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Caribbean Travel RoundupNewsletter - Paul Graveline, Editor |
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As a new feature to the Caribbean Travel Roundup, I plan to focus on
a different island each month. This month focus is on Aruba. About a
month ago I began soliciting information from various vendors on
Aruba about their properties and services. The information which I
received is listed below. In truth, I was somewhat disappointed with
the response since this was basically free advertising. I had
originally planned to cover St. Martin in the November 98 issue but
have decided to postpone that until December due to the recent
hurricane. If you know of someone who wants their property or service
on St. Martin publicized in the December CTR, please have them e-
mail me the information at ctreditor@aol.com. Villa, hotel or other
types of listings will be permitted. Listing of individual time share
weeks for rent or swap will not be included.
Paul Graveline
CTR Editor
ARUBA WEB SITES
"Aruba On-Line", the only website authorized as
Aruba's Official Website by the Aruba Tourism Authority and the
Aruba
Hotel & Tourism Association.
URL's: "www.arubatourism.com" or "www.aruba.com"
Also the very busy Aruba Bulletin Board at: "www.aruba-bb.com"
New online is the Aruba Yellow Pages and Website Directory (still
being
developed) at: www.arubayellowpages.com.
HOUSE FOR RENT
Recently renovated house on the Island of Aruba available as a long-
term rental. Located in quiet residential neighborhood in Seroe
Colorado, just a few minutes walk from beautiful Rogers Beach.
Features include: Ocean view, 2 bdrms, 2 full baths, full kitchen
w/oven, large LR/DR w/ bay windows, patio, and a detached garage.
Inquiries should be e-mailed to internet address:
arubaqueen@worldnet.att.net.
VELA WINDSURFING
In short, Vela Windsurf Resorts is the world leader in windsurf
travel offering first class windsurf vacations to Aruba, Baja (Los
Barriles), Cabarete (Dominican Republic), Margarita (Venezuela),
Coche (Venezuela), and Maui. Each destination is chosen for its
unique combination of consistent wind and favorable conditions for a
wide range of windsurf ability levels. At each location, Vela has
established a "windsurf center" which includes a wealth of current
high-performance equipment, a professional staff, a full repertoire
of lessons, and a choice of hotel accommodations. Vela has been in
business since 1987 and takes pride in the fact that we own and
operate all of our windsurf facilities to ensure the best experience
possible. Our most popular destinations are Aruba, Margarita, and
Cabarete (Aruba and Margarita are the best for beginners).
The following paragraph outlines Vela's Aruba destination. More
detailed info is
available in our '98 brochure.
Vela Aruba: Vela's Fisherman's Huts Windsurf Center located at the
new Aruba Marriott is without question the best facility on the
island. This first class center features over 100 Neil Pryde sails
rigged and ready as well as 110 high-performance boards just steps
from the water. Aruba's crystal clear flat water is heaven for slalom
sailors of all-ability levels. In addition, the waist deep water and
gentle morning wind are perfect for beginners. Our Aruba school
offers a variety of lessons taught four times daily.
For more information please contact Vela Reservations at (800)223-
5443 or Keith Koenig in Marketing at (650)373-1106… or via email at
keith@velawindsurf.com. For up-to-date information from all of our
destinations visit our Website at http://www.velawindsurf.com.
THE BOARDWALK VACATION RETREAT
Amidst lush tropical gardens 12 casitas are homes away from home to
those seeking rest and relaxation in a comfortable and elegant
setting. Spacious one- & two bedroom casitas have complete kitchens,
private patios with BBQ, private garden and hammock. Swimmingpool
&jacuzzi. A unique hideaway located just 150 yards from the beach,
across the Marriott Resort.
The Boardwalk vacation retreat, Bakval #20, Aruba. .Ph.:(297) 866654
Fax:(297) 861836 E-mail: theboardwalk@setarnet.aw web-site:
http://www.theboardwalk-aruba.com
The Boardwalk is located right across from the Marriott Resort -which
is on a beautiful stretch of beach- so it's only 150 yards to the
beach and swimming area. We're a short walk away from the high-rise
hotels, casinos, and watersports facilities
The property comprises of several one-bedroom/one-bathroom "casitas",
and two-bedroom/two-bathroom "casitas". These all have a spacious
living room with adjoining kitchen, and a private patio with BBQ
secluded from view by garden area. White tiled floors, ceiling fans ,
rattan furnishings , tropical fabrics, and colorful prints; it's
very private, tropical, comfortable, relaxing, and elegant.
The casitas have color TV with cable (32 channels), a videoplayer,
individually controlled airconditioning, alarm clock/radio, a
selection of literature and videos. The kitchens are complete with
full size refrigerator/freezer, cooktop, microwave-oven, coffeemaker,
toaster, blender, all cooking utensils, glassware, cutlery
,silverware.
