Senior Frogs

Senior Frogs in the Highrise section of Aruba is always a fun night out

The game wheel is brought around to the tables and you spin to win a prise.  I got a shot glass full of something good (I don't know what)

The couple next to us were just visiting Aruba on their honeymoon.  she didn't speak too much English but he had worked at the oil refinery at one time for 3 years and was showing her Aruba.  I met them because they were lucky enough to spin the wheel and have to by a drink for a stranger.  That was lucky me.

This guy made balloon hats for everyone.

Fran, Stan and Ann Marie

The whole gang.  Stan took the picture

Nice hats

If you sit in one of the bar stools it gives you a nice ass.

Super Bowl in Aruba

You could take a bus anywhere on the island for $1.30 so Sunday we toured around a little bit. 

We found tat the wildlife on the island  were not afraid of people and could even be quite a pest if you had food out

We were staying in what they called the low rise area which was a series of beach resorts with ours being the tallest at about 5 floors.  We took the bus into the High Rise area where all the big retorts were and many of the night clubs

Senior Frogs

We had lunch at a outdoor Brazilian Bistro 

Sunday evening Peter and I found a nice little beach bar that looked like a boat. We stayed here for the Super Bowls because we got a bucket of beer (6 small bottles) for $25. and watched the Super Bowl on their TVs.  They even gave us free food.

Flying to Aruba

The next morning we were up early and took the free shuttle to the airport.  Check in went quick but than it just meant we had more time to wait for the plane as not too many spots were open that early in the morning. 
We flew Trans Air, which is a no frills airline.  We could have free coffee, pop and juices but that's all unless we bought it.  There were no TVs.  We had one stop in Atlanta Georgia where we changed planes.  It took about two hours to get to Atlanta.  Unfortunately Atlanta had had a power failure that morning and many passengers had to have hand written tickets etc.  This slowed down the boarding process and because they were doing everything manually it took several tries at counting the passengers to match up with there records  We were two hours late taking off.  When we finally arrived in Aruba. which surprisingly was a five hour flight from Atlanta, it was raining.  Lucky it only rained for a short time.  Because we were two hours late in arriving, our spot in the terminal wasn't available.  We ended up sitting on the runway until they decided to bring out portable stairs and buses to get us to the terminal.

We got a taxi to our hotel Casa Del  Mar just in time for Happy Hour

We quickly dropped everything off in our room

Our place was not too bad, a full kitchen, but no dishwasher, living room dinning room and 1 large bedroom with en suite and 1 small bedroom with 2 beds and  next to a washroom with a large walk in shower. We also had a large deck.

We hurried down to Happy Hour and that when we got another surprise.  Happy Hour was two for one drinks, but, you had to drink both of them you couldn't give one to someone else.  That wasn't as bad as finding out that a regular can of Coors Light was  $11.00 US.  Supper at the restaurant that night for Ann Marie and I  came to over $70.00 US and I didn't have a drink and Ann Marie only had  one glass of wine 

O ya Internet wifi in our room was to be $35.00 per week per computer.  I cheaped out.

First day of our trip to Aruba

Our holiday started on the wrong foot right off the bat.  We were to spend the night at a La Quinta Hotel in Buffalo and fly out in the morning at 6:00 am to Aruba.  We started out heading to the boarder, going the old man way (taking all the back roads) along highway twenty.   We were almost the only ones on the road and the stinking Lincoln was just motoring along while we listened to the radio.  When I slowed down for a red light I looked in the rear view mirror and there was a unmarked cop with flashers going and sirens (so he says, we didn't hear them)  The cop claimed I was going 112 in a 80 zone.  We told him we were just starting our holidays and were on the way to the boarder.  After a lecture AND A TICKET, we were on our way again.  The cop could have saved me some further aggravation by telling me the bridge, just ahead over the Welland Canal, was closed for repairs and I could not get to the boarder that way, but he didn't.   When we got to the bridge I should have turned around right then but I didn't as I thought we could follow the detour.  For the next half hour we were lost until we came to the QE (the road I was trying to avoid)  just beyond the bridge at ST. Kitts.  Then I missed my turn to Niagara Falls and was on the road to Fort Erie.   I wanted to cross at Niagara Falls so I went off on Lundy's Lane and headed for the bridge.  Lundys Lane at one point was under construction and a workman flagged us down a side street.  Lost again.

We finally got to the boarder and of course picked the line where they had to talk to the car in front of us for ever it seemed.  When our turn came the girl boarder guard suddenly felt the need  to talk to her boyfriend who just walked by and left us sitting again.  When she came back,  with out a word or a question said we could go.  Hurray we were on our way.  Next because of big snow banks I missed the turn onto the through way and ended on a back road full of pot holes.  Because I had been that way before I was not lost and soon we were on the right road and headed to the La Quinta Hotel. 

 We found the hotel and Fran and Peter had just arrived there also.  Fran informed us that they were going to give us the senior rate.  Where things looking up?  No!  Now we had to pay $35 per week to park our car which was free under the old rate. 

We had a nice adjoining room with a shower bath, couch and desk

 That night we went out to get some beer to drink in our room.  We found the biggest Liquor store I have ever seen but they had no beer.  The gas station we stopped at, because they sell beer in the States, had lost its license.  I gave up and drank wine that night.  We did find a place that was called the Brew Pub and went there for supper.  It was reasonable and the beer there was good.  When he found out we were Canadians the owners son came over to talk to us.and welcome us to the Pub.  It certainly was a place I would go again.