Lemontree Oceanfront Cottages

Break in the Storm, Rincon Puerto Rico

2010-05-31T12:08:00.005-03:00

For the past several days all of the Caribbean and some of Central America has been under the influence of an enormous front which stretched from Honduras, over the islands of the Caribbean and out into the Atlantic Ocean. There have been periods of intense rain, followed by a clearing... but the sky's have remained gray. This is remarkable as the usual pattern at this time of year is for showers in the afternoon and brilliant blue sky's in the morning and later afternoon.

Never mind, the guests at the Lemontree for this Memorial Day weekend enjoyed the break from the sun. Some just watched the sky show from their terraces and took their leisure. Others went on excursions to some of the small towns in the interior bringing back enormous baskets of mangoes and wonderful huge flowers. Like these Lobster Claws.

Today, the front has pushed on and the weather is back to its more predictable "tropical paradise" self.

Dia de Logros

2010-05-17T10:20:00.006-03:00

This Saturday was a milestone. At the Francisco Lopez Cruz Foundation where Bella and I study music, it was Dia de Logros or Day of Accomplishments. Bella has reached the halfway point in her study of the Cuatro and I completed a third term of Bongo. On this day, students present a concert and Bella played with her Cuatro class a Puerto Rican favorite, Alma Boricua and the audience was singing and cheering along with the song. She also played with Taller Orchestra and they played these well known Puerto Rican songs Preciosa, Dime and Campinatas de Cristal. Pictured above, obviously in high spirits, Bella is tuning up and ready to go. She is wearing her very red shirt! Each instructor decides on a color of shirt and her cuatro class selected RED! The day lasted from about 2:00 p.m. until well after dark. After a summer of practicing on our own, formal classes begin again in late August.

A Moment In Time, Rincon, Puerto Rico

2010-05-12T15:33:00.006-03:00

Last week the New York Times ran a wonderful interactive photographic project called "A Moment in Time." On Sunday at 15:00 GMT or 11A here in PR around the world photographers were invited to submit images of their place and circumstances. The photographs were placed on a fabulous rotating globe and sorted by topic, location and recommendation votes.

Here is the photograph I submitted:

It was taken with a telephoto-lens just down the beach from the Lemontree... as seen from our main courtyard. Sunday is a slow day here and the morning unfolded quietly. Down the beach are beach houses which have been in families for a couple of generations. A morning of family, calm and tranquility.

You can check out the image in the NYTimes here as well as read about the entire project.

At this time this image has been the most recommended in the Puerto Rico pile.

A Sunrise and Sunset in Rincon, Puerto Rico

2010-05-11T11:57:00.009-03:00

Yesterday, I was up just after the sun rose, and as I customary do, I stepped out onto the terrace for a look around. This time of year the sunrise has moved from due East, over the mountains towards the Northeast and is partly blocked by the mountains. The scene was not particularly unusual, actually rather ordinary for a tropical sunrise. The day would be calm, at least until 2:00 pm when the rains would come... clearing off an hour or so later. I think it was just the ordinariness that attracted me. I had my 35mm lens mounted and just shot off a couple of frames.

Here is what I saw:

The day moved on and errands were run. We had a wonderful visit from our oldest son, freshly returned from the mainland, and brimming with stories and anecdotes. Just before dinner, I stepped out onto the terrace and saw the beginnings of sunset. The boaters heading for home and the pelicans looking for a last meal before they snugged down in a tree.

Here is the scene:

The sun sets now to the West/Northwest and so the light that you see looking due East is reflected light, with the light brighter higher up in the sky and shadows appearing towards the water.

It struck me that the two images, early morning and late afternoon were parallel scenes... with just the direction of the light separating them. In another blog I wrote that we tend to keep track of the passing of the day by the sun... certainly much more profoundly and meaningfully that we ever did in New York City.

That low door in the wall in Rincon, PR

2010-03-15T11:22:00.006-03:00

Today was a paperwork day, some revision of the advertising for the Lemontree and then tax matters. In thinking about copy for the Lemontree I wanted to speak to the essence or soul of the experience that guests have when they stay with us. So much of advertising is written in "real-estate speak"... grandiose with promise of extraordinary amenities and luxury. Well... for us this place is an enveloping experience not just a swank bedroom for a couple of nights... its also a place for love... of all kinds and of privacy away from the rush of media and hard edged demands of a social scene. We welcome people of all persuasions looking for... something not to be had in their cities at home. It was then I recalled a quote from Brideshead Revisited... here it is:

"But I was in search of love in those days, and I went full of curiosity and the faint, unrecognized apprehension that here, at last, I should find that low door in the wall, which others, I knew, had found before me, which opened on an enclosed and enchanted garden, which was somewhere, not overlooked by any window, in the heart of that gray city."

I realized then that for many guests, the Lemontree could be that low door in the wall ...for grownups looking to reawaken their spirits here in our enchanted garden by the sea.

Conjunto del Sol takes Rincon, PR

2010-02-26T10:06:00.007-04:00

Suerte!... our band, Conjunto del Sol, has been active this month with three public performances. The most recent was last night at a fund raising and social gathering of the International Friendship Club. The setting was the restaurant Fagon de la Curva on Carr 115 in Rincon. We played on the roof top bar as the sun set. Our play list consists of about 12 numbers. What makes our group distinctive is that we play traditional Puerto Rican songs on traditional instruments. Here on the island the ancient hill's tradition is for small groups of family and friends who gather to play and listen to the old tunes... and so we participate by sharing with others our love of the Isla and of its traditions.

Last night friends from the North were down visiting... we had not seen them for many many years and so it was a double pleasure... to play and to visit. Denny took some video of the group... Bella playing the Tiple, Charlie on the Bordonua, Chela on the Guiro and Chucho on the Bongo. In the first clip, we are playing Fiesta en Naranjito, a lively song with an engaging lilt. In the second clip, we are playing an island favorite, Verde Luz. Many people started to sing as we played this song. The words are below.
Here are two clips (only a small segment of each song)... enjoy.

These are the words to Verde Luz...first in Spanish and then in English.

Verde luz de monte y mar, Green light of mountain and sea,
isla virgen del coral, virgin island coral
si me ausento de tus playas primorosas, if I miss your exquisite beaches,
si me alejo de tus palmas silenciosas, if I move away from your palms silent
quiero volver, quiero volver. I want to return, I want to return.

A sentir la tibia arena To feel the warm sand
a dormir en tus riberas, to sleep on your shores,
isla mía, flor cautiva, Island mine, flower captive
para ti quiero tener. I have for you.

Libre tu cielo, Free your sky,
sola tu estrella only your star
isla doncella, quiero tener, island girl, I have,
verde luz de monte y mar. letra traduzca light green mountains and sea.

Valentines Day, Rincon, PR

2010-02-14T11:56:00.003-04:00

Here in Puerto Rico, we are very sentimental. Valentines Day always brings a flurry of activity as folks scramble for their special valentine's flowers and candy. One doesn't have to look far though, as the roadsides are crowded with stands selling flowers, candy and large baskets for your sweetheart. Some of the vendors take to the street, as the fellow in the photograph above, so there is absolutely no excuse for forgetting your valentine's gift!

Sounds of the lapping waves in Rincon, PR

2010-01-29T09:01:00.004-04:00

Last night I was out on the terrace listening to the waves and I was reminded of how often guests have told me how much they enjoy going to sleep listening to the waves. I took the video below of those lapping waves. It was darker than usual and so without the shine of the moon, the video is dark/black. You can hear the waves though and almost imagine yourself with your eyes closed, drifting off to sleep. Push the button and listen...

This morning I went out onto the terrace, was greeted by the waves again and saw this incredible sunrise...isn't the sun brilliant on the water?

Below is a little video of the lapping waves from this morning.
Nighttime and morning, the waves are with us, gently ebbing back and forth, beseeching us to relax and dream.

A Parallel Universe... in Rincon PR

2010-01-12T08:52:00.008-04:00

The light that comes to the earth from the sun consists of short wave length ultraviolet light, visible light and longer wavelength infrared light. The largest fraction of light is actually infrared. Our eyes can see only in the visible light range. Existing side by side with what we take for ordinary visual reality is a parallel reality created by the reflection of infrared light, to which our eyes are insensitive. One can use a filter on a camera to block out all but infrared light and then record images that are created by the reflection of infrared light off surfaces.

One of the technical problems with making photographs using infrared light is that it takes a longer time to make such an exposure. Thus, if you use an infrared filter you usually should use a tripod to steady the camera and avoid motion blur from any small movements of the camera.

I have worked previously with infrared exposures of landscapes and I'm sure that you have seen images such as the one below of the Lemontree... taken yesterday using an infrared filter. Usually these images are converted into black and white photographs as you see.

In these images the green foliage is rendered as white because chlorophyll fluoresces the infrared light. Like the tropics with snow?!

Without the benefit of a tripod I also made a couple of other infrared photographs. One a portrait and the other of shaded leaves in a tree.

What is really cool about this use is that infrared seems to hide imperfections and shows the skin with a smooth porcelain like glow. She was looking almost directly into the sun, as you can see from her eyes, and yet the photograph is not blownout and looks rather intriguing.

Finally this last image was taken under the canopy of a large tree on the beach... again hand-held.

While there is some motion blur, what I really like is how the leaves are rendered in white and the veins and termite trails are shown as black. It produces a great design and an almost abstract take on the tree branch.

It is possible to have a digital camera permanently converted infrared. This then makes it possible to capture this non-visible part of the spectrum just like shooting in the visible range. Here is a site that offers tutorials and a camera conversion service. Should you decide to do a conversion and try infrared, let us know how you like it!

Sylvia, the rehersal for ARF Benefit, Rincon, PR

2010-01-11T09:16:00.005-04:00

So much activity and so few blog entries... oh my. These include a great New Year, an opening of Todd's new photography exhibition at Rincon of the Seas, work on a new musical play-list in preparation for our performance in early February, the return of high season here at the Lemontree and... ta ta, moving the rehearsal with Rincon Players into high gear.

Yesterday, the players in our play reading group, Rincon Players, went to the venue for our staged reading of Sylvia on behalf of ARF, the Rincon Animal Rescue Foundation. We began to work out the blocking for the production and to consider some of the challenges of the space for performing the actual production. The performance is scheduled for the 17th of February and so, we have our work cut out for us!

