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Marriott’s Surf Club, July 10 – July 17, 2004
By Brad & Mary
We’ve been back for a little more than a week and still find it difficult to
get “up-and-at-it”. Our first trip to Aruba was so relaxing! All 8 of us
agree that it ranks at the top of the “all-time best vacations” list for our
family – one happy island indeed!
Using ATA, we departed Indianapolis on July 10. Switching planes at Midway,
Chicago, we were finally on our way. Five hours later, Aruba could be seen
out the plane window. Azure sea, white sand, and fanciful colored
buildings – gorgeous! Getting through the airport was a snap with only a
slight delay at the car rental place. I had reserved a 12-passenger
mini-bus from Thrifty. While I
am not fluent in Spanish, I understood enough to know that they had
miscalculated. Apparently these Hyundai diesels are a popular item. After a
brief wait, we were on our way to the resort.
Heading north up L.G. Smith, we went through Oranjestad and arrived at our
resort in less than 20 minutes. Pulling up to the main entrance of the
Ocean Club resort, we were immediately greeted by the resort staff. After
asking for the vehicle keys, they suggested we go in and register. By the
time we finished registering, the luggage was unloaded from the van, the van
had been parked, and the staff member was patiently waiting for us so he
could deliver the luggage to our room. I knew right away that I was going
to like it here! A short walk and we were inside the Surf Club. The resort
had only been open a little more than a week. The halls still had that new
smell, the rooms were impeccable, and even though the on-going construction
was visible, it was unobtrusive.
Day #1 was sun and fun at both the beach and poolside. Thank heavens for
the constant wind. Had it not been for the continuous breeze, the day would
have been much shorter. With the breeze, some SPF 30 was all it took to
spend the greater part of the day splashing, floating, and lounging around.
The fishermen’s dock has not been moved yet. As a result, the Surf Club
beach is not quite finished so we moved down in front of the Ocean Club. We
never bothered with a palapa, but there were plenty to go around if so
inclined. That evening we went to Madame Janette’s for dinner. While the restaurant is in a
rather unassuming area, the food was absolutely scrumptious. Service,
presentation, and flavor were all top-notch. In retrospect, this was one of
the best meals we had while there. We highly recommend it.
Day #2 was full of more sun and fun. Everyone decided that the banana-float
rides looked like fun. Diego down at Red Sail made the arrangements and
after getting our ski vests, we were joined by another young couple from
Connecticut. Everything started out smoothly enough, but it wasn’t long
until my son and daughter’s boyfriend decided to spice things up a bit. A
rather dramatic crash in to the sea resulted. That was it for my wife and
the 2 younger girls. They spent the rest of the time in the towboat. As
for the rest of us, four more crashes and some extremely weary muscles
capped off loads of fun and a thrilling trip up and down the coast. That
evening, we dined at Tuscany’s in the Marriott Resort. While pricey,
Tuscany’s has a wonderfully elegant atmosphere, service, and great northern
Italian cuisine. After dinner, everyone stopped at the Stellaris for some
gaming. Our daughter’s boyfriend ended up ahead by a couple of hundred
dollars. The rest of us weren’t quite as lucky. The casino is undergoing
expansion that is supposed to be complete within a month or so. That will
probably open things up a bit.
Day #3 found us on our way to Rancho Notorious
for their quad-runner tour.
What a hoot! Everyone had a blast running around the desert and seeing the
sights. We had stops at the California lighthouse, the chapel of Our Lady
of Alta Vista, the “Baby” natural bridge, the gold mill ruins, and the real
Natural Bridge. All tolled, we spent 3 hours of thrilling sightseeing and
having fun getting filthy dirty. We were absolutely filthy! After spending
a couple of hours at the pool, we headed off on the 25-minute drive to
Savaneta and the Flying Fishbone
for dinner. Once again, we enjoyed a fantastic menu and unparalleled
atmosphere. Fine dining on the beach, barefoot in the sand, only a couple
of feet from the waters edge, watching a sunset followed by a star-filled
sky was all too magical.
Day #4 was the day we decided to go on Red Sail’s
˝ day Luncheon Snorkel Cruise.
It was a lot of fun, but I was a little disappointed that the three stops
were so close together. Even still, it was loads of fun being with the kids
and checking out all the marine life. They particularly enjoyed checking
out the wreck of the Antilla. The catamaran wasn’t too crowded, but we were
definitely not the only ones on board! They served a light breakfast of
breads and fruit on the way out, a full-blown buffet lunch before coming
back, and an open bar the whole time (those green iguana’s are addicting!).
The crew was great fun and we all had a ball! Mid-afternoon, we were
scheduled to take the customary resort tour and listen to the sales pitch.
By now we had fallen in love with Aruba and decided this was a vacation spot
we were definitely coming back to – we bought a week! That evening we dined
at the Moomba Beach, which is located between
the Surf Club and the Holiday Inn. Casual and laid-back with very good
food, we would not hesitate to recommend it to people. The folks at the bar
are great fun and there is always some sort of entertainment going on.
Day #5 saw the boys and the girls going their separate ways for most of the
day. The guys went scuba diving while the ladies laid out by the pool.
Once again, we made arrangements with Red Sail. The diving was beautiful
and the boys enjoyed checking out the wreck of the Pedernalis. Playing with
a sea turtle and checking out a moray eel highlighted the coral, sponge,
crab, and myriad of fish that were observed. By the time the guys returned
to the resort, the ladies had moved on to their afternoon at the Mandara Spa. Needless to
say, after 3 hours at the spa, they were completely relaxed! Dinner was an
adventure this night. The resort concierge made a reservation at the
Amazonia. All we can say is bring your
appetite. At $35 per person, it isn’t cheap. At the same time, it’s not
hard to get your moneys worth! Turn your indicator green side up, and here
comes the servers! The meat (13 different kinds) is still on the
rotisseries and they carve it right on to your plate. Don’t forget to turn
your indicator to red side up – they just keep coming otherwise!
Day #6 came all too soon. After a little time on the beach, we were off to
Oranjestad for some shopping. Carnival Cruise lines was in port so all the
little stands were open along the waterfront. We had fun picking through
the various items for barter. The mall got a good visit as well! Once
everyone was satisfied with his or her purchases, we returned to the resort
to just simply relax. The rest of the afternoon was spent by the pool,
returning to Moomba Beach for dinner. The sunsets off the fisherman’s docks
nearby were spectacular and we found ourselves down there around 7PM on
several occasions. After coffee and dessert at the Marriott Resort, we
tried our luck at the Stellaris Casino again. This time my wife walked away
ahead of the game. Me? The same as the last time I was in there!
Often, we are ready to come home from vacation, but not this time! This
trip went all too fast. The weather was perfect (it sprinkled the day we le
ft, but we were in the airport already). The people are super friendly and
helpful. As they say – One Happy Island. We can’t wait to get back next
year. This will definitely become an annual event!
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