#i also miss dutch national anthem

[lvsjuno]

I miss f1 so much

[midnight-chevy]

Brazilian GP weekend overview :)

[il-miele-che-scrive]

a lil xmas-y smau charles leclerc x reader, faceclaim sabrina carpenter

yourusername made something special for you guys for the holidays 🤍 fruitcake is out of the oven

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username1 wtf is she holding?

↳ username2 a fruit cake I assume since the album's name is fruitcake?

carlossainz55 I gave it a listen before it came out and I'm gonna make it everyone's business

↳ yourusername alright Chili stop flexing or I won't let you pre-listen to anything else in the future 🙄

carlossainz55 you know that's not true

yourusername you're lucky I value your opinion

georgerussell63 Y/n send help Carmen hasn't stopped blasting the album since it came out

↳ yourusername seems like a you problem darling🫶

carmenmmundt don't listen to him Y/n, he secretly loves fruitcake

maxverstappen1 this is better than the Dutch national anthem

↳ yourusername thank you I guess 🤔

↳ username5 that's such an underrated compliment

username3 literally how dare you release Cindy Lou who when you literally stole Charles from Charlotte. Alex 'stealing' him from you is literally your karma

↳ username2 but Y/n and Charles have been recently seen in France together 👀

username3 oh great 🙄 what a homewrecker, also notice how she's flirting with literally all drivers in her comments

username4 they're friends she's not flirting with them lol plus Charles is still in her likes so they're def back together

↳ maxverstappen1 literally shut the fuck up

username5 lmaooo Max being the big brother Y/n never had

username2 tell them queen 💅

username6 i live for the friendship between Y/n and Max 🙏 oh what a girl gotta do for a friend like this

landonorris slay bestie

↳ yourusername you know it

username4 so we're all just gonna ignore the fact that Y/n has been seen with Charles in France and they still follow each other and like each other's posts?

↳ username7 i mean that's just how adults are but

username4 nah just wait and see

yourusername a quick trip to Paris 🤍 je t'aime

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username4 SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP

username8 THE 3RD PIC WHAT

charles_leclerc je t'aime moi aussi ❤️

↳ username4 THEY'RE SO CUTE AND FOR WHAT

↳ username5 I love how Y/n is like a younger sister to Max and dating his biggest nemesis of all times

yourusername i asked them to be nice to each other

username3 nah that's too much, I hate this drama and this girl

↳ username8 imagine being so bitter to post a comment like this

↳ maxverstappen1 quit stalking her page then?

username7 big brother max strikes again and we love to see it

↳ username3 weird how Y/n became Max's sister when she started dating Charles 🙄 sister my ass, she's def cheating on Charles

username4 i haven't read a comment as dumb as this since your previous one, Charles and Max were friends before Charles started dating Y/n so he introduced her to Max, what's weird about that?

username3 and what does that change? people make new 'friends' while in a relationship and end up cheating with said friends

username4 sweetheart you're embarrassing yourself, Y/n said in an interview that she's grateful for Charles introducing her to Max because he's like an older brother to her AND WE CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT

username3 what was she supposed to say? Yeah, I'm fucking my boyfriend's rival?

username5 you jealous bitter asshole, go cry to your mom about men and women being friends

carlossainz55 But when are you coming to Monaco? We all miss you

↳ yourusername I'll be home for Christmas

username9 not Y/n replying with a song lyrics lol she's so unserious

username10 what did you expect her to write a whole paragraph about how she's going to be there for the 24th/25th of December

username9 she said she'll be home for Christmas, she's going back to America

charles_leclerc so grateful to have you here for Christmas ❤️ welcome home

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yourusername i couldn't be happier 😭❤️

↳ charles_leclerc btw we should bake together more often

yourusername you mean I bake and you occassionally steal the frosting more often?

charles_leclerc call it whatever you want darling but we have to repeat it sometime

yourusername bet, now that I live with you you won't avoid it

↳ carlossainz55 In the name of the whole grid could I fill a request to try your baked goods?

yourusername sure if Charlie won't eat all my frosting

username4 SHE'S IN MONACO AND SHE BROUGHT HER DOG???

username5 that's why she said she'll be home, because Monaco is her home now 😭 I'm not crying you are

landonorris haters been really quiet

↳ yourusername they're scared of Charlie and Max joining forces to defend me

maxverstappen1 as they should am i right @/charles_leclerc

charles_leclerc so right mate

↳ username7 so sexy of them to be so protective of y/n

username5 so sexy and for what

username7 for us to fangirl I guess

carmenmmundt Okay but when are we going to hang out? Since when are boyfriends more important than friends?

↳ yourusername we had a double date a few days ago didn't we

carmenmmundt I meant a girls night

yourusername you got separation anxiety or what😭

carmenmmundt Only with you though, it doesn't work like that with George

↳ georgerussell63 I mean, she's right, I haven't experienced any separation anxiety from her

yourusername excuse me @/georgerussell63 the last time i checked she was your gf

charles_leclerc should I be jealous?

↳ yourusername absolutely not!! <3

↳ carlossainz55 Don't worry mate, in the worst case @/landonorris and I can take you on a date

landonorris the worst case?!

charles_leclerc well, it's not ideal is it?

landonorris is it not?!

username7 help cause i've always imagined y/n and charles as parents and lando as their kid

↳ yourusername i mean, he did thirdwheel us a few times

landonorris and loved every second of it

[newtonsheffield]

May we please get a Spicy Sunday 🌶 from Take A Deep Breath? I'm so excited for this one, the Good Girls vibes are just so strong, I already love them. Can we maybe see Kate reassuring Anthony if indeed he has the same self-esteem issues as GG Anthony. (I'm also a sucker for fighting and making up scenes, if that tickles your fancy anymore.)

Anonymous asked: Hi Molly! I hope you are well 🥰 I was wondering if we could have a Take a Deep Breath spicy Sunday today?? 🌝😈🌶️

Well, I got to remember what the Dutch National Anthem sounds like so… exciting.

I think that’s why I like these two so much as well. The Good Girls Vibe. The way I love that Kate and Anthony, and these are the same. Anthony’s kind of brash and he’s never seen out of a muscle tee and ripped jeans and he constantly smells a little bit like sweat and a very spicy cologne and Kate’s just… very attracted to him. Even though she probably shouldn’t be. Because she’s not going to get what she wants from him and she’s only setting herself up for disappointment. And Anthony thinks he’s probably not good for Kate, or not good enough.

But they find their groove eventually

Kate tried not to stare at Anthony through the window of his shop. She didn’t need to stare at him. A person didn’t need to stare at their own boyfriend did they? Not if that boyfriend walked through their flat completely naked, stood in the kitchen with not a stitch of clothing on while he cooked breakfast.

Edwina had been caught out more than once when she’d burst through the front door, ready for their usual trip to the flower market only to let out a squawk of indignation.

“Anthony! Jesus!”

Anthony blinked as he sat on the stool, unembarrassed, “What?”

Edwina sighed, “I can’t be certain but you’re leaving ball prints on Kate’s kitchen stool.”

He shrugged, “Kate likes me naked.”

Kate chuckled, his shirt hanging on her frame as she kissed his cheek, “You could maybe put on some pants when we have company.”

Anthony pointed his spoon at Edwina, “She’s your sister, she’s not company.”

“Kate, can we just go please?!” Edwina snapped. “Anthony’s penis is just… I can feel it staring at me.”

She should have been immune to him by now, surely. The number of times she’d felt his muscles flex under her hands and watched his lips form her name as he fell apart for her, because of her. She shouldn’t feel her cheeks get warm when Anthony winked at her, sat at her parent’s table and she shouldn’t be staring at him now.

His dark hair was caught under a cap and his muscles flexed as he removed his gloves, rolling his eyes at something his brother said, shaking his head. He was so handsome that it made her breath caught in her chest even as she turned to shove more flowers in the van.

“You need to get a grip.” Kate hissed at herself, as she put the arrangements in the van. “You’ve been dating him for six months, and he’s probably going to ask you to move in soon and he’s only… completely fucking, insanely hot.”

“Well, well, well,” Anthony’s voice burst onto the street seconds after the bell jingled and his customer left. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

Kate felt her lips curve as she straightened and turned towards him, “I could say the same.”

Anthony grinned, leaping down from the top step and landing right in front of her. His arm shot out around her waist and tugged her against his chest and she felt her cheeks flush. “You are so beautiful.”

She brushed her lips against his, “You look Handsome.”

“Yeah I decided finally to put some clothes on.”

Kate groaned as she pushed back from him, “I have to go on my deliveries.”

Anthony tugged her back and she inhaled the smell of him, slightly sweaty and the spicy smell of him mixed with her shampoo. “Well, luckily for you, my afternoon’s done and I can’t stay in there and listen to Ben thinking he’s in love with Hyacinth’s teacher, Miss Beckett.” He shut the door for her and climbed into the driver’s set. “He can’t let me just have one thing to himself. I’m a wife guy and now he has to be.”

Kate climbed into the passenger seat. “I’m not your wife.”

Anthony rolled his eyes, “You know you’re my girl.”

His hand was warm on her thigh as he pulled into traffic and it stayed there all afternoon. She could hardly pay attention to anything, with his fingers tracing a pattern on her skin. She could hardly get the correct arrangements out at the right address, she might not have were it not for Anthony who grinned at everyone

“Flowers! We’ve got Flowers!”

Kate watched their eyes widen in surprise as they took Anthony in, their fingers intertwined and Kate’s distracted manner. The scent of him hung in the air of the van and he leaned in towards her, brushing his lips against her cheek.

She felt so warm, so drawn to the easy way he laughed and leaned against the car door, plucking a flower from a bouquet and handing it to her.

“Take a left.”

Anthony blinked, “Are we getting a snack?”

“You can have a snack if you want.”

Anthony gasped as he pulled into the alley behind their shops, “Kate, are you offering me… a sexy snack?”

“I am offering you a sexy snack.”

As soon as the car pulled to a stop, Anthony practically leapt on her. Their lips crashed together and the soft fabric of his T-shirt crumpled in her hands as she pulled him closer to her, desperate for the feel of his chest against hers.

It was messy and awkward as she swallowed the sounds that rose in his throat, happy and content. She could feel the heat rising between them as his hand slid further up the skirt of her dress, further and further, the soft skin of his hand warm against her as the other tugged at the neckline of her dress. The fabric of his jeans was rough under her fingers as she tugged at the button.

Anthony let out a chuckle and his teeth nipped at her neck, “That’s awfully eager if I’m getting a snack in first.”

Kate shoved him back into his seat and his hat fell into the back as his head knocked against the headrest. His hands were tight on her hips as he pulled her onto his lap and her chest felt tight as his lips fell to her neck again. “You can eat me out later, Babe.”

“Is that a promise?” He was looking at her with so much love, and excitement and a hundred other things as the windows fogged around them.

“Sure.” She gasped, catching his lips again, tangling her tongue slowly with his and in those moments it was so hard to imagine she’d thought they’d never be together. They seemed so inevitable now.

Anthony groaned as her hips rocked against him, his eyes fluttering closed at the friction, “Okay, I… I don’t have a condom and I know you’re on a break from-”

“Don’t care.” She gasped, “I really really don’t care.”

Anthony’s tongue flicked against her thumb that had somehow made its way to the side of his mouth and he sucked gently forcing heat to course through her body even faster. His hands guided her against him, keeping the slow rhythm building between them and his hips snapped up joining them together.

It was hurried and desperate and Anthony’s lips swallowed the gasp of his name that fell from her lips. One of her hands slid to his hair and she felt his gasp against her skin as her other hand slid up his shirt. He shivered against her touch as they moved together and the van rocked side to side and they were so close she could feel his heart beating right under her hands.

Anthony’s hair was sweaty under her fingers and his cheeks flushed, his eyes screwed shut as his chest heaved, “Fuck, I love you, Kate.”

The sound that fell from her lips was almost a purr as she nodded, tension coiling tightly in the pit of her stomach. Her breaths stuttered in her chest and their rhythm was short and sharp and nearly punishing as they raced to the finish.

It seemed to hang in the air for a moment as though time stood still in the moment before they both fell. As though they were dangling on the edge of a cliff. And finally, they fell apart.

Kate felt Anthony shudder against her ad she forced herself to keep her eyes open to see the content look on his face.

“Holy Fuck.” Anthony laughed, catching her lips again, “I can’t believe I ever thought you were such a good girl.”

Kate patted his cheek, “Obviously you just bring it out in me.”

Thud Thud Thud

They both startled at the sound of someone banging on the windscreen and Kate could barely make Edwina out, her hand covering her eyes.

“KATE STOP FUCKING IN THIS VAN I MEAN IT!”

[starryknights44]

f1 race tier list 2024 edition

Ok. So, I am going to be making an F1 tier list of the races I've watched so far this year. Let me know your opinions, but dont be mean. I am just a girl. 

We will be skipping Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Australia because I only want to do races I've personally watched. But I will be watching the race highlights while I'm writing this. 

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Starting off with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. 

Fun fact because why not: I did not actually see this race just heard it live (I couldn't log into ESPN) 

Here is an actual fact now: Suzuka was completed in the '60s as a permanent race track, but it didn't have its first GP until 1987, and Lewis Hamilton holds the lap record with a 1:30.983

Completed in 2019. 

5 red lights. 

First lap crash between Daniel Riccardo and Alex Albon 

⋆˙⟡Safety car ⋆˙⟡ 

Looks to be Danny's fault 

⋆˙⟡ Red flag ⋆˙⟡ 

Restart  on lap 3 

French cival war as per  

 Lap 5 good overtake from the inside by George Russell, even better from Yuki on lap 13 going around the outside of the Alpine into turn 7 (I think)

 A good case of team orders from Mercedes. George taking p5 from Lewis on lap 14. 

A pitline straight drag race from Lando and Lewis into the first corner. Lando takes the longer line and comes out ahead.

Mercedes once again proved its falloff during a race last year. Well, except for the cold, apparently…

Lap 18 Red Bull and its early season dominance. Love them, but I'm glad that stopped much more exciting. Dare I say they should have listened to Checo. But I'm not a boss, just a girl. 

