4 March 2015
I rose early to see our ship dock at Oranjestad, capital city of Aruba. She pulled in behind another ship, Explorer of the Seas, at around 7.45 am. It would take a skilled pilot to pull in here, as the gap between the wharf to our left and some shallow ground to the right was narrow.
Jean and I went ashore for a little while, ahead of a half day tour later. When you get off the ship, you show your Seapasses, probably more important than passports on this cruise ship, and you present them again when reboarding.
Out in the streets of Aruba, the place reminded me initially of Africa because everyone looked distinctly African, with familiar facial features, their dress and overall manner. But later, I was told that Aruba, which is a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and, therefore, the Dutch Caribbean, has a great mixture of people. They come from other Caribbean islands, as well as Holland and Belgium, Africa, and even the Philippines. There is also a strong Chinese population.
Jean and I found the Starbucks cafe, and accessed the Internet for a very short while. Starbucks is part of the Renaissance Mall, considered to be the only luxury shopping mall in Aruba. Many fellow passengers came here too. We soon returned to the ship for a light lunch.
We docked around 7.45 am.
Market stalls near the port
The island of Aruba
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