Fountain of Youth found in Aruba!
Trip Start
Unknown
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Trip End
Ongoing
Palm Beach, Aruba
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
I hate water, everyone knows it. I fear it, big lakes, ponds, bridges over rivers, boats out to sea. Any of it, all of it. I can swim, I am not scarred of having to swim, I just do not like the unknown of what lies beneath. Not much scares me, but water is not my thing.
And now its our time again, this funny love affair with a tiny island called ARUBA. Every year I say, "I'll pick another island and explore", and every year Aruba calls me back. I can hear it, smell it, feel it, before I even get there.
Its hot in Aruba, no doubt about it, a constant 80 degrees with a strong off shore breeze, don't bother doing your hair, no make up needed, just island essentials, bathing suit, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen.
We first discovered the island in 05 with some friends, on our first trip we discovered the natural bridge, the natural pool, (top picture) and the desert ground. We rented ATVs and a guide. Thank goodness we had a guide, my husband broke the handlebars of the ATV and my daughter's boyfriend ran off the cliff. We survived the rough adventurous ride through the hot windy desert to find ourselves in Paradise!
I will never forget the the red clay dirt flying in my face, the heat of the ground at my feet, the sweat pouring down and the sun's heat that never stopped burning. And then, on the edge of the island, behind jagged rocks, there was no mint green water, no lapping soft waves, only rough deep blue sea water crashing on the rocks, and a group of people hanging on for dear life and laughing!
I'm in, we raced down the hill, climbed over the rocks, put caution to the wind, I was 40! So what! Its now or never! Live or die! The waves were enormous, loud and scary. The thought of all the sharks in the deep blue water unnerving, we went for it! We were in Aruba's Natural Pool! It was exciting! We laughed, we played, we couldn't believe how beautiful it was. Everyone there, all strangers, smiled at each other, secretly knowing that we had all made the journey to find a gift from nature. Words can not explain the feeling of finding this fountain of youth, even only for a few minutes.
Once you are in the Natural Pool, it is a tranquil pond made by the sea surrounded by large sea rocks, outside the rough Atlantic waters splash the rocks demanding to get in. The pool water is warm, calm, crystal clear and absolutely beautiful, its like a huge hot tub in the middle of the sea. The noise is deafening, the excitement exhilarating. I jumped off the rocks several times into the pool, it was rejuvenating, I was 20 again. I laid in the rock's nooks and the water was hot and calm, cold sea water splashing all around me. It was an exciting form of paradise, nature at its wildest and just skirting the most dangerous, the scary sea water.
We survived! It is one of my best all time memories of life at its most dangerous. We've been back since then, we rented jeeps the last time. The Natural Pool was off limits, park rangers would not let anyone climb into it, though my daughters boyfriend did, for a moment, its the 20 something that is most daring. The waves were too large and they didn't just slam into the pool, they slammed in and took anything that was in it out to sea. He jumped out just in time!
We'll go back again, my heart races just thinking about it. I hate water, but that water makes me feel 20 again. To me its my fountain of youth, its worth another trip to Aruba!
Going to Aruba:
Natural Pool
Natural Bridge has collapsed but there is a new one forming.
Grouper Sandwiches
Baby Beach for discovering/snorkeling (bring water, very salty)
Eagle Beach for beauty and jet skiing
Sangria at Salt n Pepper
Risotto at Casa Tua
Ribs at Smokey Joe's
Jewelry and Handbags at the Spanish Tous store
Feeding the Iguanas french fries
MooMba's, there is no alcohol in their Margarita"s, yeah right!
Poker tournaments at the Holiday Inn, Cash games at the Radissson
Stay at Palm Beach only! Stay at Palm Beach only!
Stay anywhere between the Holiday Inn and Radisson
We stay at the Playa Linda Timeshares
Dunkin Donuts every morning, its a tradition and its vacation.
Jolly Pirate, swing from the ship's rope into the mint green sea!
Rent ATV's or Jeeps and explore the island
Snorkel anywhere off the side of the road.
Watch the sunset everyday
Pizza on the beach watching the sunset!
Texas de Brazil, great salad bar!
Radisson pool
Walk the boardwalk from the Playa Linda to the Radisson and explore each hotel.
Happy Hours at every pier at Palm beach.
Amicis has good coffee
Watch the big fish at the Hyatt
Catch a star fish in front of the Holiday Inn, but put it back after photos
Feed the birds in the morning
The only beach sales person is the Aruba Aloe guy
Dive off the Circular Diving Pier in front of the Westin
Pancakes at the Dutch Pancake House
more to come later....................
