Northern Side of Aruba

We drove to the northern side of Aruba where the shoreline is rough and rugged.  We checked out the Old Gold Mill, the natural bridge, and rough water.

                        
 Part of the natural bridge, which is made naturally out of coral limestone collapsed September 2, 2005.

 In the 1400's and 1500's, adventures traveled throughout the Caribbean in search of wealth and treasures.  According to legend, one of these treasure islands was named "Oro Ruba," which means red gold.  Now known as Aruba, a colourful history of gold prospectors has shaped the island's history.  Today, remnants of this history can still be experienced.

On the northern coast, midway down the island sits an abandoned gold mill that once processed ore from the mines in the nearby hills during Aruba's gold rush in the nineteenth century.  In 1824, gold was finally discovered in Aruba, and eventually, the industry produced more than 3 million pounds of gold.

                                            Balashi Gold Mine Ruins