Aruba, Jamaica ... Ooooh, I Wanna Take Ya (Penny & Dave)

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Penny -

Ok, so we're addicted to paradise. Who wouldn't be? Especially with a wealth of Caribbean islands existing just a stones throw away from our snowy adopted home city.

Aruba is a desert island off the coast of Venezuela. (We could actually see South America from its edge)! It's covered with Road Runner cartoon-style cacti, overrun with lucid green iguanas and surrounded by ocean so creamy blue it's like taking a dip in a Blue Heaven milkshake.

Dave's been making the most of his first sleep-ins since mid 2009. (He quit his pub job last week and has one more Boxing Day party before he's free to run amuck in NYC). Until then we're whiling the days away as resort squatters. We've secured the right color beach towels & sussed our favorite private slice of beach paradise. We slip under borrowed shade, recline on banana lounges and read good books all day. Aaaah, heaven ... almost.

Nobody warned us of the benefits of such close proximity to South America. The quality of food is astounding. We went twice to an all-u-can-eat Brazilian Churrascaria, (think yum-cha BBQ) where skilled servers skirt a balmy outdoor dining room touting speared shards of grass-fed Argentinean beef, (and lamb legs, pork loins, bacon-wrapped filet mignon, parmesan-crusted chicken, marinated ribs and hot chorizo). Mmmmmm. If anyone's heard us speak of our trip to Buenos Aires years ago, you'll know how passionate we are about the otherworldly flavors of Argentinean beef. Dave was loving the concept of a personal flip-card. Two sides. Green-for-go and red-for-no. His was permanently on green, leaving our table swarmed with tenderloins and sirloin.

As a bonus, TripAdvisor tipped us off on an ingenious scam. Sign up to the restaurant with a fake birthday this week. They email you a celebratory 'buy one, get one free' meal. Spend your savings on a jug of premium shiraz sangria, (a seriously phenomenal concoction), and you've got a perfect faux-birthday celebration. Happy Birthday to Us....

Oh, and the milk here is incredible. Pure creamy deliciousness that has become our off-beat beachside drink of choice. Milk and dark chocolate under the sun. Now THAT, my friends, is pure Nirvana, (and so wrong).

Dave -

I must say, Aruba has definitely lived up to my expectations. Both Sherrie and Rick (our hosts at the guesthouse we have been staying at) as well as fellow guests The Dentons (Phil, Ruth and their daughter Coral) have been the very definition of hospitality. Phil was born and raised in Aruba before moving to the States and has been giving us personal tours around the whole island with very vivid and detailed accounts of his favorite spots. To call our outings into and around the Aruban countryside an 'adventure' is in all sense of the means, selling the term short. We have been very privileged to have such entertaining hosts.

While our first couple of days was spent experiencing Aruban culture, the last few days have been following a different agenda. Which is exactly how Penny describes it, sitting on deck chair on a pristine beach reading and getting up for a swim every now and again - Sounds horrible doesn't it 😊

I also want to take to the time to wish everyone that is reading this a very Merry Christmas and the very best for 2011.

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Photos

Our Fabulous Florida Tour Guides
We met a wonderful family of Floridians who have adopted us and toured us round the island. Phil was born in Aruba so the history lessons have been informative & real.