Visiting Oranjestad, Aruba/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Oranjestad, Aruba/Carlos Pueblo

 The ship turned southwestward to the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, Curacao, and

Bonaire. Oranjestad, Aruba is the first stop and is also the capital of the island in which

combines with the  other two islands and the Netherlands herself to form the Kingdom

of the Netherlands. It is very interesting that I want to know if it has been better off after

more than 100 years and my neighbors remind me additional two subjects, first slave

trade and mixed marriage among races. I think that I get understand and I’ll let you guess

the answer. As usual, I walk toward the right direction of the first street, then the second

street and thereafter the third of the old town.

I passed through a series of open markets for gifts and souvenirs, then a pretty casino

with Walter Disney’s colorful arrangement, then the national house building side entrance.

I stopped by and chatted with the employee about the oil platforms, three of them, just

outside of the beach with oil tankers standing by. He said that was not belonging to Aruba

but Venezuela. It is only a 19 miles sea between them and I think very likely the both can

claim the oil right. He pointed the museum direction right at the corner of the next street.

I moved on and approaching a little pretty and peaceful river flowing to the sea. In between

and the street, there is a beautiful garden park belonged to a big hotel with a beach behind.

I entered the garden and taking photos of colorful iquanas. I sat on the other side of the small river, a public beach with only a family for water skiing. I watched the brown pelicans diving

for foods on the river for half an hour.

I walked back to the street corner of the museum, right in front of the main entrance of the

Congress building. There is a unit tower of the museum about three story high can view the

entire old town. I kept on walking toward the second street and was attracted by a bright

white striped green building with an orange color roof at the corner. It was Dr. Eloy Arends’

old house built in 1922-1925 and re-innovated in 1998. There are two luxury others and a

church like this on the same block and all re-innovated and very gorgeous.

I kept on walking on the third street which was the main street and shopping center, of

Course, the other streets were also lots of stores and shopping strips that the island had

been better off after all. There is a light rail electric train carrying the tourists around. The

conductor even noticed my presence and waved on me. I sit on a bench between the rail track and the stores. A couple of kids joined me, a boy of three years old and his sister of 11 years

old. She did the conversation for her brother who was busy eating stuff, cotton candy and

hamburger. Later, their dad joined us for chat and I knew that they were from Venezuela

and working her as guest workers who had no benefit as the local. I also visited a coffee shop

and I would write a special piece to describe my conversation with the clerks inside.

On my way back to the ship at a square, I ran into Melody who recognized me passing by her

Gym on Deck 12. Before my disembark at Miami, I went up to her office and formally adopted

Her as my daughter.