The lush and tropical gardens surrounding the apartments are
embellished by a variety of exotic palms, a multitude of flowering
plants and shrubs, and magnificent lawns. Home to hummingbirds and
butterflies. Amidst these gardens lies our freeshaped swimmingpool
with jacuzzi .
We have a minimarket and windsurfing/surfing/beach store also at our
front-office.
To see some photos of our property please check the page we have at
the following web site; http://www.velawindsurf.com/boardwalk.html
For more information on our property you may also check the page we
have at the following web site:
http://www.arubatourism.com/boardwk.html
We apologize for the fact that our own web site
http://www.theboardwalk-aruba.com is still under construction. We
should have our site up and running within the next 3 months or so,
so please do keep it in your "favorites" box so you can get even more
information on our property in the not too distant future.
As far as reservations go; we require a downpayment of 25% to take a
reservation. It is best to reserve well in advance in order to meet
all your requirements; since we are a small property we fill up quite
far in advance.
Regarding rates, these are as follows;
1-bedroom 2-
bedroom/2-bathroom
(double occupancy) (quad
occupancy)
Mid season '98
04/15-08/15 US$ 100.00 US$ 155.00
Low season '98
08/15-12/15 US$ 90.00 US$ 140.00
High season '98-99
12/15-04/15 US$ 150.00 US$ 220.00
These rates are per night per casita, and are based on double (for
the 1-bedroom casita) and quad (for the 2-bedroom/2-bathroom casita)
occupancy. The extra person charge is $15.00 per extra person, up to
4 persons maximum in a 1-bedroom, 6 persons maximum in a 2-bedroom/2-
bathroom casita. Children under 12 stay for free. 7% tax additional.
Have you ever wondered what the parade looks like from the elevated vantage point of the stilt walkers? . . . September 15, 1998 Carnival 98 Parade of Troupes The parade is one of the high points of Carnival week, which also includes boat races , entertainment shows, street dances , pageants, and much more. You will see brightly costumed troupes of dancers, winners of the pageants, and stilt walkers. And you will see and hear Anguilla's best bands performing from trucks that are interspersed throughout the parade. This is an afternoon event for the whole family, one that winds around The Valley through crowds of carnival celebrants, then back to Carnival Village for a show. News.ai is On Summer Vacation The Anguilla Local News announced in the August 15 issue that it was going on a short summer vacation and would publish only a truncated edition of the news every two weeks. In spite of that, people still expect in-depth news coverage: Well as a natural born Anguillian, I am quite disappointed with the pictures from Carnival 1998 in your latest issue . I didn't see any picture of the people participating and making it great. There were not hardly enough pictures of Jouver't morning, parade, and the little piece of Last Lap. I was astonished to see that Anguilla's number one band the Vito Band also known to many as the Better Band, were not featured at all. There were no pictures or articles, even to their achievement of winning the title of Road March Champions for 1998 was not mentioned at all. I was disappointed and dismayed with the reviews that were put on the Internet. I hope to see better in the future. Sincerely Jamila Connor and Monique Casey Unfortunately, our reporter was off-island during Carnival. Pictures and reviews do not appear out of thin air. We were lucky that a few people volunteered to donate pictures they had taken to go on the web site. Anyone who participated in Carnival 98 is more than welcome to submit an article for possible publication in the Anguilla Local News. The Daily Herald Newspaper The Daily Herald is a regional newspaper published in Phillisburg, St Maarten. Naturally this paper covers St. Maarten and St. Martin, but it also has excellent coverage of Anguilla, Saba, St. Eustatius St. Kitts and Nevis, plus news from the other islands in the Caribbean, international, financial and sports news as well. The Herald's excellent news reports from Anguilla are the work of Brenda Carty . An example from the August 29, 1998 issue: First Time for Anguilla At Commonwealth Games. Three young Anguillians are to represent Anguilla at the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia next month. This is the first time ... Keithly Richardson, Timothy Brooks and Desiree Cox are the three Anguillian athletes. All are currently on athletic scholarships at Linwood College in Missouri and were chosen for having the best performance and times.... The Daily Herald is published Monday through Saturday and sells for EC$1 or US$0.50 on the news stands. You can subscribe and have it mailed to you by calling 25253 or 25697 in St. Maarten, the Netherland Antilles and talking to Julie. To subscribe in Anguilla, even for delivery in The Valley, call Brenda Carty at 1-264-497-3138 or fax to 1-264-497-8707, or email abcarty@offshore.com.ai . Computer Boot Camp Is Over The Library Computer Club's was sad to see our favorite Italian leave. The club was able to offer intensive 8-week computer courses this summer, because we had accountant and business professor Gaetano Di Palo ( "Nino" ) here from Naples. A young Anguillian, Marsha Duncan , did an outstanding job assisting. The programs, for both children and adults, ran from July 6 to August 27th. All students learned to