hi!

i'm planning a vacation & am contemplating aruba. i really enjoyed a vacation i spent in the canaries because of the variety of nationalities of the tourists. could anyone tell me where the tourists to aruba come from? what different countries & languages will i encounter on the island?

Jane,
While (not sure on the exact figure) about 84% of tourists come from the USA - especially the North East, Aruba continues to have an international flavor to it due to the many languages spoken on the island and the cross-cultures that exist here.

The island has Dutch roots and the recent Spanish influence is also taking hold and creating another dimention. Papiamento is our local language and (as you well know) English is taught and widely spoken on the island. Here and there, you will find Chinese families speaking their language and there are some Chinese restaurants where that is all you hear. Recently we have started to hear "Patua" which is a Haitian dialect and it is spoken amongst themselves mostly. Tough language to learn - by the way - since it has a wide mixture with a French base.

On the island you will find

Spanish (Mostly from Venezuela and Colombia with a segment from Santo Domingo)

Philipines that are here due to a one time labor shortage in the resorts and the Philipinos have many of the similar servitude characteristics of the local Aruban.

Chinese that have a long history on the island

Hindus that are a strong merchants and commercial entity. They also speak their language amongst themselves.

Dutch that are original colonial settlers. They also speak their language and Dutch is taught in schools and considered to be our proper language (that word proper always bugged me)

Funny thing is that the original (and I mean original) Aruban indian is no longer in existance and what is considered todays' Aruban local is a mixture of the many cultures and races. Kind of nice actually and similar to the Unitied States (I refer to the mixture of Irish, Italian etc.)

Where we are lacking (in my opinion) is in art and artifacts. Our history is just not long enough and (at the onset) the mixtures tend to water down those artistic efforts.
That said, I am greatly impressed and proud of the art movement that is in process today. One place not to miss is ACESS ART which is located downtown over the HUGO BOSS store. Great art and, with little exception, all local.

Also take a momment to go to the local library and check out the historical pictures that are on display and that can be bought.

Have fun and it is nice to see that you are asking about the history of the island.

be well
charles
arubafastphones.com

The majority of the tourists come from the United States. We met several people from the Boston area. We met one couple from Ireland.

The native language is papamiento, however, most Arubans speak English..

People come to Aruba from all over the world. Lots of Americans, South Americans, Europeans, folks from Yugoslavia, the Chezch Republic, Norway and Seweden, etc.

Whom you will meet depends on where you stay.

Most visitors are Americans. Canadians and Venezuelans are also evident. Of course there are many Dutch and some Brits as well.

Look no further than the case of Amy Lynn Bradley
by Dan McGee
Thursday, August 25, 2005
I thought the commentary about the "Natalee Holloway," madness was very interesting.

As a journalist myself, I was wondering where he got the information about the dissention within the Twitty camp.

Now this could be true, and if it is that shows me that the people, who came to Aruba to search for Holloway's body were actually seeking to stroke their own egos. If so, they apparently lost sight of what was supposed to be going on.

Personally I believe what Beth Twitty has been saying about the authorities on Aruba. In fact this was kind of confirmed when the Prime Minister, in what has to be almost the understatement of the year, admitted that there were mistakes made.

If someone wants further proof they need look no further than the case of Amy Lynn Bradley. This woman was kidnapped off a cruise ship that docked at Curacao in March of 1998. A year later she identified herself to an U.S. Navy sailor in a brothel, which I believe, was in the same port she was kidnapped in.

The FBI interviewed the sailor, who waited too long to report this, and confirmed his story. This means that a kidnapped woman was enslaved in a brothel, and made to work as a prostitute, right under the noses of the local police.

In the Holloway case the police waited long enough for any evidence to be covered up before any arrests were made. Then Van Der Sloot's father was briefly arrested and informed the boys that if there was no body, there was no case.

Since the chief of police is Joran's godfather doesn't this indicate something is amiss?

Despite all of this I know that the majority of the people in the Antilles are good, decent people trying to make a living. Just like I met on two sides of this world.

After spending most of my life in tourist areas I know just how difficult making a living can be. My question to them is, what have you become?

I'd bet money that some of the staff at that brothel on Curacao knew that Bradley was a prisoner there and kept against her will. Some of them probably know when and where she was shipped to. If she was killed, they know that as well. In fact some might even have had a hand shipping her to the mainland and might even know just where she actually is.

Of course I can't blame them for being silent.

Once again, look at Aruba. Where is that gardener whose testimony blew a hole in the boy's story? If he's smart, he'll be back on Colombia in hiding or if not probably has suffered a fatal accident. Still, I hope they can find him alive.

So folks, it all comes down to you. It's not 1998 and the Internet allows a person to offer real information anonymously. So far the Bradleys have only heard silence about their daughter. Let's see decent citizens of the Antilles finally stand up and be counted, even if they can't publicly do it.

Oh yes, if you want to respond, forget the hate mail I'm seeing on Holloway's site. That just shows you're worthy of the scorn Beth Twitty and others have for you.

Finally I want to leave you decent types with two American sayings that I think apply. First is "action speak louder than words," let's see those who know either go to their ministers or use the Internet to offer real information to both grieving mothers. Something that might actually help.

And last of all, to you decent citizens of the Antilles, the "ball is in your court." Maybe someday the names of these two unfortunate women be remembered as the turning point when the decent people started to make the Antilles the paradise it should be.

Thanks and good luck

P.S. Any information should be sent to either of the two following websites.
Amy Bradley - TeamAmy@hotmail.com
Natalee Holloway - NataleeHolloway@gmail.com

English, Spanish, Papiamento and Dutch. 70% of the tourists come from the US, the others from all over the world e.g. South America and Europe.
enjoy your holiday

A lot of Americans! Englisch, Dutch,
South Americans

american, english

Do not know the % but would say 80% from the US. Others from most to least would say from Canada, So. America, and Europe. Just my guess. Go to the Offical Tourism Site and they may have the right numbers.