Page 15 - AHATA

A7
LOCAL Saturday 21 September 2024
Aruba’s Nature is to be Cherished

ST. CRUZ — The national These can all be enjoyed A very rare occurrence
park Arikok comprises al- and explored either on of daytime nesting and
most 18 % of the island. Its your own or during guided hatching. Sea turtles pre-
rugged terrain, desert-like tours. A wide variety of ed- fer nesting in the cool and
hills filled with tall cacti, ucational and informative dark hours of the night. And
breathtaking coastline and programs and fun activities hatchlings usually wait for
protected local flora and is available. the cue of cooling surface
fauna welcome you to be sand before emerging.
explored. There is numer- Did you know that four of
ous wildlife to discover like the in total seven species Bubali Magic
for example the sea turtle of sea turtle lay their eggs This beautiful close-up im-
who lays his eggs on the on Aruba's beaches? In age of the pink bird is cour-
park’s beaches. There are the national park, a Least tesy of Michiel Overstee-
more places on the island Tern (Sternula antillarum) gen of the Aruba Birdlife
that are a preserved area keeps a strict eye on a very Conservation. This impor-
like the Bubali Plas which is special event taking place tant foundation showcases
a bird sanctuary. below on the beach: a and builds awareness of
majestic Leatherback (Der- Aruba’s birds and other na-
The national park Arikok mochelys coriacea) heads tive flora and fauna. You
takes you on a memorable back to sea after laying may have seen a ‘pink
journey of the islands past her eggs, while another cloud’ lately at the Bubali
offering unique geological, nest laid 2 months ago by or Spanish Lagoon Wet-
cultural and historical sites. the same female hatches. lands areas? It’s most likely
to be Roseate Spoonbills
(Ajaia ajaja) or ‘Chucharon tracks. Animals live in these
Cora’ as they are known in The aforementioned is just areas where the vehicles
Papiamento. This unusual a part of what Aruba’s na- run, often with high speed
looking bird forages in shal- ture has to offer. We can- and with detrimental con-
low muddy water while not stress enough to go, see sequences to flora and fau-
sweeping its flattened bill for yourself. The island has na. Motorized vehicles are
from side to side to catch the most beautiful beach- forbidden to drive on the
small fish, crustaeceans es but it is also worthwhile sand dunes in the Northern
and other aquatic inverte- to go beyond this and get part of the island and all
brates. The Roseate Spoon- an idea of our entire island. beaches in Aruba are for-
bill remains an uncommon Lately there is a discussion bidden for any motorized
sight as they are vulnerable going on about the effect vehicle. Treasure our island
to degradation of feeding certain activities have on to enjoy it like you do: as a
and nesting habitats (Wet- our nature, for example the tropical and natural para-
lands). (Source: arikok na- ATV vehicles cause a lot of dise. We truly appreciate
tional park) dust, noise and leave tire it!q

Forgotten gems

Open air movie theaters

(Oranjestad)—During the This theater was located at missing out on entertainment
span of over 100 years, the Hotel Colombia in Oran- from their home land.
Aruba only saw five open air jestad, which is now where
movie theatres. Now practi- the Aruban census office is In the 1950’s and 60’s, Sava-
cally obsolete on the island, located. The theater was neta saw their own open air
these theaters were once fre- simple; it only consisted of theater, located in front of
quently visited by locals and a screen, and visitors had the Marinier’s Kazerne (Ma-
migrants in the 20th century. to bring their own chairs to rine Barracks). This theater
enjoy the popular silent mov- was mostly visited by the
The first open air theater ies of the time. neighboring marines, who
was constructed in 1920 didn’t have much entertain-
and was commissioned by American migrants who ment other than movies at
Shon Eduard (Eddy) de Veer. worked in the refinery and that time.
lived in the Lago Colony
in Sero Colorado also had The last and most recent
their piece of the pie with open air theater was con-
their Open air Theatre, structed in the form of a crash”. very long as it was closed
which formed part of the drive-in theater. A popular again only a year or two
Esso Club, also known as the American concept, the Drive This theater closed around later. Nowadays you can
Pan-Am Club. It was at this Inn located in Balashi was a 2012, but was re-opened still see the stacked contain-
theater that “Talkies” were hot spot for teenagers, who during the pandemic in ers when you drive near the
first streamed, movies with had the habit of cramming July 2020, where movies bridge in Balashi.
sound. This theater mostly all their friends in one car to were streamed on a gigan-
streamed American block- go see the movies. For this tic screen set up in front of Source: “De kolibrie op de
busters for the American ex- phenomenon there was stacked containers. How- rots en meer over de ge-
pats, this way making sure a separate price that you ever, this nostalgic form of schiedenis van Aruba” by
that these migrant were not had to pay called the “car entertainment did not last Evert Bongers.q