Big waves continue in Puerto Rico

2009-12-30T17:51:00.004-04:00

We went up to Isabela yesterday afternoon late. The waves up there were amazing so we took this still and video! Still rolling in STRONG. Puerto Rico has experienced waves this large and powerful only twice in the past ten years...March 2009 and Now. Usually the waves here are much more gentle and behind the Lemontree we often have "lakelike" conditions. Soooo, these waves bring us joy and excitement and the thrill of seeing something that seldom happens. We've still had guests in the water here at the Lemontree and surfing on the northern beaches of Rincon. Living right on the ocean one comes to take each day as it is presented and enjoying the thrill of what nature brings to us.

Big waves come to Rincon, PR

2009-12-29T11:56:00.010-04:00

The surf and weather report forecast big waves coming to the northern coast line of Puerto Rico and thus Rincon's northern beaches. I decided to go over to the northern beaches and see what was happening. I went to Domes near the lighthouse park. I took the video of the waves rolling in. My camera isn't equipped with a telephoto lens so I couldn't capture the big ones that were far off and yet you will get the impact of the waves and the sound of them rolling in.

Then, I went on up to Maria's Beach and watched for awhile. The folks in the photo above were "would-be surfers" but the waves were a too big! Cars were parked along all of the surfing beaches with everyone eyeing the waves and wishing they could be out in the crashing surf.

The last video I took south of Maria's looking north. Again, you will be able to get a sense of the waves impact as they hit the beach. There are a few surfers out there and will look like dark specs in the video!

Parranda in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico

2009-12-28T09:49:00.005-04:00

Yesterday was a wonderful day. We invited by a good friend who is active in a local Parranda in San Sebastian called Los Nietos de Papa or Grandchildren of the Father, to join in and follow the group. At Christmas time, many towns host these large semi-professional groups of musicians and costumed dancers as they make their way from house to house on large trucks. The groups are followed by a small caravan of cars and some smaller trucks with advertising. Traffic is blocked and at one point we could hear at least three parrandas moving around San Sebastian. The groups stop at homes to which they are invited and play a set complete with joyous and sometimes frenzied dancing. The group of musicians and caravaners is feted along with the neighbors with refreshments and light snacks. The progression of playing and singing continues well into the night. For this particular day, the Parranda finished its day at a local amusement park and entertained about 5,000 people!

Our day began early with a stop at the organizing point. Here all of the dancers gathered and the group was fed well... Typically the day begins with an asopao (thick soup) but today we were served another Christmas staple, lechon (roasted pork). After a benediction and dedication to this year's parranda, the players, dancers and followers mounted up and began the progression.

While these large parrandas play a particular variety of music and the show is top notch, the concept of the parranda and the playing of live music by small groups of local musicians is alive at all levels of play and performance. At a family gathering, a couple of family members may take out their insruments and play the favorites... or a small group of friends may play at one of the hundreds of holiday parties. Though it is without the benefit of a large sound truck and dancers... the same spirit of joy and love of music and place are present.

Christmas Meal at the Lemontree, Rincon PR

2009-12-25T15:20:00.005-04:00

Today is Christmas Day in Puerto Rico and across this green island families are gathering, meals are being prepared, enjoyed and shared. Marilyn, the assistant manager here at the Lemontree, told us that she would bring by a Christmas meal for us... and wow did she, all the Puerto Rican favorites. Of course the lechon... pasteles, rice and gandules, macaroni salad and potato salad... and to top it off, a delicious postre.

This year our oldest son who teaches at the University in Mayaguez is with us... and so with the help of some coquitos ( a PR Christmas drink we actually created this year) and the movie, Holiday Inn, we watched and heard Bing Crosby sing White Christmas (click and you can too!) while outside the sun shone, the waves gently lapped up on the beach and the palms swayed. How is that for multiculturalism?

In a little while we will go off to a friend's house for and evening Christmas dinner... ah yes...the Christmas spirit is alive and very happy in Rincon, Puerto Rico.

Christmas Parties in Rincon, PR

2009-12-23T19:40:00.008-04:00

The time has come and all over town Christmas parties have been offered. Friends inviting friends, family gatherings and music especially Parandas... more on these at a later date.

This evening we went to the home of a good friend who participates with us in one of several overlapping groups. She had invited about 25 others who we see during the year... all full time residents. The food was excellent as she is an incredible cook and baker... the conversation and catching up was delightful.

Of course there was some music in the form of an electric keyboard. Bella Janehas been eying these instruments for some time and tonight she had a chance to try one out and to see it demonstrated by a real pro-what fun!

A word about these photos. It is said that the best camera is the one you have with you... and so it was tonight. These three shots were taken with a very old cell phone camera... e-mailed and picked up on an ipod touch and quickly edited and then sent back by e-mail for posting on this blog. All work on mobile devices...whew, do we live in a technological age! The photos created have the presence of a glance and so you have gotten a peek into our Lemontree life tonight.

Reflected Landscape at Rincon of the Seas, Rincon PR

2009-12-20T10:20:00.004-04:00

Today marks the official opening of my (Todd Davis) new exhibition of photographs at the hotel Rincon of the Seas. The show includes 13 black and white images and two very large infrared panoramas. I have been shooting in and around Rincon for several years and this show marks a departure from most of my work. Usually, when we think of the tropics we do so in color... hot and saturated. In doing so, our seduction by the color masks the extraordinary forms and subtle tonalities that are all around us. For those of us who live here full time, we can become habituated to the drama of the changing landscape. So, to return some of the freshness and vibrancy to looking, I have chosen to capture the tropics in black and white. All of the images have been shot in Rincon. I have printed the images on Velvet Fine Art Paper which enables a much richer viewing experience.

The show is noted in the El Coqui and a featured event and runs from December 20 till February 20. You can see the images at Rinconimages.com, look for the Reflected Landscape gallery.

If you are interested in owning a print they are comfortably priced at $99 for a framed and matted image and just $55 rolled. The panoramas are offered at $299 framed and $99 rolled, shipping is additional. To purchase please call 787-546-8858.

Christmas has come to the Lemontree, Rincon, PR

2009-12-15T19:16:00.007-04:00

Christmas or Natividad has crept up on us this year. We had been slowly getting the Lemontree decorated with bows and wreaths but today we caught fire and the Lemontree blazed with light. Here in Puerto Rico we are a bit late as most people set up their decorations over Thanksgiving weekend. Many houses are decorated to the hilt so our yule display is a bit, how shall I put this... minimalist... . The central courtyard is festooned with lights, some with little Frosty the Snowmen..., illuminated candy canes and our festively lit palm. Here we celebrate till Epiphany or as it is known in the Spanish world, Three Kings Day.

Bright rope lights go up the stairs and illuminated wreaths add holiday cheer. Recently in San Juan we saw a kind of shooting star or falling star light which if we can find it might find a place at Lemontree next year.

We also set up our own tree which is positioned in our sun room and so is visible to our guests. Years ago we created a "tree of life" and continuing that tradition, our tree is still decorated with ornaments signifying "life." Collected from many holidays to various places and visits to museums and shops, we have animals of the jungle and farm, glass fruits, vegetables and berries, fish, birds, and sparkle is added with glass icicles. Taking out the ornaments and hanging them, memories of Christmas's past flooded back. Funny how a simple little ornament can spark so much.

Don Jaime Alicea, and heart of Puerto Rico

2009-12-14T10:19:00.005-04:00

This Sunday, we and our friend Dennis, had a very powerful experience. We visited Master Artesano Don Jaime Alicea in Vega Baja. Don Jaime is a maker of the traditional instrument of Puerto Rico, the Cuatro. He welcomed us into his very modest home, sited up in the hills with the La Cordillera Central in the background and just a glimpse of the Atlantic. His workshop has an uneven dirt floor and wooden shutters for windows, and yet, from the ceiling were hanging some of the most magnificent musical instruments I have ever seen. In the center was his workbench with several unfinished cuatros in various stages of construction. The cabinet doors around the shop are fully adorned with some old, some newer signed pictures of world class musicians who have come to Don Jaime for cuatros which he has created for decades from native Puerto Rican woods.

Its difficult to convey in words the quality of the workmanship he puts into the instruments but I can give you a sense of how they sound. Check out this and this and this for a bit of heaven as played by Don Jaime. He passionate playing is of the tradition of the hills of Puerto Rico - powerful and with exuberance.

We felt honored to have the opportunity to see his taller and to handle and pluck the strings of his instruments. We shared an intimate hour with him, listening to him play his powerful songs, drinking the sweet coffee brought to us by his wife and simply basking in the warmth and gentle glow of his taller.

Visitors to Puerto Rico usually focus on the high rise mega hotels and beaches of the San Juan metro area or the beaches of Rincon and the west. What are often missed are the treasures of the hills and mountains. Up high, people have been living for centuries, buffered from drag of popular culture. Here the musical traditions of Puerto Rico's past continue. Musicians like Don Jaime and hundreds and hundreds more are called marquesetta (sort of like back porch) musicians. They are passionate players of Puerto Rican music and have unbeatable skills, yet are modest, religious, and steeped in family and the traditions of 500 years. It is through this music of the island that the cultural integrity of Puerto Rico continues to be lived.

Reflecting on our visit, I realized that it wasn't just the quality of the instruments or the passionate music that we left considering. We left realizing we had just met a great and gentle man. He isn't puffed up or boastful, he is simply a master artesano of the cuatro who continues to create them to be played by others who share his passion.

Brown Booby at the Lemontree in Rincon PR

2009-12-11T15:21:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we received a call from our neighbor. A most unusual bird had landed on her terrace. She wanted us to look out and see what the bird might be. It was at some distance but I knew at once it was a Brown Booby. Very exciting as very rarely do we see one of these. The only other time I remember was five years ago when I was working as a dive instructor on one of my first trips out to Mona Island... I was leading a tour and we had just surfaced when one of these birds landed just a few feet from me. It would duck its head under the water and look around, probably for fish... assuredly not at me. These birds are native to the Caribbean and yet are rarely seen. Here at the Lemontree we regularly see Pelicans, gulls, Frigate birds and Sandpipers by the shore, but not these Boobys.

Today I was surprised to see the bird again, but on our terrace. I grabbed my camera and slowly began to shoot moving carefully closer and closer. I was sure the bird would take off but no, he just stayed calm and kept an eye on me.

The boobys are reputed to be long lived and mate in stable pairs. When I lived in the city I never came into contact with a creature that was not man-impacted in some way. Yet, here by the shore, one has the possibility of all kinds of encounters with the world as it might have been a thousand years ago. The basic rhythms, melodies and the occasional adornos eternal.

December Sunrise over Anasco Bay, Rincon, PR

2009-12-06T10:47:00.004-04:00

A couple of mornings ago I woke up a bit earlier than usual... although we rise typically with the dawn. Perhaps it was Irene the cat meowing to go out to greet the guests or perhaps just a sense that I had slept sufficiently. I went out to our central courtyard and lo and behold looking due East... just before the sun crested the mountains, was the most dramatic display of clouds and light and color I have seen in several months.

