Sep 29, 2026
Aruba Still Surprises Me
I’ve loved Aruba for a long time, and what surprises me most is how often the island gives me a new reason.
Last Saturday, it happened again at the San Nicolas Pop-Up Market at Plaza Lolita.
Simple Pleasures
You might be surprised how fast cold concomber chikito blended with ginger goes down on a warm Saturday morning.
As I sipped, a few raindrops set the long seedpods of the Barba di Joncuman overhead rattling like maracas. They’re known to rattle with the slightest breeze, and before looking up, I had already recognized the tree by its sound, and I smiled.
“Young Man’s Beard” is a perfectly defensible literal translation of Barba di Joncuman. Funny enough, I’ve also heard those same long, rattling seedpods called “Woman’s Tongue.” I’m merely sharing the information.
Saturday Soup
I wandered toward the smell of traditional Jamaican cow foot soup and found a familiar face. She recognized me first.
“You remember my name?”
Somehow, I did.
“Adela!”
Her unmistakable laugh was all the confirmation I needed. A familiar fixture in the Holiday Inn lobby for years, Adela had pointed countless tourists in the right direction, and our paths had crossed more times than I could count.
Adela insisted I try her soup. Thankfully, there was no polite way to say no.
The cup was brimming with pumpkin, yam, herbs, cho-cho and wonderful little spinner dumplings. Adela was proud of her soup, and she had every right to be.
I’m going back for the soup.
Tea for Two and Two for Tea
It was the miniature succulents delicately planted in pretty china cups that first caught my attention at Cyntra’s tea table.
Her passion for what she has created at Hannah’s Gardens was contagious, and somewhere in the middle of my charming introduction to the world of tea, this non-tea drinker became surprisingly invested.
Two gift sets, an assortment of specialty teas and a jar of homemade basil-and-lemon-infused raw honey “invested.”
A Proper Saturday in San Nicolas
Much like the rhythm of the steel pans, I didn’t miss a beat, happily sampling my way through the flavors of Aruba’s melting pot. Cyntra’s “Slimming Tea,” tucked away in my bag, didn’t slow me down.
Johnny cakes were reason enough to pause. Some say they began as “journey cakes,” made to travel long distances and easy to tote, but mine didn’t make it very far.
As I nibbled, I noticed how many vendors were wearing I ❤️ San Nicolas T-shirts, and meant it. There was a wonderful community spirit to the whole morning. With sixty vendor setups, I couldn’t possibly eat my way through them all, but I gave it a good try.
Fresh produce, herbs and plants, homemade sauces, croquettes, bacalao and oxtail all competed for my attention.
“Just a little spicy,” the vendor assured me, and I seem to remember a wink. Funny enough, it might have been mine.
In any event, I’ve learned to be suspicious of spicy semantics, so I politely passed on the pica di papaya. Next time, I might not be as sensible.
History & Recognition
At his book-signing table, Dufi Kock represented decades of devotion to preserving Aruba’s history, including the Lago refinery years that transformed San Nicolas. His work gives those stories a place to live on, a gift to the island in itself.
At a table filled with one-of-a-kind handmade souvenirs, a photograph caught my eye. Those white sails were unmistakable. Jolly Pirates, framed in kwihi wood.
The craftsman had no way of knowing the gratitude it stirred in me to find something I had helped create among his souvenirs, or what a wonderful reminder it was of how very good Aruba has been to me.
It only seemed fitting to bring some coconut chicharrón along for the ride home, in honor of Lolita Cremonie, who sold coconut treats to support her family during Aruba’s oil-boom years.
We snapped one last photograph of her bronze sculpture at the heart of the plaza that bears her name, and we were on our way home.
And because it was Saturday, within twenty minutes I was on the other side of the island, just enough time to finish the coconut chicharrón.
Of all the things I took home with me that day, what stayed with me most was a beautiful sense of belonging.
Island visitors, consider this your personal invitation: come hungry, come curious.
A Few Insider Tips Before You Go
The San Nicolas Pop-Up Market takes over Plaza Lolita from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on the last Saturday of every month, except December. Expect local food, fresh produce, plants, handmade goods, music and more than sixty vendors. Admission is free.
Dress comfortably, bring sun protection, a reusable bag and your appetite.
About the Author
Carla Cavallaro has called Aruba home for nearly 40 years. As Brand Manager for Jolly Pirates Aruba and Kukoo Kunuku, she shares the island she loves with visitors through experiences, stories and the people and places that make Aruba special.