Lap 19, looking at the Lewis and Carlos battel, something apparent throughout all the season, but that's not what I meant to bring up. I just wanted a moment of silence for the old Ferrari livery before all the little stupid blue stickers covered it and its drivers. 

…..

Ok, that's enough. On to the next laps  

Lap 23 is a huge pitlane battle between K-mag, Botass, Mr. Freedom (Logan) Yuki, and Stroll. With Ocon getting the jump of the century (not actually, let me know what is your jump of the century)

Mine might be that guy to that one judge  

And Yuki getting out ahead, but Kevin coming in first; not hard when you're pitting against a Sauber and a Haas. 

In lap 26, they just showed an overtake from the Ferrari's back cam. Wow, I miss the old rear-wing 

Ferrari a message for you. 

Do better. 

Lewis can't be seen in that car. 

At 444 words before writing this, its a sign 

From who, idk but a sign nonetheless

Oh, and Charles went wide and lost a place 

Lap 34. Yuki Tsunoda, my goat. 

Logan Sargeant off track 

OH MY GOD, MY SHAYLA, OH MY SHAYLA

Lap 44. Ferrari V Mclaren, another common theme throughout the season.

Lap 46. Ferrari V Self, common again. Ferrari, I love you (I say while screaming into my pillow, crying about all the loss)  

George Russell last lap overtake on Oscar to take p7. 

Wowowo Max Verstappen p1 and Checo p2 

*insert Dutch national anthem* 

And Carlos Sainz p3 

The rest as follows 

Lec 

Nor 

Alo

Rus

Pia

Ham

Tsu

Hul

Str

Bot

Oco

Gas 

Sar

Zho, Ric, and Alb all out. 

Pretty good. Tbh dont remember it all too well. But I'll rate it. 

Overtakes:6/10

Excitement:4/10

Track: 8/10

Overall: 18/30 or 60%

I will put it in B tier 

Let me know what else I should grade on. 

ooh, and I'll also keep track of safety cars and red flags. let me know your Japanese GP highlights.

Thanks for listening to me yap or reading it, I mean.

xoxo, myself

[lestappenforever]

Also, peace is restored with the Dutch and the Austrian anthem being played again

I didn’t realise I missed them but I did, dearly.

I know both of these national anthems better than my own, and I'm not even mad about it.

[formula-red]

hi im now going to annoy you with telling you what i think of the playlists, i didnt listen to them fully but here are some thoughts i had while folding my laundry <3

wm moves only

i am in love with this playlist, theres so many good songs on there, everybody wants to rule the world, brown eyed girl, only you, faith, a little respect, i cannot tell you how right this playlist is, its just seb

f1 offseason

you really made my listen to the dutch national anthem, wow, shame on you /lh, the highlight of this one is definitely fernando cuz i to can only think of nando when that song plays also really loving the fact that you put the chain on there, it was such an epic opening/theme song i miss it ;-;

sunshine on my mind

iufchaifhdap[ihf[oih how can you start with fade into you and expect me not to cry, i listend to like three songs cuz the pain is to much, wow do i miss that man, i feel so silly

in my helmet

there are deffenilty some songs in there that would be so good to race to

ahhhh not annoying at all i love that you took the time to do this <3333333

i'm glad you feel that those songs are seb because i tried very hard to make it that way based on my limited knowledge of his music taste !!!! i think it's full of bangers too but i am biased 😋

sorry for the dutch national anthem hahah i think we all have ptsd now from hearing it so much !!! also ty for the chain recognition bc i heard it when i was out the other night and i just yelled "F1 THEME SONG!!!!!!!!!!" over the music at my friend and she was just like what r u on about 🤨

also i'm sorry for making u sad i just get so in my feelings when i listen to music and then the blorbo thoughts just start and i cannot stop, but i'm glad we can feel sad and silly together <33

[wosofan14]

Jackie Groenen on Oranje Leeuwinnen’s Insta live - 25/10/20 (Rough English Translation)

Jackie: Hi everyone! I have a list with some questions here, but I can also answer some questions from the live, so if you really want to know something about me, ask away!


1st question: What would you do if you were uncertain about something?
Jackie: I always find it nice to go back to my roots. So if I feel uncertain about something, I usually go to my friends or family and then I always feel better afterwards.

Jackie: Oh, someone’s calling me speedy Gonzalez (laughs). Thanks. Ummm the team has a couple of nicknames for me. Usually they call me Jacks, or sometimes my friends will call me Jacket. Do (Dominique Jansen) has started laughing because she has a different nickname for me.

Dominique: No I’m laughing because someone asked me on the live earlier what I would want to be if I wasn’t a football player and my best friend just sent me a message that I should’ve said that I would’ve been a cashier.

2nd question: How old were you when you began playing football?

Jackie: I think I was around 5 years old.

3rd question: Which position would you want to play if you weren’t a midfielder?

Jackie: Ummm to be honest midfield has really become my position and I really enjoy playing there but if I really had to choose a different position then I think I would want to play striker.

Jackie: Someone just asked who’s answering questions after me (laughs). Thanks. I think it’s Lize Kop (laughs).

4th question: What’s your favourite Dutch football club?

Jackie: Willem II. I’m a little bit of a Willem II fan.

5th question: Coffee or tea?
Jackie: Coffee.

6th question: How’s the guitar playing going?
Jackie: It’s going really well. I try my best and I’m slowly improving, but I really enjoy playing the guitar.

7th question: What’s your favourite food?
Jackie: I think that my favourite food would have to be Italian food. I always enjoy going to Italian restaurants.

8th question: Did you ever think that that you would ever be playing football with the Oranje Leeuwinnen?
Jackie: No actually I never did. When I was younger, there wasn’t much hype around women’s football, so I never really knew that I could ever do something like this.

9th question: Who do you get along with most with on the team?
Jackie: Ummm I get along well with Lize Kop to my disappointment (laughs). I also get along well with Inessa, Sisca Folkertsma, and Daantje (Danielle van de Donk). I actually get along quite well with everyone to be fair! I also get along quite well with Do.

10th question: Do you miss judo?

Jackie: I do miss judo if I’m being honest. I miss my team that I had with the judo and I miss my old coach and just everything that went along with being involved in judo. So yeah, I do miss it. I don’t do judo anymore though. Because it’s very easy to get injured and I don’t want to take any risks with that.

Jackie: I can also do some questions from the sheet, so I’m going to look at those now. But before I do that I see a question here asking if it’s patat or friet (2 different ways of saying French fries - different parts of the Netherlands say it differently and it’s always debated about). It’s friet.

11th question: Which country would you most like to beat in a football match?

Jackie: Well it seems logical to say the United States after the loss at the previous World Cup.

12th question: Which national anthems besides the Netherlands do you like?

Jackie: I always find Italy’s national anthem very pretty and France also has a really nice national anthem.

*reacting to a comment on the live stream*

Yes it is friet. With many exclamation marks at the end.

*reacting to Merel van Dongen’s comment on the live stream*

Merel van Dongen, it is not patat. And go do something else.

13th question: Against which country would you most like to play against?

Jackie: We’ve actually played against quite a few countries over the past few years. Ummm but I think I’d like to play a match out against New Zealand in New Zealand or something like that. That sounds fun.

14th question: Who came up with the “yell”?

Jackie: We always do that together. So we have a little meeting with the team and then we brainstorm some ideas. Oh, Merel is also going to be answering questions on the live later, so if you have any questions for her, she’s going to be answering some of them later on.

15th question: When are you going to play Black Stories again?
Jackie: Yes, I actually just spoke with Jenny about how we need to play again some time. Ummm so the next time I’m back at home, we will try and play.

16th question: What’s your record of juggling (keepie-uppies)?

Jackie: I don’t actually know.

17th question: Who is your favourite footballer right now?
Jackie: Ooh I like this question. I think it’s probably Frenkie (Frenkie de Jong). I really enjoy watching him play. And I am also very happy that Donny (Donny van de Beek) plays for Manchester United now.

18th question: Question asked in English

19th question: Are you someone who does a lot of tricks on the pitch?
Jackie: No. I really don’t know many tricks. I can do an around the world though.

20th question: What show are you currently watching?
Jackie: I just began watching Undercover because lots of people were talking about that show and I’m enjoying it. I also just watched Bly Manor and The Fall on Netflix.

21st question: Do you prefer having a roomie or do you prefer not having a roomie?
Jackie: Now I will admit that I miss Inessa a lot and the fun we have and someone who tells me when we have to go somewhere and where we have to be.

22nd question: What did you think of Groningen?
Jackie: I really enjoyed being in Groningen. It was really fun to play in the stadium there, but it was unfortunate that the fans couldn’t be there with us because that would have made it even more enjoyable.

23rd question: Who from the national team have you known the longest?
Jackie: I’ve known Lieke for the longest I think. Wait, actually I’ve known Liza van der Most for the longest period of time.

24th question: Are you addicted to Zweedse puzzels (translates directly into Swedish puzzles, but I think they’re kinda like crossword puzzles)?
Jackie: Yes 100%.

25th question: What position did you play as a kid?

Jackie: I’ve actually always played in the midfield. I always kinda played in the number 10 position or in the number 6 position or in any case, in between everything.

26th question: Dogs or cats?
Jackie: I think I’d have to say dogs.

Jackie: I think it’s almost time for me to go. I have a minute left so if anyone has any really cool questions now is your chance to ask them.

27th question: When is the next match?
Jackie: On Tuesday! On Tuesday you guys can watch us again, and we play against Kosovo.

28th question: What’s the best goal you’ve ever scored?
Jackie: I think the most special one was against Sweden in the World Cup in the semi-finals.

29th question: How long did you play football with the boys?
Jackie: I played with the boys for a very long time. I think I was 15 when I went to the Bundesliga, but I always wanted to play with the boys for as long as possible because I really enjoyed playing with them.

30th question: Who is your role model?
Jackie: For me it’s Johan Cruyff, which many people probably know. My father is a role model for me as well.

31st question: What’s it like being a professional footballer?
Jackie: It’s very fun. I enjoy it every day. I enjoy the training sessions and the matches are very fun. I do always miss my family a little though. That’s a little bit of a downside to being a professional footballer. But yeah, I really enjoy what I get to do.

32nd question: Who was the toughest opponent to play against?
Jackie: I think probably the United States at the World Cup. I also always find playing against Japan really difficult because they are so technical and are everywhere on the pitch. They’re very good as well.

33rd question: Would you rather score a goal or have three assists?
Jackie: I’ll choose the three assists because then that means the team has scored 3 goals.

*someone knocks something over in the background*

Jackie: Oh is everything okay over there? Katja walked in and basically knocked everything over for anyone who is wondering what happened.

34th question: What is a bad trait that Danielle van de Donk has?
Jackie: Hmmmm when she wins, she tends to talk about it and tell it to everyone constantly.

35th question: How tall are you?
Jackie: Not very tall. I think I’m 1,65m or something like that.

Jackie: Thank you all so much for all the lovely questions. There were a lot of questions, so I found it hard to select which ones to answer. The next guest is also great though. This is Katja, and she’s going to answer a lot of questions as well. Thank you again for all the questions and see you all next time! Have lots of fun with Katja. Bye!

[calacuspr]

Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Carl Nassib & UEFA

Every Monday we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.

HIT – CARL NASSIB

“I hope that one day videos like this and the whole coming out process are just not necessary," said Carl Nassib, the Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive end after revealing that he is gay.

In making his admission, during Pride month no less, Nassib becomes the first active National Football League player to come out publicly.

Nassib added: "I'm a pretty private person so I hope that you guys know that I'm really not doing this for attention. I just think that representation and visibility are so important.

"I'm going to do my best to cultivate a culture that's accepting and compassionate."

He followed up with a written message admitting that he had “agonised over this moment for the last 15 years” and it was only after he received so much encouragement from family and friends that he decided to go ahead.

“I am also incredibly thankful for the NFL, my coaches, and fellow players for their support,” Nassib wrote. “I would not have been able to do this without them. From the jump I was greeted with the utmost respect and acceptance.”

Nassib is also donating £100,000 to the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention service for LGBTQ youth in America, a creditable gesture which highlights his understanding of the struggles many young people face.

Amit Paley, CEO & Executive Director of The Trevor Project, gave thanks to Nassib for his generosity and said: “The Trevor Project is grateful to Carl Nassib for living his truth and supporting LGBTQ youth. Coming out is an intensely personal decision, and it can be an incredibly scary and difficult one to make. We hope that Carl’s historic representation in the NFL will inspire young LGBTQ athletes across the country to live their truth and pursue their dreams. 

“At a time when state lawmakers are actively trying to restrict transgender and nonbinary youth’s participation in school sports, this news should serve as a clarion call for greater LGBTQ inclusion in the locker room and on the field.”

Of those who have admitted that they are gay in the past, Michael Sam came out before being drafted into the league in 2014, but never played a regular season NFL game.

Roy Simmons, who played for the Giants and Washington in the 1980s, was one of a number of players to come out after retiring. He told the New York Times in 2003 that he did not feel safe announcing that he was gay while he was in the NFL.

“The NFL has a reputation,” he said at the time, “and it’s not even a verbal thing – it’s just known. You are gladiators; you are male; you kick butt.”

Hall of fame quarterback Warren Moon revealed that gay players had long been a part of the NFL. He tweeted: “As long as they helped us win and were great teammates- their sexual preference was never a issue..

“We live in a different time now where diversity is much more accepted. Cheers Carl, and I hope this lets other athletes know, its OK to say who you are...”

The Raiders tweeted: “Proud of you, Carl” while club owner Mark Davis played down the significance of the announcement and said: “He’s a Raider. If he’s happy, I’m happy. It takes courage. I thought we got to the point where this wasn’t (a story). It doesn’t change my opinion of him as a man or as a Raider.”

The NFL was swift to offer their support for Nassib with Commissioner Roger Goodell saying: “The NFL family is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today. Representation matters.