The posted picture really captures the vista. The reds and purples, the dramatic shape and texture of the clouds, and then the yellow with tinges of pink on the horizon following the rising sun.

Of course, many of our guests like to sleep in... after all it is a vacation and some no doubt have been out the night before... yet here by the sea many follow the rhythm of the day and also rise early... catching the cool morning breeze, ready for what the day holds.

Thanksgiving in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-11-26T17:43:00.004-04:00

Thanksgiving morning we saw a spectacular sunrise. The sun had its golden and pinkish halo as it rose above the horizon in the East. The day was quiet, as the waves gently caressed the beach. What an incredible way to begin a very special day.

We spent Thanksgiving with family and friends, talking and enjoying each other's company. We ordered the Oferta de Accion de Gracias from EC Bakery. They cooked a fabulous pavo (turkey) for us along with arroz con gandules (rice with peas), batata (incredibly delicious sweet potato), and flan. To this Puerto Rican inflected menu, we added a pumpkin pie, cornbread dressing and cranberries.

We also played music, a traditional activity in Puerto Rican households. Families gather around and those that play instruments, play! I played the cuatro and tiple and Ted the bongo and everyone else joined in also with claves, bells, guiro or seed pods. We sang and played and laughed and played some more. What a joyous time together.

Two of our guests were from Columbia and so we discussed with them the origins of Thanksgiving and our gifts from those steadfast pilgrims who came to the new world seeking freedom of religion and liberty. No other country has been founded on such basic beliefs. And though, the first Thanksgiving was held many years prior to the founding of the country, Thanksgiving continues to this day as the most important celebration of our freedoms and historic past. We all agreed, God Bless America.

Gallos (Cocks) Exhibition in Rincon, PR

2009-11-17T17:12:00.010-04:00

This past Saturday, we passed by a very local establishment that is a favorite with the locals for sitting with a beer and talking with your friends and catching up on local gossip. On Saturday, they were having a very exciting event for Puerto Ricans who raise cocks and like cock fighting...the training of the gallos (cocks) for the upcoming season. In the photograph above, you see the gallos waiting for their turn in the small arena.

Here in Puerto Rico, Gallos Fighting or Cock Fighting is a revered and honored tradition. Cocks are raised and nurtured and trained for battle in the coliseum. Cock fighting means to be alive. Almost every town has its own Gallistico or arena for cock fighting.
We struck up a converation with this boy who proudly showed us his family's gallos. The white are believed to be the most beautiul and yet the more varied and darkly colored are thought to be more aggressive. To be good in the arena he told us, great plumage is important along with a strong heart and a "go after the other guy" attitude.

This man is the time keeper and counter. In this training exhibition, he counts how many times each gallo strikes the other. In the other photograph, you will see what looks like a orange rubber anklet. This is to protect the cocks from each other during this training. In the coliseum, they have more combative gear.

Yes, this is two gallos in the arena. They were really, really fast! I took a lot of stills but as the gallos weren't still, they are difficult to see. In this one, you can see them with their heads together. As I watched I was reminded of the bullfights I had seen in Spain and the coliseum in Rome.

Fortunately, my camera has a movie feature, so I shot about 30 seconds of one of the combats. The combats last three minutes. You will hear the shouts and excitement from the crowd. This is a betting sport and we were told that high spirits and high bets prevail when the gallos meet in the coliseums or gallisticos.

Rincon Puerto Rico is home to beautiful sunsets

2009-11-10T14:36:00.007-04:00

A picture is worth a thousand words and almost daily Rincon lives up to its reputation as being home to beautiful sunsets! We were out grilling hamburgers by the ocean last night and look what a sunset we saw...simply breathtaking.

For this photograph, I simply turned the camera upwards towards the sky and captured this exquisite color-filled sky. When I am given the gift of seeing such a sky, I feel truly blessed.

Brown Pelicans have returned to Rincon, PR

2009-11-10T08:20:00.010-04:00

What a happy day! The Brown Pelicans have returned to Rincon Puerto Rico. We awoke today to the weather front that had moved in overnight, covering the western coast with dense clouds and rain and....the arrival of the brown pelicans! I quickly grabbed my camera. In the photo above, you are able to actually see some of this bird's coloring and the enormous wingspan. From his light underside, he is most likely a younger bird. The bird sitting on the water is older as his head coloring is much darker.

The Brown Pelicans will dive, capture their fish and then momentarily sit on the water. Then suddenly, as if directed, all take off and swoop around again for another dive.

In this photo I managed to capture a pelican diving head first into the water for a fish, a satisfied bird sitting on the water, and one taking off after his meal! Notice the enormous splash as the pelican hits the water. They hit with a lot of force and almost always get their fish! Spectacular to watch.
Note: To see more detail in the photographs, if you click on them they will come up in another window and be a little larger.

Demonstration for Workers in Viejo San Juan, PR

2009-11-05T14:14:00.003-04:00

Last Friday found us again in Viejo San Juan. Once we arrive, we like to take a walk and always take a camera in case we see something about which we would like to blog or remember. This demonstration was beginning in Plaza de Armas, Viejo San Juan's main plaza or square. The workers are protesting the termination of about 17,000 workers from the government payroll. I moved in really close to them for the photographs and they seemed quite pleased for me to be shooting them, along with the other news media photographers. As a slight aside, please note the blue cobblestones on the street. Those cobblestones are said to have been used as ballast in ships that came to San Juan from Spain centuries ago. The cobblestones are very thick, quite blue and beautiful in the sunlight.

They marched through the streets to a platform set up a block from La Forteleza, the govenor's residence. As the Governor was the one to do the terminations, the demonstration was directed at him. The demonstrators were not allowed any closer to the residence. While loud and stident in their voices and speeches, the crowd was law abiding and respectful of property and those of us watching them. We on the Island take our politics and our political views very personally and public demonstrations of those views are acceptable and expected.

Saragasso Sea mats along the current lines in Rincon, PR

2009-10-22T16:24:00.009-03:00

This morning when I awoke and went out onto the terrace I was treated to an exquisite soft sunrise and..... magnificent current lines of Saragasso Sea mats. They stretched along the multiple current lines as far as I could see. Above you see what I first saw as the sun rose. What you cannot see in the photograph are the current lines behind this one, they were just too far away for my camera to capture.

When I was mating on a local boat, we took folks out for whale watching cruises in the winter. We always looked for these current lines of mats of vegetation because underneath them were tiny fish and under the tiny fish were larger fish and under those were sometimes the whales we sought.

In the photo above you can see the current line as it winds sensually through the water as the waves carry it toward shore. As these current lines moved along, the pelicans were diving for fish along their sides. Pelicans are always thrilling to see diving head first into the water and always coming up with a fish.

The sea mats came into closer view and above you can see two of the mats of Saragasso Sea plants.

Finally, a few actually hit shore and I took the shot to the right. All in all a beautiful and sensual plant a long way from home.

Ferries del Caribe resumes service and is seen from Rincon, PR

2009-10-19T18:22:00.004-03:00

Ferries del Caribe has resumed service between Mayaguez and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic! We can see the ferry from the Lemontree and this morning I took this photograph of the ferry sailing proudly over to the Mayaguez port.

The 4-star M/S Caribbean Express will sail on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m. to the Dominican Republic. When it leaves the ferry is all lit up with lots of lights and we enjoy watching it sail off. Despite the distance, sometimes if the wind is right, the sounds of the music from the ferry will reach us.

The ferry will sail from Santo Domingo to Mayaguez at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

If you want a brief visit over to Santo Domingo from Puerto Rico, this is a great way to go!

Birthday lunch at the Horned Dorset Primavera, Rincon, PR

2009-10-18T17:33:00.008-03:00

Today we celebrated two birthdays at the Restaurant Aaron at the Horned Dorset Primavera here in Rincon, PR. The Horned Dorset is just down our road, Carr 429, less than a minute from the Lemontree. The picture above shows you my view from my seat at our outside table. We like either sitting outside as we did today or on the terrace. The Horned Dorset has a French menu and very gracious, old world service.

Our Lunch... The bouillabaisse, pictured above, was simply delicious. A rather simple dish, the tastes melded and blended to make for a very happy palate! Along with the crusty bread and creamy butter, we had a delightful lunch. If you are wondering about bouillabaisse, click on this and see the history of the bouillabaisse dish.

The chef prepared a special birthday cake which I can report was absolutely delicious and I was happy to have some to bring home too. Unfortunately, we cut it before I had taken a picture so I don't have one to share. Sooooo, imagine a three layer, six inch cake with very thick and creamy vanilla buttercream icing swirled on in an intricate pattern. Add to that chocolate swirling writing of, "Happy Birthday," and slices of fresh strawberries accenting the top and placed all around the base. Between the three layers, the chef had another creamy subtly flavored coconut buttercream icing with slices of fresh strawberries. Perhaps from my description you are able to understand why I forgot to take the photograph and simply asked our waiter to proceed to the serving!

We highly recommend the Restaurant Aaron at the Horned Dorset Primavera for either lunch or dinner. Restaurant Aaron has a facebook page which you can follow to see what special events they are hosting. To serve you better, reservations are always required.

Avocados in Puerto Rico

2009-10-14T17:47:00.014-03:00

This is an avocado that Marilyn, Lemontree's assistant manager and housekeeper, brought to me from a tree in her backyard! She knows I love avocado and I was thrilled when I saw this one. I photographed it on the dinner plate to give you a good idea of its size. We have avocados here in Rincon, PR from mid July through November and there are so many different varieties, we have had great fun trying them all. They each seem to ripen a little differently and the size of the seeds varies greatly too.

I decided to try and cut this avocado as close to the seed as I could and from the photograph below you can see I rather succeeded. The seed is just poking through the left side. The seed was actually small, only about 2 1/2 inches and narrow in diameter so there was a lot of avocado to eat!

Now, I bet you never thought of avocado slices quite like this. The smaller half at the bottom of the photograph was all solid avocado "meat." The larger half had about four inches of solid meat. You can see the seed poking out of the larger half of the avocado (look in the middle of the plate).

The slices fit just perfectly on a sandwich and were easy to cut up for salad. I did some research on avocados and found that they are very, very healthy for us. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado...the health benefits section. Hooray...we can eat lots of them! Our favorite way to eat them is either in salad and sandwiches or just mashed up with a squeeze of limon and spread on crackers or as a dip. You might like to see this recipe site though if you are more active in the kitchen, http://www.avocadorecipes.net/..................Yum, yum.

