The Place To Be

When you’re down hearted, feeling low, at the end of your rope this is where you want to be, you CAN trust me on this one, I know.



Hammocks hanging from the Palm trees and sea grapes that frame my view of the Caribbean Sea, with surf sounds ranging from soothing to almost scary at times is a scene that makes anything better.

Friendly dogs,Lili and Paco, the cutest pair of brown Bassett and heaven only knows, follow grounds keeper Willy as he primps and tidies, they chase under the hammocks and around the palms, the happiest k9 kids ever despite both having injured rears.


Pelicans looking like jets in formation patrol the shallow water, then soar to plummet height to dive into breakfast, now, this is mornings entertainment.


Honestly the little lizards doing pushups and inflating their throats is a good opening act for my first cup of coffee. If the well tanned young men are bobbing in the surf waiting for the right wave at the same time, my life is complete.


Last night we celebrated my hubby’s birthday at Musafa’s (Carr. #3 Maunabo) karaoke night party with people singing their hearts out was a ton of fun, especially when this thin man with very erect posture in khaki pants, a blue sleeveless tee shirt and a white hard hat strode into the room; with a flair he took off the hard hat, grabbed the micro phone, belted out a song, put his hard hat and with posture just as erect as ever strode back out the way he came in. Bravo birthday night success.


My appetite returned at Paisajes Curet also on Carr. #3 Maunabo where we could see the light house as we enjoyed a rice, crab and beans dish with tostones or plantain chips. The word is out on their cooking- fresh!


A large dose of the beauty of nature, friendly places and if I’m still hanging by a rope; I’ll deal with it on Monday.

Puerto Rico Beaches Island Dogs

Let's face it, if you come to a Caribbean Island you are going to see some free ranging dogs.
Would you prefer to healthy, vaccinated dogs wearing government coded collars or skinny, mangy mutts?
Peurto Rican people can be counted on to feed the dogs if their numbers don't overwhelm them.
These dogs are cool animals. Cheryl, a good friend of mine from Illinois told a story of the dogs in Nevada being the same no nonsense attitude as the people she encountered. Dogs seem to same the same spirit as the people. How often, do we say such and such dog is just like------!
Cheryl asked if I thought that the dogs' temperament was reflective of the easy going, fun loving island people. Hmm, she hit the nail on the head.

Some beaches in the overcrowded end of the island have dogs that look miserable. These are the dogs which will cause you to cry. Donations to groups like www.amigosdelosanimalespr.org/ will rescue dogs from deplorable conditions.
Elsewhere on the island hard working veterinarians, like Dr. Gwen Davis of the Pet Vet in Isabela are working full time to neuter animals. Her hard work must be paying off.
When you go to the beaches on the northwest end of the island, there is usually only a couple of dogs here or there. It's fun to make friends with the dogs when there's a couple to a few at most.
If you pick up a bag of food on your way to the beach, you will be doing an honest good deed for the day. :) It's a Puerto Rican tradition, since man and dog came here.
Don't be surprised if a beach king ignores your offering. Good dog loving islanders take leftovers to the beach after dinner. They visit enjoying the some of the most beautiful coast in the world, while feeding their beloved "Satos".
If you fall in love, I feel a song coming on; forgive me!
That's better, if you fall in love Dr. Davis can get your new friend ready for travel. That lady wants nothing more than the island dogs finding a good forever home.
Personally, I love the island and I love the dogs. I am a dog lover! Te amo Boricua!

Drive The North Coast

Thursday we went to San Juan to see my classmates from the Animal Control Course and pick up my badge.

On the trip home the expressway was crowded at two in the afternoon, wall to bumper traffic. We needed an adventure. In Barcoloneta we found the 681, this is the Puerto Rico we want to see miles of Atlantic coast line. Family love is the core strength of the island, so when we stopped for a beverage the first thing I found was a father teaching his sons about caring for their pet while teaching it to swim in the ocean.

 

I get shy about stopping places sometimes; that’s my head trip. One thing I’ve found is that this is a formal society, they greet each other. In the Midwest where we come from you state your business, get to the point. When I greet people with, “Buenos Dias.”, they know I’m not from around here. Most people respond to me in English. People are very friendly and most helpful.


When you get away from the tourist haunts, you will notice that this is not a rich island; don’t let the sometimes poorer dress or condition of cars give you concern. The wealth of the island is in the natural beauty and the soul of the people. We could not figure out how to get to the Arecibo light house. I asked a man in a tattered shirt which way, this delightful gentleman tried to explain in Spanish. He could see by the look on my face, I was not getting it. He waived follow me, hopped in his beat up old truck, a few miles later we were at the lighthouse. This is the rich heart of the island people.

One thing you can do to make them happy is to occasionally pull over to let the parade of cars behind you go about their business.

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.

Isabela Beach & Restaurant Thumbs Up

Sun, sand, sloshing surf are great, but give me some good old people watching on the shore to go along with that any day. Isabela never lets me down.

A couple of young men practice with a Paso Fino horse. The Paso Fino gait is supposed to be one of the smoothest. This horse had an incredibly fast trot. The young men riding were fine horsemen in perfect rythm.

When can you spend the afternoon at the beach without developing an appetite? For me that's never. I love finding the cute cubby hole places that serve fantastic food.

Right off the beach is cute, charming with good food, reasonable prices. The chef handled our special requests perfectly. Amy, his wife served our meals with a smile.

We live near Isabela so this is not the first time eating at:

El Anzuelo Grill & Cantina, Carr. 466 Villa Pesquera, 787- 688- 1613

Best Buy On The Beach

Showing off the island to friends is great fun, last week we stayed in Patillas on the south east coast. My butt was planted in one of those blue lounge chairs. The surf sounds are amazingly relaxing.
We had to sit in the restaurant of the hotel to get wifi, so I watched people check in, on some faces I could really see the stress. A day or so later facial muscles relaxed, smiles errupted.

Each evening the tide brings in the most interesting things to pick up along the shore. A couple we met carried their treasures in a banana leaf, excellent improvisation. We used the bag our fins came in, the fins didn't see much activity. Barb was the brave soul snorkler.
Treks up the beach made me feel like the woman in the beer commercial, wind in my hair, using muscles that haven't had a wake up call in an age.
The antidote to too much exercise is to slow down and watch what is going on around you. Ghost crabs blend into the back ground when they freeze. All you see are their black eyes on stalks. I picked up a shell that had a hermit crab in it. We startled each other is a fair statement.
What to eat, where to eat is always the question. Some guys having pizza  on the beach gave me a piece. They said to go into town two blocks past the hospital on the right. It was worth the drive, thumbs up on the pizza.

Rosa, who has been with the Caribe Playa Beach Resort for four years, pointed at my husband and said, " I remember you." Then she covered her mouth while she laughed. She giggled every time he spoke to her, of course, he loved that. Rosa took excellent care of us.

The photo above is sunrise. At night we pulled the chairs to the ridge of rocks formed by the tide. Star gazing over the water is spectacular.

This is my kind of place: small & intimate and inexpensive.

Fresh seafood at local restaurants, but no one knows what vegetables are,  that's everywhere on the island.

We were wet noodle consistency when we left for the biobay in Vieques.