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local Thursday 22 May 2025
ACF invites you to another Rough Hike!

(Oranjestad)—Greet the warm morning sun in Aruba’s diverse nature
during another edition of Rough Hike through Arikok, organized regularly
by the Aruba Conservation Foundation. This hike allows you to get up
and close to nature as you trail under the guidance of an experienced
ranger.

Date: Sunday, 25 May 2025
Time: 6:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Distance: 7.60 Km / 4.72 Mi

The hike starts at the Parke Nacional Arikok Visitor Center in San Fuego,
Santa Cruz. From there, a park ranger will guide you through Rooi Cacho,
Sero Bushibi, Pega Sapato, Dos Playa, Rooi Tambu and Northern Loop.
So put on your hiking shoes and get ready to explore the rough terrains
of Arikok, learn about Aruba’s treasured nature and the importance
of preservation! Register through this link: https://forms.office.com/r/
AbMevyU8J6 or call ACF at 585-1234.q

Food culture in Aruba

ture has its own spin on what their
Christmas cuisine entails. In Aru-
ba, our Christmas cuisine is again
largely based on Latin-American
influences, most notably form Ven-
ezuela. Ayacas and the famous
pan di ham* are two crucial holi-
day dishes, along with stuffed tur-
key, roasted glazed ham topped
with pineapples, arroz con pollo cal snack trucks and cafes, often
(rice and chicken) and potato sal- located on the side of the road.
ad, among other items. Traditional In the area of Tanki Leendert and
drinks include ponche crema (Aru- Tanki flip, for example, there are
ban eggnog), chuculati pinda (hot many of these trucks parked on
chocolate with peanut butter), the side of the road and often
and homemade fruit punch. Des- open until late at night—offering
serts include, bolo di pistachio (pis-
(Oranjestad) - Like many other cul- the afternoon. This can consist of tachio cake), bolo di cashupete tasty and filling snacks post night-
tures, an important aspect of the meat, fish, and chicken—stewed (cashew cake), quesillo (flan), bolo life fun. q
Aruban cultural identity is our con- or fried—with funchi (polenta) or preto (dark fruit cake), drigidek *ABC Islands: Aruba, Bonaire and Cu-
nection to food and food traditions. rice with stewed vegetables. Of- (gingerbread), pan boyo (bread racao
The local food traditions consist of a ten, fried or boiled plantain or pan cake) and more. *Pan di ham: Derived from the Vene-
melting pot of different cultural and bati (Aruban pancake) is included. zuelan Pan de Jamon (rolled up bread
religious eating habits and dishes. Stews are a staple in Aruban cuisine Snacks and tasty delights with ham, raisins and olives)
and can are largely influenced by Besides meals and dishes that are *Saco: Saco literally means “bag”.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner Latin-American and Latin/Afro-Ca- eaten on the dinner table, Aruba Saco contains fried potatoes, plan-
The routine of breakfast, lunch and ribbean Stews. Some of the more also has a food tradition that in- tains, chicken (and ribs) and a Johnny
cake, served in a paper bag.
dinner on the island is one that unique stews and soups from the cludes snacks and other tasty
does not completely follow a Euro- ABC Islands* include sopi di bon- delights that you may easily find Source: Voeding, voedingsgewoonten
pean or American routine, despite chi cora (red kidney bean soup around the island. These include, en gerechten op Aruba (Nutrition,
the major influences from these with pig tail), sopi mondongo (tripe Saco*, basket, pastechi, kroket, Food Traditions and Dishes on Aruba)
parts of the world on our culture soup), carni stoba (beef stew), deditos, Johnny cake and more. by Biblioteca Nacional Aruba
and way of living. When it comes comcomber stoba (West Indian These snacks are usually sold at lo-
to the three important meals of the gherkin stew) and much more.
day, most of the Aruban popula-
tion follows a Latin-American influ- Dinner Time
enced routine. Dinner time can vary significantly
from household to household. Un-
Breakfast like the U.S. or in Europe, dinner
Breakfast in Aruba is quite simple: a time typically does not consist of
cup of coffee or tea, some bread, a whole (warm) meal. Instead,
and sometimes an egg. Some- the evening “meal” can typically
times, due to the need of a quick consist of something lighter, like a
“to-go” breakfast, you may also sandwich, though it is not uncom-
find many snack trucks and ca- mon to see leftovers from the main
fes that sell sandwiches, pastechis meal reheated and eaten again.
(meat pie), arepas and empana- Tea and coffee are often also
das early in the morning. served with the evening snack.

Main Meal (Religious) Holidays
The main meal is typically eaten in Christmas is probably the biggest
most households around noon or in global holiday, and every cul-