Welcome to the Aruba Forum

~Amy~Â® · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 4:12 pm Post subject:

I've always wanted to go to Nafanny Spa for a massage. Have heard good things about it.

Your dinners at Barefoot sounded wonderful. And I'm glad the rain was short-lived. Cool

I've been on the island before in Sept. when the wind has stopped for a few days. If you're not in the water it's downright HOT (brutal!)

explorer21 · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 10:54 pm Post subject:

Amy, I highly recommend Nafanny.

Tues 10/28...Up at 7:30 again to get my wife and SIL to Nafanny Spa for their massages. The 3 of us went last year for the first time and loved it. I decided to skip this year but the girls both got a hot stone massage. We have a top rated spa at the Hotel Hershey that the girls have been to several times but they said these are 10 times better. The rates are much better than the spas at the high rise hotels. I think it was 90 min for $100. I took a walk up the beach as Fanny dropped them off at the Phoenix when they were done. I ended up getting another delicious breakfast sandwich at Scott's then headed to the beach. Another great day!!! Spent a lot of time in the water. Again, we ended up at Bugaloe for lunch. I can't keep my DW away from their hot dogs. I must admit they are great but I had a very good grouper wrap. That has turned into our go to lunch spot. Very close and very good! We had reservations at Aqua Grill for 7:30. We ate there last year for the first time and were really impressed. I told my wife today that I'll probably be disappointed since my hopes were so high after last year. Well, I was wrong. What a great meal for all 6 of us. DW had deep fried scallops that she loved, SIL had a fantastic grouper dish, BIL stepped away from a salad and had pasta with a marinara sauce, the other couple had sea bass and tuna and felt it was one of the best dishes they had in Aruba in a couple years. I had the same chicken with garlic and rosemary I had last year and was every bit as good. It was so good that I'm already looking forward to our visit there next year. Another place making leaps and bounds up the list. We ended up walking around the Paseo Mall and grabbing some ice cream. I'm ready to hit the sack as the early rises are catching up with me. Need to get up for my Linda's tomorrow. That will NOT be a problem though. Happy Hump Day! Goodnight!

explorer21 · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 9:43 pm Post subject:

Wed 10/29...Woke up at 6:30 and couldn't fall back to sleep. Played around on the computer for a while then my wife and I went to Linda's. I added papaya again while my DW had another plain one. I don't know what's wrong with her. Both were done perfect(crispy around the edges). While we were there, we had a 15 minute downpour, then the sky cleared up and had another beautiful day. Spent a lot of time in the water again. It was really hot today even with the wind moving. They walked around and let the people on the beach know that the new palapa experiment was now extinct. They are going back to the way it was for the last 100 years. First come, first serve. That means it'll be my BIL back to getting up and getting our palapa. Reservations at 7 for Ricardo's at ABC. First time there and won't be our last. After a warm friendly greeting by Ricardo, we were seated at the only table on the beach. I knew that an old waiter that took care of us at Matthews was working there now and asked for him. He came down and recognized us right away as his profiterole friends. We stopped in quite often just for their ridiculous profiteroles. We had a very good meal with great service. SIL had a terrific all you can eat grouper dish, BIL had a salad and a pizza with only sauce(cardboard), friends had Caribbean Lobster that was great and sea bass that was best she ever had. DW wasn't feeling too well but had a very good lasagna. She wanted to get the Lobster pasta in vodka sauce but didn't think that would settle well. I had the chicken cordon bleu with mashed potatoes that would order again. To our surprise, Dante served us a plate full of profiteroles without ordering them and then brought us all a round of limoncello that, once again, we didn't order and was on the house. Very enjoyable meal at a nice place. I highly recommend this Ricardo's. Tomorrow, if my wife is feeling better, we plan on taking our friends on a small island tour and stop at West End for lunch. Hopefully she gets a good nights rest. Wishing everyone a good day!

~Amy~Â® · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 1:33 pm Post subject:

I feel like I'm gaining weight just by reading your daily reports! Laughing

So which way did you prefer the reserving of palapas? Did you find one better than the other? I would think reserving it the afternoon beforehand would be better so that no one has to get up so early on their vacation (but that's just me.)

Here's another question - would you ever consider trying Diana's Pancakes over Linda's? I'd just be curious to hear your comparison. But I know, I know....when it's not broke..... Wink

explorer21 · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 3:52 pm Post subject:

Amy, I guarantee you're not gaining the weight I am. I liked the early morning lineup since my BIL always did it because he was already up. I didn't like the afternoon line because it really disrupted the day.

