Day 2: Arikok National Park

Friday, May 29, 2015

Slept great in the little four poster bed and we wake up feeling refreshed after yesterday's long day of travel.

After playing with the dogs, Curly & Jazz, for a while, and quick chat with Jet and Hans, we head straight for Arikok National Park. Or, at least in the general direction, because the lack of street signs makes navigating a challenge.

My guidebook mentions a concession stand inside the visitor center, but when we arrive it turns out my information is outdated and we have no choice but to go back.

On the way down Sandy noticed people going up to an unmarked window across from the grocery store and she reasons they are either getting food or drugs, so our chances are pretty good. This is a place for locals, no sign, no labels, no prices ... just a little display in the window.

When I ask the shopkeeper what's on the menu, I'm met with a blank stare, but when I repeat my question in Dutch he flashes an amused smile and gives me a quick rundown of the offerings. I'll admit I stopped paying attention at the mention of kroket and we leave with a large “broodje kroket," a tradional Dutch snack (see Wikipedia), as well as two drinks for less than $5. As an added bonus we get a cool Aruban Florin coin as change for our USD.

Though paved, the roads in Arikok are probably best traversed in a high clearance vehicle because of the deep drainage ditches traversing the road. Poor Buggy is just barely scraping across at times!

We pick Miralamar as our first stop, an abandoned mining area from Aruba's gold rush that has been reduced to a few remaining crumbles of walls. They never actually found a lot of gold, but for a short period of time several mines were erected across the island.

The views are pretty nice from up there even though it's a very ominous cloudy day.

(panorama)

In the distance, a little herd of goats is bleating away, but I never manage to find them. Sandy does spot a little bunny-like critter scurrying across the sand, as well as a blue-green bird and a flock of bright yellow suikerdiefjes perched high in the cacti.

Female Aruban whiptail lizard exploring the ruins.

Aruban prickly pear cactus in bloom.

As you've probably guessed by now, Aruba's desert landscape doesn't look like your typical Caribbean getaway.

I love this decaying old cactus ... check out the rubbery white flesh peeling off to reveal a wooden skeleton underneath

For our next stop I pick Seroe Jamanota, the highest point in Aruba at 620ft (189m). The views are supposed to be amazing, but when the gravel roads turns into two narrow strips of cement rising above the gravel Sandy is quick to turn back.

A herd of wild goats around the next corner quickly makes up for any disappointment.

Peekaboo goat

Mutant goat on steroids!

Dos Playas is up next; located at the end of an actual dirt road, this rough beach is unsuitable for swimming but a great place for pictures and an a weekday you might have the place all to yourself.

Neon pink and blue man-of-war jellies are sprinkled in with the piles of seaweed that have washed ashore.

Of course, no beach would be called Dos Playas by itself so we head over the cliff to check out the other side where an even lovelier beach awaits.

If you scramble up the rocks on the near side of the beach you'll find a made-made cross hidden on the rock.

I suppose they would've called it Tres Playas if there was a third beach, but that doesn't stop me from scaling the sharp rock to check out the other side.

Fascinating pools of milky water have collected in hollowed out crevices in the rock … must be salty tide ponds!

Really cool shelf near the water's edge.

Sandy has grown tired of waiting for me and caught up with me, so after showing off my discoveries we continue a little further away from the parking lot and find yet another sets of shelves near the ocean.

Nature's infinity pond

Lots of colorful little shells and an awesome isopod fossil.

There's something about desolate landscapes ...

We drive over to the next beach, Boca Prins where we witness an almost full circle rainbow around the sun. Wow! I'm so dazzled I forgot to get my camera out until it starts to fade.

Sandy spots a stale looking pond of khaki water with the creepiest family of crabs lurking near the water's edge. Droves of them are hiding out in the mangroves lining the pond and I belly flop in the sand to get a picture.

Like the goats, they are mutant crabs on steroids and frankly the stuff of nightmares. Look at your own risk!

Not your Maryland blue crab!

Parched we stop by the deserted Boca Prins restaurant for some cold drinks. Gatorade has never tasted this good!We get another cool Aruban coin for change, this time a rounded square 50c piece.

Suikerdiefje (little sugar thief) in the garden.

More goats on the way to Fontein cave!

At Fontein Cave, a park ranger is just about to take a Dutch family on a tour and we join in. I enjoy listening in to the Aruban style Dutch.

Cool petroglyphs on the ceiling

The tour continues outside with a side trip to the “bron water bad,” a natural spring fed pool filled with the piranha of the Caribbean, the aggressively feeding tilapia.

Brilliant blues and greens of the male Aruban whiptail lizard.

Whatcha lookin' at!?

Probably the best (and most ticklish) part was the complimentary fish exfoliation in the stream. Can you believe no one wanted to share in this experience with me?! I love their gentle nibbles.

Our guide demonstrates what happens when you poke a hole in a termite mound. Yikes!

~ ~ Please continue to Part II for more national park pictures ~ ~