Radisson Aruba Accommodations Part II

Since I receive a lot of questions regarding the different categories of accommodations at the Radisson Aruba. Thought maybe here and now would be a good place to direct you to some additional information.

If a picture tells a thousand words, then all you need to know is:

Aruba Tower Suite 1419
Aruba Tower Room 1409
Aruba Tower Room 1717
Aruba Tower Penthouse

Bonaire Tower Room
Bonaire Tower Room View
Bonaire Suite

Curacao Tower Room
Curacao Suite

You're Going to Aruba & Do What?

Well remember that story about my grandmother and the kids who said they wanted to go to Aruba for Christmas? Well 4 kids, and a couple of big ones, got their Christmas wish more than 8 months early this year.

Now, my Mom and I are always looking at cruises and ships and where they are all going. Some women go to the mall and go window shopping. We don't live near one another, so we window shop together online for cruises, each from our own computer. Then she and I swap the information. Naturally we had looked at Christmas cruises for 2007.

The Last Night of Our Christmas Cruise

It has become a yearly tradition, instead of purchasing Christmas gifts for her dd and son-in-law [my Mom & Dad], grandchildren and great-grandmother, my Nana treats us to a Christmas cruise instead. This has occurred the past 4 years. Dh and I missed the first one, my brother and his kids missed the third one.

Once a few years back when the subject of our Christmas cruise had come up I suggested Aruba instead. Nana quickly countered that a Caribbean island like Aruba would never feel like Christmas. Ships feel like Christmas. Period, she had made her mind up.

Why Do You Only Go to Aruba?

I get to thinking about people dissing those who return to Aruba year after year. "Why do you go back to the same old thing?" "Why not try something new"? "Where is your sense of adventure?"

All are valid points for sure. Heard Hawaii is beautiful, but unless I can afford first class plane tickets for my entire family, that 8 hour flight each way is going to keep me away permanently.

Is One Week In Aruba Too Short?

It really is going to depend on how much you like Aruba. Admittedly not everyone falls in love with the place as much as some of us others do ....too windy, not tropical enough, not lush enough...the list could go on, but I will instead list the positive like great beaches, friendly people, fantastic restaurants, perfect weather...

So a week has ALWAYS has been for me way too short! We only have to fly from Atlanta and I think 4 hours each way on an airplane itself is a big enough feat to warrant spending more time at the destination. One week there and subtract the day you travel in. You eat dinner and then sleep in your hotel room. On the day that you leave Aruba, you eat breakfast and then maybe it is a quick hop in the ocean before checkout and another day lost. So that leaves you with 5 or 6 carefree days, depending on whether you are going for 6 or 7 nights.

Bully Again

Remember I wrote about that wonderful taxi driver Bully who we had met in Aruba? My Mom and Dad decided last minute a few weeks ago to take off to Aruba for a week. I emailed Bully and asked him to pick them up at the airport. He responded to my email within a few hours saying he would be there.

Like anticipated, my parents walked out of the doors from Aruban Customs and there was Bully waiting to meet them. He helped them off with their luggage and they proceeded outside.

It was then that he began apologizing. His van was in the shop being serviced. He did not have his van this day. Instead he had a relative who is also a taxi driver, drive him [Bully] to the airport to pick up my parents.

Now let's face it, the man could have just as easily sent his relative the taxi driver to pick up my Mom and Dad. But Bully did not. In essence my parents were picked up at the airport by two taxi drivers. So I am going to say, if Bully says he is going to be there, Bully is going to be there.

When in Aruba

The Caribbean has its own diverse culture and ethnic groups; as a result there are foods which are indigenous and distinct to each island.

When in Aruba, you must try the Keshi Yena. Dh is an amateur chef and does all the cooking at home. Here is his recipe which he has adapted over the years since we have been visiting Aruba. Keshi Yena gives us a taste of Aruba at home.