Puerto Rican Dogs

This island is filled to its eyeballs with dogs. Most everybody has multiple dogs in their yards. Frequently you'll see street dogs sleeping in front of gates, hoping to be invited in.

The pitiful ones tear your heart out, sad to say there's too many of those. Lucy, the black and white terrier border collie cross was a delight to meet when we stopped in the park to eat on the way home from the adoption event. 

If it weren't for the large numbers and lack of care, dog lovers might enjoy meeting these intelligent sweet tempered animals living the way people have historically lived with dogs. 

People travel to see animals; tourists go to Athens to see the dogs. Heck, I want to go to Russia to see the dogs taking the trains. 

Anyway the dogs here are not taken care of like the Athens dogs; there's no sterilization program. Some dedicated veterinarians like Dr Gwen Davis of the Pet Vet in Isabela do low cost neutering.

Today I helped PAWS, Puerto Rican Animal Welfare Society, with an adoption day at the Isabela Mall. Hard times have come to the island. People don't smile as readily as they did a few years ago.

These are some dog loving people. They tell me how many they have and give the cute little pups a wistful look. I feel I am asking octomom, if she'd like to adopt. Puppies were adopted the PAWS volunteers Evelyn and Mercedes did a great job.

People and children held puppies, talked and laughed; it was a good day.

 

El Merendero del Guajataca Public Park

We live in Guajataca overlooking the lake, so this is our neighborhood. My plan was to be retired two years ago. Thanks to you know who, I'll be lucky to retire ever, but we still have our house. This trip is going to be short three weeks.

This is our vacation so we're doing touristy things on a tight budget. The jaw dropping beauty of nature is what we want to see.

Due to a spinal cord injury my husband can't walk very far; he won't use a wheel chair. This greatly limits the types of places we go.

El Merendero del Guajataca is a little park on the north coast in the Porta del Sol area. It's on the ocean side at the flashing light at route 2 where 113 turns inland. From the handicapped parking space you can see the ocean!

The bathrooms are less than fifty feet away. Each time we've been here they have been clean. Do bring hand towels.

A picnic in the splendor of the vista is today's activity. Just across the street in a bright yellow building they make pastallio that melt in your mouth. Kirt loves the shrimp, my preference is the octopus.

The park is next door to a higher price restaurant, La Llave de Mar, with a killer view of the cliffs. If you get lucky there, you'll see the huge lizards with orange feet. Iam not a reptile person, but these were interesting.

It's a compact area, so I did the trail, which felt completely safe.

 People here are very friendly to each other. They do not like being snubbed by tourists, who are uptight or apprehensive. If you smile and nod, they politely nod back. If you say good afternoon in Spanish, they give you a smile and that fabulous Puerto Rican warmth.

We ran into our old friend Rasta, who needed a meal and some water. He didn't mind a bit of petting either. We've seen the sweet boy greeting visitors for about a year. The cords of hair behind his ears give his cool dog persona. Don't be hurt if he leaves you flat for the next one to come along. That's just how he is!

Come See the Fish Market in Isabela, Porta Del Sol

In Tuscany, where we are bound some day there is a reverence for local foods produced slowly. This is the ideal life style in my opinion.

Until Italy is in sight, let me tell you about the fish market in Isabela, Puerto Rico.


This is the Puerto Rico we came to see. There's beach and ocean on the north side of the road.


The south side of the street is lined with kiosks offering the beverage of your choice and Puerto Rican style comfort food. A personal fav is the sea food pastallio, which is a flakey pie shell encasing fresh shrimp, fish, etc. Did I say, melt in your mouth fresh?


Perpendicular to the kiosks is a row of small vendors at the end of which is El Anzuelo, the hook. Almost newlyweds, Ari & Joshue celebrate the fifth month anniversary of their restaurant this week, Ari told me with pride. It's a testament to quality that a new place is doing well in today's economy.


A fresh salad with three types of lettuce and spinach puts a smile on my face these days. The texture of a fresh shrimp in your mouth is nothing short of exciting. Pasta al détente, well I can't tell you what that does to me.

Some of the high end restaurants up the road have served us what we consider latex masquerading as sea food.


The pescaderia, which is the fish market is the anchor to this group of vendors. About a dozen fisherman bring their catch of the day to sell right here. No wonder why I love the seafood at El Anzuelo!


This morning over coffee we watched guys making as small fishing boat. This is the Puerto Rico I want to see.

Trouble in Paradise

A few years ago we fell madly in love with this island. It was January. Snow was tumbling from the sky as we left Chicago. Oh, how beautiful Puerto Rico looked from the window as the jet floated towards a green oasis in the sea of blue.
On this trip I said, "Oh, my God!" or "Oh, my!" so many times that the term brain dead began to resonate it my ears.
Where we live in Illinois is beautiful farm country. The beauty of nature surrounds us. I thought I knew what beauty was.
Then my friend, Gloria gave us a tour of her island. It was like a masssive injection. I almost over dosed on beauty; don't smirk. The reaction to this beauty can be quite visceral. We see it in friends who visit us now.
The mothers of Puerto Rico are among the most loving in the world. Watch the mothers with their children, you will feel a surge of estrogen or is it progesteron? The strong maternal energy of the island was another draw for me.
A few years later I begin to think my love for the island was just a hot damn romance and the party is over. The things that bother me about the island, which is the services, bother the crap out of me.
Believe it or not I don't like to bitch, so the few posts are of the more wonderful things. Like everything, there's the good, the bad.
My whole neighborhood has not had water service for almost a year. Two months ago they hooked up the new line. It's been leaking at the top off the hill for three weeks. We came back to no water again.
My intention was to tell about the things I love here; maybe it's time to go out and find it.

Copa Marina

A beautiful resort in Guanica on the south side of the island of Puerto Rico welcomes travelers. Madelyn, the night clerk is professional and also very nice.
We had not planned our stay. I have a conference to attend in the morning and didn't want to drive across the island early, so the Copa Marina was a lovely surprise.

After driving through the mountains at night we were tired, there is no room service, so I went to Las Palmas, the outdoor cafe. Raul, the bartender with a twinkle in his eye took my order to go. Most of the the patrons at the bar had rum drinks, not surprising. My Margarita made the wait enjoyable.
Once back in the room my husband eagerly munched his hamburger with crispy fries just the way he likes them.
Calamari is one of my very favorite appetizers. Fresh seafood is an island delight. Imagine opening the container to nine chewy, greasy calamari rings. Yes, $1 a calamari ring. They were so tough there was no way I could swallow them.
There are many things I like about the Copa Marina, but I will skip the calamari.