ongoing trip report aug 7 - 21

[Ommi]

Originally Posted by sherryf

andrea and i decided it would be fun to switch forums for a post since we both are moderators at different forums. hers can be read on the bb. visitaruba.com forum. as usual we had a blast together and hope to do it soon again.

During our second week on Aruba we (Murray, Andrea, Paul, me) were lucky enough to be invited out with Ommi, the owner of Cook’s Restaurant for a day on Reef Island which is on the other side of the mangroves of Ren Island. However, as we waited sweating in the heat (hottest August we ever had there) there was a problem with the transportation. That changed our plans and Ommi decided we needed a tour of the island. Having thought that we knew the island very well, we were amazed to realize what we hadn’t seen before as we drove around.

First we went to Rogers Beach then to the dive shop area between Rogers and Baby Beach where there is a new bar/restaurant to sit down for a drink. Well, it turned out to be more than one and add one for the road for each of us (Ommi, as the driver, only had a few small Balashis). Then off past the pet cemetery and on to the unpaved back way into Arikok National Park. The first part of the tour took us thru the Dutch Military’s firing range. We got to be close up and personal with some very bullet riddled rusty old cars and kept on waiting to see the red lights (where were they???) that would warn if target practice was starting.

Then off to the windmills. I don’t think any of us had ever been that close to a windmill. Standing at the base one of us took pictures.

Then came the best part of this tour. It’s been a long time since we tried to navigate the park. We never really got too far because a Yaris is not meant for off roading. However, now there is a paved road going thru the park and we took advantage of it. What a wonderful tour. The beauty of the park left us almost speechless other than comments like OMG! As we approached the end of the tour, we stopped for burgers at Urataka Center. They serve Amazing Dutch style burgers. The next time we take this tour we are going to get the pizza. We have been told by at least a dozen locals that it is the best pizza on the island.

The day was truly one of the best we ever spent on the island. We can’t wait to do it again.

Yes Sherry, next time it'll be pizza at Urataka Center, we'll start our tour from behind the light house all the way to Urataka Center via Daimari hills. That'll be a nice experience.

[Andrea J.]

his favorite hobby is a blast!