Welcome to Aruba! It’s a small island located just north of Venezuela and west of Curaçao. Like Curaçao and Sint Maarten, the people of Aruba are technically Dutch citizens.
The island is unlike most Caribbean islands – with the exception of its neighbours, Curaçao and Bonaire – in the sense that it is desert like, rather than blanketed in thick, lush rainforest. The original people on Aruba were Arawak Amerindians from Venezuela, and then the Spanish arrived in 1499 and colonized the island. It has been under Dutch administration since 1636.
The people of Aruba are mostly descendants of the original Arawak inhabitants, mixed with Spanish, Dutch, other Europeans, and Africans. The culture there is most influenced by the Dutch, and can be clearly seen during the holidays when Arubans celebrate Sinterklass (Saint Nicholas) on December 6, and the Queen of the Netherlands’ birthday on April 30. But as in the rest of the Caribbean, there are many other celebrations, such as Carnival and Mardi Gras.
Cuisine in Aruba is typical of the Caribbean, with a Dutch influence. Chicken, beef, and a wide assortment of fish (like mahi mahi, grouper, snapper, and tuna) are common, and the majority of other food is imported. Pastechi (stuffed pie), erwten soep (Dutch pea soup), caldo de pescado (fish soup), jerk pork, curry chicken, giambo (gumbo), webo yena (devilled eggs), cornmeal coo coo (essentially funchi with okra), bolo borracho (rum cake), cocada (coconut candies), and pan dushi (sweet rolls) are some conventional Aruban dishes.
Have you ever been to Aruba? If so, how did you like it? What was your favourite dish? Do share!
*Note: Today’s photos are by Radio Nederland Wereldomroep (desert) and Phil of Ottawa (Oranjestad at Night), be sure to check out their photostreams on Flickr!