[DaveNJodie]

We've been busy since we returned last week so sorry about the delay. Snowed in now with about 10 inches and still counting.

Friday...last day at the Renaissance. Kids took a last dip in the pool while we packed up. Check out was no problem and we were sad to leave our home away from home. On the taxi ride over to the Aruban Resort we saw a few people going down the water slides at Morgan's Island Water Park. At $57 for the day or 57 Florins for residents, I don't think they will do very well. All of the taxi drivers I polled indicated they would go to DePalm Island (with food and drink included) before going to Morgan's Island. By the way, mosquitos are still bothersome in the morning and at night, so don't forget your bug spray when eating outdoors.


The Aruban

We were a little nervous about staying at the Aruban given some of the terrible reviews on the forums...especially TripAdvisor, but we could not find a lockoff unit for the last two nights and the Aruban was a good bargain at $100 per night (Expedia.com). To our surprise, our unit was ready around noon when we went to check in. Staff was extremely friendly and check-in was quick - even received four free drink coupons for the pool bar.

The suite was really large although dated. Once all of the units are updated, this will be a great place to stay. Our unit was relatively clean and we had a ton of space to spread out. These are great units if you are staying for an extended period of time and will eat many meals in as there is a full kitchen with a full size refrigerator. The water slide is awesome and kept the kids busy and the pool was fun as it was deeper than many hotel pools at 5 ft deep. Food options at the resort are somewhat limited with the Blue Marlin (inside the casino) and La Cabana's restaurants across the street. Breakfast Buffet at the Blue Marlin was decent and reasonable at $9.95. Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins right at the Aruban Resort was fun. Renovations are proceeding slowly at the Aruban and the first phase is still not complete. Had lunch twice at the restaurant at the La Cabana pool and food was excellent and reasonably priced.

We all absolutely loved Eagle Beach and spent most of the day Saturday in the ocean. After the last storms, Eagle Beach is one of the largest stretches of beach on the island and the sand is powdery smooth with no coral or rocks. There were gentle waves and for those so inclined, water sports are available (our friends rented jet skis and had a blast). For those of you who love this beach (and we can see why), I would recommend La Cabana or Amsterdam Manor until the renovations at The Aruban Resort are finished.

On Friday night we all ate at Texas de Brazil, which was excellent as always. This counts as entertainment as well as dinner, especially when going with people who have not dined at a Churrascaria (sp?) before. When the Gauchos start coming to the table all at once with the large skewers of various meats and slice them onto your plate it is quite an experience. Probably took 2 years off our lives but you have to live for today because who knows what the future will bring.

On Saturday night we went to try the burgers at Dushi Bagels on the recommendation of members of the forum. A great call as the burgers were truly the best on the island and the steak fries were not far behind. We had a late flight back on Sunday so we had breakfast, checked out early, and spent the day at The Aruban's pool. Check-in at the airport was smooth and our plane actually left early to return home.

As you can see, we had an unbelievable trip! Even though the island is more built up each time we visit, it is still our favorite place in the world. If you have any questions about the Renaissance, The Aruban, or anything about the island, don't hesitate to ask.

Time to start planning the next trip...

Dave and Jodie (pictures coming soon)