use Windows 95, spreadsheets, and much more, and were presented with Certificates of Achievement by club president Leroy Hill. For full course outlines and many more pictures visit the boot camp web site . Nino was hosted by Sonesta , La Sirena , Fountain Beach , and two private homes. In return, Nino worked 20 hours per week in the club and countless hours preparing and advising students. Everyone sends him a big thank you. Now that Nino is gone, the club reverts to afternoon openings. The club lost Sean and Jo Hastings who taught on Wednesdays, as they moved to California. So it will only be open two times a week: - Monday 3:30-5pm for 12 or older and adults. - Thursday 3:30-5pm for 11 or younger. On his last day, Nino takes a final stroll down Shoal Bay beach , his the only footprints to grace the sand. If you would like to put your footprints here, and you are willing to teach some computer skills for 20 hours per week in return for free accommodations, please contact us at compclub@news.ai (the club would love to have a hardware technician). Updates and Feedback Feedback on Directions. Jibralta wrote about our directions to Mimi Bay : We had a very difficult time finding Mimi Bay and wanted to let you know that basing the directions on the school makes it nearly impossible to find as there are NO SIGNS for the school... there is a bright yellow shack with PURPLE SHUTTERS by the school that is a better sign post... Being that you've lived there for so long and know where everything is be aware that you need to write directions for idiots who don't know where ANYTHING is... so what's obvious to you we drive right by... As someone who writes directions/maps as part of her job (for my film crews to get to location) I am an expert at writing directions for chimpanzees... in other words, if it's possible to get lost ASSUME THEY WILL. After we couldn't find Mimi Bay we asked locals and they gave us wrong directions too, so Nat from Palm Grove DREW US A MAP and then we found it. Jibralta sent more tips as well, which we will publish later. This shows that we are getting to be "too local" and soon will not be able to give directions to anywhere. We have started to redo the directions in this web site, starting each trip from the airport parking lot which has a one-way exit! Katouche Valley Is Private Property. Josephone Gumbs, Secretary of Thomakaty Link Ltd., located at View Fort, highest point on Crocus Hill, Anguilla, writes: Katouche Valley is actually private property. Clearly those persons who walk through the property without permission of the owners commit a trespass." Web Sites About Anguilla Beachshack.ai, Mary Ann's tropical construction page has been updated with much more building news. We are about to start on the main waterfront house, so you might want to look at the house plans . Mary Ann needs help from readers of the Anguilla Local News. Does anyone have experience with self- cleaning swimming pools? Or chlorination systems that use salt water? If so, please email her at maryann@beachshack.ai Malliouhana hotel has a web page at www.malliouhana.com The Anguilla Home Page has a fresh look and a new Internet address: anguillahomepage.ai/ Frangipani announces their web page at www.frangipani.ai . Slick.ai is the new official Internet address for Slick's web page . Help Slick Carty make it to the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney Australia! Summer Shutdowns. Most restaurants in Anguilla are closed this month, but you can still get good ribs for lunch at Uncle Ernies and Smitty's is still open, and he has started to get fresh crayfish and lobsters again (after the summer interruption of the catch). Inns.ai is the Inns of Anguilla , a service which provides information and books reservations for small guest houses and inns, including Sydans, Sea View, La Palma, Ferryboat and Patsy's Villas. Limetree House Villa in Cul de Sac now has a web page at www.limetreehouse.com Reading Recovery in Anguilla Reading Recovery is an early intervention programme designed to reduce reading and writing problems in schools. This programme which began in New Zealand in 1978 is now operating in many different education systems throughout the world: in Australia, Canada, USA and in the United Kingdom. Anguilla will be the first country in the Caribbean to introduce Reading Recovery in all its primary schools. Ms Monica Harrigan has completed a year's intensive training at the University of London as a Reading Recovery Tutor and she will begin training eight experienced Anguillian teachers who have been selected to deliver the programme in local schools. A Reading Recovery Centre has been set up at the Department of Education, for training purposes, and the programme will begin with an official opening on Wednesday 9 September. Children entering the programme in each school are those in Grade 1 classrooms who have the most difficulty with reading and writing after one year at school. The programme is different for every child. During the individual, daily , thirty minute lesson the focus is on comprehending messages (in reading) and constructing messages (in writing), so highest priority is given to children reading many books and writing their own stories. Mrs Jean Prance, one of the Reading Recovery trainers from the University of London, is currently in Anguilla on the first of three visits to ensure that the programme is operated as designed and to ensure successful implementation with quality outcomes.
