personal : aruba vacation!

In January, my husband and I took a week-long, much-needed vacation to Aruba. We went with another couple and their two-year old daughter, and stayed at the Marriott Aruba Beach Resort (highly recommended to anyone looking for a vacation or honeymoon spot).

I didn't take my big gun of cameras - I was just too worried about having to keep track of it, and sand and water are two of a camera's worst enemies...and believe me, I was planning on being near sand and water as much as possible! I took my little Sony point and shoot and although I missed my 5D at times, it worked out well.

The view from our balcony and some palm trees and my hubster in the water.


The two-year-old.


Downtown Oranjestad and a disturbing sign we saw there...


While we were downtown we grabbed some pastechis for lunch - like empanadas, kind of. So good and so cheap!


Love the Dutch-inspired architecture.


Many of the homes and buildings were brightly colored, which is very common in the Caribbean. Is Aruba technically part of the Caribbean? Wikipedia, help me! (Indeed it is.)






Also common on the island? Lizards! I love them.






At one point I went on a snorkeling trip. I'd never been before but I have to say I was a natural and am considering a career change. I bought a super cheap underwater digital camera (a regular digital camera with underwater housing) to use...it was cheaper than just buying a casing for my existing point and shoot, plus if it leaked I wouldn't be too upset since it was so cheap.




I caught a fish with my bare hands and we ate it later. I also stole a boat.


Not really. But I didn't have any great captions for those two pictures.

For real later, though, I did get to go on a pirate cruise. BEST VALUE EVER. It was $30 each for the two-hour cruise with a full OPEN BAR! Considering the cost of drinks at the resort, we each only had to have two drinks over those two hours to have the tickets pay for themselves (I love rationalization!). And we probably maybe possibly had more than two each. In addition to the open bar, there was a ROPE SWING. And real fake "pirates"! Heavenly!


Chris and I splurged and got two massages. We went to a little resort down the beach that had these amazing private massage huts.



Mmmmmm I get relaxed just THINKING about those awesome massages. You could hear the ocean and the breeze and smell the salt air...oh, it was so amazing.

Sigh. I want to go back!