“We share his hope that someday soon statements like his will no longer be newsworthy as we march toward full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. We wish Carl the best of luck this coming season.”

NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith added: "Our union supports Carl and his work with the Trevor Project is proof that he -- like our membership -- is about making his community and this world a better place not for themselves, but for others."

Certainly 20 years ago, Nassib’s announcement may have ended his career based on the macho culture within the NFL locker rooms but the fact that his shirt was the top-selling NFL jersey on its network after his announcement according to sports apparel retailer Fanatics.

Nassib is now a poster boy for a new era in American Football and it is to his credit that he is embracing the challenge.

"I do not know all the history behind our courageous LGBTQ community," he added, "but I am eager to learn and to help continue the fight for equality and acceptance."

MISS – UEFA

The football community has been largely united in support for the LGBTQ+ community recently, from European players donning rainbow laces and calling out blatant acts of homophobia.

However, UEFA have been criticised for not explicitly challenging or condemning homophobia during Pride month.

German captain Manuel Neuer’s decision to wear a rainbow-coloured armband was initially banned by UEFA before they quickly changed their position.

UEFA then last week rejected a request to illuminate the Allianz Arena in Munich with rainbow colours during the EURO 2020 Group F match between Germany and Hungary.

There was suspicion that the proposal was a response to new Hungarian legislation, which has banned the promotion of homosexuality to those under the age of 18.

In a statement posted on social media, UEFA defended their decision by saying: “UEFA is proud to wear the colours of the rainbow. It is a symbol that embodies our core values, promoting everything that we believe in.

“Some people have interpreted UEFA’s decision to turn down the city of Munich’s request to illuminate the Munich stadium in rainbow colours for a Euro 2020 match as ‘political’. On the contrary, the request itself was political, linked to the Hungarian football team’s presence in the stadium for this evening’s match with Germany.”

The major of Munich, Dieter Reiter, was one of many who saw this as a missed opportunity from UEFA and he had hoped that the illuminations during the match would “send a visible sign of solidarity” with Hungary’s LGBTQ+ community.

The Germany and Hungary game finished 2-2 and summed up the mood from the footballing community perfectly towards homophobia and UEFA’s decision.

A pitch invader took to the field with a rainbow flag as the Hungarian National anthem blared out around the stadium, while Leon Goretza celebrated his late equaliser for Germany by running over to away fans and making a heart gesture with his hands, conveying the simple message that homophobia will not be tolerated.

Undoubtedly, UEFA have not a strong and clear position regarding homophobia throughout the EURO 2020 tournament.

Earlier, during Hungary’s opening Group F game against Portugal in Budapest, a set of Hungarian fans were seen holding a sign that read “Anti-LMBTQ”.

UEFA had an opportunity to react instantly to confirm the LGBTQ+ community as equals in society and in football but its delays had the result of many feeling unwelcome.

It took five days for UEFA to release a short statement on their website on the incident and no action has since been taken against Hungary.

The delay meant the message was not instantly dismissed, which suggests UEFA do not take the issue seriously enough.

Joe White, a spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ fans group 3LionsPride, has criticised UEFA’s messaging. In a statement, he said: “UEFA will tout themselves as supporters of equality and rainbow-wash their brand when it suits them, but rarely proactively engage or make improvements for LGBTQ+ people involved in the game.

“LGBTQ+ people across the game are not able to enjoy football when they have to face hatred in stadia and online.

“It’s clear that UEFA once again has its head firmly buried in the sand and is no ally of the LGBTQ+ community. Until UEFA start taking serious action against discrimination, the beautiful game is once again allowing its ugly side to rear its head.”

The rainbow symbol in football stadia reassures to LGBTQ+ individuals watching EURO 2020 that they are welcome in football. It demonstrates that attitudes towards homosexuality are improving within the sport.

Without the rainbow, particularly during Pride Month, those messages are lost.

Germany has led a continental call for greater LGBTQ+ unity throughout football. In the days following the UEFA Allianz Arena rejection, officials across Germany ignored the guidance, as stadia in Frankfurt, Augsburg and Nuremberg, as well as in Belgium, joined Munich by lighting up in rainbow colours.

Elsewhere, UEFA sponsor Booking.com, will use a rainbow outline in all of their pitch-side adverts for Round of 16 matches, including Holland’s game against the Czech Republic in Budapest.

Ahead of the tie in the Hungarian capital, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that Hungary has “no place in the EU,” unless they retract their homophobic laws.

UEFA have demonstrated that the rainbow symbol will not be universally accepted in football, which is hardly consistent with their own claims to be pro-LGBTQ+.

The inconsistency shown by European football’s governing body during Euro 2020 underlines the fact that they have a long way to go to regain the confidence of the LGBTQ+ community.

Perhaps it is time for UEFA to go back to the drawing board and come up with a consistent policy which allows freedom of expression in the promotion of sexual equality.

[tkmedia]

Ajax release third kit inspired by Bob Marley and 'Three Little Birds'

5:30 AM ETAjax are the latest club to release their 2021-22 third kit in a busy week that has seen a deluge of new auxiliary strips dropping all around Europe. However, rather than delving into the past or revamping a design of old, the Eredivisie club have taken the opportunity to pay homage to one of their key musical inspirations.The shirt is a tribute to the late, great reggae legend Bob Marley, whose classic anthem "Three Little Birds" can regularly be heard echoing around the terraces of the Johan Cruyff Arena on matchday.2 RelatedIt all began in fairly unlikely circumstances during the summer of 2008 when Ajax travelled to Wales to face Cardiff City in a preseason friendly at Ninian Park.The Dutch fans were asked to remain in the stands after the final whistle to help ease congestion outside, during which time they were entertained by the stadium DJ. Three Little Birds was one of the songs played. It was instantly embraced and is still sung to this very day.Indeed, Ajax have adopted the reggae anthem as an unofficial club song and will now take to the field with three little birds on their jerseys -- etched in the famous red, green and gold colours associated with Marley's Rastafarian religion.Rise up this mornin', smile with the rising sun.Introducing our new 21/22 third jersey, inspired by our collective love for @BobMarley and his Three Little Birds. pic.twitter.com/YiPUS7AR19— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) August 20, 2021As well as his music, Marley was also known to be a passionate lover of the game and his Wailers 5-a-side team even took on FC Nantes -- who were reigning Ligue 1 champions at the time -- in a casual kickaround in the early 1980s, before taking to the stage in the French city later that night."I am beyond touched that Ajax has taken Three Little Birds and made it their anthem," said Marley's daughter, Cedella. "Stories like this warm my heart and show how impactful songs like Three Little Birds can be. Soccer was everything to my father... and to use his words: 'football is freedom.'"Ajax's new third kit forms part of a larger Marley collection which also includes a tracksuit, sweater, t-shirt and a pair of limited edition Samba sneakers, complete with red, green and gold stripes, as well as the club crest on the tongue.

This isn't the first time we've seen Marley's image gracing a football shirt either, with Irish club Bohemians launching their own limited edition jersey for the 2018-19 season.The shirt was intended as a tribute to the Jamaican legend, who staged his last ever open-air concert at Boh's Dalymount Park ground in Dublin in 1980.Introducing Bohemians' new away shirt! It's in tribute to Bob Marley after his final outdoor concert took place at their home ground 🇯🇲 pic.twitter.com/tdl9KKhffy— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) October 24, 2018 However, the League of Ireland side were quickly forced to axe the design after running afoul of image rights laws, despite Marley's son Ky-Mani branding it the "dopest" football shirt he'd ever seen.Football kits with musical tie-ins have proven consistently popular, with one of the best examples emanating from MLS as Seattle Sounders paid tribute to one of the city's most famous sons, James "Jimi" Marshall Hendrix, with the release of a new kit for the new Major League Soccer season.

The Sounders' psychedelic 2021-22 away shirt celebrates the life and career of the 1960s rock legend, whose band The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992."Seattle was and always will be Jimi's home. The Sounders are Seattle's own, as well," said Janie Hendrix, president & CEO of Experience Hendrix. "Collaborating with the Sounders to create a jersey is our way of playing for the home team. Jimi was all about honoring the place you come from. This venture allows us to give back to the community he loved. That's something I think would make Jimi proud."- 2021 MLS schedule: The games you cannot miss - ESPN+ viewer's guide: MLS, Bundesliga, Serie A, FA Cup and moreSounders star Nicolas Lodeiro helped launch the new Adidas uniform, which has been officially dubbed "The Jimi Hendrix Kit" by the club.The jersey conjures images of the electric guitar great in his pomp with a purple haze effect all over, trimmed with bright flashes of orange and yellow -- accents as bold as love.

Hendrix's signature has also been added to the bottom-left corner of the jersey while the inner neck features a tape graphic of hand-written lyrics from the song "Straight Ahead," which was included on posthumous 1997 album "First Rays of the New Rising Sun."

This is no castle made of sand either, with the Sounders' Jimi Hendrix kit also placing a strong emphasis on promoting and supporting local community causes. Proceeds from the first 30 days of sales will be donated to five non-profit organisations, all of which are geared toward advocating youth sport and/or art and music.What's more, the right sleeve of the shirt also features the salmon logo of the Puyallup Tribe, who still serve as first nation stewards of the land throughout the Puget Sound in Washington State and have recently signed a charitable partnership deal with the club.

Elsewhere, Dublin-based club Bohemians were at it again as Irish post-punk band Fontaines DC sponsored their new away kit. The kit, which features the band's name across the midriff, will help raise funds to support a homelessness charity with 15% of proceeds being donated to Focus Ireland.We're extremely proud to be a part of the new Bohs kit in conjunction with Focus Ireland as they are two organisations that we hold very close to our hearts. @bfcdublin @FocusIreland https://t.co/X8GITXdSGa pic.twitter.com/6GptJrKaTF— Fontaines D.C. (@fontainesdublin) March 13, 2021 Last season, Bohemians collaborated with human rights charity Amnesty International to create an away shirt that proudly expressed support for refugees fleeing war around the world."Bohs are an organisation that really care about the community," said Fontaines DC drummer Tom Coll. "Having a Dublin football team having 'Refugees Welcome' be the biggest thing on their shirt, that's amazing."In the recent past, we've even seen huge clubs like Paris Saint-Germain buddying up with rock royalty to produce special one-off shirts.Indeed, the Parisians joined forces with the Rolling Stones to produce a whole range of merchandise, including replica shirts, apparel, skateboards and even crash helmets.OFFICIAL: PSG have launched their "unique collaboration" with the Rolling Stones. #PSGNoFilter pic.twitter.com/Dh9mySO5RP— Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip) October 18, 2017 After scoring a number of hits in the early 1990s, Scottish pop band Wet Wet Wet decided to invest some of their earnings in their hometown club, Clydebank, by taking over as shirt sponsor.1⃣3⃣ 👕 Clydebank 💰 Wet Wet Wet"Wet Wet Wet arguably started the whole bands sponsoring football teams by pumping some of their pre-Love Is All Around royalties into their hometown team in 1993." pic.twitter.com/QLAKRyhHqh— FourFourTwo (@FourFourTwo) January 29, 2018 DJ and Brighton & Hove Albion fan Fatboy Slim had his record label Skint sponsor the shirts of his beloved hometown club for a period in the early 2000s.The 1999-00 Brighton & Hove Albion home shirt is a classic. Skint Record's sponsorship, the record label of the Seagull's most famous fan Fatboy Slim, makes for an iconic combination 🔵⚪️#shirtshackfootball #futebol #futbol #calcio #brighton #bha #championsleague #premierleague pic.twitter.com/jjF58WconW— Shirt Shack Football (@ShirtShackFooty) September 15, 2020 As unlikely as it may seem, The Prodigy saw fit to sponsor an under-13s team in 2012 when a dad of one of the Eastleigh Juniors FC players wrote a letter to band member Liam Howlett.Over in Germany, veteran punk rockers Die Toten Hosen famous for splashing their mark across several Fortuna Dusseldorf strips from the 1990s right up to the present day.Shirt Alert: Fortuna Düsseldorf have teamed up with rock band Die Toten Hosen to produce a special shirtThe side also had a special Die Toten Hosen sponsor in the 90sWhat do you think of the new shirt?#F95 x #DTH pic.twitter.com/TchRIlLrkV— Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts) October 29, 2019 Still, Ajax fans will be right for thinking that having a tribute to Bob Marley on their team's jersey will be tough for any team to top this season. Read the full article

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 14/11/2020 (Ariana Grande, Little Mix)

We’re in a similar situation to last week where despite two massive albums – Little Mix’s Confetti even debuting at #2 on the album chart behind Kylie Minogue’s Disco (which was unprecedented but completely understandable since Kylie is massive here) – are both released, but there’s a very muted impact on the chart, mostly because of silly UK Singles Chart rules. In fact, you could argue there’s more impact from smaller releases from Giggs and The Kid LAROI, but that’s just how streaming goes. Since this chart doesn’t include radio, hip-hop has more of a chance in many ways to debut on the chart than the type of pop Kylie makes but its longevity is seriously impaired. Also, ageism doesn’t exist on the albums chart but on here it is in full effect. Regardless, we have 12 new arrivals, mostly from the aforementioned artists, so let’s start. Ariana Grande’s “positions” is still #1 – you can chalk that up to lack of competition – and welcome to REVIEWING THE CHARTS.