Friday, September 18, 1998 A weekly report about what's new in the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a special interest in St. John. For the most relaxing vacation of your life, stay at one of our homes: Over the Rainbow, St. John USVI http://www.clark.net/pub/fbarnako/otr/Paradise.html Beyond the Sea, St. John USVI http://www.clark.net/pub/fbarnako/mbluff/BTS.htm Caneel's Equator changes menu If you're visiting St. John, and plan top splurge one night, an option is Caneel Bay Plantation's Equator restaurant, open to the public on a reservation basis (340-776-6111). A new menu is now highlighting local cuisine. The hotel's resident manager, Tina Harlow, told the Daily News, "Guests wanted more of what comes from here. Our Italian guests want a very high quality product without heavy sauces." Local items on the menu now include pan-fried conch, and crab meat with conch served with a mango mint sauce. Grilled Caribbean lobster is a specialty, served with mushrooms, tropical fruit and crispy vegetables. Another attraction, of course is the view. Equator is located on the site of a former sugar mill, and sits atop a hill with a 180 degree view of the ocean and St. Thomas. St. John road work planned The Public Works department has big plans to redo downtown Cruz Bay's roads from Mongoose Junction to Wharfside Village. Many roads will be one lane during the day, when concrete is being poured or is curing. A temporary traffic light will be used to handle the traffic lane reduction (It's the island's ONLY light!). Meanwhile, another road project, near the school and tennis courts on Route 104 is almost complete. Internet users discover St. John Four young Belgians used the Internet to find a budget vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and found their way to St. John. Daily News reporter Lynda Lohr says Jean Pierre Geets put his request on the Internet and received dozens of recommendations that the island's National Park campground at Cinnamon Bay would be perfect. One of the visiting party, a Brussels university student, said he wanted to "scope out the place as a possible location for a bar serving Belgian beer, Lohr wrote. Two others in the party decided they'd like to move to St. John, then changed their mind, They said they love the island but are afraid to tell anyone, fearing the island will be overwhelmed with visitsors. New police station provokes investigation A federal grand jury is investigating members of the V.I. Police Dept. "hierarchy" in connection with "very serious" allegations of kickbacks and misappropriation of materials in the construction of the $2 million police station in Cruz Bay, St. John Tradewinds reported it's been told by a law enforcement official. A prominent Cruz Bay businessman is also said to have been implicated in the allegations, the report added. The source told the newspaper the FBI brought at least one private citizen before a grand jury in connection with the probe. The allegations include that there were improprieties with the construction contract award, the paper added. Source: http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/
This is less a review of my 7/98 visit to the Abacos, Bahamas than it is a recommendation to use the earlier CTR articles on this subject by Sandy Estabrook (1997, updated 1998). Sandy's articles are comprehensive and provide accurate info. I used his l997 version as a guide for my own trip. I confine myself to adding the following to Sandy's observations: My trip was via bareboat sailboat. I rented for seven days out of Marsh Harbor and sailed north as far as Green Turtle Cay and south to Little Harbor stopping at most of the intermediate points. That itinerary is typical for a sailing vacation here. Overall, it ought be pointed out there are no glitzy hotels, casinos or even fancy resorts in Marsh Harbor nor anywhere else in the Abacos though Green Turtle Cay has several fine small hotels. Stick to Nassau and Freeport for glitz and all-inclusive deals. The Abacos are a different world. The appeal here lies in the relaxed pace of living and the very civilized way of doing things, a legacy of the British Loyalist influence which remains very much in evidence today. Don't go to the Abacos expecting upscale resort type lodgings - there are none. What you will find, especially away from Marsh Harbor on the barrier cays, is a delightful time warp. The descendants of those early settlers continue old traditions and live what seems a very proper, almost stiff, British way. I found the place much more reminiscent of Bermuda than of its Caribbean neighbors to the south. We took lodgings at the Conch Inn on the day of our arrival. This is our charter company's house hotel and of course offers convenient access to the marina. I believe this may be its only virtue. We were disappointed with the place and do not recommend it. In fairness, we were there during Abaco Regatta Week and things were really hopping, probably straining their ability to provide services. But the place was very modest, there were snafus on the room's readiness, the pool needed a cleaning, service was glacially slow for lunch and breakfast and the food