Page 16 - AHATA

Tuesday 21 OcTOber 2025 locAl
A10

Birds of Aruba

ORANJESTAD — On May 11th, 2010, the Aruba page. Our Canadian friends know exactly where they
Birdlife Conservation was founded with the aim can do so best. A Greater Yellowlegs rediscov-
of protecting the biodiversity in general and ering Aruba’s Bubali Wetlands.
birds in and around Aruba in particular. The Great Egret
Serenity in Aruba’s National Park, a Great Egret Cabochon
Among other things, the foundation will focus flying in peace. When it is peaceful and quite, In its living form of so much more value than
on increasing the survival chances of species beautiful things start happening in nature. any gemstone. Aruba’s smallest and most mas-
of wild birds by promoting their preservation ter of flight. A top pollinator. A hovering Blenchi
and conservation. The foundation publishes the inspecting the human who just entered his ter-
most beautiful pictures of local birds on their so- Canadian in the house ritory.
cial media that show us the beauty of Aruba’s The breeding season is over and it’s getting English: Blue-tailed Emerald (male) Dutch: Blau-
birds and nature in general. Aruba Today gives pretty cold in North America. Shore birds have wstaartsmaragdkolibrie (mannetje).
you a little peek with the following pictures and started moving southwards as early as July. This
descriptions from the foundations Facebook wetland beauty wants to keep its toes warm. Aruba’s to enjoy. Aruba’s to protect. q

Exploring the Mainstreet of San Nicolas

SAN NICOLAS— At Just 11
miles southeast from Oran-
jestad you will enter the city
San Nicolas, also known as
Sunrise City or Chocolate
City. A city that is rich in
authentic culture and is-
land charm. San Nicolas is
Aruba’s second largest city
and was once a bustling
company town dominated
by the oil industry since the
early 1930’s.

Over the course of four de-
cades, its demographics
had changed immensely
due to a stream of Afro-Ca-
ribbean and South Ameri-
can workers who came
to fill the jobs in the oil re-
finery between the 1920’s
until the 1960’s. To this day
traces of the multicultural
influences in culinary offer-
ings and customs, housing
and population are clearly which began in the 19th ty Museum. The collection is importance can be found has all of the ingredients of
visible in San Nicolas – more century. Here you will learn remarkable and spans mil- here for the purpose of ed- an emerging cultural hub
than anywhere else on the about gold, aloe, phos- lennia. Ancient fossils stand ucation or enjoyment. — varied history, interesting
island. phate, oil and the tourism next to tableaus of an au- architecture, and, perhaps
industries which made San thentically recreated colo- The new San Nicolas most importantly, an urban
Flow of history Nicolas once a bustling nial kitchen and bedroom In the shadow of the refin- layout that makes it walk-
If you are looking for history business center. Experi- and 19th-century barber- ery, an art capital is quietly able. As you walk around,
San Nicolas has it. ence the touching stories shop, just to name a few of beginning to grow. This is the streets are silent but
of those who were part of the items of old-time Aruba the new San Nicolas, a the walls are loud, filled
The Museum of Industry is this history. that has been preserved. A place that is starting to be- with bright, colorful murals
situated in the Water Tower Nicolaas Store built in 1940 collection of artifacts and come a magnet for all that painted by a collection
in San Nicolas and narrates and renovated in 2014 is other objects of artistic, cul- is young, cool and hip in of artists from around the
Aruba’s industrial history the home of the Communi- tural, historical, or scientific Aruba. Indeed, San Nicolas world. q