Whee! Squee! It's phrogg's trip number three!! - 10/23-11/6

[cpjones]

Everyone has only been here for a few days but these have been some of the best days of my life.

That's just plain wonderful.....! Gave me a really big smile. Happy for you!

[Pegmeister]

Love that your family is enjoying Aruba. There’s just something special about everyone hanging out and enjoying themselves. Sorry about Zeerovers! We also love Salt and Pepper for dessert. I usually add a glass of wine and we always sit at the bar. The staff has always been super friendly. It’s a great spot.

[SkiChris]

Hi Phrogg,
I noticed you and your family enjoy eating out for breakfast. I've read that Eduardo's Beach Shack, the popular smoothie place in front of Playa Linda Resort (on Palm Beach), has a second location called Eduardo's Hideaway. I know they have a smoothie location at the Boardwalk Hotel (on traffic circle across from Ritz Carlton/Marriott) but now I've read Eduardo's has expanded to offer a full menu, including breakfast. I've read GREAT reviews on their breakfast. The menu looks very interesting (https://www.eduardosbeachshack.com/eduardos-hideaway). I am unsure if the "HideAway" location is also at the Boardwalk hotel or if it is a new place on Rt 2 - that part is a bit of a mystery to me. (perhaps someone else on the Forum knows and can provide additional information). I meant to find this place on our last visit but ran out of time so I thought I might suggest this place to you. I know you like to explore and try new places.
I've enjoyed reading about how your family has embraced the relaxing pace of Aruba. While it is an amazing experience to discover Aruba on one's own as a first-time visitor, I think it is even more fun on repeat vacations, to "see" the island for the first time through the eyes of a loved one or close friend.

[phrogg108]

I've seen that Eduardos on Rt2! I was wondering if that was the same as the one on the beach! I love those acai bowls!!! Knowing it's the same, we may have to try that one of these times!!

We are back at Arashi now because my dad loves the blue drinks and the scenery here and my stepmom loves their strawberry daiquiris. I'm having water. Ok, who am I kidding. I'm having my umpteenth bucket of.... (say it with me now) Balashi!!! Whee!!!

Oh, and the butterfly farm was a huge hit!

[SkiChris]

I have a CHALLENGE for all Forum members:
If anyone has any Photoshop talents, my challenge is to copy Phrogg's avatar - and insert an image of a Balashi bottle in place of that Champagne glass!

[phrogg108]

I have a CHALLENGE for all Forum members:
If anyone has any Photoshop talents, my challenge is to copy Phrogg's avatar - and insert an image of a Balashi bottle in place of that Champagne glass!

Bahahaha!! I LOVE this idea! If no one has done this by the time I am home, I will certainly do this as I have Photoshop at work and often have to use it!! This is fantastic!!

[phrogg108]

After Arashi yesterday, we got changed and went on the Pelican Tours sunset cruise. My dad and stepmom LOVED it!!!! My kids and my hubs, not so much. I didn't realize it was more or less a booze cruise for adults, so my kids were a cross of totally bored and totally horrified by their mother drinking rum and pineapple juice drinks and dancing her, uh, backside off to the song "Wobble" and making a fool of herself. My father got it all on video too. OMG. That will need to be destroyed ASAP. I added a couple pictures from the cruise and the one of my kids and husband was staged so they looked that bored. Only, they didn't have to reach very far. Lol. There was definitely a LOT of drinking happening on that cruise. I only had two, but they do NOT skimp on the rum, so I was feelin' pret-ty darn good. After I got done embarrassing myself, I realized that dancing and drinking on a moving boat is NOT for me. Blerg. My stomach was all kinds of queasy the rest of the night.

We ended up going to Amore Mio for some pizza afterwards and the strip along the hotels was PACKED. So many people out in costumes, a ton of motorcycles parked along the one section, traffic was bumper to bumper and it was basically sensory overload in all ways. We finished up dinner and got out of there around 9m and it was really cranking up then. The fact that I'm turning 50 soon really hit me when I realized I'd rather go home and go to bed than be in the middle of all that. Lol. There was a day where I would have given my left arm to party like that but those days are dwindling. Hahaha.

Not sure just yet what we are going to do today, but it will likely involve breakfast, Balashi and the beach. All the B's.

