Beach north of Oranjestad, Aruba 
Carnival performer
All of the thoughts I had ever had of Aruba involved beautiful blue water, soft sandy beaches, and very occasionally, Carnival. That all evokes restful beauty and family fun. So, that’s what I expected when planning for our 2015 vacation. I should have known better. Something unexpected and exciting often happens when Bill and I get together with our friends Tim and Kelly. Especially, when we venture outside the boundaries of the continental United States. I can’t figure out why. (But I’m willing to continue seeking the answer!)
I believe it was Bill and Tim who thought it might be a good idea to coax Kelly and I off our beach loungers to take a Jeep tour. They must have been pretty persuasive because the beach was very nice…
The Jeep tour took us to the Bushiribana Gold Mine Ruins. Gold was found on Aruba in 1824 and mined there for the next one hundred years. The name “Aruba” actually loosely translates to “there was gold”. (Save that little nugget of information for the next time you want gold for Christmas or your birthday. If your husband flinches, tell him that you’ll settle for a trip to Aruba!)
What began as just a little off-roading in the Jeep quickly became a crazy, thrilling, roller coaster ride through Arikok National Park. Evidently there aren’t any roads in this park. Or, maybe our tour guide stayed off of the roads intentionally because he didn’t have a driver’s license-I couldn’t tell. The park proved to be a diverse area that began as desert then transformed into a rugged terrain of rock cliffs. Our guide seemed to take great pleasure in driving us right up to the side of the cliffs so that we wouldn’t miss the glorious view of the Caribbean Sea.
Our next stop was at the top of the Natural Pool. Mesmerizing.
The Natural Pool is in a remote area on the East coast of Aruba. Like the rest of Arikok National Park, it is only accessible by Jeep, ATV, horseback, (or helicopter, I suppose), so it ought to be relatively deserted, right? Nope.
Although they should know better by now, our guys don’t look like they are properly supervising us…
Because we just had to experience the Natural Pool (it might be the real fountain of youth):
No, I was just kidding, but Kelly wasn’t!
Our Aruban experience was filled with adventure, relaxation, rejuvenation, and laugh-out-loud fun.
Proverbs 27:9 reminds us that ‘sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy’. Bill and I are so thankful for our good friends. God has blessed us for sure. How has He blessed you today?