Saint Rose of Lima Celebration

2009-08-08T12:10:00.005-03:00

Each town in Puerto Rico has a patron saint. Rincon's is Saint Rose of Lima. This July we celebrated the 220th anniversary of the church in the plaza Santa Rosa de Lima. There were artesanos, good food and wonderful Puerto Rican music.

A highlight of the celebration is the flotilla that accompanies the icon across the bay to the small town of Anasco, more celebrating and then back to Rincon. From the Lemontree we are able to watch the flotilla and excitement. The picture shows the lead boat with the icon. The boat following carries Rincon's flag.
Many more boats filled with celebrants and jet skiis accompanied the icon as it was ferried across the bay.

Where Columbus Landed, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-06-16T08:43:00.003-03:00

Columbus, on his second voyage touched somewhere on Puerto Rico's western coast in 1493. The exact location, perhaps, will never be known. The fun part is that towns along the coast all vie for the honor of being "discovered" first by Columbus.

I made this photograph this morning looking down Corcega Beach at the makeshift Columbus Monument which is Rincon's claim to being first. The beaches are largely empty this time of year and the town breaths a collective sigh, recovers from the waves of winter visitors and looks ahead to July for our summer visitors.

Dia de Logros, Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-06-08T21:03:00.008-03:00

As those of you reading this blog over the past few months know, we (Ted and Bella Jane) have been taking Puerto Rican music classes for the past year...Bella Jane playing the cuatro and tiple and Ted playing the bongo. In the photo is Bongocera Ted...he played with a group playing En Mi Viejo San Juan at our Dia de Logros (graduation day recital) at the Ballaja. He is dressed in the appropriate attire with his white shirt, hat and Puerto Rican pin on his left lapel. He was just perfect! As a percussion instrument, the bongo is critical to a song. The bongo beats tell the other players the tempo. Mi Viejo San Juan is a cuatro por cuatro or 4/4 piece. The cuatro players played a short five note introduction and then Ted came in with the beat. His hands hit the bongo heads and the low notes (hembra) and the sharp staccoto notes (seco) were just right for the song. He played a martillo beat (the clip shows a man playing that beat). We had a great day! Ted's entry into Puerto Rican music was a grand success. Below you can see Ted's hands as they move from one bongo drum head to the other....

Tropicals Are Outside, Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-06-05T18:54:00.004-03:00

As it is now officially the "wet season"...means we have rain for a little while each afternoon...I have started to trim back on the garden to let the rains bring out the lush new growth. As I was trimming, I was struck by how what mainlanders think of as "house" plants are actually "outside" garden plants here in Puerto Rico. This peace plant is a great example. When on the mainland, this was one of my favorite plants with which to gift as it has such lush green foliage and the flowers are magnificent. Here at the Lemontree, we have peace plants in abundance and their strong white flowers tower over the other greenery. Here in the photograph, it is nestled in the asparagus fern...yes, another tropical that typically one thinks of as growing indoors!

Festival de Cuatro

2009-05-26T09:12:00.004-03:00

This past weekend saw Bella Jane and I in San Juan for our music class. It was a day of rehearsal for the graduation concerts. The big news, however is that the Tiple Workshop that Bella belongs to was invited to perform at the 39th annual Festival de Cuatro. It was a great venue, with at least 500 spectators jamming the large auditorium. Groups from around the Island participated. Her group played two songs and was backed by Guitar and Bordonua, a kind of bass guitar.

Of course, and understandably, there were pre-performance jitters but the moment the music started they fell away or were carried away with the melody. She played strongly and with confidence, hitting the right notes without fault.

We have begun to think seriously about our local parranda for the upcoming Christmas season... playing aguinaldos, the Puerto Rican Christmas songs, and mainland Christmas carols from house to house.

You never know were things lead.

Down the beach, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-05-17T14:14:00.007-03:00

I must have walked down this beach hundreds of times over the past five years. You would think that after that time I would have seen everything that was to be seen. It would seem that the little creek, the old pilings on the abandoned pier, the houses and fences, the trees, the moods of the sky and the sea would all have yielded up their mystery.

So today I went out just to stretch my legs and feel some sand grit in between my toes... and the cool warm of the salt water. Down the very strand of beach that I have walked so many times.

I think now that if I had the opportunity to walk this beach thousands of times... perhaps an infinity of times to the end of the world it would not be enough to see with understanding all that was on my small strand.

I stopped by the little creek... now running with fresh/brackish water as it is almost the wet season now and we do have our afternoon showers. I saw this tangle of bleached branches. Caught up in the creek. Bleached by the sun and by the sea coming up into the mouth of the creek. I liked the shape and the jumble of the branches. I liked the bleached bones of these tree parts. I saw this very image that you see now even before the camera was up and working. I have never seen such an assembly exactly as this was... in all the time I have walked this beach... and there it was.

Coming back, turning about to come back to the Lemontree... on my way I saw these footprints. Not mine. Some of those in the line of prints made by another beachcomber were already wiped out by the rising tide. But not these. These prints were there for me to see. A trace of another. I will leave my own traces... some may see them, some not, most not, perhaps only will someone walking with me, close, see the impressions there for only the briefest of moments before the inexorable tide washes them clean, except for there memory in the mind of another.

Last, this ramp, likely a boat ramp, the wood beginning to splinter and the paint chip away. it leads up to a yard, a hidden yard behind a concrete fence that you would need to walk up to and peer over. Of course, I wonder what happens on the other side of the ramp. This was closed to me as the gate is securely locked. Perhaps one day it will be open. I wonder if I will be there at the foot of the ramp, waiting and ready on the beach for the gate to open? Or... will I be up the beach somewhere... unwilling to leave my small patch of sand to see what is on the other side of the gate?

Moonlight on Anasco Bay Puerto Rico

2009-05-11T10:00:00.003-03:00

Two nights ago the moon was full and rose early and low over Anasco Bay. It was cloudy, dense dark clouds and the moon initially was a dark amber color and as it rose became more yellow and then silver white. I'm not sure what it is about the moon, the water, the night but it does provoke reflection.

There are quite a few poems about the moon on water... many deal with topics of love, love lost, loneliness, solitude and quiet. I found this one in a wonderful collection about Puerto Rico from 1941 entitled Puerto Rico in Pictures and Poetry.

Tropical moon, how you glow tonight,
High o'er the mountains, luminous, bright.
Telling earth's children, from near and afar,
God watches o'er them like yon evening star.

On Lemontree Reef in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-05-06T09:13:00.005-03:00

Yesterday, was magnificent. The water was calm, almost lake-like which is pretty typical at this time of year. The water has remained quite calm for at least several days and so the visibility in the water is, for so close ito shore, spectacular. I decided to grab my mask, fins and snorkel... and of course my trusty Oly 350, in its housing and see what I could do photographically as a snorkeler on Lemontree Reef. As one guest remarked to me yesterday... it was her dream to walk out of her door and snorkel on a reef. Here we can do that. As you might tell from the above picture it was flat calm. The water was warm and refreshing. I swam out to the rocky reef just to the right of the Lemontree and then swam to the left to a secondary rocky outcropping.

We do have sea fans on Lemontree Reef. This image converted to B/W makes it look like an abyss is below. However the depth was no greater than 10 feet. Its just that when you shoot with a wide angle lens distance is somewhat distorted. At any rate I thought that my outing needed a bit of deep sea drama... so here it is. Several guests reported yesterday that they saw octopi moving about on the bottom... which I did not see but the habitat is just right for them.

This is what mostly one can readily see. We were well stocked with reef fish... large schools, as a matter of fact. I was out for about an hour. Just enough time to enjoy myself without getting tired. I kept the pace very moderate and enjoyed the photography and just being on the water. Being able to do this is really a gift.

A "deserted island" on the beach, Rincon, PR

2009-05-02T18:35:00.004-03:00

Rincon is a town of many beaches, about eight miles of beaches! Today I took a walk west down Lemontree's beach. I walked about 100 yards west down the beach from the Lemontree and this is what I saw. I felt like I was on a deserted island! The palm tree gistening in the sun and stretched out towards the ocean. The other vegetation giving a sheltering feel to the whole vignette. I perched on the big rock in the foreground of this photograph and half expected a bottle with a note in it to wash up on shore! I did find some sea glass along my walk along with a wonderful shell. One never knows what one will see or come home with when one takes a beach walk in Rincon.

Looking and looking again at the ocean in Rincon, PR

2009-04-30T19:16:00.005-03:00

I came out onto the terrace of my Lemontree cottage this morning, as I usually do, and looked down at the beach with the ocean waves gently lapping up on shore. I breathed in deeply of the cool (its all relative) sea air and was happy to see the sun rising in the west. I stood on the terrace looking and looking again at the waves. "Looking and looking again," I thought..."this is like a painting." The more you look, the more you see. Today in my looking and looking I saw the white foam of the waves transform into an abstract painting and I captured it with my camera.

Even when it rains in Puerto Rico...

2009-04-28T15:32:00.005-03:00

Today I was talking with some returning guests who are here with us again for a couple of weeks. They were excited to be here and said, "No matter what the weather, I love it here...even when it rains!" Well it did indeed rain this afternoon and I took this photograph. I love the purples in the sky and the softeness of the clouds. We can be outside on the Lemontree terraces, nice and dry under the roof and watch the rain fall in the distance and then approach us as it moves across the ocean.
Then, almost as quickly as the rain comes, it is gone and it is sunny again! Ah, the changing weather of the Caribbean.

Turtle at Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico

2009-04-24T13:03:00.003-03:00

Last night we were having drinks with some friends when the topic turned to our adventures underwater... especially at Desecheo Island. I was reminded of this photograph I made at the Island. Usually we see underwater photographs made in wonderful color. This image was made when I was working a bit with BW underwater photography using a dark red/orange filter and no strobe light. I was leading a tour and this Hawksbill turtle came by to check us out. It swam with us for several minutes and as long as we kept our distance the turtle was quiet comfortable.

You never know what you will see out at the Island. Its a great destination for divers, of course and also for snorkelers. The water is so clear that even from the surface you can see everything on the bottom 40 feet more and less below. Taino Divers is the best ticket out to the island. Be sure to book early as they do sometimes fill up. Its a great day out and can be a wonderful, memorable part of a trip to Puerto Rico.

Lizard shows his stuff, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-04-23T15:33:00.004-03:00

Yesterday I was out shooting with a friend, Harold (Hal) Howard at the Blue Boy Inn. We were looking to shoot flowers and the BlueBoy has a wonderful garden. The above picture was made by Hal and is a timely capture. The lizard is displaying his throat sac and a mighty one it is. Its all about love. When courting, if you are a male lizard, its all about the throat sac.

