Page 10 - AHATA
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                                                                                                           LOCAL Wednesday 22 May 2024































            Exploring the Mainstreet of San Nicolas



            SAN  NICOLAS—  At  Just  11  than anywhere else on the  the home of the Communi-
            miles southeast from Oran-   island.                      ty Museum. The collection is
            jestad you will enter the city                            remarkable and spans mil-
            San Nicolas, also known as  Flow of history               lennia. Ancient fossils stand
            Sunrise  City  or  Chocolate  if  you  are  looking  for  his-  next to tableaus of an au-
            City.  A  city  that  is  rich  in  tory San Nicolas has it. Here  thentically recreated colo-
            authentic  culture  and  is-  you will find three amazing  nial  kitchen  and  bedroom
            land charm. San Nicolas is  museums,  The  Museum  of  and  19th-century  barber-
            Aruba’s second largest city  Industry,  the  Community  shop, just to name a few of
            and  was  once  a  bustling  Museum  and  the  Carnival  the items of old-time Aruba
            company town dominated  Euphoria, all within walking  that has been preserved. A
            by the oil industry since the  distance from one another.  collection  of  artifacts  and
            early 1930’s.                The  Museum  of  Industry  is  other objects of artistic, cul-
                                         situated in the Water Tower  tural, historical, or scientific
            Over the course of four de-  in San Nicolas and narrates  importance  can  be  found
            cades,  its  demographics  Aruba's  industrial  history  here for the purpose of ed-
            had  changed  immensely  which  began  in  the  19th  ucation or enjoyment.
            due to a stream of Afro-Ca-  century. Here you will learn  Carnival  Euphoria  is  show-
            ribbean  and  South  Ameri-  about  gold,  aloe,  phos-   casing  Aruba’s  Carnival.
            can  workers  who  came  phate,  oil  and  the  tourism  See  how  are  Carnival  has
            to  fill  the  jobs  in  the  oil  re-  industries which made San  developed  over  the  past
            finery  between  the  1920’s  Nicolas  once  a  bustling  65 years.
            until the 1960’s. To this day  business   center.   Experi-
            traces  of  the  multicultural  ence  the  touching  stories  The new San Nicolas
            influences in culinary offer-  of those who were part of  In the shadow of the refin-
            ings  and  customs,  housing  this history.               ery, an art capital is quietly
            and population are clearly  Nicolaas Store built in 1940  beginning  to  grow.  This  is
            visible in San Nicolas - more  and  renovated  in  2014  is  the  new  San  Nicolas,  a  place that is starting to be-  buildings  with  colorful  art
                                                                                                   come a magnet for all that  pieces that keep brighten-
                                                                                                   is  young,  cool  and  hip  in  ing up SunriseCity.
                                                                                                   Aruba. Indeed, San Nicolas
                                                                                                   has all of the ingredients of  Must See, Do, Buy & Eat
                                                                                                   an  emerging  cultural  hub  A little bit of everything can
                                                                                                   — varied history, interesting  be found in the main street.
                                                                                                   architecture, and, perhaps  Stores  selling  shoes,  cloth-
                                                                                                   most importantly, an urban  ing,  jewelry  you  name  it.
                                                                                                   layout  that  makes  it  walk-  Arts  &  crafts  by  Cosecha
                                                                                                   able.  As  you  walk  around,  store & Creative Center, a
                                                                                                   the  streets  are  silent  but  design  store  in  which  you
                                                                                                   the  walls  are  loud,  filled  can immerse yourself in dis-
                                                                                                   with  bright,  colorful  murals  covering  genuine  and  lo-
                                                                                                   painted  by  a  collection  cally made arts and crafts
                                                                                                   of  artists  from  around  the  which  reflect  the  diversifi-
                                                                                                   world. Thanks to the efforts  cation of the Aruban craft
                                                                                                   of various art organizations  heritage  and  the  artistic
                                                                                                   in Aruba, such as Art Rules  supply  of  artisans.  Don’t
                                                                                                   Aruba  and  Aruba  Art  Fair,  miss out on trying the exqui-
                                                                                                   San  Nicolas  has  had  quite  site food offered by the ca-
                                                                                                   the  aesthetic  makeover  fes  and  restaurants  or  just
                                                                                                   with  regards  to  vibrant  enjoy a peaceful walk ad-
                                                                                                   street  art.  Each  year  more  miring  the  murals,  mosaic
                                                                                                   and  more  stunning  murals  benches and all the history
                                                                                                   are replacing broken down  San Nicolas has to offer.q
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