It’s layover time. “Somewhere Only We Know” plays over the airport speaker as Dave and I sing along, our Bonefish Grill meal settling in.
You should know—we completed our Aruban quest. A self-imposed mission filled with missteps, perseverance, and just enough magic to showcase the beauty of the human spirit.
Our adventure led us to San Nicholas, Aruba. In a jalopy of a rental car—imagine screeching metal and unpredictable brakes—I spotted something unusual: vibrant artwork displayed outside a small residence. Hand-painted, full of color, clearly local landscapes by a local artist. It shot straight to the top of my must-have list.
We’d first passed by on Thursday, only to find everything closed and no artwork in sight. But today, on our final day with just one hour before we had to return the car, we drove back into that narrow stretch of town—where houses crowd the road and locals sell fresh fruit or paint curbs blue.
And there they were: the paintings. Strung up and dancing in the breeze. My heart leapt.
We walked up and pointed to a piece of the lighthouse we’d visited just the day before, plus a couple of beach scenes. The artist, Bruno, carefully bundled them up. But there was a hitch—she didn’t accept cards. “I’ll wait,” she smiled, as we dashed off to find an ATM.
Four ATMs later, still no luck. No Florins. No U.S. dollars. Just $40 between us. The dream of buying several paintings shrank to whatever that cash could cover.
When we returned to tell her the news, Bruno didn’t blink. “Those machines, that bank—nothing but trouble,” she said. I told her how disappointed I was, how much I really wanted the rest. Then I hesitantly offered, “I could mail you the money?”
Without hesitation, she replied, “Yes, of course,” and pointed to a sign with her address. She even called her daughter to confirm bank details and had me screenshot them.
And then came the most generous moment: on top of the paintings I could afford, she gave us three beaded turtle bracelets and another drawing.
“This is a gift,” she said firmly. “You will only send money for the two pictures. You hear me, yes?”
I will.
If you ever find yourself in San Nicholas, Aruba, take a detour down the narrow streets and look for the string of colorful paintings fluttering outside Bruno’s home. She’s an artist with a generous heart and an eye for capturing Aruba’s beauty. Supporting her is more than buying art—it’s connecting with the kind of spirit that reminds you why you travel in the first place.
What a day.
Love, Jaclynn
Going On 40 