Aruba

• Fri Feb 17 2012

The people who live on Aruba, a small sandy island in the Caribbean, just 27 kilometres north of Venezuela, are soft-spoken and gracious. About the only point of contention I discovered there a couple of weeks ago was over which of their many beaches is best.

Eagle Beach is generally called the best. In fact, major travel magazines usually include it among the top ten beaches in the world. But when I mentioned that to one of Aruba’s distinguished business leaders, Harold Malmberg, he smiled slightly, then offered a correction: “No,” he said, smiling at me, “I’d say Baby Beach is best.”

That’s about as contentious as things get on Aruba, an island with the most idyllic atmosphere I know in the entire Caribbean.

Perhaps it’s because the Dutch assumed its ownership long ago and ever since have deeply influenced its way of thinking. So, although almost 40 distinct nationalities make up its 120,000 citizens, the famous Dutch tolerance prevails — everyone gets along, there’s little or no corruption and the political culture is a social democracy.

“I love it here,” says Richard Velasco, who has worked many years in hotels around the world, including those of Canadian Pacific. Just over 20 years ago, he was invited to Aruba.

“I’ve never left,” he told me. “I met my wife here. My son was born here. I love the people. And the climate is great. (In February and March it’s like high summer in Canada — between 78 and 82 F (26 to 28 C) — plus there’s no humidity because of the sea breeze.) Velasco is general manager of one of Aruba’s renowned hotels, Spanish-owned Hotel Riu Palace.

One day, along with Rocky Franken, an experienced guide with a wealth of background, my wife Barbara and I went to the small island capital Oranjestad, minutes from our Hotel Riu. We paused for walks at various historic sites — the rose-tinted parliament, the stately 1840s Dutch Reformed Church, pastel buildings off the main boulevard, topped with elegant cornices that retain its early European history.

Perhaps most memorable was our stop at Wilhelmina Park, where, amid the lush and stately tropical trees, a large statue rises of the Netherlands’ legendary Queen Wilhelmina, who lived there from 1890 to 1948.

There’s probably no island in the world that surpasses Aruba’s unique appeal to divers. For beyond its remarkably clear waters — once beneath the surface you can see for 90 feet — there are many shipwrecks to be viewed.

One is particularly renowned and draws serious divers and snorkelers of every level from North America and Europe. It’s off the island’s west shore: the Antilla Wreck.

Back in the spring of 1940, once Germany had invaded Holland, it sent the Antilla, a German U-boat to spy on the Dutch island. Dutch marines demanded it surrender within 24 hours. The Antilla captain decided to send his crew to shore, then sink the ship. It’s still there and though decaying, a great view.

When Aruba made its decision in the 1980s to become a tourist destination, it naturally included cuisine so that today there are roughly 300 restaurants and, given the island’s diverse cultural history, they appeal to pretty well every taste: Asian and Argentinian, Caribbean and French, American steaks or exotic vegetables.

I’ve never publicly presented myself as a man of culinary high taste, but over the years I’ve sensed an ever-rising standard in food preparation and presentation.

I’d say the general buffets at Aruba’s Riu compare favourably with the cuisine of comparable kitchens on major cruise lines. But Riu, like the best cruise lines, has its specialty restaurants, and there it shines. (You choose the one you want for dinner each morning, are thereby registered and expected for first or second sitting.)

There’s an Italian restaurant, a steak house, a Japanese one, and then there’s Krystal. Krystal remains in memory and, for all I know, always will: not just for its menu but its marvellous decor, including recessed displays of fine and elegant crystal.

At Krystal, on more than one evening Barbara and I dined very well indeed, on smoked salmon, cream of pumpkin soup, lamb loin and vegetable parmentier with dill oil. All of this was accompanied by wines from Chile. And with me, any restaurant that serves Chilean wine is not just off to a great start but a warm and permanent memory.

Basic information: All inclusive packages at Hotel Riu Palace Aruba are available year round through Sunwing. See Sunwing.ca or visit your travel agent to request a Sunwing brochure.

Special to The Hamilton Spectator