Aruba, around Town

We had decided that today we would spend going around the markets and the Down Town shopping area, Andrew had made a few suggestions as there was a mix of different styles of unique to Aruba shops, including ethnic Clothes shop's, Artists galleries and even tours of private Art Studio's, also there is quite a big cluster of Jewelery Stores, Gold and Diamond Merchants which we both raised our eyebrows too when Andrew told us. While my husband is hard pressed to even wear a set of cufflinks, for god's sake the man wears his training watch as a normal wrist watch!, he does however have a penchant to buy me all types of jewelery for all our special occasion's, I have a very nice and rather expensive collection made up of mostly items he has bought me so we were both looking forward to that. Andrew said he thought he could suggest a route that would cover just about all the stores we would visit within leisurely strolling distance also with access to other interest's along the way. We decided to do this today, Andrew said that from tomorrow on we would be rubbing shoulders with passengers off the cruise liners and things become a little hectic at that time and prices pretty much freeze at the upper end until the ships leave town. So that's what we did and we found some lovely items that very definitely sit well within my collection, and the prices were very good, Andrew did a bit of bartering on all the items some were prepared to shift their prices, other's weren't. No matter what both my husband and I agreed on were, the prices we got the items for were very good.

I caught Andrew staring longingly at a very nice, very simple Diamond ring with a cluster of three blue tiny sapphire on either side of the diamond. The price was very, very good, and I nodded to my wife and then shifted my eyes in Andrews direction and she picked up on that immediately, “Honey go and keep him busy while I purchase it, take him outside or something otherwise he'll try and screw a better price out of this poor guy.” she whispered, Oh and the 'poor guy' did the sad eyes thing, Really! he'd just relieved me of the equivalent of my family's yearly grocery bill! So I did, took Andrew outside feigning him showing me where was next on the list. At tea the night before Andrew had told us about his love interest back home and that he was missing seeing her. They only managed to see each other about every three months, his company providing one free air fare every quarter. He had on occasion been able to afford the odd trip back but a lot of his earnings went home to his family, we never asked anything more about this story feeling privileged to have been able to share with us what he had. There wasn't anything that was not outstanding in this Man's character. Well, there was a lot more that we could have bought and I knew if I'd said to my wife, here's an unlimited card in your name, well let's just say I'd know where to find her, overall we had picked some really nice piece's, Andrew was adamant that he was going to get the hotel security to take very good care and storage of the items right up until we leave for home and he did too except for one, that my Wife snuck into her purse, when he wasn't looking.

Art and Ethnic Clothing stores figured prominently in the afternoon and near the end the two men were looking decidedly bleary with the whole shopping thing, we hadn't really had much to eat picking up the odd item I'd fed them both a variety of snacks as we'd wandered around. My husband had been chatting away to Andrew when I noticed he stopped dead in his tracks and looked across at a Bar with a Open-air Bistro dining theme which going by the smells wafting out of it was supplied with barbecue meats I was guessing, well no actually, no guessing was necessary. I was waiting for him to say 'Hallelujah' but he didn't, “OH that's US, honey,come on Andrew, My shout.” I stopped and waited till he turned round to see where I was. “Actually honey that art gallery over there is the last thing on our list, what say you guys go ahead and I'll have a look through there, I'm not looking at buying anything I don't think, I'll just see if there's anything that I like, if there is I'll come get ya, ok?”

'Ye ha! Barbecue and beer ...and salad, well seafood as well. I paid for two got two plates and handed one to Andrew, “Fill it like it's your last meal ever. What beer you want?”

He picked a locally brewed draft so that was me too, nice drop too. As we chowed down, I thanked him for making our day such a success, “You are welcome Mr, it has been a pleasure, but it is also my job. I am glad you and Mrs are enjoying our little Island, I hope it will leave you with a good feeling for us all.” “With out a doubt Andrew, it was what we both needed but what you've given us has been beyond our wildest dreams.”

“You are welcome, Mr.”

“Andrew, you can call us both by our first names if you'd like?”

He stopped eating, wiped his hands and mouth with his serviette and took a second, “Mr, I have standards that I make sure I keep while I do my work, I make sure I show my respect to the people I work for or with and maintain my professionalism. It is my courtesy to you.”

“Thank you Andrew, I totally understand.” And that was it case closed. Muck with somebodies professionalism, never. He wasn't finished though, “Mr, do you think Mrs is all right, should I not go and check on her?”

“Thank you for asking but no, I know she'll be fine, sit eat and enjoy.” With a quick nod he started back in at his lunch.