Dropouts & Returning Entries

Before we get to the songs debuting on the UK Top 75 proper this week, let’s have our brief little musical rundown, starting with the drop-outs as there were a fair few, namely “Go Crazy” by Chris Brown and Young Thug (a pretty damn big hit for the both of them), “West Ten” by AJ Tracey and Mabel (again, a very big hit, one of the biggest of the year making its exit), “Only You Freestyle” by Headie One and Drake lasting longer than I expected or it probably should have, “Loose” by S1mba and KSI leaving perhaps prematurely, “808” by Da Beatfreakz, Dutchavelli, DigDat and B Young, “5AM” by M Huncho and Nafe Smallz (Thank God) and a couple of our high debuts and returns from last week, like “motive” by Ariana Grande featuring Doja Cat – but we will see more of Ariana today – and the charity single “Four Notes – Paul’s Tune” by Paul Harvey and the BBC Philharmonic, as well as all three of the returning Halloween tracks, including “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. Oh, yeah, and as anyone could safely predict, all of the Bring Me the Horizon songs are gone, even “Teardrops”, which means we officially have 100% less metalcore on the chart, and I’m surprised to say I’m genuinely disappointed. In terms of returning entries, we have “Before You Go” by Lewis Capaldi making a return to #71, “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey re-appearing for the first time this year and remarkably early to #60 and some returns from album boosts, those being “Magic” by Kylie Minogue peaking at #53 and “Happiness” by Little Mix doing the same at #43. The biggest fall this week was “Ain’t it Different” by Headie One featuring AJ Tracey and Stormzy dropping out of the top 10 to #31, probably because it had its streaming numbers cut as many songs do after they’ve reached more than 10 weeks in the top 40. The biggest gain however was for “SO DONE” by The Kid LAROI just missing out on the top 40 at #44. I can honestly see this becoming huge. Oh, and “Whoopty” by CJ is now in the top 40 at #39. Joy... Let’s just get straight to these new songs.

NEW ARRIVALS

#75 – “WITHOUT YOU” – The Kid LAROI

Produced by Blake Slatkin and Omar Fedi

So this kid LAROI released an EP that attaches to a mixtape he released earlier this year, Frick Love, which has been reissued as a sort of deluxe edition, without there even being a debut studio album to reissue, just a mixtape. Either way, this new hybrid deluxe version, repackaged as Frick Love (Savage), has been considerably more successful than the original mixtape so far, probably off of the back of that “SO DONE” single. Awful cover art aside; I did not listen to this project because I am not interested at all in some Australian emo-rapper’s EP, especially if it’s going to Marshmello, Machine Gun Kelly and YoungBoy Never Broke Again on it. This kid LAROI said that this is his favourite song off of the release because, and I quote verbatim: “I just like it, I don’t know, it’s kind of, dude, I don’t know, it’s a little different, it’s like a little, uh, acoustic vibe, uh, I just like it.” It’s nice to see this new generation of musicians be so articulate. Well, this is a pretty trite song with rote acoustic guitar strumming that is pretty conventional of softer emo-pop, but this song doesn’t come with infectious choruses, emotional bloodletting or even more than a single verse. Instead, it’s just absolute garbage with a guitar riff I swear I’ve heard before. There’s no development to this increasingly exhausting ballad other than this kid LAROI crooning and moaning in a pathetic Auto-Tune falsetto some clearly misogynist lyrics that he only picked up from Juice and other rappers. This kid shouldn’t care about making wives out of hoes, he should be studying. I’m almost offended by this on a personal level, or at least the principle that this kid at seventeen years old could go on about heartbreak that probably didn’t happen and use it to excuse and disguise clearly lazy, sexist lyrics. At least with other emo-rap it feels genuine and angsty. This is just disposable garbage that his audience will eat up like fast food, and it comes from such an insincere place that I can’t excuse it.

#66 – “ALWAYS DO” – The Kid LAROI

Produced by Omar Fedi, Khaled Rohaim, Donn Robb and Haan

Just like that, he’s back, folks. Okay, well, he starts off this song by saying he’s drinking again, which he can’t do for another year according to Australian law. I’ll take that as a complete lie he’s hogged from his mentor Juice WRLD and clearly not understood why that led to his downfall and death; the glamorisation of drugs in Juice’s music was unintentional and misconstrued that way by record label yes-men and some of his fans, who ate up the music and maybe didn’t grasp the message Juice was clearly advocating for. So, you’re just going to blindly lie to your fans – ALL of which are children – about substance abuse with very little commentary around it other than how it affects this fake relationship for the sake of making “relatable” hits that ultimately go against everything Juice would have wanted? Delightful. When other rappers talk about a bitch, they have a casual, disposable tone that suggests they’re groupies and whilst this is such an accepted form of misogyny in music, which also annoys me for the record even if music I adore expresses as such, it at least shows that the rappers don’t care or use the women as a line-filler or flex. When this douche says the word “bitch”, he means it. It comes with such vile, toxic bitterness that I’m convinced the Kid LAROI just hates women. Not even specific women, just the concept of “woman”. Sigh... can someone take this disrespectful toad off the charts – and quick?

#64 – “Buff Baddies” – Giggs

Produced by Trooh Hippi

Speaking on not respecting women, British rapper Giggs is here with his second mixtape. He’s got a couple more tracks on the chart, this is the first and it’s all about “buff baddies”. “WAP” has led to men thinking they can be extra horny as well and I’m not going to shame any kind of sex positivity but when Giggs talks almost exclusively what the women are doing for him and doesn’t have a lick of personality to it, it feels less absurd and over-the-top than it does just gross. It doesn’t help that his delivery is almost comically blunt and completely charmless over this non-existent cloudy trap beat, and there’s no hook or chorus to speak of, so this is just completely worthless. This reminds me of Dean Blunt’s Babyfather projects, you know, the mixtapes where he actively makes fun of this type of rap and even then is miles more interesting and charismatic? God, what an awful track.

#63 – “I’ll Call You Back” – dutchavelli

Produced by Big Zeeko

Oh, and dutchavelli released an album too called Dutch from the 5th, so we have more to come from him as well. Look, I’m tired, I’m fed up, I just want this episode to be done with and maybe I’m not in the right mood to listen to snooze-worthy generic hacks in modern hip hop all have their own mini-album bombs. Just maybe. I’m not sure if that excuses the clear lack of quality and effort in any of this, or the fact that the billion-dollar company I use to listen to the product of billion-dollar companies apparently can’t have an app that works and allows me to listen to said product. To be fair to dutch, this is a more introspective track with melancholy piano loops and pretty basic trap-drill percussion, but I do like some of the lyrical content here, where he talks about how even though he feels distant from his loved ones as a big star, he really wants to keep in contact and he details some of his struggles in a really heartfelt way. His delivery is emotive and even when it’s heavily Auto-Tuned, you can tell he’s pretty frustrated with the conflict between his newfound popularity and keeping up to standards with his personal relationships. He’s not always perfectly on beat and honestly the song kind of goes nowhere, but I like the lyrics about his childhood and his mother, and I especially think his breathless, stiff cadence when he pleads with his girlfriend is pretty effective. As a song though, I don’t think I’ll be going back to this at all, which is a shame.

#59 – “Get Out My Head” – Shane Codd

Produced by Shane Codd

Shane Codd is an Irish producer, singer and DJ from Dublin who amassed a following from his playlist showcasing classic trance and house hits from the 1990s and 2000s, which he became infatuated with as a child, explaining why his first and only song is already on the chart, albeit just at #59. That “Trance Anthems 90s-00s” playlist does have some bangers (I’m not going to complain about Alice Deejay, Moby or Zombie Nation), so does Codd follow in the footsteps of these classic trance acts? Well, no. No, he doesn’t. This is a house-pop song if anything, but it’s not like I know all the ins and outs of this stuff. I have a friend that does know a lot about trance; I don’t even think she’d like this. It’s pretty lazy, bizarrely-mixed house with a lot of focus on those classic 90s pianos that do sound straight out of that diva house and Eurodance era (in fact, this is practically a Eurodance song), but without much character to speak of. For a first song, it is impressively professional but not to the extent that the percussion sounds any less cheap or tinny, or that the chopped-up vocals, from some generic female singer as always, are charming. This is exactly what I think would happen if you fed a robot tropical house music, a couple FL Studio plug-ins and a “Trance Anthems 90s-00s” playlist, and told it to produce some kind of cohesive result in return. It’s telling that this soulless dreck charted, but hey, if he’s got the following and any kind of budget, he could improve considerably and this isn’t that bad on principle. It’s just wearing influences not on the sleeve but as make-up, to cover up the lack of artistic dignity or progression the guy has, not that I expect him to (it is only his first song after all). Next.

#56 – “Say Something” – Kylie Minogue

Produced by Jon Green and Richard “Biff” Stannard

I'm not a big Kylie Minogue fan but I can admit like anyone who's not too far up their own ass that she has a lot of classics, a lot of bops and most importantly to this show in particular, a lot of bonafide smash hits to her belt. My personal favourite is "The Loco-Motion" but her 2014 album Kiss Me Once was a big factor into my appreciation of this type of inoffensive dance-pop (that indirectly made me eventually start this series), especially the lead single "Into the Blue". Speaking of lead singles, this was the lead for her 2020 effort, Disco, but it didn't actually chart until this week interestingly. Well, with that said, there must be a reason the big lead single from July didn’t chart until November, and the second single, “Magic”, did, so I’m not expecting prime Kylie here, and I’m not expecting myself to write positively about it either because I had to restart Spotify like five times before being able to actually play the song so I’m pretty annoyed with these billion-dollar companies right now... and, yeah, okay, with the synthesized choir and the staccato synth bass, I can understand how this feels less alive than other songs she’s made, particularly because this feels like a rather dumbed-down revision of 1980s pop with some really awkward vocal mixing and a chorus that never really hits. Kylie doesn’t sound great here at all either, and the guitars are just kind of garish, especially in the first verse. It doesn’t help that this is a messy song structure-wise, and that the title drop in the chorus is neither cathartic nor worth waiting for. There’s also a bridge-outro that never leads back into a chorus, so the song just floats away sadly into nowhere. Yeah, it’s safe to say this is a disappointment, especially from a lead single but it does make sense that at this point in her career Kylie and her team may be artistically stagnating. It’s been more than three decades; I’m just impressed she’s still putting out music.

#54 – “Plugged in Freestyle” – A92 and Fumez the Engineer

Produced by Charlie Mockler

It’s not often that the engineer gets lead billing, let alone an engineer whose stage name is entirely based on the fact that he is an engineer, and didn’t even produce the track. Anyway, it’s not actually unusual for YouTube and radio freestyles to chart, in fact the GRM Daily Duppy freestyles have charted before for both J Hus and Aitch. It is unusual for viral Irish drill tracks to chart however, but this did get traction as a viral video as well as the absurdity of Irish drill, which is now a rising phenomenon. A92 is an Irish drill group and all of the four members present here get three verses each, leading up to either 12 verses overall or just one big collaborative verse depending on how you count these things. You may notice at this point that I’m stalling, mostly because the Spotify app still refuses to function correctly once again. It’s not like I’m missing much in terms of unique bars or even cadence. I expected a delivery or flow that was more energetic from the Irish, just saying. There’s a lot of pointless censorship when it’s pretty clear what they’re saying, and the guys are obviously lipsyncing in the video so it’s not like this is some impressive off-the-cuff freestyle. I do like the incredibly deep voice Dbo has but it’s not interesting enough to carry his uninteresting flow and this really minimal, basic drill beat that works for its intended purpose to carry the bars but it does not make an impression further than that and by the end of the track, it’s just dull. I do admit to really liking the fourth guy Offica’s verses here because he has a lot more energy and intriguing flows than the rest of them; if any of this group get a solo career off the back of this I’d expect it to be him, or at least I’d hope so. Overall, though, I’m not a big fan although I don’t think this is bad, just unremarkable. If I thought it was bad, I think this episode would end up being posted posthumously anyway.

#52 – “Zero Zero” – dutchavelli

Produced by The Fanatix

Oh, hey, look! It’s more of the same. I imagine if you follow the US charts, you’d soon get tired of the trap garbage that somehow ends up on there in the lower reaches of the chart when it could be given to more promising mainstream-adjacent acts that end up just popping up on the Bubbling Under. Whilst I don’t really have the same problem with this chart, I am growing tired of UK drill music at this point and its indignant refusal to be interesting. It’s not like I have an issue with the music itself because I can usually ignore it, but does all of it really HAVE to chart? When it was new and relatively interesting I welcomed it but the sparse drum patterns, badly mixed 808s and “menacing” pianos are all very much getting on my nerves at this point in the year, especially when the chart is flooded with this stuff. For every weekly pathetic house-pop tune we get, we also get at least three drill “bangers”. Maybe the charts have just made me cynical. I should probably maybe rest before trying to continue this episode – I’ve given a notice on Twitter that grants me more time so I suppose I’ll get back to you when I’m not mindlessly ranting about drill music.

Alright, so I haven’t slept but Spotify has decided to function for now, and I guess I might as well use this opportunity to write about the last few arrivals. We all have our “off” days, and this was one of mine so I apologise if this episode isn’t up to scratch – even if admittedly, I’m telling myself that more than anyone else. Oh, and this song is actually kind of fun, with his really elegant strings that are backed up by some hard-hitting drill percussion that actually makes for a pretty hard beat here, especially with those extra sound effects. Seriously, props to the Fanatix for this, and dutchavelli actually brings a lot more energy than I expected, even on the ad-libs on the chorus, though of course, the content isn’t anything new. He is finding new and funny ways to talk about crack cocaine trafficking though, so I commend that. The skit is kind of pointless but I’m sure it makes sense in the album. That was quick! In fact, I’m going to try and be quick before I fall asleep.

#49 – “Spin this Coupe” – Abra Cadabra

Produced by H1K and Zenith

I’ve restarted Spotify so many times and I’ve restarted my computer at least thrice. This desktop app still refuses to function and this is a recent but bloody persistent problem. Maybe I should just re-download the Spotify app, but it does aggravate me that it does this when I’m supposed to be, you know, REVIEWING THE CHARTS. It’s not like it’s down for other people either, it just likes to freeze on me for no reason other than my own suffering. There’s a Dave song coming so I’ve kind of been raring to get to that but just to keep myself in check and on routine I suppose I need to listen to this garbage. I didn’t mind Abra Cadabra on the ��BLM” song from a few weeks ago and I do like the semi-introspective tone he has lyrically here, showing some kind of self-awareness about the gang violence he discusses in his music. Lyrics like that are few and far between however and more often than not it’s just uninspired gunplay and some flexing over some drill type beat. I swear I’ve heard that exact same hi-hat sound and pattern so many times, and other than some overly-energetic ad-libs that make this shoddily-mixed track even uglier sounding, Abra Cadabra is not selling any of this, even when he does a more rapid-pace, energetic yelling flow. He’s not saying anything memorable and he’s only vaguely on beat. I mean, it’s fine but I’m sick of this already. There’s a preview of another song on the YouTube video for this song and I thought it was just another verse. Come on, lads, think of something else.