Sometimes new guests are initially a little alarmed to see these little fellows (small dinosaurs) walk up the wall on their terrace and hang there or scamper across the courtyard. Actually they are great hunters of bugs so we think of them as kind of good-deed-doers. Our cat, Irene, loves them as well as she enjoys chasing them.

If you are here for awhile, you will become used to seeing these fellows lazying about in the sun and become an expert on the different kinds with their various colors and sizes. Puerto Rico also has iguana lizards and we sometimes see them in the jungle areas and wandering along the side of the road.

Ferry del Caribe viewed from Lemontree, Rincon, PR

2009-04-20T16:11:00.007-03:00

I had nice treat when I went out this morning...the Ferry was coming into Mayaguez. Looking southeasterly, we can see the Port of Mayaguez from the Lemontree.

Ferries del Caribe offer ferries three times a week between Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The journey takes about 12 hours. From Santo Domingo they leave Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 PM, and arrive in Mayagüez at 8 AM the following morning. From Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, they leave on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 PM, and arrive in Santo Domingo at 8 AM the following morning. The ferries have a casino on board open during the whole trip.

At the Lemontree, we can see the Ferry coming in from the west. It seems to emerge up etherally out of the sea and then slowly navigates across the ocean towards Magaguez. As it comes closer and closer, it gets bigger and more distinct. I closely cropped the photograph so you could better see the Ferry. Tonight, we will see the Ferry leave Mayaguez for Santo Domingo. The ferry will be strung with ferry lights and if the atmospherics cooperate, we sometimes hear the party music as it passes us in the distance.

Morning beach in Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-04-19T18:01:00.003-03:00

This morning I went out, as usual, onto the terrace and just simply looked down onto the beach below. This is what I saw! Everyday when I come out here to the terrace and look down…I wonder how the ocean surf will present itself. Today I enjoyed watching the sand swirl around and move back and forth with the gentle waves. The sound of the waves had a very lulling effect and I felt my shoulder muscles relax as I just stood there looking down... and watching.

50th birthday celebration at the Lemontree in Puerto Rico

2009-04-15T12:15:00.004-03:00

Bella reminded me that we recently hosted a 50th birthday celebration. The partner of the "birthday girl" had asked Bella if we could prepare the Banana suite... the one with the jacuzzi, especially for her partner. It was the dream of the couple to pass this milestone by the sea. We decorated the suite with balloons filled with helium, a sign, beach balls and a tropical red paper parrot. Marilyn, our assistant manager also is a baker and prepared a simple but very flavorful birthday cake... which is featured below.

A recent article in a Washington DC paper suggests that couples are cutting expenses for weddings. You can read it here.

No doubt guests are cost conscious but it does not mean that you can't have an intimate and wonderful, memorable, affordable celebration by the sea. It takes some planning. If you have such an interest the Lemontree is an outstanding value and venue.

Celebrations in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-04-14T10:13:00.003-03:00

Rincon, Puerto Rico is a great destination for people who have something to celebrate. It might be a wedding, a commitment ceremony, a birthday or anniversary or just a celebration of life itself. We have hosted at the Lemontree intimate, affordable and memorable celebrations of all kinds. As it turned out this past Sunday though we were called upon to provide the wedding photography for a larger function at the Rincon Beach Resort. The resort is a short walk down the beach from us and many of the wedding party chose to stay at the Lemontree. The photograph above is from the wedding. She was a beautiful bride and he, being from Scotland, wore his kilt. The beachfront was the perfect setting for a new beginning for them.

Flat calm on Lemontree Beach in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-04-09T16:06:00.005-03:00

A couple of days ago it was like a lake on our stretch of shore. The water was clear and the sky a wonderful Caribbean blue. A friend of ours came by the day before and asked if it would be a good day to go out to Desecheo. Of course... it was a day for anything by the water. If you chose to do the scenic drive through the mountains on such a day... you were missing the point. By the water, in the water... looking at the water.

Now it happens that we have as guests people who are in the hospitality industry come to stay with us on their day off. This was also such a day that we were able to welcome one of the El Convento family to our house and bit of seaside paradise. She brought with her both sisters and BF's. As you can see they mixed sun, sand and seaside very smoothly with family. El Convento is one of our favorite places to stay in Old San Juan and when we stay with El Convento it is like coming home. We were very pleased to reciprocate.

Holy Week (pt 2) begins in San Juan Puerto Rico

2009-04-05T11:48:00.007-03:00

I wanted to begin the second part of our description of the beginning of Holy Week in Old San Juan with a picture of police officers carrying the illuminated image of the Holy Mother. I am struck by how well faith is integrated into public life here in Puerto Rico... unlike its complete divorcement in the United States. Town plazas during Christmas season are decorated with religious images; religious holidays are publicly celebrated. My sense is that no one seems to find it offensive or a violation of their rights. If you are a non-believer or have a different faith then you simply go on with your ordinary business or pleasure for the day. The public expression of faith seems to be a unifying force here rather than a source of divisiveness. If Puerto Rico becomes a state in the Union, rather and leaves its current status as a Free, Associated State I wonder what will happen to this comfortable relationship.

I like the image above because it gives a good representation of the flavor of the event. The men on the left are carrying the litter with the Holy Mother, the Priest... one of many in religious habit is participating just as a marcher... not are an organizer, and the women are being carried along by the procession.

While there were obvious signs of devotion and passion (weeping)... most of the spirit was some excitement and perhaps happiness. I think that while the narrative of Christ's days in Jerusalem is filled with sadness... believers understand that on Easter Sunday Christ triumphs over death and in his suffering makes a sacrifice which allows all of humanity a way to eternal salvation. Indeed, a source of joy.

A note... these images and those of yesterday were made with the camera on board my Macintosh computer. I set the computer up on parked cars and just recorded what came in front of the small lens. I cleaned up the images but essentially this is what was recorded. I think they capture some of the energy of the event and if you click on them they become larger and easier to read.

Holy Week begins in San Juan Puerto Rico

2009-04-04T17:57:00.005-03:00

Friday night found Bella and I in San Juan. What we stumbled on was something neither of us had participated in previously. This is Semana Santa, Holy Week, the week before Easter. This special week is celebrated here with powerful drama and passion. In Old San Juan and across the Isla, but especially in Old San Juan the pageantry is strong. Friday night saw a procession bearing an icon of the Holy Mother, dressed in black mourning cape. (If you click on the image above and make it bigger, you will be able to see the Icon on the left side of the photo.)

The procession began at La Forteleza, the Governor's Palace and wound its way though the medieval streets of Old San Juan. The procession was lead by musicians playing a sorrowful and slow dirge, followed by small children who rang hand bells. A contingent of the Knights of Columbus processed immediately in front of the icon of the Holy Mother. A group of Autunas who were dressed in medieval costumes, carried the Holy Mother on the litter. A solumn group of men bearing crosses was also present. The litter was alternately carried by the autunas, a contingent of police commanders and other individuals. A priest bearing an incense burner spread the scent of sage throughout the streets. Sisters and brothers from the Convent and Monastery were marchers as were others in religious habits. As the procession wound its way through the streets, small candles were distributed and illuminated.

Now usually one of us has a camera but this trip we were focused on our music and left the cameras at home. I had with me my computer and Bella reminded me that perhaps I could use the on board camera in the computer... which I did. The image above and the one below were made with the camera in the Macintosh. I set the computer up on the hood or roof of parked cars and at one time stepped into the street with the computer open and imaged the procession as it rounded a corner.

The procession stopped periodically... perhaps reflecting the stops of the Stations of the Cross. At balconies marked with torches, (the photo immediately above shows one of the balconies) the procession halted and the litter bearing the Holy Mother was lowered. At the stop, music was played on the balcony and a part of the story of Christ's Passion was read and was concluded with a Rosary. I was told that the houses at which the procession stopped had experienced the passing of a loved one in the previous year. Along the path of the procession, people lined the streets and walked along beside the procession with their candles. We also saw a number of women wearing black and a long black mourning veils.

More tomorrow.

Dusk beach walk, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-04-02T19:20:00.004-03:00

Last evening we had several friends over from San Juan. This was their first trip to Rincon and so we took them out for a walk on the beach... as the sun was setting before heading out for dinner. Walking east from the Lemontree leads one to broader sand beaches but walking west leads one to a rocky beach which is occasionally impassable if the surf is up. Last night the water was calm and so we walked the rocky beach. Its remarkable how within the space of several hundred yards the beach changes so dramatically. In Puerto Rico all beaches are public and we limit ourselves unnecessarily to confine our explorations to what is immediately in front of us. Rincon is a town of beaches... and a few minutes and steps away is a new world.

Dental work in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-03-30T14:27:00.006-03:00

Do you recall this? Is this image the last thing you remember before IT begins... or perhaps is this...

... what you recall seeing last?

Now I'm pretty good with pain and discomfort... but I had not been to the dentist in well over 20 years, since the last time I had a filling. Apparently I had fractured a tooth and the pain was growing over several days. OK it was time.

To my surprise and enormous relief I was seen immediately by Bella's dentist Dr. Tacoronte, who referred me to an endodontist, Dr. Sumaza in Mayaguez. I was treated within hours. The procedure which involved a root canal and preparation for the installation of a crown was nearly painless. Today, I went back to Dr. Tacoronte who began the process of repairing the tooth in preparation for the construction and installation of the crown. Again, virtually without discomfort.

So why is this in the Blog? Occasionally, guests require dental treatment and always consider leaving for the mainland. A mistake in my book. I am here to say that world class dental treatment is available in Rincon and elsewhere on the Isla.

Orchid at the Lemontree, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-03-29T13:59:00.005-03:00

Yesterday evening I went out to the courtyard here at the Lemontree and took several photographs of some of the flowers that we have growing. This orchid is not especially large or grand. The color is what attracts most people to these flowers. For me it was the shape. The exotic, sensuous, otherworldly form that caught my eye.

I made a black and white conversion of the above picture and toned it lightly. Here it is:

Take a look at the two images. For me the black and white version, striped of its natural color that shows its form and contour. The eye is not so distracted by the color.

Plaza des Armas (6:07P), San Juan Puerto Rico

2009-03-27T19:06:00.003-03:00

This Friday Bella Jane and I went to Old San Juan in advance of our Saturday music lessons at the conservatory. Bella... the Tiple and Cuatro, for me the Bongo. But tonight, we headed out to scavenge for our dinner and found ourselves in the Plaza. In a display of technical virtuosity that surpasses most 10 year olds (well some) I popped out this picture of Bella with the built in photo boots camera on the Mac laptop by the Four Seasons Fountain and dropped it into the Blog. Why? Because I could. All done in nearly real time in the plaza... using the city wide wifi system.

