Puerto Rico - Las Palmas Del Mar April 29 - May 2

Sailboat | Voyages | Log

Puerto Rico - Way too crowded and congested for a voyager Sunrise on our way to Puerto Rico We hoisted the anchor just after sunrise And arrived in Las Palmas del Mar, PR at 1000 A sun shield to block the morning sun On our way to Puerto Rico We anchored in Las Palmas del Mar A tiny private harbor Surrounded by very expensive houses Crime is such a problem in PR That all major shopping centers Have guards in towers in the parking lots Hiking in El Yunque rain forest The only rain forest in the national park system Like a scene from Lord of the Rings Along with the trees were stunning flowers Like this orchid Walking around Old San Juan It was a rainy drizzly day Notice anything strange about this photo? Visited the Gallery Inn Owned by and decorated with The art of Jan D'Esopo  Karen and I have stayed here on two occasions What a culture shock entering the congested world of Puerto Rico. It is the USA with all its traffic, congestion, and shopping. We are in a private marina and harbor which is very, very upscale compared to most of PR. We rented a car on Sunday and tackled the chores of life like grocery shopping and purchasing navigation charts for our trip through the Bahamas. Afer getting back to the boat and in the true spirit cruisers everywhere, we invited a just arrived boat over for a sun-downer - a drink and story telling as the sun goes down. Our guests, named Ray and Birgitte, where from England and Norway, respectively. They sailed their Oyster from England last October and have been cruising the Caribbean for the winter. They are heading up the East Coast of the US and may stop and see us in Annapolis on their way back to the Caribbean in the Fall. They will be leaving their boat, "Out of India," in Newport, RI for the summer. With our chores out of the way on Sunday, we decided to reconnect with nature and get some exercise on Monday morning. We did a mild rain forest hike in El Yunque, the only rain forest in the National Park system. Rain and mist gave it an eerie “Lord of the Rings” feel. Feeling confident, we decided to venture into Old San Juan. From previous vacations with Karen, I have fond memories of Old San Juan. What I was not prepared for was the intense, relentless traffic. It was overwhelming, too much of a reminder of what awaits me when I get home. We had a terrific lunch at the Harbor Brewery and then tracked down The Gallery Inn, a guest house Karen and I have stayed at on previous trips to Old San Juan. It was locked in time and looked just as I remembered it. Jan D'Esopo, the owner, is an artist and sculptress; she has created a sensory Mecca which resembles a cross between a parrot sanctuary, an art gallery, a B&B, and funky coffee bar - definity worth a visit. After leaving Old San Juan, we were on a mission to find a Costco. It was reported to be in the vicinity of Caguas and Caguas Expressway Ford. Since Ray had lived in Puerto Rico, he was all to familiar with Caguas Expressway Ford as their commercials dominated the radio air waves. The byline, "Donde menos le cuesta un Ford" ("Where a Ford cost less") was ever present on the radio. We had no trouble finding Expressway Ford; Find Costco proved to be more challenging. After, multiple stops asking for directions and multiple wrong turns, we arrive at the ultimate link with American consumerism. All I really wanted was some cashews, but once inside, I was overwhelmed by the choices available to the average American. I felt compelled to just cruise the isles before leaving. We did find a few other things to buy. Ray got a pair of shorts, and I got a bean bag for sitting at the helm. It was a very satisfhying foray into consumerism. We didn't get back to the marina until 8:00 PM and the marina gate was locked, but Skip and his dog his faithful dog Cookie let us in. We stopped at the Marinia bar and had a Medallia before heading back to Full Circle in the dinghy. We are returning the rental car Tuesday morning; Ray is there as I write and upload this. From Las Palmas, we head for Salinas on the southern coast of PR, in the center of the island. I spoke to Mike, who will be joining us on Friday evening in Boqueron. We are on schedule and inching our way home. Previous | Next