Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 22, 1995 TAG: 9510210024
SECTION: TRAVEL PAGE: G-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: HARRY SHATTUCK HOUSTON CHRONICLE
DATELINE: ORANJESTAD, ARUBA LENGTH: Long
Another may embrace the relaxed lifestyle of the eastern shoreline, where an intimate oceanside table for two tucked beneath a ceiling of twinkling stars all but defines the classic romantic setting.
Those in search of outdoor adventure are drawn by some of the world's most popular windsurfing schools. And by pristine offshore reefs where divers in blue-green waters mingle with parrotfish, stingrays and seafans near the Caribbean's largest shipwreck.
For others, the essence of Aruba lies in its 80,000 people. Many speak several languages, including English; almost all are comfortably employed; and standard behavior even in charming downtown Oranjestad is to greet tourists with smiles - not the harassment prevalent in cities on St. Thomas, Jamaica and some other Caribbean destinations.
And then, there are those visitors who simply love the desert.
Desert? In the Caribbean? Yes, Aruba's single most distinguishing characteristic - with all due respect to its celebrated divi-divi trees - is the cactuses dominating its interior landscape along roadways, on hillsides, even throughout its just-opened, first-ever golf course.
Talk about a new meaning for fairway rough!
``Fore,'' an alarmed duffer shouts as a shadow emerges from behind a cactus plant where his tee shot is about to land. Then he watches in amazement as a mama goat and her baby slowly come into view and stroll across the fairway out of harm's way.
Yes, a desert. A desert in paradise.
But paradise was hardly the description Spanish explorers applied when they arrived here and on neighboring Bonaire and Curacao almost 500 years ago. They found lands whose average rainfall was only 20 inches, mostly in November and December, a vivid contrast with the humidity and lush vegetation on more northerly Caribbean islands.
Unimpressed by the wide variety of cactuses, the rock formations or the watapana trees (dubbed divi-divis), the Spaniards officially declared Aruba a useless island. And they shipped the native Arawak Indians to Santo Domingo to work in gold mines.
By the mid-17th century, the Dutch had taken possession of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. And for 300 years of dramatically changing economic fortunes - including the discovery of gold on Aruba in 1824 and the growth early in this century of an oil industry - the three islands represented part of the Netherlands Antilles, whose governor reported directly to the queen.
On Jan. 1, 1986, they became separate entities within the kingdom of the Netherlands. Today, Aruba elects its own governor and a 21-member Parliament and Council of Ministers.
Loyal devotees some time ago affectionately dubbed Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao the ABCs of the southern Caribbean. And Aruba now stands at the head of the class.
Within the past decade, Arubans, stung by the closing of the island refinery (which has since reopened on a smaller scale), determined that their future was best tied to tourism.
Seemingly overnight this island defied its size - only 19.6 miles in length and six miles at its widest - by growing into a model for overall Caribbean development.
Resorts with names familiar to Americans - Hyatt Regency, Hilton, Radisson, Holiday Inn, Best Western plus a glitzy new Marriott - sprang toward the sky along a wind-kissed seven-mile ocean beach whose waters are so clear that visibility extends to depths of 100 feet.
Into the 1990s, Aruba began to resemble Waikiki or Miami Beach but with a quieter ambience and 10 full-scale casinos, including the Caribbean's largest, Royal Cabana, whose Tropicana Showroom presents big-name entertainment.
Meanwhile, a multimillion-dollar revitalization program changed the face of Oranjestad, the easily walkable capital and cruise port whose smart shops and quaint buildings possess colorful pastel facades setting off red roofs, a look and feel traditionally associated with Holland.
Within two years, the number of tourists doubled. By last year, 584,000 spent at least one night on the island; 53 percent were from the United States. And hundreds of thousands more who paused for a day while their cruise ships docked in port are targeted as potential longer-term visitors.
Arubans, much like their nation, are easy to like.
Dutch is the official language, but every Aruban child also studies English and Spanish from the age of 10. Most residents also speak Papiamento, a melodic local language combining Spanish, Portuguese, French, Indian, African, Dutch and English.
The employment rate is 98 percent. Thousands of workers from other islands and from South America are imported annually to supplement the work force.
Most goods, including fruits, meats and vegetables, are imported, too, and, as a result, Aruba is not the cheapest island to visit. However, tour packages cut lodging costs, and a plethora of U.S.-based fast-food eateries satisfy travelers on a budget.
And, of course, there's Charlie's Bar.
Charlie's, the island's preferred eatery and watering hole for artists, writers and musicians, flourishes in the heart of San Nicolas. Legend has it that Aruba's history is literally written on the walls and ceilings.
by CNB