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a32 local
Wednesday 3 June 2020

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 California Lighthouse

“Druif di Lama” as we locals call it in Papiamento, but is the Coccoloba Uvifera known also The California Lighthouse is a lighthouse located at Hudishibana
as sea grape or bay grape. This Grape can be seen all over our coastline especially in the near Arashi Beach on the northwest tip of Aruba. This lighthouse was
Eagle Beach and Palm Beach area. The fruit gradually ripens to a purplish color. Each con- named for the steamship California, which was wrecked nearby on
tains a large pit that take most of the volume of the fruit. The wood of the sea grape is some- September 23, 1891. This lighthouse is newly renovated and is open
times used for firewood and also for making charcoal. The purplish fruits of the sea grape for visitors to climb up to the top to see the nice view from the top. I
may be eaten raw, cooked into jam or fermented into sea grape wine.[ Sea grape wine may was there a few months ago and the view from the top is awesome.
also be fermented into sea grape vinegar, which is also useful in cooking. I took this picture Tickets are available at the restaurant near the lighthouse. The light-
last Friday at the Palm Beach Area. house was built in 1910 as they told me during the tour.

Back in Aruba after 30 years Iguana or Yuwana(Papiamento)

Chad and I were very good friends and life broke us apart as much of the students here in
Aruba must go abroad for higher education. Like two months Chad send me a DM on Ins-
tagram and told me that his daughter asked for her 16th birthday present to come to Aruba The Yuwana is an herbivorous lizard that can change colors and
and to have a Photo Session done by me at Eagle Beach. So Chad and his family were here blend in a tree and be very hard to see. This very beautiful reptile lives
in Aruba last week and we had a very awesome week. He still speaks pretty good Papia- with us on this dry and hot island. The word “iguana” is derived from
mento after so many years living in states with no Papiamento. the original Taino name for the species, iwana. I love photographing
Iguana’s and this one is a small one but they can grow to 2 meters.