#35 – “Straight Murder (Giggs & David)” – Giggs featuring Dave

Produced by KeyzMusic

What an odd title. It’s like if I called this show REVIEWING THE CHARTS (Cactus), like we know your names, guys. Is this how they want to credit Dave as a co-lead artist or something? I’ve got no idea but this is our second and final track from Giggs’ Now or Never and thank God, it features Dave, a British rapper I really enjoy. His album PSYCHODRAMA was one of the best records I heard last year and I’ve consistently liked most of his stuff, specifically his brand of cool, relaxed flows and blunt, admittedly corny punchlines with a lot of conscious influence and cleverness that most of these drill guys wouldn’t dare to try and implement in their singles. He and J Hus form a crossroad between the mainstream British rap scene and more underground or alternative acts; he strikes me very much as a more accessible male Little Simz, a sharp lyricist with a lot of unique charm who knows how to have fun. In fact, the one thing I don’t think Dave can do convincingly is rap on a drill beat, or at least one like “Paper Cuts” where he just sounded sloppy. He also had a feature on a D-Block Europe song that was just comical, so I can’t say his recent efforts have been as good but that performance of “Black” at the BRITs really cemented him as one of the best British musicians in the charts right now for me and a lot of other people, so this acts as kind of a comeback single for him, even if it is just a throwaway feature track – there’s a reason this debuted so high. I do think this could stick around as well since Dave does have longevity. I still bump “Funky Friday” more than two years later, although to be fair that did hit #1. This won’t, but is it good? Yeah, this appeals to the part of me that just wants bars over a pretty solid, atmospheric trap beat, and Dave does sound checked-out at times but that’s always been a part of his casual, sliding delivery. There is a lot of empty space in his verse but it’s always played out for comedic effect I feel and while this is a flow he’s definitely used before, the sheer length of this verse means it would be difficult for him to have more hits and misses and yeah, his delivery makes nearly all of these lines hit. Compare the amount of Genius annotations on his verse to how many are on Giggs and you can see why I like this guy a lot more. He may be blunt but it has layers and layers of charm to it, and some of these bars are more than they look to be on the surface. Even his opening line about taking orders can be explained in various different ways: he knows about taking orders but he “doesn’t know” about taking orders, suggesting he doesn’t like taking orders, but what are these orders? They could be taking orders from a boss and now he’s a boss but they could also be about drug trafficking or sending out hits, and then he really “doesn’t know” about taking orders, if you catch my drift. Other than that, he uses his “Streatham” flow to mostly flex but there’s tons of wordplay and I appreciate that more than the boring matter-of-fact structure of verses that half of these other UK rappers have. He’s just effortlessly spitting here and I’ll take that any week but especially this week. Welcome back, Dave, I’m excited to see what you’ve got in store for your next album. Oh, and Giggs is here but who gives a –

#23 – “Confetti” – Little Mix

Produced by TM5

Surprisingly, no Little Mix songs penetrated the top 20, or at least no new ones. In fact, this is our only new song from the girls thanks to silly UK chart rules, and, really, it’s just here because it’s the title track. I can’t say much about Little Mix because I feel there’s nothing to discuss. The new album is something I have not bothered to listen to out of pure disinterest, and this title track... doesn’t seem like a title track. You’d think a title track would be a bit flashier than some dated DJ Mustard hyphy-like beat with pretty pitiful trap percussion and plastic vocal production that makes the girls sound admittedly less inhuman than usual. In fact, they sound more human here than ever, maybe because they’re surrounded by one of the stiffest R&B instrumentals I’ve ever heard, and partly because some of the background vocal melodies are actually pretty catchy, even if the chorus makes it clear that none of it matters since the non-existent pay-off is not worth any of the similarly void build-up. This is a fine, rather understated song where the girls mostly just flex – which is pretty unheard of for a dance-pop track – so I have no issue with it but this could have actually been good... and was once again watered down by manufactured factory-sealed production. Speaking of talented women being let down by production...

#22 – “pov” – Ariana Grande

Produced by Oliver Frid, TBHits and Mr. Franks

So we got the obviously planned pop smashes out of the way from Positions so now it’s time to see what the fans are really gravitating to and to my surprise, it’s the closer. This is the fan favourite from the record and is just now charting because “motive” dropped out and it’s clear why this one is the preferred track. It takes somewhat of an introspective outlook but very much through an immature, lovestruck tone running through the track and its really sweet lyrical content, where she just expresses how much her partner loves her to the point of her even feeling some bizarre envy in the chorus, as she wants to reach a level of self-love comparable to how her partner feels about her. She wants to see why her partner loves her this much despite what she perceives as tragic flaws. By the bridge, she reaches a conclusion that there isn’t any emotional baggage coming with this relationship anymore, a natural book-end to her “leaving her baggage at the door” in the opener of the album. I love the vocal melodies here, with her multi-tracked cooing really shining beautifully amongst the flourishes of strings and more subtle pianos, with trap-adjacent snapping percussion that is actually well implemented and adds a sense of casualness to the song that would otherwise perhaps seem too melodramatic for Ariana. Also, the last line in the chorus is admirable and it works as a perfect closer to the record.

Conclusion

So there is a single good song here, and that is “pov” by Ariana Grande which snags Best of the Week, and, sure, while I like Dave on “Straight Murder (Giggs & David)”, Giggs royally screws up so it can only get the Honourable Mention. For Worst of the Week it’s going to The Kid LAROI just in general for both “WITHOUT YOU” and “ALWAYS DO”, with the latter only being slightly more tolerable. I guess I can give the Dishonourable Mention to Giggs as well for whatever “Buff Baddies” is. Sigh... here’s this terrible week’s top 10.

Thank you for reading my uncharacteristically cynical and just mean ramblings on pop music this week. You can follow me @cactusinthebank on Twitter, I promise I’m not as angry on there. See you next week for hopefully something better than this.

[frnkrobinsn]

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba?

Image Source: lonelyplanet.com

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba?

Next Stop: ‘One happy island’, the Caribbean’s Finest

The bright sunshine warming your skin on a sandy-white beach while the tide tumbles in and out. Ah, summertime truly is the time of year that you can unwind and just enjoy life. If only there is a country that stuck in this summer moment all year long. Well, lucky for you that you can visit Aruba anytime of the year to relive that summer feeling! With Aruba’s beaches, limestone cliffs and perfect weather, we have just scratched the surface of what this rejuvenating island getaway has to offer.  

You can find yourself exploring a desert littered with historical stone castles and tall cacti, cozily resting in resorts, enjoying the different festivities between months, taking part of the Caribbean’s best nightlife, and their immersive cultural experiences integrated into the very walls, land and people of Aruba.

If you’re looking to get a relaxing and interactive summer getaway, even if it’s December, look no further as Aruba is easy to travel to, convenient for a vacation trip, and discoverable due to the small land size of just 180 km². It is the perfect travel trip if you are looking to lounge on the sandy beach and interactively exploring the entire island rich in culture which are both done under the warm rays of the sun and night air. So, what is the best time of year to go to Aruba? If you want to get away from all the stress at work or even the harsh winter months, you have hop on a plane to Aruba at any time of year to the side of the earth that is eternally summer. It now depends on the type of vacation you are looking for.

I. Getting to Know Aruba

Image Source: beachesofaruba.com

Aruba used to be a part of the Netherlands Antilles, but now this 180 km² large island is the size with a population of 106,807 (2020) is now one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. It’s capital and largest city is Oranjestad and the spoken languages here are Dutch, English and Papiamento. Don’t you worry about customs and culture that much as its seasons aren’t based on the weather but based on when you are likely to come and unlikely to come visit Aruba!

Where is Aruba Located?

Aruba is an island in the South Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. However, it is one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. You might have a difficulty pinpointing this country on the map because it is only 180 km² in land size. That’s slightly bigger than Washington, D.C. which is 177 km²! This small island getaway doesn’t have any lakes or rivers to further shrink its land size, but it does have a few hills.

Is Aruba safe?

Aruba has maintained the title of one of the safest islands in the Caribbean. This is mainly because it has just implemented a Mandatory Nationwide Health and Safety Protocols Ahead of Summer Arrivals to ensure the safety and well-being of both the tourists and locals, especially during the time of the pandemic.

This health protocol includes the businesses and events in Aruba to take an online assessment, follow the mandatory protocols, and then receive an Aruba Health & Happiness Code Seal from the Department of Inspection and Hygiene. Don’t you worry about safety issues as Aruba is way ahead of you on that topic! Now that you’re all reassured, let’s move on to the whole reason that you decided to search and read this article.

II. The Best Time of Year to go to Aruba

Since Aruba has no seasons but summer, your decision to travel to Aruba now depends on which festivals you want to attend, what your budget is, and the amount of tourists you prefer to be with when travelling to one of the constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands.

Depending on the Weather and Climate in Aruba

Since Aruba doesn’t have the typical four seasons, it does have two seasons- the high and low seasons. These seasons simply indicate when there are plenty of tourists or not. That’s how you how that this entire island is dedicated to serve and accommodate all tourist’s needs and wants. High season are usually the months of December to April while the low season are usually the months of May to November.

Before you make your way to Aruba, make sure to high SPF sunblock, lightweight clothing, umbrellas and rain-jackets or coats. It is important to mention that Aruba lies far outside the hurricane belt, far away from the storms. On occasions Aruba might experience some small effects of nearby tropical weather. Rain showers may occur. Even when it does rain, it tends to be very short, leaving plenty of sun moments for the rest of your day.

From January Until March

If you go around these months of year, you must gather up all your money in the bank as hotel and resort prices skyrocket through the roof up to $900 a month. The temperature is usually 75 to 85 F with the very occasional and light rain. January is the coolest month of the year at a daily maximum of 30 C and minimum of 25 C. If the coldest temperature of Aruba is 25 C, it indicates that it lives up to its claim to be a summer paradise at any time of the year.

From April Until August

These are the best months to try and get a room deal as it’s not as exaggerated as the past months. The temperatures around this time could reach up to 90 F. Specifically April and May are when the number of tourists has died down and the summer heat is just about to reach its peak. In fact, the driest month is April with 1 mm of rainfall and 30 sunny days.

From September Until December

To get a good deal on the price of a room, go around September to November to try and beat the influx of winter travelers and the expensive prices of the high season. There also aren’t a lot of tourists during this time because September is the hottest month of the year while November is the wettest, but the majority of the days are still sunny. Most tourists want to go to Aruba to avoid the harsh or same old winter season and they usually start filing in by late November and all throughout December. If you’re looking to get the best deal when visiting in Aruba, September has the least amount of tourists, special travel deals are offered, and most US schools have started classes so there are not as many families with children. Therefore, it is best that you get a head start by visiting or booking earlier to avoid the crowds and avoid emptying your wallet.

Also Depending on the Aruban Festivals

January to March is Aruba’s Carnival period, with street parties (also known as ‘jump-ups’) and celebrations taking place all over the island—though, the most spectacular occur in the capital of Oranjestad. Additionally, a monthly Island Festival is held during the last week of each month in San Nicolas City, showcasing local music, food, and artwork.

January

Betico Croes Day is a national holiday that celebrates the birthday of the country’s best statesman. The late Gilberto Francois “Betico” Croes helped Aruba gain independence from the Dutch Kingdom which led to it becoming an autonomous country under the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Without Croes, Aruba wouldn’t rise to its fullest potential as it does today. So, celebrating the man’s birthday who made this independence possible is the least the country could do.

This day features sporting events, an island-wide event Harley Davidson bike tour, culinary festivals, folkloric shows and popular games. Which means you’re in for a hell of day of happy and exciting experiences. However, since it is a national holiday, most businesses like retail shops and supermarkets might close early or be closed throughout the day.

February

If you’ve been thinking of taking the misses on a well-deserved, and maybe even long awaited, vacation, then Valentine’s Day in Aruba might be right up your alley. This day has special offers and deals for this island to transform into your romantic getaway.

March

National Anthem and Flag Day, or basically the Independence Day of Aruba, celebrates Aruba’s independence that dates back to 1986. This holiday was started in 1976 by the local hero Betico Croes himself. This celebration on the 18th of March corresponds with a scout parade, a classic car parade, sporting events, cultural events showcasing the gastronomy of Aruba, and games throughout the island for both kids and adults. But just like Betico Croes Day, this national holiday might cause some businesses to close up shop for the day or for most of the day.

April

King’s Day celebrates the King of the Netherland’s birthday by wearing orange and taking part in games and activities to be held at bars and restaurants.

May

Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival is usually held in the weekend of Memorial Day that features big music concerts featuring world class artists. Oh yes, Aruba is that kind of country- one that does not disappoint its visitors. However, due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival 2020 has been moved to 2021. But hey, there’s no harm in booking tickets this early!

June

Aloe Wellness Month honors the native aloe plant through holistic wellness programs. This healthy celebration of the aloe plant’s benefits is a great way to kick off summer by being able to not only enjoy the summer retreat, but also be physically and internally healthy while doing so.

Dera Gai (St John’s Day) is a century old cultural festival that celebrates an old traditional festival in a more rational and humane way through a traditional harvest festival that used to be about being able to decapitate a defenseless rooter while being blindfolded. In modern times, the contestants are still blindfolded, but to sway to the folk music while blindly searching for the Aruban flag staked to the ground. This festival may have strange roots, but today’s compromise is just a way to keep the tradition alive which you can help do just by attending.  

‘Meet San Nicolas’ is a monthly cultural event featuring art, food, dance and activities starting June until December. San Nicolas I Aruba’s Art District that features visually pleasing art of all kinds! If you’re an art enthusiast or you simply like the aesthetic experience, then make your way to San Nicolas, the Sunrise City of Aruba.

