Salinas, Puerto Rico
December 12, 2007
The safe harbor at Playa de Salinas on the southern coast of Puerto Rico is one of the most protected anchorages of Puerto Rico’s 300 mile coastline. It provided a secure place in which to leave Lucky Peek for a few days and do some inland touring of La Isla del Encanto (The Island of Enchantment).
We spent a day in nearby Ponce’, which is rich in 18th century architecture and offered an impressive art museum – with air conditioning! We stayed a couple of nights in Old San Juan, walking through the 16th century El Morro fort and strolling through the city’s historical district. Old San Juan is chock full of history – more than this update is going to even touch. The drive along the northern coast offered some contrasting vistas from the dry southern coast. Lush, green landscapes with sudden rock outcroppings. Brightly painted houses perched atop hills that seemed impossible to reach by car. Kinda sounds like a picture out of a Dr. Seus story – it wasn’t quite like that but it was just as visually interesting.
In Aguadilla we visited the Micron Puerto Rico facility where Ricardo and Alexis were gracious with their time to show us around the site and have lunch with us at The Hungry Belly on the beach by Punta Jacinto. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with them and soaked up the information they shared on Puerto Rico, the people, the culture, the politics. Stories much better told in person that any guide book could offer.
And then there was the shopping. Costco, Home Depot, Sears, West Marine, K-Mart, and a large store that shall remain unnamed to protect us from those who believe it evil. We spent four, yes four, hours in Costco. Then, you won’t believe this, we spent another 2 1/2 hours in the unnamed store that rhymes with DrawlMart. We are insane. This was all after spending 1 1/2 hours in West Marine and an hour in another marine store. Our feet and bank accounts were groaning by midnight when we made it back to the boat. The little rental car was stuffed full and we weren’t sure where everything was going to go on the boat! But we now have enough canned food on board to feed an army for a year. Or at least it will feed us for the next three months.
With the provisions creatively packed away and the rental car returned (with only minor damage) we were now preparing to leave Salinas and make way for the Spanish Virgin Islands. But first we had to have a little celebration – my (Lisa’s) birthday! The morning of December 12th I awoke to the aroma of freshly grilled banana pancakes and as the day lazily progressed Rod continued to pamper me and make my day special. We went to a nice dinner that night at a shoreside restaurant and toasted to another great year of life. Another year of adventure and ample usage of sunscreen so I can lie about my age.
Cheers!
