It has been almost four years since we took a vacation in February of 2020 right before pandemic began. While it is not a long period of time per se the world has changed and so have we.  Long gone was my organized system of a packing list but the way I saw it we were going to Aruba for a week so what could we really need?  Fishing out my island attire and snorkeling equipment was no small task. As we sorted through old gear some of which had long expired, I was gifted a pair of old water shoes hiding in my swim fins that I have been searching for since our trip to Australia.

Our flight down to our 51st country since getting married was simple and easy. We actually just crossed 500,000 kilometers of travel. Arrival to “one happy Island” was easy as was navigating to our Airbnb hotel. Our accommodation at Modern Boca Catalina was exactly as described, comfortable, well-appointed and situated on a quiet part of the island. We took a walk to the beach which was as close as expected.

Our next stop was a pleasant hike to dinner at the California Lighthouse at Faro Blanco. While the view delivered, the food was average. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset view and decided to get up and go for a hike in the morning. The morning hike the Sasariwichi Sand dunes was easy, followed the coast and afforded great views. The unexpected delight of the morning was a vista that begged for a photo shoot. The waves rolled into this cave and then shot back out like a cannon ball. I was instantly mesmerized. “Wedding shot,” Jeff says, “sure!” “Hike up again for sunset”, “Sure!”

Given our location on the Island and our affinity for walking, we opted not to rent a car. In hindsight, having some easy transport would have helped since the bus was not frequent and we were not on a regular schedule due to Christmas. As it was, we spent the week hiking back and forth to the beach during the day and into the main part of hotel area at night for dinner. On the plus side, the Island is relaxed, weather perfect, safe and easy to navigate. On the minus side, somewhat expensive, crowded on the popular beaches and far from many sights without transportation.

Our plan was to enjoy the simplicity of the small island while breaking the seal on getting a few wedding dress shots. The most appealing to us required access to Renaissance Island. There are three ways to get access to the island: staying at the hotel, getting a service at the spa, or getting a day pass. Since the hotel cost 1,ooo dollars a night we took that right off the table. While a day pass to the spa was not cheap, we were willing but unable to book as the spa was sold out for the week. Sadly, so were the day passes. We tried to sweet talk our way into an early morning or any other time on the island but no dice, it was simply not meant to be this time.  

We knew that there would be some pretty hiking that would lend itself to a wedding dress shot. I had also found a gorgeous, highly rated restaurant that looked unusual enough to warrant a dress shot if we could get the right table. The folks at Ruinas Del Mar Restaurant were eager to oblige and set us up with a perfect table, sitting right at the edge of the koi pond. Feeding the fish created a wonderful flurry of activity in the pond. Everyone was eager to eat, except Ruby the black swan who came by but was not interested in the food or posing for the camera. We enjoyed a great meal and an easy shoot for our first shot in years, #302.

The same could not be said of nailing a sunset shot. Despite our daily efforts (Shots #303 & 304) to capture the golden colors of days end we came up empty. The only picture worthy sunsets to be found occurred night one when we had just arrived and on our last evening as we were walking to dinner. Sometimes the memories are just that, images that live on only in our minds.

Getting underwater shots was also challenge as the hordes of people visiting one happy island kicked up a lot of debris in the water. That said, the snorkeling was pretty decent right off the shore. There were loads of box fish, tangs, angel fish, grouper, parrot fish, needle nose, rock fish, sea urchins. Finally, I got to hang out with an octopus for a while.  It was nice to see that the reef is trying to grow back even in the midst of heavy use. There was a lot on the island that we did not have the time or inclination to explore on this visit including the gold mine, but we expect that a return trip to the island will be coming in the not so distant future.

A final note, the taxis in Aruba were great. Very regulated and driven by people born in Aruba. Our last driver was awesome, if find yourself in Aruba and need a drive, call Greg. His What’s App is: +297 734 2314.