was only so-so. On the plus side, the room was clean and the air conditioner performed admirably. I can't say anything much more positive about the joint. The best we saw in town was the Abaco Beach Hotel at Boat Harbor, 3/4 of a mile or so from Conch Inn, where we had a fine dinner in its pleasant restaurant. While we did not see the rooms the place has the positive look and feel of a well run small resort with an on-site marina. The clientele was mostly American, power boaters and fishermen over from Florida. As a sailor I instinctively shy away from this obnoxious breed - loud by nature and given to zooming around in smelly, noisy boats - but I acknowledge they tend to hang out at the more upscale places. Considering their tastes in boats this crowd was surprisingly restrained, maybe they were contemplating their gas bills for the return trip to Florida, so I regretted we hadn't taken a room here. Green Turtle Cay, 20 miles north of Marsh Harbor, is accessible only by boat as are all the other outlying cays. GTC is everything that Sandy Estabrook says it is. Definitely a place worth visiting. We ate various meals in all three of the top restaurants - Bluff House, Green Turtle Club and Plymouth Inn. Our favorite was Bluff House where we had a single seating, gourmet candlelight dinner in a well appointed dining room. The other places are, however, close competitors. Can't comment on their lodgings but Plymouth Inn, located in town, has a B&B look to it whereas Green Turtle Club has the best looking physical plant though Bluff House has the superior, elevated, view. I kept getting Guana Seaside Village and Guana Resort Hotel on Guana Cay mixed up. They are about 2 miles apart, both located on the Sea of Abaco which despite its name is really a bay or sound. Of the two I would pick Seaside Village as the more attractive. We anchored off their pier and took the dinghy in for a real nice poolside lunch. The place is relatively new and everything looks in fine shape but, again, this is not a resort set-up. It's more like a very nice motel, as is its competition where we strolled at breakfast the next morning. Both are pretty sedate, unlike Nipper's Bar on the beach which is a classic beach bar. I concur in Sandy's comments about Man-O-War Cay and Elbow Cay, both are places which would remind you of New England seaside towns. We dined at the Abaco Inn located a few miles south of Hopetown on Elbow Cay in the locale known as White Sound. Fine restaurant, rooms looked ok too. My favorite spot was Little Harbor which is on the mainland and accessible by car from Marsh Harbor. I should warn, however, it might not be everyone's favorite spot. As Sandy noted, this was founded as a art colony 30 years ago by a nearly destitute sculptor, Randolph Johnston, who brought his family here by boat and lived under the most primitive of conditions for over 5 years while building a home from scratch. Other than a lighthouse keeper there were no other people living within several miles. Everything had to be brought in by boat in those days. He eventually built a bronze foundry and established the art colony. Today, the place has retained the flavor of a bohemian outpost. The harbor itself is a classic beauty but there are no telephones, no stores, only a handful of residences and there's no insecticides to deter the skeeters who roam plentifully and maliciously. Power is supplied by an on-site diesel generator. We ate dinner at the sole eatery, Pete's Pub, where the dinner menu was burgers or, if you wanted something fancy, cheeseburgers. It was the most ramshackle beach bar I've ever seen but also one of the most picturesque. We couldn't stay for the weekly boar roast on Sunday but it smelled great and had lured about a dozen tourists up from Marsh Harbor. What, then, is the appeal of this place? It is the late Mr. Johnston's gallery on the edge of harbor. It's now run by Pete, one of his three sons. The building itself is architecturally pleasing with good lines and plenty of glass, But it's the contents of that gallery which distinguish this place. There are dozens of museum quality bronze sculptures there as well as at a smaller gallery at the foundry. The large pieces at the foundry are, I believe, mostly for exhibition but many are also for sale at both locations. There's plenty of smaller pieces priced suitably for momentos of the trip. Naturally, the museum quality pieces carry the substantial prices you would expect. The effect is striking - here, in this almost backward tropical setting are all these remarkable objects of art displayed in a way that would give credit to a New York City gallery. Sandy's article understates one thing, and that is the snorkeling. This was the best snorkeling I've every experienced. The most renown spots are Fowl Cays, Johnny's Cays and Sandy Island. The quality of coral and fish is breathtaking, the clarity of the water amazing. If you want a world class experience you're not going to get it here for resorts/restaurants/hotels. But you will get it for snorkeling. Plus, you will enjoy a lay back approach to life in a culture that out on the cays captures the grace and gentility of two centuries ago.
