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LOCAL Thursday 28 sepTember 2023

Exploring the Mainstreet of San Nicolas

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