Food tips
Groceries – Virtually all grocery stores close at 1:00 or 2:00 on Sundays. Lines can get ugly as new arrivals rush in before the Sunday close. Plan accordingly. (The little store across from the “Gold Luck” near the top of our street, 50 yards to the right on Route 2, sometimes lets people in a little later on Sundays, if you knock on the door and smile nicely.)
The best variety of foods in Aruba is at Ling & Sons (see "Driving Directions" tab). If you need cold cuts, remember to get a number, … or you could have a long wait. Ling & Sons also has the best wine selection. The Yinlu Supermarket on the road from Route 2 to Eagle Beach (again, see Drivig Directions tab) is very clean and convenient, although it does not have as much variety as Ling & Sons.
At the risk of being indelicate, rentals are provided with an initial supply of toilet tissue; so get an appropriate stock of paper goods for the week when you go to the store.
Coffee – Such a good way to start the day. The coffee maker at our house makes good coffee (ground only), but only as good as what you put in. We bring coffee from home; bring what you like. If shopping locally, the “Santo Domingo” at Ling & Sons is OK. If you prefer Splenda or other sugar substitutes, dropping some in your bag will leave you with one less thing to pick up at the store.
The coffee maker makes 5 ounce cups; most others make 6 ounce cups. As a quick rule of thumb, we make 10, 5 ounce cups (50 ounces), which is similar to 8, 6 ounce cups (48 ounces). So a slightly rounded ¼ cup of coffee is about right for 10, 5 ounce cups. Sure beats counting out tablespoonfuls early in the morning.
Wine – If having a nice glass is a good start for your evening, Ling & Sons has a nice selection. (If you like reds and do not know Spanish Tempranillos, Aruba may expand your horizon. Aruba also is where we discovered Chateauneuf de Pape.) Be careful with older wines as Aruba is not conducive to ideal storage conditions.
If you are eating out, some restaurants have nice selections. (Le Dome is world class but a bit stuffy and pricey. Marandi’s and Rumba’s have good selections.) Even if we are dining out, we often have a sip before we leave.
If you don’t finish the bottle, there is a wine pump in one of the kitchen drawers. With a good seal, the wine should be fine for the next evening, or even the second evening after. There's now a decanter as well.
Reservations – See "Restaurants" tab for some of our restaurant recommendations.
Recently tourism has been off, not just in Aruba, but globally. This reduces the need for reservations, especially in the high season. For some high-end restaurants like Marandi’s and Matilde reservations are a good idea. It pains us to see a great value like Rumba’s or Mangos not crowded; but reservations frankly are not usually needed.
Other Suggestions
Tipping – We hate service charges, because it makes the tipping amount awkward. However, 15% service charges are becoming prevalent. So, check your bill and tip accordingly. We write “service charge” on the tip line and leave something extra – usually 5%. That is the same as the 20% tip which we usually leave when there is no service charge. Do whatever makes you comfortable.
Chaise cushions – Who would have thunk it in a desert? Yes, Aruba is officially a desert. Yet, little rain spritzes come out of nowhere, especially in the evening or the early morning. We take the cushions off after we finish by the pool for the day and put them on the veranda so that they are dry when we want them during the following day.
Sorry, that does not guarantee that they will stay dry. A little shower can pop up any time, 24/7, … 365. Still, putting them under the veranda overnight raises the odds for dry poolside cushions the following day.
Air Conditioning – The 24/7 trade winds make pool side and beaches pleasant almost any time of year, but most people will want the A/C on around the clock. Aruba measures temperatures in Celsius, not Fahrenheit. One degree Celsius equals 1.8 Fahrenheit. The quick math is that 20 degrees Celsius equals 68 degrees Fahrenheit. You will want it warmer than that: 21o C = 69.8o F, 22o C = 71.6o F, 23o C = 72.4o F, and so on. Actually, with the warm weather outside, you probably will want it warmer inside than you would at home. We find 25o C, 74o F, about right.
Bugs – Aruba has mercifully few bugs. If wearing shorts or a dress in the evening, a light spray (Off, not Deep Woods Off) may be helpful. At restaurants, a light spray on the legs should be sufficient. Early mornings and evenings by the pool can be a little buggy with “no-see-‘ums”; but if you are in the pool, you really will not-see-‘um.
Souvenir Shops – There are plenty downtown in Oranjestat and in the High Rise area about ½ mile from the house. One where we have found some nice things is the gift shop at the Holiday Inn.
Maids, cleaning staff – Maids get paid very well and want to do as many houses as possible. You paid for a full stay and check out is at noon. If the maid shows up before noon and you can accommodate her, thank you. If she arrives early (we had one arrive at 10:10) and you cannot accommodate her, just ask her to come back after noon. This is your vacation, and you are entitled to enjoy it.
Problems – Anneke and her daughter are great people and try hard to make sure everyone has a great stay. Feel free to call her as needed for any problems concerning the house. Her number is 586-7569.
If you find anything that you would have liked to be different about the accommodations, please let us know. This is our home and we want it to be right for all of our guests as well as for ourselves. Please e-mail us at agavegardensaruba@yahoo.com.
|