Page 8 - aruba-today-20240729

a8 local
Monday 29 July 2024

Aruba to me

ORANJESTAD — You are back and we would like to por- Last but not least: check out our website,
trait you! By inviting you to send us your favorite vacation Instagram and Facebook page! Thank
picture while enjoying our Happy Island. you for supporting our free newspaper, we
strive to make you a happy reader every
Complete the sentence: Aruba to me is ……. Send your day again.
picture with that text (including your name and where you
are from) to: news@arubatoday.com and we will publish For today we received a lovely message
your vacation memory. Isn’t that a special way to keep from Eileen and Bruno Santini from Mount
your best moments alive? Please do note: By submitting Kisco, New York, USA.
photos, text or any other materials, you give permission to
The Aruba Today Newspaper, Caribbean Speed Printers They wrote to us saying: “Aruba to us habited the island. Thank you God
and any of its affiliated companies to use said materials, is about the island’s natural beauty for bring us to this Island gem of the
as well as names, likeness, etc. for promotional purposes and its happy friendly people.We Caribbean.
without compensation. came to Aruba for our Honeymoon
in June of 1974. We stayed at the Divi We rode on and found ourselves
Divi and fell in love with Aruba. The riding through high coral walls with
Prohibited by law: leaving wonderful colors of the Caribbean steps leading up to carved caves

Sea and the amazing white coral
the island with seashells, beaches. We rented a motorcycle filled with religious statues and can-
dles. They were worshipping places
white sand or corals and began to explore the island. of the Arubian peoples of yesteryear

We rode north to the California Light- to the present. We went past their
houses and through little communi-
house gasping at breathtaking views
(Oranjestad)—Often times, of its coastline filled with divi divi trees ties of people working and going
the customs department at and coral formation. Driving along about their daily chores.
the airport intercepts many on a dirt road each turn provided us
tourists leaving the island with another fantastic view. As we We stopped at a large cave to es-
with seashells, white sand got to the Lighthouse we saw wind- cape the heat of the afternoon. As
and/or corals as souvenirs. swept sand dunes with shades of we walked around there was a large
blue and green waters as their back- hole in the ceiling of the cave that
Conforming to the inter- ground, a painter's masterpiece. We let plenty of light in. A natural place
national treaty of CITES were on the rough side of Aruba. for people to seek relief from the el-
and our local law which ements. Next we rode farther south
protects our Flora & Fau- As we continued on, every once and we came to a spectacular vision of a
na, it is absolutely prohib- a while we saw small sandy beach- clam shaped beach known as Baby
ited to take any seashell, es carved from the coral. We soon Beach. As we rode up the west side
sand and coral outside came to a natural bridge also curved of the island we went through little
of Aruba. This is to protect Though we love to accom- from the force of the waters smash- clusters of houses and small commu-
our environment. The high modate our visitors, let’s all ing against the rocks. Truly amazing nities.
number of seashells, coral give nature the respect it and worth a closer look. Continu-
and amount of sand con- deserves by protecting our ing on our discovery tour we rode It is our fiftieth anniversary this year
fiscated is very strange and environment. Stop collect- through cactus lined dirt roads and and there's no other place that
it is suspected that our own ing seashells, white sand found unbelievable rock formations. we would want to be than Aruba.
locals are the ones selling and corals from our shores Then we stopped and were given a We visited here twenty times. We
these to the tourists, which and stop buying or ac- panoramic view of the island as we brought our children on many of
is unacceptable. cepting these from local climbed to the top of the rocks. those visits to enjoy our timeshare at
Upon confiscation at the sellers or companies. the Costa Linda Resort. Sharing the
airport, you can also face We want our future gener- Looking at the rocks we saw big cir- natural beauty of the island and the
a fine that they have to ations and visitors to enjoy cular round holes worn through from hospitality of its people. Always be-
pay before leaving. This is the beauty of our beach- the action of currents when Aruba ing welcomed back with Bon Bini,
surely not a pleasant ex- es, shells and corals in a was at the bottom of the sea. As your home.”
perience for the tourist. This sustainable way, without we explored more rock formations
also leads to a negative re- destroying or disrupting the we saw Indian cave paintings from Thank you for sending us this wonderful
action which can put our Aruban ecosystem. Help us a time when the Arawalk Indians in- message sharing what Aruba means to
tourism in a negative light. protect what is ours!q you with us and our readers!q