2019-12-15 Aruba (8am-10pm) ---Arashi Beach:

Again, I looked for ship excursions to do, but couldn't quite pull the trigger. 
The beach shuttle went here to Eagle Beach.   Beautiful beach, but not for snorkeling and gets really crowded with cruise passengers. 

This excursion sounded interesting, but there wasn't enough beach time.

Same with this one.

This looks like it might be good.  I'll have to check it out on the internet before we go to Aruba again.

Having ridden the public bus last time we were here.  I knew I could take it to Eagle Beach.  So I could buy a ship excursion there for about $45 and be on a set time, or take the bus for $5.  The other time Ken and I were on Aruba, there were plenty of cruise passengers on the public bus, so I felt safe doing it again by myself.  So off I went.
Got to admire more Christmas decorations in the port shops on my way to the bus station.

Ourside the shops and about a block away from the bus station.

I was a little surprised there weren't many people there, but there were 2 ladies from the ship waiting for a bus.  They were looking for a beach day, too, but didn't care where.  We got to chatting while we waited and we all decided to go to the beach at the end of the line---Arashi.  Ken and I had gone pretty close to there last time and I knew there would be some snorkeling.  We figured if we got there and it didn't look like a safe place to hang out, we'd stay on the bus.

Our bus (10A) finally came.  By then, there were quite a few other people (cruise passengers and locals) getting on the bus, too.
I enjoyed the views from the bus.  Like this one of our ship.

and this one of Christmas decorations including a cruise ship.

One of the beaches in town---Mamba or Eagle?

I had resigned myself earlier to just having a beach day, no snorkeling, since I thought I was going somewhere along here.  I didn't even take my fins with me today.  But I did have my mask.

Eagle beach

more Eagle Beach---with all the thatched umbrellas for tourists.

The whole side of the island was just one beach after another.

I thought I might get off by the hotel area and do some shopping, too.  There's a pretty good size shopping district there.  But since I found these ladies to hang out with, I stayed on the bus.  We rode all the way up to the last beach, Arashi.   Last time, Ken and I had gone to Boca Catalina.

part of the hotel area.

Aruba is really beautiful.

some of the shopping area by the hotels.

more beaches past the hotels.

I believe this is a ship wreck that some excursions go to, also.

almost to Catalina

an excursion boat, I imagine.

almost to the end of the road.

the excursion boats at Catalina.

Arashi.  We decided there was enough here that we felt safe and confident we'd be able to get transportation back.

There were chairs to rent (we rented 1 for $10 and shared it).  There was a bar/restaurant and there were really nice restrooms (for $1/use or you got a coupon for the restroom and free wi-fi if you bought something.  Over the 5 hours we were there, I bought 2 $2 sodas and changed into my swimsuit and back into my dry clothes.  I have no problem with paying for the restroom that way.  At least they were kept nice and clean)

Looking down to Catalina where the excursions go (for about an hour and charge about $89/person!)

looking straight out.

to the right

I wasted no time heading in.  The ladies (another couple of Canadians---they certainly seem more interested in beaches then Americans) didn't snorkel, but had books and enjoyed the beach. 

saw quite a few fish here.

lots of little fish. 

and juvenile fish

and these huge pennant fish. 

some butterfly fish

looking back towards the beah.

looking towards the snorkel boats.  This area of Arashi was roped off from boats.

Looking back towards the bar and where we had "our" chair set up under a palm tree.

Without fins, it was a lot harder to get around, but the water felt great.

more of the schooling fish

blue tang

sargeant major

pompano

heading back in.

There were pelicans diving into the water all over here, too.  Sometimes just inches from someones head.

One of the gals and I took a walk up the beach, too.

it was a very humid 80+ degrees.

would have liked to continue to the point, but I was barefoot so we turned back.

going back

a little bird along the way.

While we waited for the bus to come back, we sat at the covered open bar area and had another drink and shared some fries.  We actually missed the first bus because we were eating.  So figured we had an hour wait until the next one.  The next one came in 45 minutes and we missed it since we weren't expecting it so soon.  The next one came about 90 minutes later.  But all aboard wasn't until 10, so we weren't concerned.  Finally got back on the bus about 5pm and started back to the ship.  Loved being able to see a bit of the island by bus.

interesting houses.

wonder how much they go for.

the shops by the hotel district.

Santa even rode with us for awhile.

more of the shops by the hotels.

and more.

they even have bikes for rent

towards the hotels.

Wendy's and Cinnabon!  A lot of familiar American restaurants and stores on Aruba.

Dominos

back on the ship.

by now dinner was being served, so Ken and I went to the Lido for dinner. 

Got my usual salad.   Love all the ingredients they have to throw in a salad.

tonight they had fried chicken.  It was ok.  Food on this cruise has been pretty much ok, but we were missing some of the sandwiches and such that you could get in the New York Diner or Dutch restaurant on some of the bigger ships.

The 7:30 Mainstage show was the Comedian, Brad Trackman.  I skipped this show.  Heard he was really good, but I was ready to chill out in our suite for a change.  Must not have even had a sunset to see since I don't have any pictures of one.