Aruba

When we docked in Aruba, our first port, we immediately took a taxi to Manchebo Beach. I finally saw one of these perfect beaches that I'd only seen in Mr. Higgins' photos.


The water was amazing - all shades of blue - and so very calm. The waves were small and lazy. Pelicans dove for fish in the crystal-clear water.


We walked up and down the beach before settling in for the day and I was captivated.


It was cloudy this morning which turned out to be a good thing - the sun here is scalding as Aruba is much closer to the Equator. By noon the sun was out.


This is where we camped out for the day - two lonely lounges that had been brought out, almost to the water's edge. Once the sun came out, we found shade and dozed the afternoon away, listening to the sounds of the Caribbean.


In the early afternoon we went back the ship, got cleaned up, and then went back to the island for some shopping - and a drink at Senor Frogs.


Aruba's beaches were gorgeous - stunningly pristine - but I was not impressed with the island itself. It was very desert-like and dry feeling - not all that tropical. But the beaches......wow!