Page 27 - MIN ECEM

A14 LOCAL
Friday 20 OctOber 2017
Happy Island Miracles in Pictures and Words

‘Island Life, Aruba’s Best- by Michel Bakker and Olga
Kept Diary’ by Rona Coster van der Klooster
The book is a selection of Aruba! Everyone knows this
columns written by Rona tropical island in the sun
Coster between 1992 and with pearly white beaches
2004. The column ap- and palm trees swaying in
peared for the first time the trade winds. But there’s
under the title Island Life in more to Aruba than this. It
1992 in The News, a local has a fascinating history, a
English-language newspa- diverse culture and a rich
per. architecture.
The Island Life columns Traces can still be found of
were very factual and had the original indigenous in-
a very strong educational habitants, and of the gold
undertone. Marking its 25th industry and aloe planta-
anniversary the column tions. The islands architec-
has become part of Aru- tural heritage includes his-
ba’s history and collective toric churches, a fort and
memory. a lighthouse. And you will
“For those who were part come across the islands
of history to remember characteristic cunucu
those days and for the next houses wherever you go.
generations and Aruba’s This guide will lead you
ORANJESTAD - Books, they er end. Then back up the The book contains full page
can shake your world up- rocky East coast, where photographs of over two
side down. A good book time and the eternal em- hundred species of birds
can change your mood brace of the waves have taken in Aruba’s wildlife. A
like that perfect vaca- opened secret bays and checklist, for scientific and
tion spot that energizes stunning beaches in the educational purposes, is at
your spirit. Take these two shelter of rock walls. From the end of the book con-
together and what you beach to beach, point to taining the names of all
get is a vacation book, a point, cave to cliff to boat bird species that can be
memory of that wonderful, to bird, Aruba truly is... One found in Aruba. Where pos-
heavenly place where you Happy Island.” sible, the status (resident,
spent your valuable leisure migrant, vagrant, intro-
time. Aruba Today dived ‘Bird Wildlife of Aruba’ duced) and abundance
into a local book store Hardcover by Greg Peter- (common, fairly common,
and wondered which Aru- son uncommon, scarce, and
ba books thrill the visitor’s Popular book that gives an rare) of the particular bird
mind. Sylvia Wouters, store overview of Aruba’s birds species will be added to
manager at Bruna Book together with descriptions. the checklist.
Store, gladly helped us out visitors to learn about our through this wonderful cul-
and informed us about a islands valuable traditions, tural heritage along three
small selection of Happy movements and contribu- routes: one driving route
Island miracles in pictures tors”, quoted by Karin Swi- around the entire island,
and words. ers, the book’s editor and and two walking routes
publisher, at Visitaruba. in the cities of Oranjestad
‘Aruba Point to Point’ by com. and San Nicolas. You will
Federico Cabello discover places known only
“Beautiful pictures of Aru- ‘We Are Aruba’ by Linda to insiders. And of course
ba, this is a perfect cof- Reijnders this guide also provides his-
fee table book to dream Worldly life tales of island- torical backgrounds and
away with”, explains Sylvia. ers that come from 76 dif- practical information.
The book has 192 full color ferent countries. This is a
pages and more than 400 book that tells the stories ‘Modern Caribbean Fla-
photos in a landscape of immigrants who make vors’ by HelmiSmeulders
format of 9.1 x 6.6 x 1.1 up for the multicultural so- This is “the” book about
inches. In the words of the ciety that Aruba is. A world the contemporary Carib-
author: “Slipping beyond a within an island, a cocktail bean kitchen with healthy
dynamic tourist industry to of people. The book is vis- recipes made with fresh
discover its wild and unde- ibly enriched with a picture and local ingredients. With
veloped beauty. Starting of each interviewed im- recipes for Tropical Qui-
at the extreme north of the migrant and an image of noa Salad with Mango
island, at California Light- her/his country as well as a & Pomegranate Seeds,
house, I travel south along map with the country’s lo- Sweet Potato Salad, Goat
pristine beaches of white cation. In the back you will Merguez, Watermelon
sand and calm, translu- find a list with all nationali- Sangria or Plantain Soup,
cent seas, passing hotels, ties living in the island and the Caribbean vibe enters
sailboats and shipwrecks their numbers. your kitchen, and you feel
as I go. At the southern for a bit you are back in the
tip, it is hard not to wish ‘Aruba Monuments Guide’ tropics again….q
that the island would nev-