I just got back from a spontaneous trip to Aruba, much needed after a harrowing few months ripe with family drama. I had planned to go to Thailand but had to cancel the trip and in a fit of mental overload, booked a 5 day/4 night respite to the Caribbean. I took a few swimsuits, my kindle loaded with Martin's new book (A Dance with Dragons) and some sunscreen.
My original plan had been to relax and maybe see a few sights but let's be honest, I sat on my ass the whole time. I only got up to take a swim, apply some sunscreen, and grab a pina colada at the bar when the guy didn't come around fast enough to grab my order.
Several unfortunate truths were made clear to me on this trip. They are as follows:
1) India has the best hotels. I am now a spoiled brat who refuses anything less than being treated like a queen.
2) India is a better place to holiday
3) India has better food
4) India is cool. Aruba is very pretty but it's no india
My relationship with India is a love/hate one. This, I think, resembles my father's relationship halfway, in which he hated everything about India. However, there are certain luxuries that cannot be ignored about the subcontinent. Let's take for instance Goa - the holiday location for Indians which I would put similiar to the Caribbean for Americans.
What I disliked so much about Aruba was that it had no culture. Well, let me rephrase. The culture was not pervasive. Everything here was catered to americans. If you might doubt my synopsis let me provide some evidence: the airport had 2 sections: USA travelers and non-USA travelers.
India doesn't cater to anyone. It makes no excuses, it does not languish to adhere to eastern culture even though many of it's visitors are nepali, chinese, russian, and eastern european. It is proud of what it is. Goa was landed by the Portuguese in the 1600s and due to this it has long indian roots with a splash of spanish/Portuguese influence making it slightly Mediterranean. But it's India through and through and it reflects it's history in all of it's glory. Hindu temples are dotted with spanish and moor architecture. Meats from the west are mixed with extremely spicy (EXTREMELY spicy) curries of the east. Fish of all sorts are baked in banana leaves with chilis and coconut and cashews (cashews are one of the biggest Goan exports). Drinks are spicy and the bread is nutty. It's hot and dirty in places and that's what makes it authentic.
Aruba seems like a lie. It seems like a destination with all the comforts of home. It seems like Howard Johnson circa 1960 with dunkin donuts and fries. It's houses offer you some semblance of Island life but they seem almost forced, built up to pretend, a veritable drive of US money to supplicate the few who would ventue to see it for it's orginiality. It screamed false to me.
But lest I become too zealous in my overtures let me say this: Aruba is a fantastic vacation spot. The island has little to no waves, making it calm and inviting. It's always sunny, it's always warm. It's ocean rippling with blues of cyan, a deep azure, and a colder sapphire took my breath away. I just wish it didn't feel like it needed to hide behind something it really wasn't: a conglomeration of western civilization. I say this not to the people of aruba, but the people of the states who would sooner see a culture disappear then revel in it.
My original plan had been to relax and maybe see a few sights but let's be honest, I sat on my ass the whole time. I only got up to take a swim, apply some sunscreen, and grab a pina colada at the bar when the guy didn't come around fast enough to grab my order.
Several unfortunate truths were made clear to me on this trip. They are as follows:
1) India has the best hotels. I am now a spoiled brat who refuses anything less than being treated like a queen.
2) India is a better place to holiday
3) India has better food
4) India is cool. Aruba is very pretty but it's no india
My relationship with India is a love/hate one. This, I think, resembles my father's relationship halfway, in which he hated everything about India. However, there are certain luxuries that cannot be ignored about the subcontinent. Let's take for instance Goa - the holiday location for Indians which I would put similiar to the Caribbean for Americans.
What I disliked so much about Aruba was that it had no culture. Well, let me rephrase. The culture was not pervasive. Everything here was catered to americans. If you might doubt my synopsis let me provide some evidence: the airport had 2 sections: USA travelers and non-USA travelers.
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| Goan Architecture |
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| Goan Church Architecture |
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| House in Goa |
Aruba seems like a lie. It seems like a destination with all the comforts of home. It seems like Howard Johnson circa 1960 with dunkin donuts and fries. It's houses offer you some semblance of Island life but they seem almost forced, built up to pretend, a veritable drive of US money to supplicate the few who would ventue to see it for it's orginiality. It screamed false to me.
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| House in Aruba |
But lest I become too zealous in my overtures let me say this: Aruba is a fantastic vacation spot. The island has little to no waves, making it calm and inviting. It's always sunny, it's always warm. It's ocean rippling with blues of cyan, a deep azure, and a colder sapphire took my breath away. I just wish it didn't feel like it needed to hide behind something it really wasn't: a conglomeration of western civilization. I say this not to the people of aruba, but the people of the states who would sooner see a culture disappear then revel in it.
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| My early morning swim locale in Aruba |
