Skip to main content

Aruba

,,
I would explain how I loaded this picture today, but I would be too exhausted to blog.  This shot is from umbrella 63 at the Holiday Inn Resort and Casino in Aruba in the Palm Beach area.    We are spending the week and having a very relaxing stay.
This is our first trip to Aruba, and probably not our last.   The weather is very warm with very intense sun and brisk winds all day.  The wind is from your back as you look at the water and ranges from 20 to 40 mph in a rather steady manner.  You must keep your stuff nailed down or it is gone! The wind is a blessing for keeping bugs and mosquitoes away, but it annoying because you cannot leave anything lay around.  The beach is clean and well kept with blue water that is warm enough to swim and cool off.  It also an open beach so there is a steady stream of walkers and running coming by all day.  Something for everyone to watch.

The resort is full of East Coast folks with families, couples -young and old-- mostly American but with a few European couples.  Everyone is quite friendly and the staff actually speaks to you and is glad to chat you up.   That is refreshing!  Most of the locals speak 4 or 5 languages, English, Spanish, Dutch, a local dialect and French.
For activities, there is food on the beach, at the hotel or across the street at some very good family run restaurants.  We have sampled them all and really enjoyed the fresh fish.   We have not done any boating, with the high winds, it can pound you pretty hard and that is not what we are after.  There is a little sports bar on the beach close by, that is open from 10 to 10, with Happy Hour from 10 to 9.  Happy Hour is 2 for 1.  It is a good place to visit around sunset.  I have sampled the local Balashi beer with good success.  It is similar to Yengling that is brewed in the US.  The bottles or cans are all 22 cl or 7.5 ounces.
I have run on the beach twice and I am resting today.  The hips get sore from the soft sand and uneven surfaces.  But I had two really good workouts and will do some weights today at the hotel gym.  I ran the first day at midday and survived, but it kicked my butt.This close to the equator (12 degrees) the sun is really strong and it will beat you down.  I ran the next day much earlier and recovered much better.   There are a lot of runners and triathletes here.
Speaking of the sun.  I stay in the shade at our little umbrella made from palms.  I have not laid in the sun as such.  Walking around and swimming is plenty of exposure.  I have had all the fry jobs I ever wanted. Keep covered and use the sunscreen.

Aruba is great spot to visit and compared to Mexico, it wins out on many counts.  1)You are left alone- big deal for us-no vendors are hounding you.  2) Money is not a problem, US dollars work fine. 3) The plumbing is done right and you do not smell sewage  4)  Security is very good.  We have not seen any police and have no need.   5)  Southwest Airlines flies here.  6) There is shopping for those   that want that.  They really advertise watches for some reason...7)  I can walk to 2 different Dunkin Donuts in 5 minutes!!!   It is relatively expensive and you will need quite a bit of cash.  Many of the small places do not take anything but cash.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jump Ahead

 Hello to all the faithful readers out there is the ethernet.  As you know, I have been dealing with an issue with a pinched nerve in my back that has been affecting my right leg strength.  My leg strength is back to 85% according to the squat machine at the gym.  I use the type of machine that has belt around your waist and you hook up to an arm that connections to the weight rack. This machine does no put any weight on my lower back and allows for leg strength development.  Progress has been made and I am also running a couple days a week at the Pettit Ice Center in West Allis as well.   Things are coming along.    About 6 weeks ago I began doing weekly pilates classes.   The pilates has been very helpful in generating flexibility and strength in  my lower body.   The sessions are around one hour and they are very intense and I am enjoying the improvement in my body strength and movement. I plan on continuing these ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Race Day Again

Finally, we get to race again! As many of you know, I was injured last April 4, 2024. I had a disk at L4 vertebra collapse and pinch a nerve in my back that caused over half of my lower leg strenth to disappear. I had a lot of atrophy in my right leg quad and I have been recovering ever since. I am close to 100% on strength and the right leg looks like it is very close to normal size again, but it has been a battle. I have been working in the gym, doing pilates again and also running. All of these things must be done in balance so you can get the proper rest and recover. I still do full body massages every two weeks and I also have been working with a Cox Technique Chiro since the injury on a weekly or biweekly basis. The chiro has gotten me stretched back out and the pressure off the nerve, that treatment has been the real source of healing in my opinion. MY normal doctor was not any help, but this is not what normal doctors do--naturally healing. The first meet of 202...
Post a Comment
Read more

Really Important Information

I participated in the USATF Masters Indoor National meet last weekend in Winston-Salem, NC.   It was good meet for me and I will add the details of the results in another post later this week.  What I want to reflect on here is the quality of people in that building.   I am just so impressed with the high level of competition and caring for each other that goes on for 3 days.  Hug and Cry Area for Awards  There were around 1000 competitors for the event, and with families and officials, generally 500 to 2000 people were in the building during the times the track was open. It was not completely full at JDL Fast Track, but a really good crowd. North Carolina passed some very hateful and just plain repressive legislation a few years back concerning rest room usage and anything that did not meet the "hateful Jesus" religion that they were  promoting.   The NBA pushed back and moved their All Star Game location and I think this may hav...
3 comments
Read more