WELCOME TO ARUBA!

January 19, 2009
Aruba/ Oranjestad

The ship docked in Oranjestad at about 8 a.m. and we disembarked shortly after. On the spur of the moment we decided to take a two-hour yellow bus island tour—in an open air, sort of psychedelically painted school bus for $10 each. Aruba, an island just off the coast of Venezuela, is only about 20 miles long and 6 miles wide (74 square miles), with a population of about 106,000 people. Aruba does not suffer from hurricanes, but does see tropical storms in the aftermath if one is near.

I especially liked the colorfully painted houses in pastel pink, yellow, and blue—there were many beautiful villas, hotels, condos, timeshares, and modest homes. The sea is so azure blue and the beaches have fine white sand. The dry cactus landscape amid rocks and sand was so unlike ours in Pennsylvania! The divi divi tree’s limbs only grow north-south and the tour operator said no one can get lost in Aruba knowing that.

After this tour we shopped a little in Oranjestad—both Tim and I like the Aloe Aruba products, hand cream, shampoo, sunscreen, soap, and deodorant. When we visited here in November 2007, we visited the Aloe Aruba aloe plantation and factory. The smell and feel of these products is luxurious.

After one more quick purchase of Aruban coins (one is square-perhaps the only coin in the world currently used that is square), we boarded the ship (1:30) and headed for the Lido Deck for cheeseburgers and fries-excellent.
The weather was warm and pleasant-in the high 70s with a sun-kissed breeze. The rest of the afternoon we read our books (I finished The Day Trader and started Ludlum’s The Janson Directive, a covert U.S. agency thriller).

The production show, “Shake, Rattle, and Roll,” starring the Grand Princess singers and dancers, was performed before dinner tonight. The show featured songs by the Beatles, Leslie Gore, Monkees, Elvis, the Supremes, etc. with many colorful costume changes. I thought the performers did a nice job—there are four primary singers—two men, two women, and all have well-trained voices. They dance, as well, with 11 others. They were accompanied by a live band. From my calculations, there is an orchestra, a dance band, a calypso band, two pianists, a DJ, and at least two other groups who perform nightly in the lounges or during the day at the pool.

We met again for dinner at 8 p.m. with our CC friends. I am eating modestly because we have many days to go and I don’t want to gain any more weight! The standing cruise director joke is that passengers arrive as guests and leave as cargo. Count me out! Anyway, tonight I had the standard shrimp cocktail, a little fish and chips, and key lime pie. There was a seafood dish on the menu and one can imagine my face as I watched two of our tablemates eating small squid, the whole entire body, tentacles and all. That was a sight.

After dinner we visited the boutique level, heard the pianist Maurizio on three levels of the atrium, then returned to our cabin about 10:30 p.m. At 11 I made a quick run to the Lido deck buffet (Horizon Court) for a bowl of those great green grapes but tonight they were mixed with honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon, and pineapple, so I filled a bowl with fruit for a snack .

The Grand Princess is 952 feet long/201 feet wide; 2600 passengers; 1300 staterooms, including 710 balcony cabins; the largest casino afloat; 3 main dining rooms; 3 main show lounges; 3 additional restaurants; 5 pools; a poolside movie screen; and 14 bars and lounges.

Culinary Delight of the Day: key lime pie, cheeseburger

TK’s takes: He spends a lot of time at the quieter pool on Deck 14 aft. It isn’t far from our stateroom.