Trip 9/98 Hubby & I got back Monday night (9/7/98) from a quickie weekend in Tortola. Here's the details: Our taxi driver to & from the airport to the Mongoose Apts was Mr. Jeffrey Hodge. $30 + $10 tip each way. Jeffrey called out site names of the various cities, schools, churches, bays etc. as we drove by. Our room at the Mongoose ($85 per night) was very large, vaulted ceilings w/ceiling fans, bigger kitchen than we have at home w/some goodies (stoli & rum in the fridge, Dominican coffee amongst some other staples)left behind by very generous previous guests. Our balcony looked out at a lush mountainside. The surrounding vegetation was much more than I'd expected from reading up on the Apts. So many flowering plants & fruiting trees, I briefly saw a hummingbird visit. It was a dream come true for any nature lover. We walked down the beach to Myett's for lunch. Two Painkillers each, I had the grilled mahi-mahi w/veggies, rice & salad, hubby had a grilled chicken sandwich w/fries, total $42 plus $6 tip. After lunch we swam in the warm calm bay, it was so perfectly beautiful. If only the whole world could be like that spot. After a few hours, we made ourselves go back to the room to rest up for dinner. Since we were only spending two nights on the island, we could not waste a meal at just anyplace. While hubby napped, I went down to the Mongoose office & conferred w/Sandra on where to have dinner. I wont bore you w/the intricate details as to how we arrived at a decision, it was a completely illogical process of elimination, but it worked. I picked North Shore Shell Museum for dinner, a Mom & Pop type West Indian Place in Carrot bay, owned by Mrs. Scatliffe's daughter & son-in-law, Egbert. Egbert also provides complimentary hotel pick-up and drop-off service to the restaurant. The open air restaurant/bar section sits atop Egbert's extensive shell collection which is on the ground floor. Egbert specializes in authentic Tortolan cuisine, so when I asked for a painkiller, he said that there is a tourist's drink. I instead ordered a Sour Sop Daiquiri for which he cut up a real Sour Sop fruit. I'd never seen one of those before. Another specialty of Egbert's is breakfast. Since the hubby wasn't feeling up to par due to the flight, he asked if he could order breakfast for dinner. Egbert said he could do that, so he ordered the mango pancakes and I ordered the fish. Out came a basket of warm banana bread. Then I got a little side salad w/a vinagrette dressing on the side. I had some kind of BBQ Fish/Fungi/Pumpkin/Veggies. So much food I had it wrapped to go. After dinner, Egbert brought out instruments and we played Fungi music w/him. Guess you gotta be pretty liquored up to not feel like an idiot doing that. And we were. We each bought a souvenir t-shirt for $10 each. The dinner bill was only $31, so the total w/tip was $60. Egbert drove us back. Since the Mongoose has no Air Conditioning is was very a hot night and hard for me to sleep. Next day ate leftovers (Banana Bread & Pancakes) for Breakfast. Swam in the morning. There was a big rainbow over Jost Van Dyke. For lunch, Jeffrey drove us to Pussers in Road Town $15 + $5 each way. At Pussers we had 2 painkillers each in the souvenir mugs, I had a small veggie pizza $6.95, hubby had a portabello mushroom wrap which came w/big fries $7.95. Total $50 w/tip. Bought t-shirts at a craft stall nearby. Jeffrey drove us back to the Mongoose. Hot hot hot in our room. Swam some more in the afternoon. In the evening, we walked up to Myetts looking for a cab to Bomba's because the Mongoose Office was closed and we couldn't call Jeffrey. The owner of Myett's drove us to Bomba's - $15 + $5 tip. What a neat place Bomba's is! I drank rum punches and the hubby drank Amstel lites. Fun to watch the people. Great music. We snacked on BBQ corn on the cob & spicy rice & beans. Saw the Mushroom man w/his basket of mushrooms but declined to try them. Bought t-shirts. Left at 9pm. The rest of the evening is pretty hazy. We cabbed back to Myetts $15 + $5. A great live band was playing. People were dancing. I had a Painkiller and hubby had an Amstel and we both had fish rice & veggies $43 + $6.50. Walked home. Hot hot hot. Next morning swam. Another rainbow. Egbert picked us up for breakfast. Met his Siamese cat Tammy, the first & only cat I saw on the island. Hubby had Guava pancakes & I had Banana pancakes w/Guavaberry syrup. Great view in the daylight from the restaurant past breadfruit trees and out at Jost Van Dyke. After breakfast, Egbert gave us one of his hand-made shell creations then drove us back. Jeffrey took us to airport $30 + $10. Sat in the Airport Restaurant eating cheese sandwiches, fries, plain water - $12. Looked out at the goats & chickens, saw chicks. Flight left at 3:12pm. Still scratching from the mosquito bites