August

Aruba Vow Renewal offers the largest mass vow renewal in the Caribbean featuring affordable and worth-buying honeymoon and vow renewal packages for tourists. It was even featured in a Forbes article entitled, ‘A Vow Renewal In Aruba Is The Ultimate In Romance’ (Kickham, B., 2019).

September

Fiesta di Cunucu celebrates the rural heritage of Aruba by featuring folk dance and music inside the traditional Cunucu houses themselves. This is a great opportunity to discover and take part in the past, present and future culture of Aruba as you’ll be celebrating the past, taking part of the present and be known for it in the future.

October

Eat Local Month lasts all October. It celebrates the Aruban cuisine featuring promotions and special events at all the restaurants of Aruba.

November

The Aruba Beach Tennis Open on November 9 to 17, 2020 is an international beach tennis event with participants from around the world.

December

When it’s December, you usually expect that a country that is so used to accommodating tourists to have a special event to end and start the year with a big bang. And you are right to suspect such allegations. The Dande Festival is the largest traditional musical event that starts every December 27th. It features traveling musicians who bless local families with goodwill and prosperity for the upcoming new year! Mark your calendars, ready your luggage and book a hotel room ahead of time as Aruba offers to give you a summer vacation in the winter, a festival that fills in the time in between Christmas day and the New Year’s Eve, and assures you a safe visit.

III. Main Takeaways

Image Source: marriott.com

Aruba is an island in the South Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. It is one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. Arubia is safe to visit to, event at the height of the pandemic, because it is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean because it has just Mandatory Nationwide Health and Safety Protocols Ahead of Summer Arrivals to ensure the safety and well-being of both the tourists and locals.

Knowing what is the best time of year to go to Aruba isn’t about what climate it is at a certain time of the year. It depends on the volume of tourists you prefer to be with in the small country, the budget you’d be willing to spend when visiting, and the festivals you want to part take in. Hence, there is no single best day, week or month to visit Aruba because it solely depends on your own preferences.

Projected Weather of Grouped Months and Estimates of Seasonal Pricing: 

January until March

Weather is a bit chilly but still warm enough.

Your budget must be high, and your pockets must be deep.

April until August

Weather is at it’s warmest.

Your wallet won’t be emptied out as room prices and accommodation aren’t as pricey.

September until December

Weather is a bit colder but still warm enough to encourage tourists to fleet from the winter times of their countries and spend the “ber” months in Aruba.

Your budget must be high, and your pockets must be deep.

Here is the list of months and the Aruban Festivals they will be hosting:

January – Betico Croes Day

February – Valentine’s Day

March – National Anthem and Flag Day

April – King’s Day

May – Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival

June – Aloe Wellness Month, Dera Gai (St John’s Day), and ‘Meet San Nicolas’

August – Aruba Vow Renewal

September – Fiesta di Cunucu

October – Eat Local Month

November – The Aruba Beach Tennis Open

December – The Dande Festival

References

Kickham, B. (2019). A Vow Renewal In Aruba Is The Ultimate In Romance. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/debbikickham/2019/07/13/a-vow-renewal-in-aruba-is-the-ultimate-in-romance/#30e2f57a48ad. Worldometer (2020). Aruba Population (LIVE). Retrieved from https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/aruba-population/.

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba? See more on: Holiday Nomad

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba? published first on https://holidaynomad.com/

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What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba?

Image Source: lonelyplanet.com

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba?

Next Stop: ‘One happy island’, the Caribbean’s Finest

The bright sunshine warming your skin on a sandy-white beach while the tide tumbles in and out. Ah, summertime truly is the time of year that you can unwind and just enjoy life. If only there is a country that stuck in this summer moment all year long. Well, lucky for you that you can visit Aruba anytime of the year to relive that summer feeling! With Aruba’s beaches, limestone cliffs and perfect weather, we have just scratched the surface of what this rejuvenating island getaway has to offer.  

You can find yourself exploring a desert littered with historical stone castles and tall cacti, cozily resting in resorts, enjoying the different festivities between months, taking part of the Caribbean’s best nightlife, and their immersive cultural experiences integrated into the very walls, land and people of Aruba.

If you’re looking to get a relaxing and interactive summer getaway, even if it’s December, look no further as Aruba is easy to travel to, convenient for a vacation trip, and discoverable due to the small land size of just 180 km². It is the perfect travel trip if you are looking to lounge on the sandy beach and interactively exploring the entire island rich in culture which are both done under the warm rays of the sun and night air. So, what is the best time of year to go to Aruba? If you want to get away from all the stress at work or even the harsh winter months, you have hop on a plane to Aruba at any time of year to the side of the earth that is eternally summer. It now depends on the type of vacation you are looking for.

I. Getting to Know Aruba

Image Source: beachesofaruba.com

Aruba used to be a part of the Netherlands Antilles, but now this 180 km² large island is the size with a population of 106,807 (2020) is now one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. It’s capital and largest city is Oranjestad and the spoken languages here are Dutch, English and Papiamento. Don’t you worry about customs and culture that much as its seasons aren’t based on the weather but based on when you are likely to come and unlikely to come visit Aruba!

Where is Aruba Located?

Aruba is an island in the South Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. However, it is one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. You might have a difficulty pinpointing this country on the map because it is only 180 km² in land size. That’s slightly bigger than Washington, D.C. which is 177 km²! This small island getaway doesn’t have any lakes or rivers to further shrink its land size, but it does have a few hills.

Is Aruba safe?

Aruba has maintained the title of one of the safest islands in the Caribbean. This is mainly because it has just implemented a Mandatory Nationwide Health and Safety Protocols Ahead of Summer Arrivals to ensure the safety and well-being of both the tourists and locals, especially during the time of the pandemic.

This health protocol includes the businesses and events in Aruba to take an online assessment, follow the mandatory protocols, and then receive an Aruba Health & Happiness Code Seal from the Department of Inspection and Hygiene. Don’t you worry about safety issues as Aruba is way ahead of you on that topic! Now that you’re all reassured, let’s move on to the whole reason that you decided to search and read this article.

II. The Best Time of Year to go to Aruba

Since Aruba has no seasons but summer, your decision to travel to Aruba now depends on which festivals you want to attend, what your budget is, and the amount of tourists you prefer to be with when travelling to one of the constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands.

Depending on the Weather and Climate in Aruba

Since Aruba doesn’t have the typical four seasons, it does have two seasons- the high and low seasons. These seasons simply indicate when there are plenty of tourists or not. That’s how you how that this entire island is dedicated to serve and accommodate all tourist’s needs and wants. High season are usually the months of December to April while the low season are usually the months of May to November.

Before you make your way to Aruba, make sure to high SPF sunblock, lightweight clothing, umbrellas and rain-jackets or coats. It is important to mention that Aruba lies far outside the hurricane belt, far away from the storms. On occasions Aruba might experience some small effects of nearby tropical weather. Rain showers may occur. Even when it does rain, it tends to be very short, leaving plenty of sun moments for the rest of your day.

From January Until March

If you go around these months of year, you must gather up all your money in the bank as hotel and resort prices skyrocket through the roof up to $900 a month. The temperature is usually 75 to 85 F with the very occasional and light rain. January is the coolest month of the year at a daily maximum of 30 C and minimum of 25 C. If the coldest temperature of Aruba is 25 C, it indicates that it lives up to its claim to be a summer paradise at any time of the year.

From April Until August

These are the best months to try and get a room deal as it’s not as exaggerated as the past months. The temperatures around this time could reach up to 90 F. Specifically April and May are when the number of tourists has died down and the summer heat is just about to reach its peak. In fact, the driest month is April with 1 mm of rainfall and 30 sunny days.

From September Until December

To get a good deal on the price of a room, go around September to November to try and beat the influx of winter travelers and the expensive prices of the high season. There also aren’t a lot of tourists during this time because September is the hottest month of the year while November is the wettest, but the majority of the days are still sunny. Most tourists want to go to Aruba to avoid the harsh or same old winter season and they usually start filing in by late November and all throughout December. If you’re looking to get the best deal when visiting in Aruba, September has the least amount of tourists, special travel deals are offered, and most US schools have started classes so there are not as many families with children. Therefore, it is best that you get a head start by visiting or booking earlier to avoid the crowds and avoid emptying your wallet.

Also Depending on the Aruban Festivals

January to March is Aruba’s Carnival period, with street parties (also known as ‘jump-ups’) and celebrations taking place all over the island—though, the most spectacular occur in the capital of Oranjestad. Additionally, a monthly Island Festival is held during the last week of each month in San Nicolas City, showcasing local music, food, and artwork.

January

Betico Croes Day is a national holiday that celebrates the birthday of the country’s best statesman. The late Gilberto Francois “Betico” Croes helped Aruba gain independence from the Dutch Kingdom which led to it becoming an autonomous country under the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Without Croes, Aruba wouldn’t rise to its fullest potential as it does today. So, celebrating the man’s birthday who made this independence possible is the least the country could do.

This day features sporting events, an island-wide event Harley Davidson bike tour, culinary festivals, folkloric shows and popular games. Which means you’re in for a hell of day of happy and exciting experiences. However, since it is a national holiday, most businesses like retail shops and supermarkets might close early or be closed throughout the day.

February

If you’ve been thinking of taking the misses on a well-deserved, and maybe even long awaited, vacation, then Valentine’s Day in Aruba might be right up your alley. This day has special offers and deals for this island to transform into your romantic getaway.

March

National Anthem and Flag Day, or basically the Independence Day of Aruba, celebrates Aruba’s independence that dates back to 1986. This holiday was started in 1976 by the local hero Betico Croes himself. This celebration on the 18th of March corresponds with a scout parade, a classic car parade, sporting events, cultural events showcasing the gastronomy of Aruba, and games throughout the island for both kids and adults. But just like Betico Croes Day, this national holiday might cause some businesses to close up shop for the day or for most of the day.

April

King’s Day celebrates the King of the Netherland’s birthday by wearing orange and taking part in games and activities to be held at bars and restaurants.

May

Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival is usually held in the weekend of Memorial Day that features big music concerts featuring world class artists. Oh yes, Aruba is that kind of country- one that does not disappoint its visitors. However, due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival 2020 has been moved to 2021. But hey, there’s no harm in booking tickets this early!

June

Aloe Wellness Month honors the native aloe plant through holistic wellness programs. This healthy celebration of the aloe plant’s benefits is a great way to kick off summer by being able to not only enjoy the summer retreat, but also be physically and internally healthy while doing so.

Dera Gai (St John’s Day) is a century old cultural festival that celebrates an old traditional festival in a more rational and humane way through a traditional harvest festival that used to be about being able to decapitate a defenseless rooter while being blindfolded. In modern times, the contestants are still blindfolded, but to sway to the folk music while blindly searching for the Aruban flag staked to the ground. This festival may have strange roots, but today’s compromise is just a way to keep the tradition alive which you can help do just by attending.  

‘Meet San Nicolas’ is a monthly cultural event featuring art, food, dance and activities starting June until December. San Nicolas I Aruba’s Art District that features visually pleasing art of all kinds! If you’re an art enthusiast or you simply like the aesthetic experience, then make your way to San Nicolas, the Sunrise City of Aruba.

August

Aruba Vow Renewal offers the largest mass vow renewal in the Caribbean featuring affordable and worth-buying honeymoon and vow renewal packages for tourists. It was even featured in a Forbes article entitled, ‘A Vow Renewal In Aruba Is The Ultimate In Romance’ (Kickham, B., 2019).

September

Fiesta di Cunucu celebrates the rural heritage of Aruba by featuring folk dance and music inside the traditional Cunucu houses themselves. This is a great opportunity to discover and take part in the past, present and future culture of Aruba as you’ll be celebrating the past, taking part of the present and be known for it in the future.

October

Eat Local Month lasts all October. It celebrates the Aruban cuisine featuring promotions and special events at all the restaurants of Aruba.

November

The Aruba Beach Tennis Open on November 9 to 17, 2020 is an international beach tennis event with participants from around the world.

December

When it’s December, you usually expect that a country that is so used to accommodating tourists to have a special event to end and start the year with a big bang. And you are right to suspect such allegations. The Dande Festival is the largest traditional musical event that starts every December 27th. It features traveling musicians who bless local families with goodwill and prosperity for the upcoming new year! Mark your calendars, ready your luggage and book a hotel room ahead of time as Aruba offers to give you a summer vacation in the winter, a festival that fills in the time in between Christmas day and the New Year’s Eve, and assures you a safe visit.

III. Main Takeaways

Image Source: marriott.com

Aruba is an island in the South Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. It is one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. Arubia is safe to visit to, event at the height of the pandemic, because it is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean because it has just Mandatory Nationwide Health and Safety Protocols Ahead of Summer Arrivals to ensure the safety and well-being of both the tourists and locals.

Knowing what is the best time of year to go to Aruba isn’t about what climate it is at a certain time of the year. It depends on the volume of tourists you prefer to be with in the small country, the budget you’d be willing to spend when visiting, and the festivals you want to part take in. Hence, there is no single best day, week or month to visit Aruba because it solely depends on your own preferences.

Projected Weather of Grouped Months and Estimates of Seasonal Pricing: 

January until March

Weather is a bit chilly but still warm enough.

Your budget must be high, and your pockets must be deep.

April until August

Weather is at it’s warmest.

Your wallet won’t be emptied out as room prices and accommodation aren’t as pricey.

September until December

Weather is a bit colder but still warm enough to encourage tourists to fleet from the winter times of their countries and spend the “ber” months in Aruba.

Your budget must be high, and your pockets must be deep.

Here is the list of months and the Aruban Festivals they will be hosting:

January - Betico Croes Day

February - Valentine’s Day

March - National Anthem and Flag Day

April - King’s Day

May - Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival

June - Aloe Wellness Month, Dera Gai (St John’s Day), and ‘Meet San Nicolas’

August - Aruba Vow Renewal

September - Fiesta di Cunucu

October - Eat Local Month

November - The Aruba Beach Tennis Open

December - The Dande Festival

References

Kickham, B. (2019). A Vow Renewal In Aruba Is The Ultimate In Romance. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/debbikickham/2019/07/13/a-vow-renewal-in-aruba-is-the-ultimate-in-romance/#30e2f57a48ad. Worldometer (2020). Aruba Population (LIVE). Retrieved from https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/aruba-population/.

