Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: cajungirl
I talked to my wife last night about her trip to Aruba in 1992. She said she had the same feeling you did. She's blond and blue eyed. She said that everyone kept coming up to her and trying to speak Dutch to her. She also said that everyone was always staring at her group. She described it as feeling that there was some big secret that all the locals were in on. She said "I know it's foolish but I really felt a huge sense of relief when I saw the cruise ships docking one day." We were dating at the time and I remember now that she told me she would never go back.
TAW
1,527 posted on 06/19/2005 6:02:16 AM PDT by Malichi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1522 | View Replies ]


To: Malichi

Interesting,,she is perceptive.

Another interesting thing. We have gone diving to Bonaire for many years. It is one of the ABC islands. It is, or was, sleepy, backwater, primarily a dive destination and we have been there twice a year since about 1988.

About nine or so years ago, I could be wrong on the dates, gambling came in and some big hotels and luxury condos were built near the airport. Docked at those places were incredible yachts, like you see in the Cayments. Rich people.

We were friends with natives. And they were mum, wouldn't say a word, but conveyed that they didn't like it. They looked sort of scared when the subject came up. One who had known us for years said something about drugs and how they ruined an island. He was disturbed but frigtened to say more and this guy was not a sissy. He was from a native family, highly respected, his dad was a famed diver who had started the diving industry there.

Since that time, crime has increased, gambling has increased, old respected dive hotels are going downhill. It just isn't the same.

Makes you wonder.


1,532 posted on 06/19/2005 6:30:13 AM PDT by cajungirl (no)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1527 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson