Today we woke up early (6:30 am!) to get ready for our day in Aruba! We went up to the Lido Deck for the breakfast buffet and on the way back saw the coolest thing! The housekeeping staff had created dozens and dozens of towel animals on the deck chairs and around the pool!
CSP & I got off the ship and walked to Diamonds International, our prearranged meeting place with the dude from Speed car rental. He came and found us and gave us our Jeep Compass for the day. We then picked up my father and Mimi and took off for Ling and Son’s grocery store. Such a nice store! We bought loads of apples and carrots and water (the water was for us). Then we hit the road for the Donkey Sanctuary! CSP & I arranged today to thank my father and Mimi for treating us to this cruise and we all had so much fun! First up was a treacherous roundabout with 4 lanes going around it! I was driving and frankly, we are all lucky to be alive!!! But we miraculously made it to the donkey sanctuary.
At the sanctuary you park then go through a gate and walk to the visitors’ center where you can be in the shade and feed the donkeys. Each of us grabbed a bag of carrots and a bag of apples and we set off for the visitors’ center. A donkey decided to pick off the smallest of our crowd and set his eyes on Mimi (she’s only 5 feet tall). He followed her all the way to the center grabbing at her carrots and apples the whole way! It was hilarious hearing her try to shoo him away!
Not only does the sanctuary house and care for over 130 donkeys, they have chickens (and tiny baby chicks!!!) and peacocks! I was in heaven! It was yet another gorgeous day and we all had the best time feeding and loving on the animals.
When we were finished at the Donkey Sanctuary we got back into the car to head to Chapel Alto Vista. On the way there we saw a mama chicken and her 3 teeny tiny baby chicks crossing the road. They were like 3 wee cotton balls bumbling across the road! My heart was in my throat watching the whole scene! But they made it! Whew! Then we came across a big family of goats in the road, including a baby!
It’s wild in those Aruba streets I tell you! We stopped at Alto Vista Chapel. It’s so beautiful.
When we left the chapel we drove back to Oranjestad to find a place for lunch. We happened upon Gostoso. We pulled over and looked it up to find great reviews so we gave it a try. It was sooo good! I should have taken pictures. Also, it is home to the narrowest, tiniest restroom I’ve ever been in!
After lunch we dropped my father & Mimi off at a farmer’s market while we filled the car up with gas and returned it. We boarded the ship and went up to the coffee shop so CSP could get a coffee. We went back to the room to get ready for dinner. Dinner was back in Reflection and we waited and waited for my parents but they never arrived for dinner! I texted Mimi on the Carnival HUB app, but got no response. Back in our room after dinner I called their room, but no answer! Were they still in Aruba?? Were they kidnapped?? Did they miss the ship?? We will find out tomorrow!
Side note- the Horizon is really easy to get around. Lots of you are here ship maps by the elevators so you really can’t get lost even though it’s a huge ship (at least to us). The crew and all of the passengers we’ve encountered have been really friendly!
Tomorrow is a sea day!
Bless Your Heart 