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba? was first published to Holiday Nomad

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba? posted first on https://holidaynomad.com/

[donagates]

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba?

Image Source: lonelyplanet.com

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba?

Next Stop: ‘One happy island’, the Caribbean’s Finest

The bright sunshine warming your skin on a sandy-white beach while the tide tumbles in and out. Ah, summertime truly is the time of year that you can unwind and just enjoy life. If only there is a country that stuck in this summer moment all year long. Well, lucky for you that you can visit Aruba anytime of the year to relive that summer feeling! With Aruba’s beaches, limestone cliffs and perfect weather, we have just scratched the surface of what this rejuvenating island getaway has to offer.  

You can find yourself exploring a desert littered with historical stone castles and tall cacti, cozily resting in resorts, enjoying the different festivities between months, taking part of the Caribbean’s best nightlife, and their immersive cultural experiences integrated into the very walls, land and people of Aruba.

If you’re looking to get a relaxing and interactive summer getaway, even if it’s December, look no further as Aruba is easy to travel to, convenient for a vacation trip, and discoverable due to the small land size of just 180 km². It is the perfect travel trip if you are looking to lounge on the sandy beach and interactively exploring the entire island rich in culture which are both done under the warm rays of the sun and night air. So, what is the best time of year to go to Aruba? If you want to get away from all the stress at work or even the harsh winter months, you have hop on a plane to Aruba at any time of year to the side of the earth that is eternally summer. It now depends on the type of vacation you are looking for.

I. Getting to Know Aruba

Image Source: beachesofaruba.com

Aruba used to be a part of the Netherlands Antilles, but now this 180 km² large island is the size with a population of 106,807 (2020) is now one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. It’s capital and largest city is Oranjestad and the spoken languages here are Dutch, English and Papiamento. Don’t you worry about customs and culture that much as its seasons aren’t based on the weather but based on when you are likely to come and unlikely to come visit Aruba!

Where is Aruba Located?

Aruba is an island in the South Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. However, it is one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. You might have a difficulty pinpointing this country on the map because it is only 180 km² in land size. That’s slightly bigger than Washington, D.C. which is 177 km²! This small island getaway doesn’t have any lakes or rivers to further shrink its land size, but it does have a few hills.

Is Aruba safe?

Aruba has maintained the title of one of the safest islands in the Caribbean. This is mainly because it has just implemented a Mandatory Nationwide Health and Safety Protocols Ahead of Summer Arrivals to ensure the safety and well-being of both the tourists and locals, especially during the time of the pandemic.

This health protocol includes the businesses and events in Aruba to take an online assessment, follow the mandatory protocols, and then receive an Aruba Health & Happiness Code Seal from the Department of Inspection and Hygiene. Don’t you worry about safety issues as Aruba is way ahead of you on that topic! Now that you’re all reassured, let’s move on to the whole reason that you decided to search and read this article.

II. The Best Time of Year to go to Aruba

Since Aruba has no seasons but summer, your decision to travel to Aruba now depends on which festivals you want to attend, what your budget is, and the amount of tourists you prefer to be with when travelling to one of the constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands.

Depending on the Weather and Climate in Aruba

Since Aruba doesn’t have the typical four seasons, it does have two seasons- the high and low seasons. These seasons simply indicate when there are plenty of tourists or not. That’s how you how that this entire island is dedicated to serve and accommodate all tourist’s needs and wants. High season are usually the months of December to April while the low season are usually the months of May to November.

Before you make your way to Aruba, make sure to high SPF sunblock, lightweight clothing, umbrellas and rain-jackets or coats. It is important to mention that Aruba lies far outside the hurricane belt, far away from the storms. On occasions Aruba might experience some small effects of nearby tropical weather. Rain showers may occur. Even when it does rain, it tends to be very short, leaving plenty of sun moments for the rest of your day.

From January Until March

If you go around these months of year, you must gather up all your money in the bank as hotel and resort prices skyrocket through the roof up to $900 a month. The temperature is usually 75 to 85 F with the very occasional and light rain. January is the coolest month of the year at a daily maximum of 30 C and minimum of 25 C. If the coldest temperature of Aruba is 25 C, it indicates that it lives up to its claim to be a summer paradise at any time of the year.

From April Until August

These are the best months to try and get a room deal as it’s not as exaggerated as the past months. The temperatures around this time could reach up to 90 F. Specifically April and May are when the number of tourists has died down and the summer heat is just about to reach its peak. In fact, the driest month is April with 1 mm of rainfall and 30 sunny days.

From September Until December

To get a good deal on the price of a room, go around September to November to try and beat the influx of winter travelers and the expensive prices of the high season. There also aren’t a lot of tourists during this time because September is the hottest month of the year while November is the wettest, but the majority of the days are still sunny. Most tourists want to go to Aruba to avoid the harsh or same old winter season and they usually start filing in by late November and all throughout December. If you’re looking to get the best deal when visiting in Aruba, September has the least amount of tourists, special travel deals are offered, and most US schools have started classes so there are not as many families with children. Therefore, it is best that you get a head start by visiting or booking earlier to avoid the crowds and avoid emptying your wallet.

Also Depending on the Aruban Festivals

January to March is Aruba’s Carnival period, with street parties (also known as ‘jump-ups’) and celebrations taking place all over the island—though, the most spectacular occur in the capital of Oranjestad. Additionally, a monthly Island Festival is held during the last week of each month in San Nicolas City, showcasing local music, food, and artwork.

January

Betico Croes Day is a national holiday that celebrates the birthday of the country’s best statesman. The late Gilberto Francois “Betico” Croes helped Aruba gain independence from the Dutch Kingdom which led to it becoming an autonomous country under the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Without Croes, Aruba wouldn’t rise to its fullest potential as it does today. So, celebrating the man’s birthday who made this independence possible is the least the country could do.

This day features sporting events, an island-wide event Harley Davidson bike tour, culinary festivals, folkloric shows and popular games. Which means you’re in for a hell of day of happy and exciting experiences. However, since it is a national holiday, most businesses like retail shops and supermarkets might close early or be closed throughout the day.

February

If you’ve been thinking of taking the misses on a well-deserved, and maybe even long awaited, vacation, then Valentine’s Day in Aruba might be right up your alley. This day has special offers and deals for this island to transform into your romantic getaway.

March

National Anthem and Flag Day, or basically the Independence Day of Aruba, celebrates Aruba’s independence that dates back to 1986. This holiday was started in 1976 by the local hero Betico Croes himself. This celebration on the 18th of March corresponds with a scout parade, a classic car parade, sporting events, cultural events showcasing the gastronomy of Aruba, and games throughout the island for both kids and adults. But just like Betico Croes Day, this national holiday might cause some businesses to close up shop for the day or for most of the day.

April

King’s Day celebrates the King of the Netherland’s birthday by wearing orange and taking part in games and activities to be held at bars and restaurants.

May

Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival is usually held in the weekend of Memorial Day that features big music concerts featuring world class artists. Oh yes, Aruba is that kind of country- one that does not disappoint its visitors. However, due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival 2020 has been moved to 2021. But hey, there’s no harm in booking tickets this early!

June

Aloe Wellness Month honors the native aloe plant through holistic wellness programs. This healthy celebration of the aloe plant’s benefits is a great way to kick off summer by being able to not only enjoy the summer retreat, but also be physically and internally healthy while doing so.

Dera Gai (St John’s Day) is a century old cultural festival that celebrates an old traditional festival in a more rational and humane way through a traditional harvest festival that used to be about being able to decapitate a defenseless rooter while being blindfolded. In modern times, the contestants are still blindfolded, but to sway to the folk music while blindly searching for the Aruban flag staked to the ground. This festival may have strange roots, but today’s compromise is just a way to keep the tradition alive which you can help do just by attending.  

‘Meet San Nicolas’ is a monthly cultural event featuring art, food, dance and activities starting June until December. San Nicolas I Aruba’s Art District that features visually pleasing art of all kinds! If you’re an art enthusiast or you simply like the aesthetic experience, then make your way to San Nicolas, the Sunrise City of Aruba.

August

Aruba Vow Renewal offers the largest mass vow renewal in the Caribbean featuring affordable and worth-buying honeymoon and vow renewal packages for tourists. It was even featured in a Forbes article entitled, ‘A Vow Renewal In Aruba Is The Ultimate In Romance’ (Kickham, B., 2019).

September

Fiesta di Cunucu celebrates the rural heritage of Aruba by featuring folk dance and music inside the traditional Cunucu houses themselves. This is a great opportunity to discover and take part in the past, present and future culture of Aruba as you’ll be celebrating the past, taking part of the present and be known for it in the future.

October

Eat Local Month lasts all October. It celebrates the Aruban cuisine featuring promotions and special events at all the restaurants of Aruba.

November

The Aruba Beach Tennis Open on November 9 to 17, 2020 is an international beach tennis event with participants from around the world.

December

When it’s December, you usually expect that a country that is so used to accommodating tourists to have a special event to end and start the year with a big bang. And you are right to suspect such allegations. The Dande Festival is the largest traditional musical event that starts every December 27th. It features traveling musicians who bless local families with goodwill and prosperity for the upcoming new year! Mark your calendars, ready your luggage and book a hotel room ahead of time as Aruba offers to give you a summer vacation in the winter, a festival that fills in the time in between Christmas day and the New Year’s Eve, and assures you a safe visit.

III. Main Takeaways

Image Source: marriott.com

Aruba is an island in the South Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. It is one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. Arubia is safe to visit to, event at the height of the pandemic, because it is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean because it has just Mandatory Nationwide Health and Safety Protocols Ahead of Summer Arrivals to ensure the safety and well-being of both the tourists and locals.

Knowing what is the best time of year to go to Aruba isn’t about what climate it is at a certain time of the year. It depends on the volume of tourists you prefer to be with in the small country, the budget you’d be willing to spend when visiting, and the festivals you want to part take in. Hence, there is no single best day, week or month to visit Aruba because it solely depends on your own preferences.

Projected Weather of Grouped Months and Estimates of Seasonal Pricing: 

January until March

Weather is a bit chilly but still warm enough.

Your budget must be high, and your pockets must be deep.

April until August

Weather is at it’s warmest.

Your wallet won’t be emptied out as room prices and accommodation aren’t as pricey.

September until December

Weather is a bit colder but still warm enough to encourage tourists to fleet from the winter times of their countries and spend the “ber” months in Aruba.

Your budget must be high, and your pockets must be deep.

Here is the list of months and the Aruban Festivals they will be hosting:

January - Betico Croes Day

February - Valentine’s Day

March - National Anthem and Flag Day

April - King’s Day

May - Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival

June - Aloe Wellness Month, Dera Gai (St John’s Day), and ‘Meet San Nicolas’

August - Aruba Vow Renewal

September - Fiesta di Cunucu

October - Eat Local Month

November - The Aruba Beach Tennis Open

December - The Dande Festival

References

Kickham, B. (2019). A Vow Renewal In Aruba Is The Ultimate In Romance. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/debbikickham/2019/07/13/a-vow-renewal-in-aruba-is-the-ultimate-in-romance/#30e2f57a48ad. Worldometer (2020). Aruba Population (LIVE). Retrieved from https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/aruba-population/.

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba? See more on: Holiday Nomad

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba? published first on https://holidaynomad.com/

[lestappenforever]

Quick and Weekly (or rather race week specific) kind of analysis, basically just my takes on what went on during the race.

WE NEED TO GET THE YOUNGER ROOKIES SEATS. Ollie was an absolute beast yesterday, finish p7, managing the tyres, MANAGING A 7 TIME WORLD CHAMPION BEHIND HIM, holding off the rest of the pack, close to overtaking george, just Nico with his experience was able to hold him off a bit longer. Scoring more points in F1 than F2. Scoring more points than almost half of the grid. All with just one free practice session. This kid has a future (the only driver I could actually call kid😂)

Ferrari look fast. Finally being able go see Charles’ pace yesterday, in addition to not being fucked over by strategy or any shit, they’ve done a pretty good iob on that car. I mean, a rookie scored on his debut, and so far, a Ferrari’s always been on the podium. Of course this is just the second race, but still.

Haas aren’t that shit this year. The car looks good. Kevin was an absolute MENACE yesterday. Holding off Yuki, Esteban, Zhou, Valtteri, Alex, Logan, Daniel ALL WHILE HE KNOWS HE HAS A 20 SECOND PENALTY. Also Nico’s pace was pretty good, holding off Zhou and Alex, and kind of with ease. Apparently having a TP other than Guenther is proving to something quite positive.

RB are in shambles. Like, Yuki was pretty good, but wasn’t able to convert his p9 quali to points, and Daniel is just not doing well, that even with that 20 second penalty to Kevin, he’s still dead last. (Maybe it wasn’t McLaren, it was the choice of leaving red bull back in 2019) (I have a whole thing in my head about Daniel, and I still want to make sure if the facts and data before sharing it). But it might have been a miss that RB didn’t get Liam in this season, but we never know. I mean, Helmut Marko did say that there could be mid season surprises. And so far, non of the RB drivers seem or look to be even in contention for that Red Bull seat, in all honesty, it appears so far that Checo is more likely to keep his seat for 25!

I am not 100% convinced with either McLaren or Mercedes. Like yes both are consistently scoring points, and gaining, but I can’t really find that speed. Like they are okay, better than last year, but not Ferrari level improvement. Also, the strategy that both teams put Lando and Lewis on (especially Lando) cost him a better position, more points, maybe even a podium let’s be real.

Williams are okay. Ngl, I love James Vowels, his technicalities and as he said in DTS his geek-inees (hoping to be like him honestly one day). I feel like, Saudi and Bahrain aren’t really their tracks, because they did well, both Logan and Alex gaining positions. They are a team I’m waiting and hoping to see thrive, because Alex and Logan both deserve it.

