GirlTrip

Estrogen Abounds.... er, maybe not. Alice, Annette, Marianne, Wendy and I went on a "girls" trip. The bus to the Gem Theatre, with shopping along the way. Of course everyone on the bus is at least as old as I am, and more. What a great little theatre, it has tables and you can buy a bottle of wine to take in with you to share with your friends. And then this 80 year old male usher sells you "hot flash" fans, which, of course, are guaranteed because, after all, you just bought 2 bottles of red wine. We laughed so hard.

Most of the time I try to pretend that my body isn't aging, and 50 is really the new 30. But occasionally I just have to stop and say thank you for having a healthy, but "slightly used" body that allows me to feel things and do things, and appreciate it for the gift that it is. And love it for what it is, and just go with it.

"After 30, a body has a mind of it's own" Bette Midler

Trees

Ice. Sun. Woke this Sunday morning to ice in the trees, on the street, very beautiful. What a contrast from last week! And so life goes on, a gift everyday.

Goodbye Puerto Rico

And so the journey ends. We spent our last day at CrashBoat Playa. In the late afternoon the rains came in, as if to say, "It's time to go home." So a last goofy picture of me with a sambrero made of banana leaves, by an american who lives by selling them. And I know that the word sambrero comes from the root of sambra which means shade in spanish. So now that I am home I am thankful for a life that allows me to have these experiences. To eat chicken on a stick made in the back of someone's truck, wear a leaf hat, and hold a baby chicken in a bar. It's a great life.

Adventures in Southwest Puerto Rico

Caba Rojo and Boqueron We explored south today and found the most beautiful beaches. And of course had great food for very little money. We stopped at a open air restarurant in a fishing village and had conch, mofongo (mashed plantains flavored with garlic), fried Dorado (mahi, mahi), crab and shrimp pastellia (turnovers), fish soup, two beers and two gin and tonics for $30.00. Then on to Caba Rojo, to the most caribbean looking beach we have been at. The water was calm and warm. We met people from the US. There was a party atmosphere in town, even though it is the off season. Tony and Frank ate clams and oysters from a street vender. And later we had camarones (shrimp) and pollo (chicken wings) outside. Definitely a place we will return to. How lucky and spoiled we are to be able to enjoy all of this. Today our thoughts have to turn to returning home. And the reminder of how lucky and spoiled we are to have such a great place to live and family and friends that love us.

Crash Boat Playa

Beach Everyday!! We have settled into a routine of going to the beach everyday. Our favorite is called CrashBoat. It gets it's name from the fishermen who go out in handmade heavy wooden boats to catch fish like red snapper, dolphin fish, and others. When it is time to finish for the day, they aim their boats full blast at the beach and go as fast as they can. Then at the last second, they tilt the motor up and the boat goes up the beach. Other fishermen then help them haul the boat up the beach. We buy pinchos (chicken on a stick) and $1.00 red wine served over ice. Yum, Yum. Life is good.

Ponce

The southern coast is dry. We saw cactus and the grass is brown. A sharp contrast to the lush green of the rainforest. In the town of Ponce they were having a festival. There was a parade with music and people dressed in costume, much like mardi gras. At the beach we saw people dancing the Salsa to live music. And of course. kioskos with homemade food.

East Coast

Yabucoa From the rainforest on to the east coast. We found a resort to stay at in Yabucoa. Our friends made the weekend fun.

Everywhere we go people are so friendly, they want us to stay with them, or they want to feed us, or they want to sell us their home or property. "Only $200,000!"

Top of the World

The trip continues... at the top of the mountain in the cloudforest there was a tower. We climbed to the top, and saw the most awsome "vista". "Veo todos campo y oceao". (I saw all the country and ocean.) It is one of those moments when you feel both insignificant and totally connected with the universe.

After the rainforest we traveled east to the coast and had lunch at a "kiosko" on the beach. We had mofongo, pollo, arroz, pescado. Then on with our adventure. Life is Good.

El Junque

The Rainforest. We took our friends on a trip for the weekend to the eastern side of the island, to see the rainforest. We drove up and up into the cloudforest. Then we hiked up and down. We saw lush foliage, rivers, and waterfalls. Frank and Tony played in the waterfall. The earth is so beautiful, it's too bad that we humans sometimes spoil it.

Aguada

We drove to Aguada on the coast to see if we liked it. We found alot of places to rent, and a wonderful beach. We watched the kite boarders. Then on to Rincon to watch the surfers. More Puerto Rican food. A perfect day.

Tropical Sunset

Crashboat Playa We ended the day at Crashboat beach and watched the sunset. Yesterday it was overcast so we went to the casino. (smoke free). I got a lesson in caribbean blackjack, it only cost me $80! Me and my tres amigos Tony, Ricardo, and Francisco enjoyed the day.

You know you are in Puerto Rico when........you lay down to sleep at night. First the small dogs start barking, then the big dogs join in. The sounds come from the houses next door and the "hillbilly" dogs in the mountains join in. Add the sounds of the crickets and the cocqi frogs to the orchestra. Then just when the "music" dies down the roosters come in in a crescendo. And then just because they want to, our duplex mates Gian (age 2) and Marcos Gabriell (age 3 mos.)may add their voices to the concert. And then it is morning, another sunny 80 degree day.