Discovering Oranjestad, Oranjestad, Aruba

As I stated in my “back from” announcement, you don’t come to Aruba to go sightseeing. You come for the beaches, for the outdoor activities, for the nightlife. None of those attractions and pursuits customarily align with carrying around an expensive semi-professional camera.

And yet, I always bring the camera with me – I am in the distinct minority of people who do not find any enjoyment in taking pictures on my phone – and I want to put the said camera to use. So, over the course of a week of staying in Oranjestad, I did carve out a couple of opportunities to build my photographic impressions of the Aruban capital.

We will start with shots of Oranjestad Marina from the rooftop terrace of the six-storey building where we rented an apartment.

This most central and port-adjoining area of town is primarily about shopping, mixing high-end with your basic souvenir variety, with a casino and a few bars thrown in.

The “I love Aruba” sign stands near the passageway between the cruise ship access area and the commercial strip seen above. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).