Stake were okay, especially with that Zhou crash in FP3, like he couldn’t even qualify, but strategy kind of wasn’t ideal, and in all honesty, they’re just kay, not too fast, but not too slow.

And finally, our leaders. Despite everything, they do be cooking (Adrian and Max, you’ve both done it). That speed, the tyre deg, just everything about that car is phenomenal. And Max deserves it, after everything he’s gone through in his life, and he deserves to re-write the history books, which he already is, with re-reaching seb’s record not even 6 months after breaking it. This man who everyone is bored of his dominance are all going to be crying and missing him after he retires (I DON’T WANT TO THINK OF THIS DAY, BECAUSE I’LL BE THE FIRST ONE IN TEARS) but Max Emilian Verstappen is something that hasn’t come and probably won’t come again in Formula 1 and Motorsport history.

So yeah, that’s kind if my inital takes in the race, kind if a mini summary as well, and may we always listen to the Dutch National Anthem because I’ve been emotional this week with Max and everything happening around him.

This is such a wonderful analysis that really doesn't need anything added to it because you've got this spot-on, so I will try to keep my own thoughts relatively brief.

Ollie did incredible and I am so excited to see him in F1 permanently. Him and Liam? The future is bright.

I am cautiously optimistic about Ferrari and I really hope that, for once, they won't fuck themselves over which is in no way, shape or form a guarantee.

K-Mag did so fucking well, and it brings me so much joy seeing my fellow Scandinavian putting on such a performance. And Nico had a decent race, which also makes me happy. It's obviously far too early to be sure, but their new team principal seems to have been a good choice.

VCARB are just... Well, I'm not even going to utter my thoughts. All I will say is that there is no way in hell Daniel will be a good replacement for Checo. Claiming Daniel is better than him is just laughable.

McLaren and Mercedes are giving Ferrari 2023 vibes with their strategy calls yesterday, and it will be interesting to see how they develop over the season.

I truly hope Williams will improve over the course of the season, because I want to see Alex and Logan do well so fucking badly.

As for Stake: they were unlucky, and I'm just glad Zhou made it out of that crash unscathed. It's a shame he missed out on being able to qualify because holy hell did that team do their fucking best trying to get his car ready. I want to see him, and Bottas, do well.

As for Red Bull, they are as impressive as I hoped they were going to be so far this season, and as a Max girl it makes me laugh seeing Max haters bitch about his dominance making the sport boring. I, for one, am having the time of my fucking life. I won't even think about him retiring at this point, and will just keep enjoying every race for as long as I can. And seeing Checo starting off the season in such a strong manner fills me with joy. I am by no means Checo's biggest fan, but the shit he went through last season at the hands of disgusting Helmut Marko and the F1 community at large has me wanting him to suceed. Put some respect to his name because God knows he's fucking earned it.

Thank you so much for sharing yet another wonderful analysis, my darling. You have no idea how happy it makes me, and how much I appreciate it. ❤️

[lindasalazr]

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba?

Image Source: lonelyplanet.com

What is the Best Time of Year to Go to Aruba?

Next Stop: ‘One happy island’, the Caribbean’s Finest

The bright sunshine warming your skin on a sandy-white beach while the tide tumbles in and out. Ah, summertime truly is the time of year that you can unwind and just enjoy life. If only there is a country that stuck in this summer moment all year long. Well, lucky for you that you can visit Aruba anytime of the year to relive that summer feeling! With Aruba’s beaches, limestone cliffs and perfect weather, we have just scratched the surface of what this rejuvenating island getaway has to offer.  

You can find yourself exploring a desert littered with historical stone castles and tall cacti, cozily resting in resorts, enjoying the different festivities between months, taking part of the Caribbean’s best nightlife, and their immersive cultural experiences integrated into the very walls, land and people of Aruba.

If you’re looking to get a relaxing and interactive summer getaway, even if it’s December, look no further as Aruba is easy to travel to, convenient for a vacation trip, and discoverable due to the small land size of just 180 km². It is the perfect travel trip if you are looking to lounge on the sandy beach and interactively exploring the entire island rich in culture which are both done under the warm rays of the sun and night air. So, what is the best time of year to go to Aruba? If you want to get away from all the stress at work or even the harsh winter months, you have hop on a plane to Aruba at any time of year to the side of the earth that is eternally summer. It now depends on the type of vacation you are looking for.

I. Getting to Know Aruba

Image Source: beachesofaruba.com

Aruba used to be a part of the Netherlands Antilles, but now this 180 km² large island is the size with a population of 106,807 (2020) is now one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. It’s capital and largest city is Oranjestad and the spoken languages here are Dutch, English and Papiamento. Don’t you worry about customs and culture that much as its seasons aren’t based on the weather but based on when you are likely to come and unlikely to come visit Aruba!

Where is Aruba Located?

Aruba is an island in the South Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. However, it is one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. You might have a difficulty pinpointing this country on the map because it is only 180 km² in land size. That’s slightly bigger than Washington, D.C. which is 177 km²! This small island getaway doesn’t have any lakes or rivers to further shrink its land size, but it does have a few hills.

Is Aruba safe?

Aruba has maintained the title of one of the safest islands in the Caribbean. This is mainly because it has just implemented a Mandatory Nationwide Health and Safety Protocols Ahead of Summer Arrivals to ensure the safety and well-being of both the tourists and locals, especially during the time of the pandemic.

This health protocol includes the businesses and events in Aruba to take an online assessment, follow the mandatory protocols, and then receive an Aruba Health & Happiness Code Seal from the Department of Inspection and Hygiene. Don’t you worry about safety issues as Aruba is way ahead of you on that topic! Now that you’re all reassured, let’s move on to the whole reason that you decided to search and read this article.

II. The Best Time of Year to go to Aruba

Since Aruba has no seasons but summer, your decision to travel to Aruba now depends on which festivals you want to attend, what your budget is, and the amount of tourists you prefer to be with when travelling to one of the constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands.

Depending on the Weather and Climate in Aruba

Since Aruba doesn’t have the typical four seasons, it does have two seasons- the high and low seasons. These seasons simply indicate when there are plenty of tourists or not. That’s how you how that this entire island is dedicated to serve and accommodate all tourist’s needs and wants. High season are usually the months of December to April while the low season are usually the months of May to November.

Before you make your way to Aruba, make sure to high SPF sunblock, lightweight clothing, umbrellas and rain-jackets or coats. It is important to mention that Aruba lies far outside the hurricane belt, far away from the storms. On occasions Aruba might experience some small effects of nearby tropical weather. Rain showers may occur. Even when it does rain, it tends to be very short, leaving plenty of sun moments for the rest of your day.

From January Until March

If you go around these months of year, you must gather up all your money in the bank as hotel and resort prices skyrocket through the roof up to $900 a month. The temperature is usually 75 to 85 F with the very occasional and light rain. January is the coolest month of the year at a daily maximum of 30 C and minimum of 25 C. If the coldest temperature of Aruba is 25 C, it indicates that it lives up to its claim to be a summer paradise at any time of the year.

From April Until August

These are the best months to try and get a room deal as it’s not as exaggerated as the past months. The temperatures around this time could reach up to 90 F. Specifically April and May are when the number of tourists has died down and the summer heat is just about to reach its peak. In fact, the driest month is April with 1 mm of rainfall and 30 sunny days.

From September Until December

To get a good deal on the price of a room, go around September to November to try and beat the influx of winter travelers and the expensive prices of the high season. There also aren’t a lot of tourists during this time because September is the hottest month of the year while November is the wettest, but the majority of the days are still sunny. Most tourists want to go to Aruba to avoid the harsh or same old winter season and they usually start filing in by late November and all throughout December. If you’re looking to get the best deal when visiting in Aruba, September has the least amount of tourists, special travel deals are offered, and most US schools have started classes so there are not as many families with children. Therefore, it is best that you get a head start by visiting or booking earlier to avoid the crowds and avoid emptying your wallet.

Also Depending on the Aruban Festivals

January to March is Aruba’s Carnival period, with street parties (also known as ‘jump-ups’) and celebrations taking place all over the island—though, the most spectacular occur in the capital of Oranjestad. Additionally, a monthly Island Festival is held during the last week of each month in San Nicolas City, showcasing local music, food, and artwork.

January

Betico Croes Day is a national holiday that celebrates the birthday of the country’s best statesman. The late Gilberto Francois “Betico” Croes helped Aruba gain independence from the Dutch Kingdom which led to it becoming an autonomous country under the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Without Croes, Aruba wouldn’t rise to its fullest potential as it does today. So, celebrating the man’s birthday who made this independence possible is the least the country could do.

This day features sporting events, an island-wide event Harley Davidson bike tour, culinary festivals, folkloric shows and popular games. Which means you’re in for a hell of day of happy and exciting experiences. However, since it is a national holiday, most businesses like retail shops and supermarkets might close early or be closed throughout the day.

February

If you’ve been thinking of taking the misses on a well-deserved, and maybe even long awaited, vacation, then Valentine’s Day in Aruba might be right up your alley. This day has special offers and deals for this island to transform into your romantic getaway.

March

National Anthem and Flag Day, or basically the Independence Day of Aruba, celebrates Aruba’s independence that dates back to 1986. This holiday was started in 1976 by the local hero Betico Croes himself. This celebration on the 18th of March corresponds with a scout parade, a classic car parade, sporting events, cultural events showcasing the gastronomy of Aruba, and games throughout the island for both kids and adults. But just like Betico Croes Day, this national holiday might cause some businesses to close up shop for the day or for most of the day.

April

King’s Day celebrates the King of the Netherland’s birthday by wearing orange and taking part in games and activities to be held at bars and restaurants.

May

Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival is usually held in the weekend of Memorial Day that features big music concerts featuring world class artists. Oh yes, Aruba is that kind of country- one that does not disappoint its visitors. However, due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival 2020 has been moved to 2021. But hey, there’s no harm in booking tickets this early!

June

Aloe Wellness Month honors the native aloe plant through holistic wellness programs. This healthy celebration of the aloe plant’s benefits is a great way to kick off summer by being able to not only enjoy the summer retreat, but also be physically and internally healthy while doing so.

Dera Gai (St John’s Day) is a century old cultural festival that celebrates an old traditional festival in a more rational and humane way through a traditional harvest festival that used to be about being able to decapitate a defenseless rooter while being blindfolded. In modern times, the contestants are still blindfolded, but to sway to the folk music while blindly searching for the Aruban flag staked to the ground. This festival may have strange roots, but today’s compromise is just a way to keep the tradition alive which you can help do just by attending.  

‘Meet San Nicolas’ is a monthly cultural event featuring art, food, dance and activities starting June until December. San Nicolas I Aruba’s Art District that features visually pleasing art of all kinds! If you’re an art enthusiast or you simply like the aesthetic experience, then make your way to San Nicolas, the Sunrise City of Aruba.

August

Aruba Vow Renewal offers the largest mass vow renewal in the Caribbean featuring affordable and worth-buying honeymoon and vow renewal packages for tourists. It was even featured in a Forbes article entitled, ‘A Vow Renewal In Aruba Is The Ultimate In Romance’ (Kickham, B., 2019).

September

Fiesta di Cunucu celebrates the rural heritage of Aruba by featuring folk dance and music inside the traditional Cunucu houses themselves. This is a great opportunity to discover and take part in the past, present and future culture of Aruba as you’ll be celebrating the past, taking part of the present and be known for it in the future.

October

Eat Local Month lasts all October. It celebrates the Aruban cuisine featuring promotions and special events at all the restaurants of Aruba.

November

The Aruba Beach Tennis Open on November 9 to 17, 2020 is an international beach tennis event with participants from around the world.

December

When it’s December, you usually expect that a country that is so used to accommodating tourists to have a special event to end and start the year with a big bang. And you are right to suspect such allegations. The Dande Festival is the largest traditional musical event that starts every December 27th. It features traveling musicians who bless local families with goodwill and prosperity for the upcoming new year! Mark your calendars, ready your luggage and book a hotel room ahead of time as Aruba offers to give you a summer vacation in the winter, a festival that fills in the time in between Christmas day and the New Year’s Eve, and assures you a safe visit.

III. Main Takeaways

Image Source: marriott.com

Aruba is an island in the South Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. It is one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of Netherlands. Arubia is safe to visit to, event at the height of the pandemic, because it is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean because it has just Mandatory Nationwide Health and Safety Protocols Ahead of Summer Arrivals to ensure the safety and well-being of both the tourists and locals.

Knowing what is the best time of year to go to Aruba isn’t about what climate it is at a certain time of the year. It depends on the volume of tourists you prefer to be with in the small country, the budget you’d be willing to spend when visiting, and the festivals you want to part take in. Hence, there is no single best day, week or month to visit Aruba because it solely depends on your own preferences.

Projected Weather of Grouped Months and Estimates of Seasonal Pricing: 

January until March

Weather is a bit chilly but still warm enough.

Your budget must be high, and your pockets must be deep.

April until August

Weather is at it’s warmest.

Your wallet won’t be emptied out as room prices and accommodation aren’t as pricey.

September until December

Weather is a bit colder but still warm enough to encourage tourists to fleet from the winter times of their countries and spend the “ber” months in Aruba.

Your budget must be high, and your pockets must be deep.

Here is the list of months and the Aruban Festivals they will be hosting:

January - Betico Croes Day

February - Valentine’s Day

March - National Anthem and Flag Day

April - King’s Day

May - Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival

June - Aloe Wellness Month, Dera Gai (St John’s Day), and ‘Meet San Nicolas’

August - Aruba Vow Renewal

September - Fiesta di Cunucu

October - Eat Local Month

November - The Aruba Beach Tennis Open

December - The Dande Festival

References

Kickham, B. (2019). A Vow Renewal In Aruba Is The Ultimate In Romance. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/debbikickham/2019/07/13/a-vow-renewal-in-aruba-is-the-ultimate-in-romance/#30e2f57a48ad. Worldometer (2020). Aruba Population (LIVE). Retrieved from https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/aruba-population/.

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