Local,

I agree that we must all educate our children to be responsible but I also agree 18 is to young for alcohol. I know there are many islands, not just Aruba, that have young drinking ages. I am just saying this is what attracks them to your islands. Maybe, if you are a local then it could stay 18 but if you come from a country where it is older then the bars should honor that. With computer technology today, all they have to do is swipe a license and it will say legal in their state or not......I don't have all the answers, I just think 18 is to young. I have a 17 year old boy and as much as I love him and raise him well, I just think he is to young to be drinking and put a bunch of teens in a group with alcohol and it is trouble just waiting to happen!

Craig wrote:
>
> When i first started looking at this site i was really happy
> about my up and coming honeymoon in aruba , but in the last
> few weeks everyone is so negative, im starting to worry about
> everything, my wife to be is a big animal lover so im worried
> all the strays are going to upset her, from all the comments
> aruba is in the middle of a crime wave!am i going to be safe?
> the 2 weeks i spend in aruba are supposed to be magical , i
> truelly hope they are and i look forward to reading nice
> stories and comments on this site again soon.

Thank you all for your comments , you have put my mind at rest. only 4 weeks to go !!!!

I grew up in a time when 18 was the drinking age in the United States. At 18, our youth can vote for our President, can go off to war to defend our country, and yet they are not grown up enough to drink! Why are they old enough to do these other two things but not drink? Our children are going to drink at 18 just as they are going to at 21. The difference is, in Aruba you can do it legally, here in the US our kids are sneaking to do it.

As far as Aruba, I have been with my girlfriends for the past 13 years and have made several friends in Aruba. I have gone on vacation to Antigua, Mexico, and the Bahamas and by far Aruba has been the best place to vacation. In fact, I myself took three 18 year girls after a graduation last June. We all had a great time.

Go to Aruba, have a great time with your new bride...I would be surprised if you didn't return to the island year after year.

The drinking age thing would stand true if there were some laws in Aruba to live by...Raising the drinking age to 50 wouldn't stop kids..LOL..Especially when all they have to do is head for the 'Hot Zone' & sell ecstacy, coke, grass and what not. When you talk of Aruba being beautiful, be sure to remind peeps of this part of it too.And PLEASE don't start those lame comparisons to "our" cities back home. We're talking about a tiny island who exists on our $$ not us existing on there's. Our jails are full of drug dealers...There's are revolving doors, remember?

Nahhhhh...these people aren't trying to "come out ahead" as you say, just with their heads..

Craig:

My wife and I have been to Aruba 4 times on vacation. One year we even went on New Year's.

The beaches are great. The drinks are cool. The water is clean and beautiful. The women don't wear tops on the beaches (well most don't). There is always music playing. Most people are in a good mood and smile. There are enough choices of restaurants from expensive to reasonable.

One day you have to rent a car to see the entire island. Otherwise, take a taxi.

If I had to choose one place where I could have a good time and refresh my body and soul, Aruba would be one of the top choices.

As far as safety? Just use common sense.

Enjoy.

John

It's easy to look the other way when it does not concern you. Just look at it from this point of view. What if it was your family member that was missing? would you be as happy with the outcome so far? I am sure you would sing a diffrent tune.
Aruba may be the best place on earth as some people think. But it was not safe for this American woman.

Terry

When I watch channel e on the television and particulairy "wild On", where those little girls take of their tops, for a necklace???? then tell me how old are those women? And dont tell me they are sober, about the missing girl: we have the dutch law system, and it always worked here....i remember oj simpson, michael jackson, rodney king etc....
i remember even a lawsuit for a women who put her cat in the microwave.....or the smoker who had cancer, or the coffe the woman spilled was to hot...want me to go on?
The government of aruba doesnt talk a lot about the case: cnn makes up stories and the world believes them, even the fbi is searching here and they are not dutch nor aruban.Maybe we are not experienced as the usa police is with crime: but i see that as a good thing.
The stupid thing is that everybody knows who did it, except the police right?
Stop blaming aruba, the government: the whole island is trying to help to find this missing person, everybody is shocked: stop watching cnn!! the least trusted name in news, now news? we will make something up for you!!!
By the way does cnn stands for cartoon national network?

My Mom is all freaked out because we live in Bonaire and frequent Aruba and Curacao..HOLY SMOKE..the US IS WAY more dangerous....kids go missing in the US daily...She is watching too much Bill O Reilly I fear..