21st December 2007, Aruba
Late again, but this stop was more remarkable for what preceded our arrival. At about 3pm, when we should already have been ashore, but delayed because of our very late departure from the Panama canal an 'important message' was relayed over the tannoy, presumably before we learned the news by telephone and bush telegraph once we were within mobile calling distance at Aruba. The important message was to tell us that Travelscope had gone into Administration, but there was, understandably, no more information at that time. It explained the delay at Panama and why the Cruise Director was tetchy. Needless to say, this was a serious blow to staff who had lost their jobs and, apparently, only knew themselves at noon, and to passengers who were not to know what was in store. Hence, the stop at Aruba was not only significantly for-shortened, it was somewhat muted as well.
We arrived about 4.30pm and shot off to post what amounted to nearly three weeks of blogs - minus Guayaquil which we overlooked. Unsurprisingly, this took almost an hour. We used the remainder of the time to scan the Travelscope web site to see what they had posted of their own demise. We walked the sea front at Oranjestad, visited a couple of malls for the T shirt and spent the final hour or so before our departure in the (typically Dutch) pub drinking jugs of lager - as did most of our fellow travellers.
Some folk liked the place, but all the development was very modern in a kitsch, mock-Dutch/Amsterdam Disney style which did little for us, with rococo Dutch gable fronts supported by breeze block and painted a tasteful pastel pink. Not really our style, but there was lots of money about, exemplified by the presence of all the flash Paris/Milan/New York clothing shops etc. Not really our scene, but fine for an effortless, classy beach holiday for the typical moneyed American tourist.