Trip 8/98 We traveled to the Natura Park Resort and Spa for a two week stay for our 30th Anniversary. This is our third trip to the Dominican Republic and our second to the Bavaro Beach area. We made our reservations through a local Liberty Travel office. We stayed in Newark at the Wyndham Garden Hotel about 1/2 mile from the airport. They offered a fly and drive package for just over $100. which included a nights lodging and 14 days parking (good deal). Their restaurant was excellent, one of the best hotel restaurants we have been to in a long time. So after a good nights rest, we took the shuttle and left Newark Airport just after 7AM on the 15th of August on American Airlines; made an uneventful connection in Puerto Rico (except for 4 hot dogs and two sodas for $12.00), and arrived in Punta Cana on schedule. Going through immigration was easy; paid the $10/pp and got our passports stamped. Everyone was pleasant. Prieto Tours was right there to meet our plane and we were at the resort within 35 minutes of landing. The ride from the Airport (which is quaint with large thatched roof huts) was somewhat improved over last years ride since some of the roads have been repaired. Prieto buses were comfortable and air conditioned. Check-In: Our check in was quick and pleasant. We collected all the necessary items - remote, electrical adapter, safe deposit box key, room key and were in our room in about 15 minutes. We had requested an ocean view room with a king size bed and were pleasantly surprised to have this request met. Room: The room was very pleasant, not elaborate, but well-maintained, with a mix of tile, granite, pine on the cathedral ceiling, rattan furniture and a lovely balcony and stocked mini-fridge with beer and soda. Also, the room had great air conditioning and a ceiling fan. Bottles of purified mineral water were also supplied. About an hour after our arrival, two of the staff arrived at our room with a lovely basket of fresh fruit - pineapple, papaya, apples, banana, star fruit, kiwi. This was indeed a nice surprise. We started to settle in and then noticed that although we did have an oceanview from the balcony; to the right, we had a view of some construction materials beyond a fence, which was less than appealing to our fussy American mentality. Well, my husband went down to the reception desk and he was told to come back and see Tony. Truthfully, we did not expect much as we had similar experiences at other hotels and we got a run- around. When my husband went back, Tony was gracious and very helpful and said that he would do his best to move us the following day as they had a good number of guests leaving. The next day, not only did we get moved, but he moved us to an even better room with a better view of the ocean. Needless to say, we were very pleased with the attitude and concern of the management. Grounds: The grounds are absolutely beautiful and amazingly lush for such a new resort. There are many small lagoons with fish, turtles, even flamingos (which are a delight) and geese that would greet you as you passed by. Bridges span the lagoons and it is even more beautiful at night. The groundskeepers work really hard at keeping everything looking beautiful; couldn't find a weed growing under a plant. They do a really thorough job. We joked about the size of the tropical plants, since the ones that you can get in the US are tiny compared to the ones on the grounds here. Beach: The beach was just as we remembered it from last year when we stayed at Caribbean Village Bavaro, a little further down the beach. One really great thing was that there was an abundance of thatched huts and many umbrellas so you could stay out of the intense sun if you needed or wanted to. We sat under huts, used 30SPF sun block and still came back with beautiful tans, but fortunately did not burn. The lounge chairs are truly a step up from the typical. The chairs on the beach have no slats and no arms so they are much more comfortable. Also, we usually got cushions for our chairs, so they were very comfortable. There was never a shortage of towels; we could get fresh ones in the morning and then usually get clean ones before we went in for the evening. The water was clean, warm and delightful for the first eight days we were there. Then Hurricane Bonnie set in and although it did not come near this area, it did cause some thunder storms and a nine hour rain storm one night. This caused the ocean to churn and sea grasses to be washed up onto the beach. The workers did their best to clean everything up; but of course could not clean up what did not come to shore; so there was a period of about two days where the water was not quite as inviting as it had been; but before we left it was just gorgeous again. We always vacation in August, since that is the month of our anniversary; so we expect it to be hot; but trust me, it is not as hot/humid as southern Florida in the summer. In fact the breeze from the ocean is unexpected and delightful and since this was our second trip to this area - consistent. Pool: While we have been to numerous resorts, I have never been very impressed by the pools and we rarely used them. Natura Park's pool was an eye-opener for us. It is large and beautiful with lush foliage, a large Jacuzzi, a swim up bar and you walk into the pool as you would into the ocean, on a gradual incline. To our surprise we spent much of our swimming time in the pool, even taking part in the water aerobics some mornings. The size of the pool for the resort was also very adequate, as it was never crowded. Food: We found the food at Natura Park to be very good and very well prepared, no stomach problems for us. We were very impressed by the amount and variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, which we ate in abundance. Even the assortment of breads was impressive; you don't generally find whole grain breads at most resorts (or chocolate croissants). Each mealtime had so many choices that you would have to be incredibly fussy not to find something to enjoy. Both of the a la carte restaurants were very good and the service at Media Luna was wonderful (we ate there on our Anniversary), but our preference was for the buffet restaurant because of the variety. We were fortunate to be there for the 1st Anniversary of Natura Park which was celebrated with a lovely beach party. It seemed as though the beach turned into a festival with a variety of foods being served at different stations including