toren”. Constructed in 1867,
               town  Oranjestad,  situated  right  next  to  the  this tower was named after the then-reigning
               government building “Cocolishi”, is one of the  king of The Netherlands, Willem III. Willem III To-
               oldest buildings of Aruba: Fort Zoutman. First  ren was originally a light tower, but after a re-
               constructed  in  1796,  this  site  has  been  used  quest from Lieutenant Governor Jan Helenus
               (or left unused) in many ways and have sur-   in 1866, it also became a bell tower.
               vived eras of war and attempted dismantling.
                                                             The  fort  itself  was  originally  constructed  to
               When  anyone  refers  to  Fort  Zoutman,  they  protect the commerce bay of Paardenbaai
               are actually  referring to two separate build-  from pirates and other disreputable charac-
               ings that, over the years, have been merged:  ters  roaming  the  Caribbean  Sea.  Unlike  the
               the fort and the tower. That’s right, the iconic  Willem  III  Toren,  Fort  Zoutman  had  a  more
               5-story,  squared  tower  was  not  part  of  the  tumultuous past, including the on-and-off re-
               original  structure  of  the  fort,  and  is  actually  ception of unwanted members of the English   Despite  its  small  size,  The  Historic  Museum
                                                             military several times (The Netherlands was at
                                                             constant war with England back in the colo-   guards a rich depository of the commercial,
                                                                                                           military  and  social  history  of  Oranjestad,  of-
                                                             nial era).
                                                             Over the years, both the fort and the tower   fering a glance into how the social culture of
                                                                                                           the town came to be. If you are interested in
                                                             had functioned as different government cen-
                                                             ter points, including a tax and stamps office.   history and want to learn more about Aruba,
                                                                                                           then Fort Zoutman should definitely be includ-
                                                             For some time these two buildings also housed
                                                             a police precinct and jail, and even experi-  ed into your itinerary.
                                                             enced abandonment until the Cultural Cen-
                                                             ter Aruba Foundation (CCA) petitioned for its   The museum is open Monday to Friday from
                                                             renovation in 1964, turning the site into the His-  9am-6pm, and Saturday from 10am-2pm.q
                                                             toric Museum it currently is.
                                                                                                                 Source: The Old Fort of Aruba by Jan Hartog.
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