I had every intention of going to Dianes for a crepe but just couldn't pull in. The car wouldn't turn, just kept going to Linda's. You know the drill. We'll do it next year. Have a safe trip down. It's been great!

explorer21 · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 10:07 pm Post subject:

Thurs 10/30...Up at 7:20 to find that my wife was feeling much better so we picked up our friends to take them on a little tour of the upper part of the island. They've been coming here for 4 years but haven't seen much so I started off with a trip to the lighthouse. From there we went to Alto Vista Chapel. What a nice little church. Next stop was the Bushiribana Ruins then on to the Natural Bridge. Cut across the island stopped at Hooiberg to show them the steps. They didn't want any part of that. We climbed it a couple years ago and although it was hard work, I'm glad we got to see the view from the top. Came back through town that was packed with cruisers. It was a little early to stop at West Deck for lunch but stopped a little later at Mulligans so I could get my chicken pizza and grouper sandwich. Excellent! Got to the beach about 1 to enjoy another beautiful day. Oh man, it's been so nice. My SIL went with our friends to Carte Blanche while my DW, popeye, and I went with some friends from the beach to the Mexican restaurant at the Hyatt named Mexicado. Our first time there and just like all the "new" restaurants on our list this year we will be back. DW had the chicken enchiladas that I ate half of(very good), BIL rice and beans in tortilla(I refuse to rate anything he eats), and I had the skirt steak. My steak was delicious with a huge helping of rice and steamed veggies. Already looking forward to next year. DW and I walked up to the Paseo Harencia mall and made our second stop at the new frozen yogurt shop(Yologurt). They've only been open 10 days and what a nice little place. There are 8 different flavors of frozen yogurt with about 35 toppings. You are charged by the weight. Have a good Friday and enjoy your weekend. My time on My Happy Island is almost over. So fast! Good night!

~Amy~Â® · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 2:29 pm Post subject:

explorer21 · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 3:38 pm Post subject:

Yes Amy, every "new" restaurant we tried has made it on our must do list. The list is getting too big. I guess we'll have to stay longer from now on. Sorry, you won't be coming in tomorrow. I was going to Bugaloe Sunday afternoon to look for you. Oh well, I'll go anyway and have a bright in your honor.

~Amy~Â® · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 4:29 pm Post subject:

explorer21 · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 10:58 pm Post subject:

Fri 10/31â?¦Up again at 7:20 and had a strange yearning for something sweet, like maybe a dutch pancake. Thought Iâ??d try something new so I went to Lindaâ??s. ha! Bananas, walnuts, whipped cream and apples. Yum! Spent the day in the water on another beautiful sunny day. Tried another new place tonight that everyone canâ??t believe we havenâ??t tried yet. Got to Papiamento at 7:30 and walked into a beautiful setting. The place is amazing, although, it was a little warm with not much air moving. We all had fantastic dishes and added another restaurant to our must do list.

explorer21 · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 10:59 pm Post subject:

Sat 11/1â?¦Yep, I couldnâ??t have ordered nicer weather. I love Aruba!!! We met my wifeâ??s old boss at the pier. He and his wife came in on a cruise so we wanted to show them our place and give them a little tour of the island. After showing off our penthouse at the Phoenix we took them up to the lighthouse. They own a condo in the Caymans and have traveled the world but they were very impressed with Aruba. We then drove up to the Chapel and ended up at Tierra del Sol for lunch. Iâ??ve never been there either and just found another must do restaurant. The lunch was delicious with such a nice setting. Got them back to the ship and still had time to hit the beach for a few hours. Went to Wacky Wahoos for dinner. Not the best place to go if youâ??re not a big fish eater. They did expand the place a bit but still a little crowded and noisy. Not a place to sit back and relax. Best plate of the night was my SIL lightly blackened Barracuda. I could actually order a whole plate of that. It was delicious! Headed home and prepare ourselves for our last whole day on the beach.

explorer21 · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:00 pm Post subject:

Sun 11/2â?¦Tried to suck in every minute of our last full day on the beach. Took a walk up the sidewalk, grabbed a little breakfast then up to Bugaloe for lunch. They are definitely our go to lunch place now. Went to Screaming Eagle for our last dinner of the trip. We went 2 years ago and it got bumped last year at the last minute. Canâ??t believe we bumped it. We all had such a great meal. Their potato truffle soup is crazy! Between the sea bass, scallops, lobster, baked brie, halibut, and my chicken, it was a delightful evening. Now unfortunately, time to pack it up and accept the fact that weâ??re going home.

explorer21 · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:00 pm Post subject:

Mon 11/3â?¦Of course, I had to go get my last trip to Lindaâ??s in. Stefan was there and gave us our crepes on the house since we practically lived there the last 2+ weeks. I will miss my dutch pancakes! So on a practically full stomach we still ended up at Tierra del Sol for lunch since my SIL and Popeye didnâ??t see it. Their curry chicken salad is crazy good! Dropped the car off with Hans(once again, best car rental on the island). Got to the airport at 3:30 and sitting at the gate by 4:25. Flights home went real well and all of a sudden back to reality. Itâ??s amazing how fast time goes. I treasure every minute I have in Aruba and canâ??t wait to get back next year. Already counting down. 345 days! Thanks all for reading. I hope I was able to give some helpful information. Goodnight!

dutchdushi · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 4:49 pm Post subject:

Thank you so much for these reports. I enjoyed reading them.

~Amy~Â® · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 10:19 am Post subject:

Loved reading your adventures (sun, sand, and dining) every day! Sounds like you had a wonderful trip! Hope we get to see you again next year.....drinks and lunch at the Bugaloe (first round is on me!) Cool