Page 16 - ATA

A16 LOCAL
Monday 11 June 2018

Aruban born and bred Steve Francees has a passion for photography. Being a local photographer he knows the hidden
gems of this island and captures them in an amazing way. As a Family and Landscape photographer Steve is ready to
create your next ‘vacation memories’, morning and/or sunset shots. T: (297) 738-0777, M: stevefrancees@hotmail.com,
www.instagram.com/stevefrancees and www.stevefrancees.com

Sea grape Back in Aruba after 30 years

“Druif di Lama” as we locals call it in Papiamento, but is the Coc-
coloba Uvifera known also as sea grape or bay grape. This Grape
can be seen all over our coastline especially in the Eagle Beach
and Palm Beach area. The fruit gradually ripens to a purplish color.
Each contains a large pit that take most of the volume of the fruit.
The wood of the sea grape is sometimes used for firewood and also Chad and I were very good friends and life broke us apart as much of the students here in
for making charcoal. The purplish fruits of the sea grape may be Aruba must go abroad for higher education. Like two months Chad send me a DM on Ins-
eaten raw, cooked into jam or fermented into sea grape wine.[ Sea tagram and told me that his daughter asked for her 16th birthday present to come to Aruba
grape wine may also be fermented into sea grape vinegar, which and to have a Photo Session done by me at Eagle Beach. So Chad and his family were here
is also useful in cooking. I took this picture last Friday at the Palm in Aruba last week and we had a very awesome week. He still speaks pretty good Papia-
Beach Area. mento after so many years living in states with no Papiamento.

California Lighthouse Iguana or Yuwana(Papiamento)

The California Lighthouse is a lighthouse located at Hudishibana
near Arashi Beach on the northwest tip of Aruba. This lighthouse
was named for the steamship California, which was wrecked near-
by on September 23, 1891. This lighthouse is newly renovated and is
open for visitors to climb up to the top to see the nice view from the The Yuwana is an herbivorous lizard that can change colors and blend in a tree and be
top. I was there a few months ago and the view from the top is awe- very hard to see. This very beautiful reptile lives with us on this dry and hot island. The word
some. Tickets are available at the restaurant near the lighthouse. “iguana” is derived from the original Taino name for the species, iwana. I love photograph-
The lighthouse was built in 1910 as they told me during the tour. ing Iguana’s and this one is a small one but they can grow to 2 meters.