Actually the temperature is wonderfully moderate, sky sunny and the night is not yet begun.

How great is this?

Rain means runoff in Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-03-26T13:34:00.004-03:00

When we get a moderately sized rain we get runoff from the many small streams that come down from the hills into the ocean. While a rainy episode at this time of the year is relatively infrequent and of short duration, they can be intense which is what pushes the contents of the streams into the ocean. This morning I was walking on the beach and happened upon this tree. It was quite large, perhaps 24 feet long. When the swell comes later today it will either carry the tree out to sea where it will decompose or it will push it up on shore where it will dry out. On occasion, I see family groups out on the beach with a small bonfire... sometimes cooking, sometimes just enjoying the fire and the water. It all gets used and is all a part of the whole.

Crab and coral, Desecheo Puerto Rico

2009-03-25T17:41:00.003-03:00

We are looking at a really substantial swell to roll in in a couple of days... which will knock out diving here as the water will be too rough to make the passage out to Desecheo Island. So, thinking about it I thought I'd bust an image I made there. This particular image was made at the Aquarium... one of my favorite tours. The crab was bold and just kept on moving, pausing and moving again. I had the strobe with me that day and was able to make this fetching portrait.

Its a red crab and was about twice the size of your outstretched hand. Moved pretty well and did not seem to mind my presence.

There is a ton of things to do here involving the water... below, on and beside. This is just one of them.

Panorama, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-03-22T14:26:00.005-03:00

This is a panoramic view of three of Rincon's iconic sites. Its a bit difficult to make out from the thumbnail but if you click on the image and expand it you will see on the left at the horizon, Desecheo Island; then, moving to the center, the Lighthouse (its the white vertical) and then on the right, Domes, the deactivated Nuclear plant. I made the photographs which comprise this panorama several days ago, shooting from the crest of the hill on Rt 413, known as the "Road to Happiness." We see these everyday, driving along the coast and yet, here in this picture, I see them anew.

Internet access in old San Juan

2009-03-21T09:30:00.004-03:00

This morning I was out and about in Old San Juan, waiting for my 10::30 class in Bongo. BellaJane was at her 8:00 tiple class and I'm looking for access. Access is really no problem. The city of Old San Juan has provided fast public access in most of the plazas. Frequently, I'll head to the Plaza des Armas, hide at the small Kiosko run by Bennie and have a cafe con leche while accessing. The connection is called wifiwyg.com and the password is turismo. No secret because the site provides the password. On wet days the Kiosko has large (but somewhat leaky) umbrellas. Rather than risk the laptop, I'll sometimes head across the plaza to the Starbucks. It offers free Internet access via Centennial Cable. All that is required is a registration. The connection here is fast and like all Starbucks you can overhear all kinds of interactions!

Snorkeling at Steps Beach, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-03-20T13:23:00.003-03:00

While a moderate swell has arrived this morning, earlier in the week it was flat out calm and great for snorkeling. One of the destinations we send Lemontree guests is Steps Beach. This of course, when they are not getting warmed up on our own Lemontree Reef which is in front of the Lemontree.

Steps is the largest natural reef immediately accessible from the shore... you don't need a boat to snorkel it. Great if you just want a quick snorkel or feel a bit queasy at the thought of boat trip. The beach is named after these "steps" that are up on the shore, a strange sight and no one really knows how the steps came to be on the beach.

I like to go in the morning about 9:30 or 10:00. The wind is usually calm and the sunlight is high enough in the sky to illuminate the reef. The drill is to turn to your left on the beach when you leave the small dirt road off 413 marked by the blue whale sign which says "Playa Escalera." Then find a narrow sand channel which will take you into the water, try not to enter over the rock that rings some of the beach. Entering the water... swim to the right and you will hit the reef. Follow it out and around... come back to your entry point before you get tired. Most of all enjoy. The reef is teaming with fish, sometimes reef squid and turtles. The reef has plenty of coral including elkhorn and brain coral. Chill on the beach for a bit after you get out. Its a great way to spend a couple of hours.

Dinner at Rincon of the Seas, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-03-19T16:44:00.005-03:00

Occasionally we like to go out with friends for a bit of dinner, drinks and the sunset. Last night we did so with friends who will be leaving to go back to the states next week. We chose Rincon of the Seas which is a moderately sized all inclusive resort located near town off rt 115. They have a lovely bar and restaurant poolside and with a great view of the sunset.

We enjoyed various libations and then hamburger (perfectly done and wonderful), salad, and several orders of a thick seafood/ shrimp gumbo called Asopao de camerones. Check out a recipe here. It will give you the idea.

One of the nice things about our small town is the variety of eating choices. Now at the Lemontree we have full cooking accommodations... but many guests also enjoy the various restaurants and bars. We have international cuisine, local Puerto Rican eateries, hamburger places, local bakeries, and of course the trucks and small tent operations by the road side which all have a devoted following.

Palm at Steps Beach in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-03-18T16:48:00.004-03:00

As one strips away the color from the tropics, a more graphic, if shadowed, perception becomes possible. To see the tropics in monochrome is to see them fresh… without preconceived ideas.

I think this is why this BW image fascinates me. A palm is an amazing structure. Its the symbol of one of the political parties here, yet for guests it means escape and the sense that "we really are not at home anymore." It symbolizes water and warmth. This tree is also an amazing object, unusual to the eyes of North Americans. The monochrome rendition helps us to see the tree not as something else, a "stand-in" or "proxy" but directly for what it is.

I made this photograph this morning and when I saw its crooked trunk and huge spread of fronds against the clear sky, I knew what I had.

Imagining the seasons in Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-03-15T14:08:00.004-03:00

Occasionally, when I'm driving into town I go under several long stretches of tree canopy and when the wind stirs and down come brown leaves, I think for a moment... aah... the fall, a crisp October day. The thought remains for only a moment because its not October... its March, or its July or some other month... not that the month really matters for leaf fall. Its also not a "crisp" day... the temperature is likely to be between 78F and 88F... never enough to be described as "crisp" even by the thinnest blooded North American. Its just that the deciduous trees here in the tropics typically shed leaves in the dry season and then that varies according to the severity of the season! The theory being that lack of water stresses the trees and they drop their leaves in response.

Occasionally I will "see" snowfall on the beach, usually at dusk... or mistake the rustling of leaves, again for the northern, temperate climate fall season. I wonder if humans become imprinted in some basic way early on to a seasonal cycle in the place they were born. And, if so, for people born here on the Isla... I wonder how the four solid northern seasons are reimagined? I wonder if instead of dreaming of a snowy, cold Christmas it is rather of a wonderful trip to the beach with family bobbing and talking in the warm tropical water.

New swell is in this weekend in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-03-13T13:55:00.003-03:00

Late last night a new swell began to fill in here in Rincon. During the night, living by the sea, you could hear the waves building even at the Lemontree. This morning with the clean waves at least 8 to 10 feet on the north side of Rincon and light winds, the surfing was good.

I was thinking about the surf and the vibe in Rincon and I think the surf and its followers have really shaped this town. If you follow the surf and its in, you need to be on the water. If you say... "I'll wait till I finish this report"... or whatever, the wind could change and you would miss the clean roll of a great wave. So its very much a "now" kind of vibe...

When the swell is in, the coconut telegraph gets activated and the word spreads... all kinds of people but mostly younger men drop whatever they had planned to do and are in the water. It doesn't last forever and if you are going to do it... you got to have your priorities lined up. For some relationships its tough, but when both partners feel the drive its all the better. Lots of guys here come down in the winter and when its over return to their jobs elsewhere... or perhaps head out to the next place where the water is moving. The surf life and the world of responsibility and work schedules don't mix well. The surf does not run from 9 to 5 or leave town on the 5:49. Being in the surf world even for a short period of time, a week or even a long weekend leads to a kind of blessed blindness to the structure and pattern of the "real world." That's what make it a great vacation...

Nature's abstraction in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-03-12T12:29:00.005-03:00

Several days ago I made this photograph on the beach... while looking at the trunk of a nearly fallen palm tree. These are the roots and some trapped leaf litter.

They reminded me of how some contemporary art resembles designs and patterns that we see in nature. When viewed close up, natural objects and collections of these objects, formed by natural process, take on an appearance, which to our eyes, may suggest sensations or other objects far removed from what they were originally. This abstraction via magnification is a common technique in contemporary art. Similarly by taking one aspect of an object in nature and repeating that aspect can yield very pleasing results as well.

I was reminded of the work of Cy Twombly whose "scribbles" as seen below have some

passing resemblance to the imaged abstraction of the roots.

Some of our guests are painters... I wonder what kind of sources of inspiration they have taken back home with them from their time here?

Into the sea at Maria's in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-03-11T18:17:00.007-03:00

Today I went out with a friend for our weekly photographic shoot. Today we decided to go to some of the surfing beaches, and although the waves were small, they were fun waves. Surf students were out practicing, and the line-up was well populated. It was a bit overcast in the morning with a little drizzle but it did not dampen spirits... hey its all water.

Rather than show a surfer in action picture I wanted to give a sense of the vastness of the sea and sky... with Desecheo as a backdrop these two surfers seem to have the world to themselves.

But wait you say you want a real surf picture... OK... here is one for you:

Oh I see you mean this kind of surf picture:

All in all it was a great day out.

Another beach view, Maria's in Puerto Rico

2009-03-10T16:29:00.003-03:00

Thought we could use another beach image and so here is a photograph looking east at Maria's Beach. Just the opposite way from the photograph in yesterday's blog entry in which the photograph was taken looking west at Maria's. The tidal pool formed by the beach rock breaks the the small waves here, allowing a visitor to sit comfortably by the seaside, listening to the lapping of the water and feeling the warm water and sand run between one's toes. For me its such a different view from the photo yesterday but its just a question of which way I looked... up or down the beach. As we have noted elsewhere and in other entries, the beaches here are relatively narrow, perfect for enjoying unobstructed walks or taking a quick dip in the ocean.

Rincon, a community of beaches in Puerto Rico

2009-03-09T15:51:00.003-03:00

This image was made several days after a very windy swell, that dominated our beach scene for several days, had swept away. Now, the surfers were in the water, the walkers were out and in some places... snorkeling was happening. When you live by the sea you come to accept the beach that nature presents to you each day. You actually have no choice.