I had wandered into the shop with the full intention of just browsing, nothing more, it was a big display area with a vast array of items most displayed in a style relative to the theme, figurines mounted on walls, small unique pottery on pedestal's and original paintings on small wall inserts gave them the display they required.

I was musing over one of these paintings, smaller maybe ten inches square of a stunning young Aruban Princess I had no doubt, they all looked like that in my eyes, when some one sidled up to have a look, I'd totally ignored who ever it was, focusing on the painting, “It is a lovely piece, isn't it? If not for the price, I'd buy it in a second.”

I turned and found the other person was a young man, who looked familiar, I really couldn't tell there were so many young good-looking people around, “Oh, yes, YES, yes you're right.”

Actually I thought the price was not over the top at all for what they wanted, well each to their own I guess. “I've always liked a nice portrait, It shows the depth of character in the subject.”

I didn't totally get what he was talking about, “Hmmmmm.”

“I mean you can tell a lot about a person from a portrait, don't you think?”

“Yes, I guess you can. Hmmmmm.”

“I mean look at your eye's, sparkling, open and honest. and a timeless, guileless and absolutely beautiful face.”

OH, NOW I get it, it's a chat-up line, he was trying out his pick-up routine, oh well that's different, lets see what you got.

Well actually it got no further, “God Chuck, leave the poor woman alone, Oh hullo again. Sorry about my friend he's a bit forward in his approaches to the opposite sex,”

He was looking at a mildly embarrassed Chuck, with a tut-tut look on his face, “Unfortunately he doesn't tend to think about that maybe the Lady is MARRIED, he just see's a beautiful woman and well, I guess we saw the result, sorry for the interruption, we'll leave you alone.”

And they both wandered off to the other end of the gallery. I kept wandering looking and five minutes later Chuck must have had enough of looking for 'character' as he walked out, I think in a huff.

I felt a bit guilty actually, John never gave me the impression that he was anything other than a nice guy, so I hoped I hadn't help damage a good friendship. John was looking at a ethnic pottery display so I walked up to him, “John I hope that I never caused a problem between You and your friend? If I have I'm very sorry.”

“No, no not at all, Chuck can be a bit of an idiot around beautiful woman and he has a bit of trouble filtering out his actions and his talk when he's around them, no don't feel guilty its something he's working on and hopefully he'll get a handle on it.”

“Oh well I'm glad, I just felt I should say something, I hope he gets it sorted in his head, you know?”

“Absolutely, no you're fine and again I'm sorry we upset your day, actually I best get a move on too.”

“Oh, yes, yes I better go too.” “Did you walk here then, I'll walk back to the hotel with you if you're going that way.”

“Ah no actually my husband and our friend are across the road at the Bar and Bistro,” I rolled my eyes, “Poor darlings are suffering sore feet since I've dragged them around all day.”

John openly laughed, “Ewww, I know exactly how they feel, mind you they can't complain too much in the company of a beautiful woman, I'm sure that would of made it a doddle, Oh well, I'll see you later.” John waved as I set off across the road in search of my two Men.

I was enjoying talking casually with Andrew, he was animated enough to let out a few more of his family history, His Dad until his ****, he died of heart disease, worked for the big steel plant on Trinidad and Tobago. When he died, the family still had a bit left to pay off on their seven acre farm, he came from a large family, four boys, three girls one set of boy/girl twins, he was the oldest and two of his sisters and two of his brothers had jobs but not high paying jobs. It was interesting but I was thinking hard of different scenario's or outfits down this way that I had contact with that maybe were hiring, I'd give it some thought over the next few days.

Andrew had excused himself and gone to the bathroom, I'd thought, however he returned from the direction of the entrance. He said the toilets had a corridor linking to the back part and front part of the complex and when he went to go out, a big bunch of guys had walked in so instead of battling through them or standing in their way he came out the other way, he still looked like he was pondering something though.

Just as he sat back down we heard, “Room for a little one then?” My wife had arrived and her hands were empty. I looked at Andrew and he had a wry smile on his face, “Damn I owe you another one by the looks, Darling you didn't buy something and put it in your purse did you?”

“What, from across the road you mean?”

“Yes.”

“No I said I was only going for a look.”

“Damn!"

“What?”

“Oh me and Andrew had a bet, and I just lost.”

“What, Oh you men.” And as I went to slap Andrew on his hand, he burst out laughing. Then he straightened up tried to hide the smile and quietly said, “Sorry, Mrs.”

I gave him my best angry bird impression until I burst out laughing, my husband returned with our drinks and I looked at Andrew and just said, “Drink up Buddy-boy, it was well earned, Cheers Y'all.”