Aruba 5-14-2004
Aruba with Jill and Mike. One of our first big trips. If a good trip is about having good stories afterwards then this was a way good trip, lol. We stayed at the Tamarijn Divi Aruba and loved it. Took a short ride around the island for some sites and finished it off with our first snorkeling excursion.
The Best
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Maps
Every good trip should start with a couple maps. I had to look up where Aruba was so it's a good possibility that you will also. Think "outer banks Venezuela" and you get the idea.
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The Resort
We stayed at the Tamarijn Divi Aruba. They are an All inclusive Resort that is part of the Divi Properties which include about 7 other resorts in the Caribbean. The main draw is the "All inclusive" Part, and I must say it's a blast not even to have to worry about a bar tab at the end of the trip. The second draw is the property itself. Given Aruba's location they rarely get hit by any of the hurricanes that plow through the other Caribbean Islands. This means they can build the building almost on the water. The island also made and interesting idea to use building codes to shape the tourist beaches on the west side of the island. The southern half is all low rise hotels no more than 2-3 stories while the northern is where the larger hotels are. It's a great way to give tourists the idea of the place they would like to stay. the Tamarighn is on the southern part and the entire beachfront has nothing more than 2 stories, which means no crowds. As for down sides, only the food. Not being a picky person I'm a bad judge and your milage may vary but I only considered the food "Ok". Not bad, but nothing to remember. A good rule here (and with other All inclusive from what I've heard) is to shown up early. Most All Inclusive serve Break feast, Lunch and Dinner via Buffet from fixed times. Unlike American Buffet's where the food is continuously brought out during the time frame, what they mean is that the food will be served at the starting time, and then will stay out until it is taken away. You opinion of the food will be firstly better if you are there when it is fresh. Other people might also dislike the fact that the restaurant is all open air, and Aruba while having a great breeze is hot. Personally I liked it.
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Around the Island
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Snorkeling and Sailing Trip
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Time to say goodnight everyone
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