Bati Bleki, December 2nd, 2013

 

LET THERE BE LIGHT. We congregated on the Sasaki roundabout for the lighting of the Rotonda, by Minister Drs. Paul Croes, and Minister Michelle Hooyboer-Winklaar, when a downpour surprised all present with liquid blessings. The Divi sponsored roundabout, features more than 30.000 lights which took a week to thread! Think about it in terms of men-hours and realize that it is a considerable expense, a donation to the public domain. The rain did not dampen the mood, nor stop the festivities, as Divi executives and their invited guests sipped cocktails and nibbled on delicious snacks undeterred by the drizzle!

THE MALMOK LINEAR PARK. On Thursday afternoon, Thanksgiving Day, I baby-sat an 18-pounder in my oven, basting and praying for the turkey to roast evenly and not to dry up. My prayers were answered and at 7:10pm I drove out my door with the Big Stuffed Bird under foil in the back seat, I drove slowly to my Thanksgiving dinner destination, careful not to tip the pan. Unfortunately, not all drivers on Malmok drive that carefully. You know what happened. Down the strip, on the ocean side, a young man in a red tee-shirt lost his life when he was hit by a car. The jogger was running with his back to the traffic, in the direction of the Marriott, on the right-side of the street, and from the brief glace I got, before the Police directed me to the dirt road, I could not see if he was wearing anything reflective on his shoes, or a safety vest. This horrible image in now etched in my mind, it is so sad, and unfortunate, that man did not have to die like that, because the need for a running/biking trail on that gorgeous piece of landscape, has been discussed many times before. On July 15th, I said in this column: It is very busy on Malmok each evening with the whole island practicing sport on the asphalted highway, and on the oceanfront dirt road. What can we do to make it as pretty and safe as the linear park in town — no kiosks, please! I am hereby renewing my request for a bike path, no kiosks. I also distinctly remember last year, I quoted a jogger, Marcus Wiggins, who also reiterated the need of a running trail last year, and warned against disaster. Drs. Paul Croes, whom I met at the opening of the Aruba Racquet Club promised to talk to the decision-makers and place the Malmok linear park under the list of construction priorities.

PUTTING ON THE RITZ. We went for lunch at Aruba’s newest hotel property, the Ritz-Carlton and were delighted to see many friends at work there. Blanca Taborda, the former famed Garufa bartender is now the queen of that resort’s lobby bar and she was fast to tell me delicious Mojitos with fresh mint, are available at her ocean-front location. The bar truly showcases the view, and I am still debating whether the resort opted for no trees to maintain its wide, pristine and spectacular horizon, or that the expense was just deferred to a later date! In any case, the view is great, from every angle, and the beach is super impressive. We shared Fish Tacos, a Seared Tuna Salad and a Healthy Wrap chased by interesting, signature cocktails, which were tasty and reasonable priced. Best of all, the valet service took charge of my car. We’ll do it again!      

ROMANTIC MARRIAGES. In the past month I was fortunate to participate in two weddings, they were both romantic and inspiring, affirming love and celebrating big and small joys and sorrows. The first one in Belgium tied the knot between Werner & Peter, who have known each other for 20 years,  and the other one in Aruba, this past weekend, witnessed the exchange of vows between Michael & Jeff, who have been together since the Millennium.  The ceremony in Belgium in a small chapel in the town of Brecht, 45 minutes outside Antwerp, delivered wedding-goers in an antique-bus. Then following an emotive ceremony, the day continued with a cocktail reception in a cozy pub, and gourmet lunch in a country inn. Later in the evening, a champagne toast was offered in a chapel built in the year 1238, chased by a red carpet banquet at the historical Elzenveld monastery hall. The guest list included a delegation from Aruba as well as entertainer Zsa Zsa Lamour, from Belgium Got Talent. A wedding cake shaped like the island, a jazz band, and Chippendale waiters after midnight, completed the list of delicious surprises. The wedding this weekend on a smaller scale, yet with the same emotional impact and sincere appeal featured the couple against the backdrop of the beach at Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort. Wedding guests were treated to pre-ceremony cocktails with unforgettable Tina Turner’s music videos. Then the reverend Mighty Whitey officiated over the sunset blessing which was followed by an intimate dinner, toes in the sand. While Werner & Peter released a matching pair of white turtle doves into the morning sky, Michael & Jeff release flying sky lanterns into the sparkling heavens over Palm Beach, for an extra measure of good luck and happiness. The just-wed couple in Belgium was surrounded by family members, sisters and brothers on both sides, parents too, and an army of good-looking friends, while the just-wed couple in Aruba enjoyed a blanket of love made of friends coming in from as far as New Orleans. Ring bearers Lulu and Spike, two tiny Yorkshire Terriers, she in a custom pink gown and he in a Tommy Bahamas shirt, enjoyed the festivities as much as the two-legged crowd. So why am I telling you all that? To simply state that love is love, and Aruba in my view, is ready to vote for marriage equality.  Legal recognition of same sex marriage and the possibility to perform same sex marriages, should be permitted on Aruba, agrees attorney Ronny Wix, and the government could have introduced it in the last election, and will hopefully do it in the next.

THE OPENING OF THE ARC. It was a beautiful party. The Aruba Racquet Club will definitely change lives on the island. Kids now have a beautiful place to go after school and parents may join them during the weekend. Developer and entrepreneur Claudia Daher Ponson spoke beautifully about family values, at the opening of the club, sharing her vision for it with invited guests. Kenneth, her husband, says it’s the last family project for now, with the General Store renovations, the Do It Center opening and the ARC re-launch, the family has been busy! Fact, Claudia  is a dynamo and should perhaps consider running for political office, she is unstoppable. P.S. The lovely catering looked like it was Papiamento Restaurant’s but I checked, the abundant spread was organized in-house. Kudos.    [email protected]

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December 01, 2013
Rona Coster