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CRUISING TO THE CARIBBEAN:
ARUBA page six OTHER ATTRACTIONS |
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At the northwestern tip of the island is The California Lighthouse. According to popular legend, the lighthouse gets its name from the wreck of the Leyland liner Californian - - the ship that saw the distress rockets fired by the Titanic after she struck the iceberg but which failed to come to the White Star liner's rescue. However, the lighthouse was built in 1910 and was named after a ship that had sunk offshore a few years before. The Titanic sinking, of course, occurred in 1912.
The lighthouse is closed to the public but from its elevated position one not only gets a good view of the wild north coast but of the resort area to the south. There is a restaurant next to the lighthouse. |
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Also at the northwestern end of the island is the Alto Vista Chapel. The first church on this site was built in the 16th century. Today's church dates from 1952 but remains an important pilgrimage church for Aruba's Catholics.
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Shore excursions in Aruba often include a visit to the Aruba Aloe Factory. Aloe Vera cultivation began in Aruba at the end of the 19th Century and became an important crop for the island.
The factory, situated next to a field of aloe vera plants, transforms the plants into aloe lotions, which are used in skin care, medicines and cosmetics. Before entering the factory itself, visitors are shown how the aloe is harvested from the plant's leaves. Once inside, visitors can look down from the second floor at the factory floor where the lotions are produced. There is also a small museum and a shop for buying the factory's products |
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Another product that played a significant role in Aruba's history is gold. Not far from the Natural Bridge site is the ruins of the Bushiribana Gold Smelter. Aruba was believed to have gold almost from the time the first Europeans set foot on the island. Indeed, the name Aruba may be a corruption of the Spanish "orohubo" (meaning there was gold). However, sizeable amounts of gold were not discovered in Aruba until the 19th Century. For less than a century, gold mining took place on the island but eventually, it was found not to be worthwhile.
Built in 1872, this smelter was used to process the gold mined in the nearby hills. Today, little remains of this fortress-like structure but it provides a vantage point for viewing the sea and the wild surroundings. |
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An industry that has come to Aruba more recently is ostrich farming. The Aruba Ostrich Farm is open to the public. It has a flock of some 80 striches and emus, which it raises for commercial purposes.
Visitors can take a guided tour of the farm and learn about the behavior of these flightless birds. A high point for many visitors is the opportunity to feed the birds, who are not at all shy about coming into contact with humans. |
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Another farm that attracts numerous visitors is the Aruba Butterfly Farm. Contained in a 3,000 square foot mesh
enclosure, the farm is home to numerous species of butterflies. The butterflies and the flowering plants that sustain them are quite eye pleasing. In addition, the enclosure has been landscaped with scenic focal points including a fish pond. For the scientifically-minded, the staff are eager to explain the life cycle and habits of the butterflies. |
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Not far from the Butterfly Farm is the Old Dutch Windmill. It is an authentic Dutch windmill built in 1804 to drain water from low lying land in Holland. Damaged by a storm in 1878, it was moved to another location in the Netherlands and was used as a grain mill. It performed this task until 1929 when another storm caused considerable damage.
The windmill stood idle until 1960 when a Dutch businessman decided to bring it to Aruba as a tourist attraction. He had the windmill disassembled and then re-assembled when it reached Aruba. It is considered one of the first tourist initiatives in Aruba. Over the years, the windmill has housed a succession of restaurants and nightclubs. It has never operated as a mill in Aruba. |
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Aruba is an arid island not particularly conducive
to maintaining a golf course. However, it does have one championship golf course, Tierra Del Sol, which is located near the California lighthouse (right). There are a few other golf courses of various calibers on the island. |
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Cruise destination profile and guide - Aruba - Other Attractions - 6