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LOCAL Tuesday 25 OcTOber 2022
Marvin Gomes:

The mondi of Aruba is a different landscape every week

ORANJESTAD – Walking in the mon-
di – Aruban wilderness – means ex-
ploring the beauty of Aruba, which
is never the same. This is the phi-
losophy of ‘hiker extraordinair’,
Marvin Gomes (52). Gomes is one
of the people who share their ex-
perience of walking the mondi of
his island the most and he never
gets tired, not of sharing and not
of walking. What’s more, even on
weekdays when he has to work,
he takes pictures of the beauty in
nature.

Marvin grew up playing in the
mondi. His parents would stimulate
him to be outdoors, and the mondi
around Tanki Flip was ideal, par-
ticularly during the rainy season, it
was fun to be out there. “The area
up to where now is Fantastic Gar-
dens would accumulate water
and become a swamp. This must
also explain why in this area plants
grow so fast”, Gomes explained.
of Aruba every Saturday morning or ent things. Many things change.” ciating everything in the country in
Currently he doesn’t live too far any moment that he can. “I have Gomes shares that he receives a which they live. Everyone I know
from where he grew up, his house been hiking regularly for about five lot of comments from others saying and hikes with passion, simply love
is in Bubali. This makes it easier for years. I began with Rudy Leysner that the only thing they see every the island.” Regardless of the ear-
him to go to work on bike, since who still has his group Movimento time is cacti and succulents, “but ly hours and the challenges, the
his job is in the tourist area. And for ta Bida (Movement is Life) and this that’s not true. We notice, by walk- moment of walking in the mondi
his luck, his house is right next to a way I got to know a lot of corners ing regularly, that you can see how means living in the moment and
mondi. of mondi in Aruba.” Together with the area and environment chang- enjoying everything that is around,
“We are in an area with just a few Encho Eckmeyer from the Arikok es. A little rain needs to fall and you and that is the best relaxation that
houses. And behind our house National Park they would explore see a change.” nature offers.
there is a mondi, a natural area the nature of the island. “My friends
surrounded by houses without a and I got together with them for Every day a moment of peace This is the reason also why Gomes,
passage.” It is property land (ei- two years, and after that we de- The few minutes that Marvin takes who works in tourism, thinks that we
gendom) which belonged to an cided to break away on our own.” to go from home to work not only need to appreciate how Aruba is,
American who passed away. Mar- mean his daily physical activity, and this needs to be reflected in
vin himself was the one who went Nowadays, Marvin and his friends but more than anything else, it in- our architecture. Hotels that are
to find out at kadaster – the land walk with different groups, always spires him to be ready for a good designed in an Aruban landscape
registry – to find out more about this ready to share the paths they have day. “For me it is very nice, in the need to complement this very
plot of land, and was glad to find discovered, because this is the red morning, to go in front of the sea.” same landscape and not become
out that the intention of the owner line of those who explore the mon- But the path by the sea means also something that is out of place.
was to leave the land in its natural di: to share the beautiful experi- going in front of Bubali Plas, which Most hotels are not built like that,
state. And his daughter, who in- ence of what the nature of Aruba is rich in flora and fauna. which is a lost opportunity to stand
herited the land, informed Marvin can offer. out. “Imagine if the hotel in Seroe
that her intention is to respect his Many people discovered the mon- Colorado was built in such a way
father’s wishes, something that for “I never get tired of walking in the di and walking in the mondi during that it becomes part of the nature
Marvin, was music to his ears, be- mondi of Aruba. The same path the pandemic, but not everyone over there? How beautiful it would
cause despite living in a populated that I walk today is different tomor- has continued. It is understand- have been?”
area, he is close to the mondi. row. It is incredible. You can walk able because there are now other
a path today and the next week activities available, but it is essen- This way, tourists could appreciate
Even so he searches the wilderness when you go back, you see differ- tial for the community to have ap- Aruba even more. “Many tour-
preciation for the beautiful and ists that I encounter and have as
diverse nature that Aruba, despite friends on Facebook tell me that
being small, can offer. “People they never see Aruba as I put it on
have joined us and sporadically pictures.” These are people who
continue with the hiking”, he said. maybe go on UTV tours or stay on
the beach, and when they see
The secret of hiking, for those who Marvin’s pictures realize that Aru-
are passionate, is in their love for ba has a lot more to offer. In other
their country. “It’s not a joke. You words, Aruba’s hikers not only help
need to wake up at 5am to go on expand the knowledge of the
a hike. It is an emotion known by Aruban landscape, they are the
every hiker. If you hear how pas- best ambassadors for the natural
sionate hikers talk, it’s not about wealth of our country.q
the activity itself but about appre-