| MR. WIM BRINKMAN | ||||
| I received this e-mail from Yvonne and thought it was interesting how her Dad got to Lago. I remember Mr. Brinkman when he patrolled in the Colony and I drove without a license, as I am sure a lot of the guys my age, who also drove without a license. remember him. We were always trying to avoid him and the rest of the policemen. I know he gave me a few tickets and I ran from him a few times, past the Dog Graves and up and around Colorado Point. I really liked Yvonne's story about the "Amstel Beer Boat", sound to me like there was always something to do in Lago Colony, even after I left. Dan Jensen | ||||
| See Bungalows 346 & 1531 | ||||
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Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 6:32 AM To: dje9537459@austin.rr.com Subject: lago colony website |
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| Hi Dan, | ||||
| Very nice website. Congrats on all the hard work! It was fun to read all kinds of names that I know only because my Dad would mention them and also names from people that still lived in the colony when we moved in. | ||||
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I would like to add some “history” to 2 bungalows in the colony, but first I will introduce myself: My name is Yvonne van der Putten-Brinkman and I was born in the Lago Hospital in 1956. My Dad, Wim Brinkman, was locally hired and started working with Lago in March 1951. He was one of a few Dutch Marines whom after their military duty (my Dad’s in Curacao) did not move back to Holland (because they had met a local girl and were already married or engaged to be married like my parents) and found work with Lago. He started as a Lago police man. During the years he climbed in ranks and eventually became management. That gave us “the right” to go live in the colony. This was possible for local hired management personnel since 1971/1972. So we moved from the “outside” to the “inside” and I must say we were very happy: beach nearby, Esso Club with the bowling alleys and the movie theatre. You know the very nice amenities of living in the colony!!! “We” were me and my 2 brothers and 2 sisters. |
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We moved in to bungalow 346 and lived there from 1972 till 1974 when we moved to bungalow 1531, where we lived till September 1985 when my parents left the island and moved to Holland after the closing of Lago. My Dad retired after 34 years with Lago and his last function was Safety coordinator (head of the police- fire and safety department). I must say that it was very sad for us “kids”, because we had had such a nice childhood there and our cheap vacation address wasn’t there anymore! So many memories: summer-recreational program was a blast, the bowling alleys at the Esso Club was our hangout; or the soda bar or at the beach snack bar where my brother had worked in the weekends; sailing the sunfishes and playing boat tag. A few of the best times where when all the American kids came back on school vacations. No worries, only fun!!! |
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| A little story: One year, during spring-break, there was a small accident with the Amstel ‘beer-boat’ that delivered beer to Aruba from Curacao. It had gotten engine trouble right after passing Seroe Colorado point and ‘docked’ the boat on the reef right behind the main-office (Indian Head). The Captain and his personnel had left the ship and it was just sitting there waiting to be unloaded. We saw our chance: with our sunfishes we sailed out and loaded them up and stocked up on beer for spring-break!!! The sunfishes where like sub-marines and sailing back from the reef you had to turn so often! We unloaded at the pier at one of the bungalows by the water, loaded the cars and stashed our loot in the garage of one of the empty bungalows. There we shared it and everyone had a small stock. It was all very exciting for as long as we got away with it, because you can imagine that the owner of the beer would not let that happen. Quickly there was a security patrol and we were not able to ‘shop’ anymore!!! It was fun and exciting while it lasted! | ||||
| CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO DAN'S FAVORITES. | ||||
| I do have some pictures, but will have to sort through them and see if I can send them. The pictures on the website brought back some very good memories, because a lot of the places I remember from when I was small. The piers and the beaches especially. We were Esso Club members so we used the facilities there and a had a good time. Also the Lago Hospital. I don’t have any pictures from that, but it was good to see them on the site and show my husband and daughter what I was always trying to explain to them. I left Aruba in 1979 to study and moved back in 1991 and am still living here. I live in Alto Vista and every time we drive ‘up’ to San Nicolas, towards the Colony, I feel like I am going home!!! | ||||
| Good luck with the web-site and I will forward the address to everyone that I am still in contact with and who lived in the colony. I am sure it will be as much fun for them see all the old pictures. | ||||
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Saludos, Yvonne van der Putten-Brinkman Alto Vista 87 Noord |
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