Conference netcad::holiday_travel

	7 day trip to ARUBA  
	   Stayed at Windsurf Village about 1 mile beyond the Marriott in area 
	called Malmok.  We had a small motel like room with stove + frig.and
	continental breakfest included.  This caters to strickly Windsurfing
	Crowd and not like a hotel vacation.  I am a Windsurf wanabee so 
	these accomidations were fine.   
	
       ~NOTE 1: The Steam Boat breakfest buffet has been closed several months 
	now as the landscaping was quite overgrown.  Peaked in windows and 
	looks to be being renovated inside.  Next door is a new STOUFFER's 
	Hotel and I think maybe they have taken over this restaurant.
       ~NOTE 2: There now is a large very nice restaurant at Califoria 
	lighthouse called La Trattoria faro Blanco; the food is excellent 
	and the view from the patio is even better.  

	DIARY of my trip 2-26 thru 3-6 97
        ---------------------------------
	Thur 2-26  arrive at 4:30 pm
		   6:30 dinner== wife choose HOOTER's, as she only wanted a 
		   small sandwich.
	           ---- worst food I've had served in years anywhere----

	Fri  2-27  during day I windsurfed for 4-5 hours
		   dinner at Venanes del Mar  restaurant at golf club
		   Terra del Sol
		   ($85. for 2) good food, but not as good as some that we
		   went to later in week.

	Sat. 2-28  Windsurfing another 3-4 hours
		   happy hour at Holiday Inn - lousy bartenders - poor service
		   + drinks = The Inn itself looked much nicer than an ordinary
		   Holiday Inn
		   Holiday Inn casino for 1 hour = wife walked out $50 ahead
		   I lost my limit, $10 -- I'm a big gambler, you can tell!
		   Dinner at Old New Canucco House
		   ($60 for 2  = excellent food - suberb service)

	Sun  3-1   Sleep late went to Hyatt for Sunday Brunch $30.per person
		   the layout was well worth the big $$
		   went ocean kayaking for 2.5 hrs 
		   skip dinner as we were still full from brunch

	Mon  3-2   Windsurf 4-5 hours
		   Dinner at Boonoononoos  excellent food + service
		     -- try the pumpkin soup --excellent
			
	Tues 3-3  ~rise at 7 - got a Dunkin Donut coffee and went to
		   climb the HOOIBERG a tall haystack mountain about
		   2 miles north of airport. great view of island
		  ~Next we tried to get to the Natural Pool but we had
		   a little 2WD toyota and found the road to rough =
		   will return next trip with 4WD. We got to within about
		   1 mile of pool but did not want to leave the car in the
		   desolated area.  
		  ~Ayo Rock formations next stop.  Its a small park with
		   very interesting rock formations that is well worth a
		   45 minute stop.
		  ~Natural Bridge the islands most famous landmark
		  ~Charlies Bar in Saant Nickolis probably the most famous
		   manmade landmark. -We had lunch and drinks that were
		   very good. (~$55.) I had seafood chouder, my wife had their
		   shrimp.  As for the place it is very small, less than
		   10 tables.  I was disappointed, as we had heard so much
		   hipe about it.
		 ~ off to Baby Beach - I snorkeled around the inlet and saw
		   a few fish and a lot of garbage in the water, such as 
		   plastic plates and cups --- another disappointment.  on 
  		   our last trip we snorkled off De Palm Island and found this 
		   area teaming with all varities of fish.
		  ~We started back, by taking the road from Sero Colorodo light
		   along the north coast to Dos Playa,  this is all dirt road
		   that very few people use.  (we didn't meet another car
		   for 6 miles, driving less than 20 mph)  Very senic but 
		   all my wife could think of was if our car broke down.
		  ~back to apartment and 1.5 hours of windsurfing
		  ~dinner at El Gaucho which we needed several days advance
		   reservations for this restaurant because it is the most
		   popular in town. The food was excellent and in monsterous 
		   portions.  
		   Appertizer - conch was pan fried and to die for
		       My wife had shiska-bob the plate was almost 20" long
		       I had their special El Goucho 25 oz steak 
			 ($80 for 2 =no desserts)	
    		   Went to Royal Cabana for their JEWEL REVUE show which 
    		   are female impersonators featureing about 15 different
    		   celebrities mostly singers.  But they had one as MC as
    		   Carol Channing and another Joan Rivers who did comedy	
    		   routines that were pretty funny. ($30per person
    			
    	Wed 3-4   ~on our daily a.m. walk along the beach got caught in 
		   a 10 minute downpour- it rained on 3 more occasions
		   on this day -  windsurf between the showers - also 
		   the wind was the least of all other days,- only 10 knots
		  ~BBQ at the Windsurf Village== good time with people we 
		   met windsurfing.
		   
	Thur	  ~windsurfing from 9-11 
		  ~pack for home
		  ~lunch at La Trattoria faro Blanco at California lighthouse
		    Great view looking over wreck of Attilla with new
		    golf course Terra del Sol in rear 
		  ~fly home --- back to reality