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Saturday 19 November 2022 locAl
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Exploring the Mainstreet of San Nicolas

SAN NICOLAS— At Just 11 and was once a bustling ribbean and South Ameri-
miles southeast from Oran- company town dominated can workers who came
jestad you will enter the city by the oil industry since the to fill the jobs in the oil re-
San Nicolas, also known as early 1930’s. finery between the 1920’s
Sunrise City or Chocolate until the 1960’s. To this day
City. A city that is rich in Over the course of four de- traces of the multicultural
authentic culture and is- cades, its demographics influences in culinary offer-
land charm. San Nicolas is had changed immensely ings and customs, housing
Aruba’s second largest city due to a stream of Afro-Ca- and population are clearly

visible in San Nicolas - more beginning to grow. This is
than anywhere else on the the new San Nicolas, a
island. place that is starting to be-
come a magnet for all that
Flow of history is young, cool and hip in
if you are looking for his- Aruba. Indeed, San Nicolas
tory San Nicolas has it. Here has all of the ingredients of
you will find three amazing an emerging cultural hub
museums, The Museum of — varied history, interesting
Industry, the Community architecture, and, perhaps
Museum and the Carnival most importantly, an urban
Euphoria, all within walking layout that makes it walk-
distance from one another. able. As you walk around,
The Museum of Industry is the streets are silent but
situated in the Water Tower the walls are loud, filled
in San Nicolas and narrates with bright, colorful murals
Aruba's industrial history painted by a collection
which began in the 19th of artists from around the
century. Here you will learn world. Thanks to the efforts
about gold, aloe, phos- of various art organizations
phate, oil and the tourism in Aruba, such as Art Rules
industries which made San Aruba and Aruba Art Fair,
Nicolas once a bustling San Nicolas has had quite
business center. Experi- the aesthetic makeover
ence the touching stories with regards to vibrant
of those who were part of street art. Each year more
this history. and more stunning murals
Nicolaas Store built in 1940 are replacing broken down
and renovated in 2014 is buildings with colorful art
the home of the Communi- pieces that keep brighten-
ty Museum. The collection is ing up SunriseCity.
remarkable and spans mil-
lennia. Ancient fossils stand Must See, Do, Buy & Eat
next to tableaus of an au- A little bit of everything can
thentically recreated colo- be found in the main street.
nial kitchen and bedroom Stores selling shoes, cloth-
and 19th-century barber- ing, jewelry you name it.
shop, just to name a few of Arts & crafts by Cosecha
the items of old-time Aruba store & Creative Center, a
that has been preserved. A design store in which you
collection of artifacts and can immerse yourself in dis-
other objects of artistic, cul- covering genuine and lo-
tural, historical, or scientific cally made arts and crafts
importance can be found which reflect the diversifi-
here for the purpose of ed- cation of the Aruban craft
ucation or enjoyment. heritage and the artistic
Carnival Euphoria is show- supply of artisans. Don’t
casing Aruba’s Carnival. miss out on trying the exqui-
See how are Carnival has site food offered by the ca-
developed over the past fes and restaurants or just
65 years. enjoy a peaceful walk ad-
miring the murals, mosaic
The new San Nicolas benches and all the history
In the shadow of the refin- San Nicolas has to offer.q
ery, an art capital is quietly