Sometimes it seems that we residents of the post-modern world expect that human agency can curb every excess and enhance every dip that nature sends...and yet, it just cannot work out that way. Our beaches are not broad expanses of sugar white sand that was trucked in from somewhere else. Our beaches have the sand that has come to them naturally with the ebb and flow of the ocean. The beaches here tend to be narrow and from time to time experience some sand mobility, depending on what weather systems are sent by the fall storms and winter swells and summer storms.

As for water sports...sometimes snorkeling is great... sometimes its just not happening. Same for surfing and occasionally for walking. In Rincon, we are blessed to have beaches that are north west facing and those that are south facing. The south facing ones are relatively calmer than the north facing ones especially when the swells roll in from the north. On almost all days you can find a great ocean side or in water activity here... from walking to parasailing. From jet ski work to a gentle soak. Depending upon what Mother Nature has dealt and where you are staying, it just may not happen right outside your door or as the brochures say "just steps away from the beach." It can be be found however a short walk or drive from where you are staying because Rincon is blessed to be a small town of many beaches.

Demonstration in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

2009-03-08T09:59:00.004-03:00

On Friday, in the late afternoon we were in San Juan and had some trouble getting into the Old City. Streets were blocked off and there was a heavy police presence. As we came into town we heard chanting and loud amplified speeches. After a bit we took out on foot down C. Cristo towards La Forteleza, the Governor's Palace, which is actually the oldest administrative (governmental) structure in continuous use in the Americas. Indeed a demonstration in front of the mansion was in progress. It was a protest on the part of government workers' unions who are the ones that will face significant layoffs under the Governor's financial rescue plan for the economy of the country. The Governor plans to fire between 30 and 40 thousand of these workers, as the government sector in Puerto Rico is the largest employment sector and the country can no longer afford such expenditures.

We plunged into the crowd which was largely happy, many of whom had pealed off to the local bars and were walking about with cervezas. The speeches by union leaders were stemwinders and were watched by police commanders with care...

...but the demonstration was really good natured and at no time did we get a sense that the mood was uncivil.

What will happen as the Governor's plan is implemented will remain to be seen.

A cat that might grin in San Juan, Puerto Rico

2009-03-07T17:40:00.006-04:00

On our trips to Old San Juan we have previously written about the cats. They are everywhere however some are more lordly than others. This fine kitty is usually found accross from the Cathedral lounging in a shops doorway on C. Cristo. This morning before my bongo class I was doing a walkabout with camera and spotted this cat sleeping on the hood of a Jeep. It was windy and cool (relatively) this morning and the sun's rays must have warmed yo the metal of the hood. Also possible is that it was just parked (but unlikely) and still warm from the motor. Last night I saw the same cat in about the same place crossing the street slowly. Nothing makes this cat break into a sweat. Its an alpha animal... top of the chain and all that.

I made this photograph with a 50mm lens. What caught my eye in addition to the kitty was the reflections in the smooth dark metal and of the building and roof in the windshield. Really an odd combination of perspectives... a little like Alice in Wonderland. Could this be the grin of the philosophical Cheshire Cat?

The wind was on it at Pools Beach, Puerto Rico

2009-03-06T10:59:00.004-04:00

Well, despite the great northern swell it was a washout for surfing. The strong north wind hacked up the surf leading to basically unsurfable conditions. When I made this photograph at Pools this morning, the wind was so strong I had some difficulty steadying myself and the camera. Must of been at least 20-25 MPH. The effect of the wind is to push the waves over on themselves rather than holding the face of the wave up. So we get a lot of white water. No one was out on any of the breaks this morning. Perhaps later in the day when the onshore wind moderates and we get some off shore breeze it may improve but I don't think by much.

So the best strategy is to pull the covers over your head, snuggle closer and think about a great walk to your favorite bakery for brunch.

Weather is changing in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-03-05T16:21:00.003-04:00

We have begun to experience the forerunner of a significant winter swell. The front that has just pushed pass us from the north has behind it significant wind and water. Building today and through the weekend we will see dramatic waves on the northern facing surf beaches and some wrap around waves here at Lemontree Beach. We get these periodic swells several times during the winter season and when they do come they provide an opportunity to reflect on the interconnected nature of the world's weather patterns. The last substantial swell occurred here about three weeks ago. For me its a great opportunity to head down to the surfing beaches with my camera and try to capture as an image some of what surfing big waves really mean. For our Lemontree guests and other visitors it is a rare treat to really see what nature can do. Yesterday, the water was calm, comfortably swimable. Today it is rough... but tomorrow it will be surf city. The vibe on the surfing beaches is palpable and well worth the visit.

Motorcycle... in Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-03-04T16:37:00.003-04:00

I wanted to pop up this image of a great motorcycle, the Honda Shadow. Why, well... because its a great cruiser bike, comfortable with a great sound. Rincon is a destination, not only for visitors from the mainland and overseas but for Puerto Rican's as well. There are very active motorcycle clubs here and on the weekends you can see large groups of scooter and motorcycle enthusiasts on the roads. They will do a particular drive which may include a stop off in Rincon before heading back to their home towns. On some weekends the watering holes and eateries are adorned with these great bikes out front. Now the Lemontree is not on a main road so we do not get the motorcycle noise... but on 115, which is the main drag... its a different story.

A thousand years ago... I owned a Honda bike. Riding it felt like flying. Just you and the wind and the sound of the motor. It felt like... freedom. Occasionally I see one of these machines, which are actually beautiful and it comes back. I have seen this particular bike several times. This time I had my camera.

Reef life at Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico

2009-03-03T12:57:00.003-04:00

Its been a bit since I have written about the diving at Desecheo Island and so I thought I would remind readers just why it is so well regarded. We have recently had a number of Lemontree guests who have booked a trip to the Island with Taino Divers, which is pretty much the only ticket out to Desecheo. Its a great day's outing for divers or snorkelers. I made this photograph after coming back from a deeper dive out at Candyland. This shot overlooks the sand channel that forms a divide between a zone of seafans and the shore line rock reefs. It was taken in about 40 feet of water. As you can see the reef was crowned with a wide variety of tropicals. Typically, these fish are a bit skittish of large bubble blowing creatures. Stealth and calm were the key for me. In truth when I am photographing the reef, a shallow dive is the best. You use less air at shallower depths, the light is better, and so you have more time to compose and see an image than if you are deeper and working hard to keep up with a tour. If you are a good diver and have a buddy who will hang out with you, some of the best opportunities for photography are right under the boat.

The music of Puerto Rico

2009-03-01T14:24:00.007-04:00

This Saturday saw us in Old San Juan at the Conservatory. In addition to our lessons several of the music faculty put on a special production and overview of Puerto Rican music. Featured here are typical instruments. From left to right... the Guiro, a hollow and dried gourd, stroked with a wire or wooden brush, the Bongo's, the Conga, the Cuatro and the Guitar, and not seen are the cowbell or the tiple.

The concert presented the genres of typical music: Plena (a bit like our country music), Aguinaldo (like Christmas carols), Seis (originally a 17th century Spanish dance music), Vals (a bit like a waltz) and Danza (a structured stylized formal dance music). Within the types are the basic rhythms - each with a different beat. The instruments each have their own role in either establishing melody, foundational beats and supporting or filling melodies and rhythms.

The cuatro always began the musical piece as that instrument was playing the melody and then the others joined in. The guitar to play the chords corresponding to the key of the melody, the bongo and conga with traditional drum beats of the music and the guiro either following the melody or the beats, depending upon the song. Most traditional Puerto Rican music is very fast, regardless of the time (4/4 or 3/4 or 2/4) and vigorous. Listening to the melodies and beats, the excitment became contagious and soon everyone was tapping their feet or gently clapping their hands...impossible to sit still!

New pants, from Mayaguez Mall, Puerto Rico

2009-02-26T17:42:00.006-04:00

Today was a great day. I have been in need to new short pants for quite some time. The old friends have tears and are threadbare. I have been having trouble finding replacements that fit comfortably. Lets just say, in the years since I bought my older ones, life has been good. So today we headed to the Mayaguez Mall with the goal of finding new short pants.*

First stop was Marshall's... a great store that gets famous brand names and sells them for a fraction of the original price. And, I found four pairs... total price about $80 for them all. Not bad, but they really didn't't fit 100%. We walked out of Marshall's and what do we see at La Esquina Famosa but a rack of short pants for $5 each. Typically, this store sells upscale men's clothes... suits, jackets, slacks... and some tropical relaxed linen items. The racks out front were the low priced enticement to enter the store for some better quality goods. I selected one pair, tried it on and ta ta... great, very comfortable... with elastic in the waistband. OK no zipper but I can live with that. So I purchased 7 pairs of these $5... about what one of the marked down Marshall's pants cost and 1/2 the price of one of the shorts had I bought them in the States. Is life great or what? I'm just delighted. *Note from Bella Jane...Ted wrote this...he was the one buying the short pants!

Crashboat... diving in Aguadilla Puerto Rico

2009-02-25T14:37:00.004-04:00

This morning found us up in Aguadilla... to Puerto Rico Technical Dive Center. PRTDC is a great shop... for advanced professional training, technical diving support and also for recreational diving. Tony and Brenda are the owners and will provide you with high quality enjoyable and safe training that will insure you become a life long diver.

They mostly dive the inshore reefs and one of the places they train is Crashboat in Aguadilla. Here is a youtube video about the site. Crashboat is about 30 minutes north of the Lemontree up Carr 2. Call ahead to PRTDC for tanks if you are a certified diver.

I made this photograph of one of the sunken girders. The site is a little like a wreck but shallow in most parts.

We are bilingual in Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-02-24T15:28:00.004-04:00

This signage caught my eye a couple of days ago. It reminded me of the role English plays in Puerto Rico and especially in Rincon. Now, the presence of the enormous Coke sign tells us that many US brands are here on the Isla and it is sometimes a bit curious to hear a string of Spanish with some US brand name in the middle pronounced with a Spanish accent. It also means that for a visiting North American, one can usually figure out what the store is selling from the signs without a word of Spanish.

Now indeed Puerto Rico is a bilingual country. It is bilingual officially and English is taught in the schools from an early age. At the University both English and Spanish are used in classes and most text books are written in English. In addition among university students, English is widely spoken or at least widely partially spoken. A good number of men of middle age and older learned English in the service. Many of this same age group also lived for a period of time in the United States and now in retirement have come back to Puerto Rico yielding to the pull of family and the generally wonderful life the Isla offers. Among younger people... English is widely understood although there is frequently a shyness about speaking it especially to an older North American.

What does this mean, practically, for a North American visitor. First, in Puerto Rico there is no language barrier. Second, is a wonderful opportunity to trot out your rusty high school Spanish and give it a try. Most Puerto Ricans truly appreciate the effort. Third, if you happen to be a strong Spanish speaker who has learned in Madrid or perhaps some other Latin country you will be delighted with and sometimes frustrated with the local accent and some of the idioms.

