Testing

Just testing the archive function

I keep TELLING you

I'm such a city girl:

Your Winter Look is Urban

You can't imagine spending your winters any place but the city!

What's Your Winter Look?

You Are Downtown

You're a funky spirit that requires freedom to live. Your city girl persona needs adventure, diversity, and great pizza.

Are You Uptown or Downtown?

Trip insurance pays

This past trip we booked our airline ticket (but not the hotel) through Expedia. We opted to get the Expedia trip insurance - which is through the Berkley Group.

As some of you know we had to delay our trip for one day because Hank was ill. (This is actually called a trip "interruption" in insurance terms - that's an important distinction as we did not have trip 'delay' insurance)

The folks both at Berkley and Expedia were very helpful - Expedia in particular was outstanding.

We received our checks in the mail today for the flight penalty and the additional cost of the airline tickets. So the only money we are out is the one day hotel that we had to forfeit because of lack of sufficient notice.

That trip insurance was money well spent this time.

The Aruba Trip

The blogging thing went pear shaped for a while so there is a DETOUR shown in the last post. To finish off the Aruba Section here are:

More photos
The missing posts
A slideshow of Aruba 2005
Sassy does Aruba (previous trips)

And despite the time in Aruba I did finish my NANO:

Further posts

New posts can be found at:

http://arubasix.blogspot.com/

(There had been some trouble posting here for a while)

Day Three -- "Here donkey, donkey."

Today was shooting day. We started out for Natural Bridge which we found without trouble. Despite the collapse, there were a zillion people there. The attendant at the airport had told us that there are plans to repair the bridge. It certainly seems a daunting task.

Our favorite occupations - Hank with the camera and Lee examining purses. Here at the gift shop the attendants all looked like they had just smelled something foul. One was actually rude.

We then went to the donkey sanctuary with our carrots but arrived 8 mnutes after it had closed. As always, we saw no donkeys - but heard them for sure.

Casibari rocks were next. We enjoyed some ice cream. Lee bought a purse and a postcard with a picture of a donkey to assure that we WOULD know one if we ever got to see one. Just as we left the gift shop for the rocks a bus unloaded, so we got to speak with some folks from the RCI ship that had docked for the day.

We went back to the hotel and decided to go out to Linda's (our first time) for lunch. Despite the muggy heat and the fact that we were (at 2PM) the only customers in the place we were delighted with our choice. Hank had a bacon pancake and Lee had the bacon and apple pancake. Both were delicious.

Back at the hotel, in the cool of our room, we discussed possibilities - pool, ocean, bar. Hank played on the computer while Lee fell asleep. So ... diner was sandwiches of the coldcuts we'd bought at Certified. We watched TV for a while. We cheered The Donald as he fired the right guy.

Tomorow, a beach day is planned. But we all know what Bobby Burns said about plans.


NANO
Not doing well here, even though I had the afternoon free. Today is day three and I have only one day's worth of word count. (Heavy sigh)

Day Two

Breakfast at Manchebo. The waiter remembered Sassy. Angelo and Swinda remembered us. I find that amazing that they would remember a guest from last year.

We spent the day on the beach - sun and clouds alternated. Great beach day, but Hubby violated Ocean Rule Number One (which all Jersey folks know) "Never turn your back on the ocean". So, as he was climbing up the rise to the beach a wave got him and totally wiped him out. He wasn't hurt but boy was he full of sand. It's crazy because the waves are really little - not nearly as big as we're used to up home.

We had the welcome basket fruit for lunch and then went off to Bingo! for dinner. I am sorry to report that Bingo! is an EXCELLENT restaurant with a brilliant chef, and a fine staff. So now there's yet another restaurant on our MUST DO list.


Hubby had the filet and I the mixed grill. We introduced ourselves to Mike, the owner, in order that Amy would be able to break another wine glass next spring. (Don't ask) The pic of us and Mike was taken by Marlene, who posts on the aruba-bb boards. It was great to run in to her and Mark and put faces with the names.


I'll be posting restaurant reviews on all the appropriate places but wanted to give everyone who's coming down soon a head's up. Do Bingo! (On the road to Noord on the left in the strip with Linda's Pancakes. Just past the Valero)

Day One

We take way too much stuff.


But we made it just in time for the manager's party.




And the beach is as beautiful as always.




Sassy is a repeat visitor to the Manchebo and gets a welcome basket of fruit.




Dinner was at the French Steakhouse. Food was great, as always, and the service was excellent. I don't think we've ever had such swift service on the island. We had the early bird this year - a change from our usual Ambassador Special.






NANO --
The first 1000 words of Bodies at Bromley are written in the Philly airport.