[Andrea J.]

next time try a private sunset sail on the Tranquilo or the sunset sail on the Black Pearl.
I hear you re: boats and booze. queasy is a very tame word. my words are, "please, someone kill me, kill me now"

it's funny that you mentioned the motorcycles last night in Palm Beach area.
a friend texted me this morning and told me of the motorcycles and congestion there.


I really appreciate the time that you are taking to give us a play by play!!!

After Arashi yesterday, we got changed and went on the Pelican Tours sunset cruise. My dad and stepmom LOVED it!!!! My kids and my hubs, not so much. I didn't realize it was more or less a booze cruise for adults, so my kids were a cross of totally bored and totally horrified by their mother drinking rum and pineapple juice drinks and dancing her, uh, backside off to the song "Wobble" and making a fool of herself. My father got it all on video too. OMG. That will need to be destroyed ASAP. I added a couple pictures from the cruise and the one of my kids and husband was staged so they looked that bored. Only, they didn't have to reach very far. Lol. There was definitely a LOT of drinking happening on that cruise. I only had two, but they do NOT skimp on the rum, so I was feelin' pret-ty darn good. After I got done embarrassing myself, I realized that dancing and drinking on a moving boat is NOT for me. Blerg. My stomach was all kinds of queasy the rest of the night.

We ended up going to Amore Mio for some pizza afterwards and the strip along the hotels was PACKED. So many people out in costumes, a ton of motorcycles parked along the one section, traffic was bumper to bumper and it was basically sensory overload in all ways. We finished up dinner and got out of there around 9m and it was really cranking up then. The fact that I'm turning 50 soon really hit me when I realized I'd rather go home and go to bed than be in the middle of all that. Lol. There was a day where I would have given my left arm to party like that but those days are dwindling. Hahaha.

Not sure just yet what we are going to do today, but it will likely involve breakfast, Balashi and the beach. All the B's.

[schexc]

Hi Phrogg,
I noticed you and your family enjoy eating out for breakfast. I've read that Eduardo's Beach Shack, the popular smoothie place in front of Playa Linda Resort (on Palm Beach), has a second location called Eduardo's Hideaway. I know they have a smoothie location at the Boardwalk Hotel (on traffic circle across from Ritz Carlton/Marriott) but now I've read Eduardo's has expanded to offer a full menu, including breakfast. I've read GREAT reviews on their breakfast. The menu looks very interesting (https://www.eduardosbeachshack.com/eduardos-hideaway). I am unsure if the "HideAway" location is also at the Boardwalk hotel or if it is a new place on Rt 2 - that part is a bit of a mystery to me. (perhaps someone else on the Forum knows and can provide additional information). I meant to find this place on our last visit but ran out of time so I thought I might suggest this place to you. I know you like to explore and try new places.
I've enjoyed reading about how your family has embraced the relaxing pace of Aruba. While it is an amazing experience to discover Aruba on one's own as a first-time visitor, I think it is even more fun on repeat vacations, to "see" the island for the first time through the eyes of a loved one or close friend.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ed...!4d-70.0351643

[phrogg108]

Today was breakfast at my parents Airbnb and then we figured out how to get the Steeler game on their TV here, so my dad was happy to sit in the AC and watch that. And, we won!! While they watched that, me, hubs and my kids went to the ostrich farm which was really cool! I was very pleasantly surprised with it! We also went to Bushiribana Gold Mine ruins and stacked some rocks for the fam. We came back to their Airbnb, had a couple Balashi and then went to Local Store for dinner. Always good food! We decided to go to Salt & Pepper for dessert again (see a theme here? ) and enjoyed every bit of that. We are back at their Airbnb now and will head back to ours shortly.

Tomorrow is gonna be a busy day. "Made in Aruba" tour for me, hubs and parents in the morning. Black Pearl sunset snorkel cruise for me, hubs and my kids in the afternoon. COVID tests in between there somewhere too. I think we may try Cafe 080 for dinner tomorrow once we are back from snorkeling.

On a side note, the mosquitoes were BAD at Local Store tonight. Ugh. I killed three and that's only what I saw. I'm sure there were more.

On another side note, I've converted my dad to a Balashi fan. Score!!!