seafood paella and small lobsters. As we usually get up fairly early, we didn't want to stay out for the show that night, but were able to view it from our balcony. The fireworks display was a nice surprise. Another night that we really enjoyed was "Dominican Night" where authentic Dominican foods were served. It was quite a treat, especially since my husband is Cuban and many of the foods were similar - yucca, codfish fritters, pastelles, rice with beans, the beef steaks. Since we seldom eat these things at home, it was a wonderful treat, especially the coconut candy. Needless to say, we enjoyed every meal there. We ate most of our lunches at the beach restaurant, LaPerla. They served a good assortment of foods for those of us who chose not to go to the main restaurant for lunch. There was the typical hamburgers and hot-dogs, an assortment of pizzas (not like Brooklyn pizza, but good). In addition each day they offered chicken with French fries, a pasta dish and another choice such as a seafood or meat dish. They also had a small salad bar with a variety of greens and other salads. It is true, they do not serve cheese with the burgers. Also, for anyone getting hungry later in the afternoon there was a coffee time with small cakes and pastries being served - a very nice touch. One of the nicest things about mealtime at Natura Park was the service. First of all, the Dominican people know how to make coffee and appreciate the first cup in the morning, as it is served almost immediately, as opposed to our having rather long waits in other countries. The attitude of the staff was wonderful, they were always smiling and cordial, although they work very long hours. They also worked very hard at communicating in a variety of languages. We met many very delightful people on the staff at Natura Park Resort. The beverages were excellent when we finally found a drink list that was entirely non-alcoholic; since we are not drinkers. At first we were drinking Pina Coladas with a touch of rum (but the touch was usually too much) and without the rum they were a bit too sweet. We particularly enjoyed the Cocktel Tropical. I cannot comment on the quality of the drinks, but everyone seemed to be enjoying them. Also, soda machines were available so that you could help yourself. There was also a coffee station set up most of the time for that extra cup of cafe con leche. Entertainment: We usually avoid most of the entertainment at resorts as it is generally not worth the time. This time we were again pleasantly surprised. First of all, the house band was really good and my husband made friends with the saxophone player and will probably bring his instrument when we go back next summer. Rosa, the female vocalist was very sweet with a lovely voice. The dancers were really energetic and after dancing a few merengues, I had a definite appreciation for their work. How they could dance for over half an hour during each show in the heat was amazing. Other thing that were impressive were their costumes and the variety of shows. Generally, shows repeat, so if you stay more than 7 days you are destined to be bored seeing the same show. Not here, each show was different. I can't tell you how many different shows they have but they are very creative. The dance choreography was excellent; the game nights were lots of fun. Even Dominican Night which does repeat every Thursday, had different touches to it the second week. Anthony, the MC did a great job. It was the most restful and enjoyable two weeks we ever spent. Check Out: Called down to the reception desk. Within minutes a bellman was at our door to pick up our bags. He made sure we had all the necessary things to return to the front desk - remote, keys, adapter, etc... and took our bags to the departure area. The actual checkout took minutes since we had a phone bill to pay. Couldn't keep from calling our kids and grandkids while we were away. In fact we would like them all to come back with us next summer. One thing to note, if you make a phone call and you let the phone ring three or more times, the telephone company charges you for the call even if it is not completed. Be aware that this is the phone company policy, we learned that five years ago on our first trip to the Dominican Republic, so don't blame Natura Park. I would suggest that the management specify this information on their check in sheet so that all guests are aware of it. Departure: Prieto was on time to pick us up; in fact they were very accommodating. They wanted to pick us up at 12:30, but we asked to stay until 1:00 so that we could have lunch since we would not have time for a meal until our connection in Puerto Rico at about 5:30. So they sent a bus for us at 1:00 after picking up the other passengers at 12:30. We got to the airport in no time, and found that our American Eagle flight to Puerto Rico was running late. By the time it came in, a 1 hour and 45 minute layover in Puerto Rico turned into 10 minutes. The flight from Puerto Rico to Newark was great, food was even pretty good and the movie, "The Ride" was excellent, take your family to see it. We arrived at our home (two hours from the airport) at about 1AM after stopping for coffee on the way home. While we are not world travelers, we have been to Cable Beach (Nassau) twice, Paradise Island, Aruba, and the Dominican Republic twice prior to this year. This truly was our most enjoyable vacation. And I must add that the company (my Joe) was wonderful too!! Unless God's plans differ from ours, we will go back there next summer; hopefully with our daughters and their families.
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