Truly, if all else fails, Spanglish is universally understood here.

Family Love Castle, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-02-23T13:27:00.003-04:00

One of the oddest buildings in Rincon must be the Family Love Castle which is located just off Carr 115 at the marginal road in Parcellas. This is clearly a work of passion and love. It is eccentrically ornamented with a metal plow, wheel rims and what look like either arial bombs or more likely military external fuel drop tanks. The plaster work is about marine animals, sharks, swordfish, manatees and other local species. The railings are decorated with hundreds of conch shells which are embedded in concrete. Sitting next to the house is a small open air stall, also decorated in a complimentary style and sells refreshments and snacks.

Is this the Sistine chapel of the west coast, crowded with icons of the deep rather than with angels? Is this our version of the Art Nouveau style... natural forms made into the service of a residence? It is well worth the stop if only to drink deeply from another passion and devotion to an idea.

Bust'en the bongo in San Juan, Puerto Rico

2009-02-22T17:16:00.005-04:00

OK I'll break my silence. I think readers of this blog know that Bella Jane is a musician, and plays the Tiple and Cuatro. Both of these are typical instruments of Puerto Rico. She also plays in a small workshop on Saturdays. Now those that may know me understand that I don't have much of a musical background but her group was in need of a percussionist and so I committed myself to learning the bongo. I go to class each Saturday and practice with "discipline" and "force" each day.

As a new player I am learning the basic martillo (hammer) which is a foundation beat... and can be heard in tunes like Oye Como Va by Santana and before him Tito Puente. Here is a link to a video which shows the basic martillo.

I made the photograph above at the graduation day recital for Bella Jane which is blogged here. The master remembered my making the photograph and asked me a couple of days ago if I would give him a copy... which I am delighted to do.

Goodbye... it was swell to know you in Puerto Rico

2009-02-21T16:18:00.003-04:00

A last look back at the fading swell... tomorrow there will be some fun waves and a return to generally calm conditions on the south facing beaches in Rincon. The north facing ones will still be interesting but with waves about half the size of of the waves at the peak.

I first became aware of the surfing mystique through a friend who surfed out in Long Island. Up there the water is considerably colder and they use wetsuits to stay warmer. This guy was otherwise a pretty conventional lawyer but on the weekends he would head out for the surf and would come back the next week and occasionally would drop a bit of surf slang. Like: "man... that young charger took it hard and really got macked." I think the translation is that this guy who really pushes the envelope got whacked hard by a wave... took a bad spill... as in got run over by a Mack Truck. Something like that.

Check this site for a list of surf terms.

The scene, the swell, Maria's Beach, Puerto Rico

2009-02-20T14:59:00.003-04:00

The swell has begun to fade this afternoon and by tomorrow will have really lost its punch as the waves turn more easterly. Yesterday I mentioned the jet ski that pull the surfers out. This shot was taken down the beach and shows a couple of guys ready to get in, a jet ski coming in and a walker. You can also get a sense of the size of these waves... which actually are really moderate in size. Normally this stretch of beach is calm but today, like yesterday and likely tomorrow will be the spot to head out to to catch a bit of the winter vibe here.

Maria's break this morning, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-02-19T13:43:00.004-04:00

If you are a visitor to Rincon in the Winter season and are fortunate enough to be here when the surf is up and solid as it was this morning, you owe it to yourself and your companions to head out to the surfing breaks and take in the scene. First, you don't need to be a surfer, second you don't even need to look good in a bathing suit. All you need to do is to get there and let the wave of the scene flow over you. Today there was a ton of water moving out there, literally. These were waves for people who knew what they were doing. The waves were at least 12 feet and the wind was 10-15. These riders were good and you could feel them challenge the waves. It is very physical. The sun, the moving water, the sand, the light, the color, the youth... amazing.

Now others were there as well. Just taking it all in. Talking to the surfers... mostly staying clear of the water. I did see some body boarders. A couple of jet skis were being used to pull surfers back out so they don't have to climb the waves to get back out.

You get a strong feeling of LIFE.

More tomorrow.

Swell is in today for Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-02-18T13:57:00.004-04:00

Today we have a substantial swell in that will remain with us through Saturday. The swell will build today and peak tomorrow. Swell waves are the regular longer period waves generated by distant weather systems - think of a rock thrown in a pond, and you'll see swells. A bigger storm, or rock, bigger swells. Swells are very strong moving waves with definite frequency periods.

Here is a link to a great site that will help with the forecast. Surfline says that tomorrow we will see 10 foot surf with occasional 12 foot waves. This is pretty solid stuff. Tomorrow I'll post some pictures of the surfers but today I wanted this image to remind us all that even a bit of water for those not familiar with it can be amazing and very exciting.

Cats of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

2009-02-16T13:51:00.004-04:00

One more post from our recent trip to the Capital. Old San Juan is the home to many semi-feral domestic cats. You will see them, especially at night on the walk below El Moro and in the western parts of the city. They are fed by residents who leave dry food and water out for them. They mostly avoid people but occasionally one will approach. They seem to be territorial and if you frequent certain streets you most defiantly will see the same cats there.

If you drop "cats of old san juan" into Google you will get an eyeful. Flicker streams of photos, a Calendar of OSJ Cats, a book available from the Save a Gato organization... and plenty of politics which pit the tourism folks against the animal rights groups.

From my perspective I like them... I like to see them. I guess I'm in the camp that says its better to neuter and return them rather than to "transport" them.

I made the photograph above using a 135mm telephoto lens. I can't resist a cute cat.

Ventose F733 passes El Moro, San Juan Puerto Rico

2009-02-14T16:28:00.005-04:00

This morning Bella Jane and I were in San Juan for music and I happened to see the French Corvette, the Ventose entering San Juan Bay. This French warship is home ported at Fort de France in Martinique. It is a capable warship armed with a 100mm gun, a helicopter, anti submarine and anti-ship missiles, and a small compliment of Special Forces Marines. A close look at the picture shows two of the Marines, armed and standing ready, above the bridge. The ship was met by a tug that escorted her into a birth in the harbor. A quick Google showed that this vessel recently worked cooperatively with the US Coast Guard in interdicting drug laiden vessels off Venezuela.

I was delighted to catch the modern warship coming up the channel past (in the foreground of the photograph) El Moro, the main seaward defender of San Juan in days past and (in the background of the photograph) the smaller battery visible on the far shore.

Meditation on experience, Puerto Rico

2009-02-13T12:55:00.003-04:00

I was haunted by my memory of this small fellow. I saw him on the beach several days ago and blogged about it yesterday. No doubt in some strange way, I saw myself as a child again on the beach... in the sun with the water coming up to my feet. Just enjoying the grit of the sand, the heat of the sun and the sound of the water as it moves up and recedes. It was a kind of look back for me to a time I now only dimly recall.

Then early this morning I was looking at an on-line photographic magazine called "burn" and saw a lengthy photographic essay by Bob Black called Bones of Time. The essay is an extended meditation on memory and the passage of time... and identity. Bob cited a Portuguese poet, Fernando Pessoa, who is quoted as writing:

“What we see is not made of up of what we are seeing but rather from what we are.”

For me this was a deep truth. What we see and experience has less to do with the actual external "truth" of the context and is more so a reflection of something about who we are. What we bring to the experience. As we bring forward shaping past experiences to our immediate present, we need to find some space to remain open to the direct and immediate reality that is in front of us. I think the Buddhists call this space, "nothingness" or perhaps "emptiness." No judgment, no thought, no affect... no self... only openness.

Down the beach, Puerto Rico

2009-02-12T16:48:00.004-04:00

A couple of days ago I was out walking in the morning just down the beach from the Lemontree. As I was coming back I saw this fine little fellow digging happily in the sand. I took a few shots and he saw me... got up and we had a nice conversation. True, it was a bit one sided. He did not speak to me in English and my Spanish was just enough to ascertain that he lived (or was staying) at one of the houses just behind where he was digging. I suppose seeing an old(er) North American walking on the beach with a camera is a pretty common site... yet I was struck with how open he was... not a trace of reserve or fear. Actually seeing him dig reminded me of my own time as a child on the beach as well as bringing to mind seeing my own children lost in play... hands covered with sand... sitting in the water... letting it lap up on their feet. Perhaps a reminder of what being in the moment really is about.

Back in the Rincon Plaza, Puerto Rico

2009-02-11T14:40:00.003-04:00

This morning I was back in the Plaza. Mostly I was shooting the facades of some of the businesses but I did take this shot of the fountain and the Catholic Church. It was cool and breezy today. Older folks were sitting out on the many benches in the square under the cooling shade trees. Some of the men were playing dominoes... as always, with vigor.

The atmosphere was most pleasant. Then, I met a fellow who had come here, as he does every year, to visit his mother. The mother, 92 years old, lives by the ocean and this gentleman and his wife come down each winter to visit her. The man was born in NYC and lives in Long Island. He and his brother take turns looking after their mother. He said that perhaps in the future he he will move back here but, when here, he misses the fast pace of the NYC metro area...

It was one of those casual and natural conversations that frequently come up here. Actually not the kind of conversation that two strangers in NYC would likely ever have... but here, well... its comfortable.

A great night in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

2009-02-10T14:10:00.004-04:00

We recently were in Old San Juan and enjoyed dining at a great seafood restaurant called Aguaviva. The atmosphere is fun and the ceiling, as you can see in the photograph, is adorned with irridescent blue and green jellyfish lamps. The place is moderately priced and in keeping with their decorative motive, serves a wide variety of fresh seafood in a style they call "seaside latino cuisine." They are famous for their great ceviche and we can say that the tuna ceviche and grouper ceviche is some of the best we have ever eaten. We enjoyed their crabcake appetizer, swordfish steak, and paella filled with mussles, scallops, clams and chorizo. All served with a chilled bottle of wine made for a memorable time. Aguaviva is easy to find at 364 Forteleza.

What progress looks like, Puerto Rico

2009-02-09T19:15:00.005-04:00

What you are looking at is progress. Throughout the Isla and in San Juan as well, wires are what you see when you look up. These wires represent enormous change on this island.

It was not many years ago that telephones were quite scarce; the few phones in Rincon had two digit numbers and one had to wait years after applying to receive service. Electricity in the home... was something for the rich. Now, these things and more, such as cable TV, internet access and in many municipalities... free WIFI in the Plaza, are standard. I took this photograph up in the hills above Rincon. You can also see in the picture a blue plastic cistern sitting on the roof of the cinder block (Caribbean style) home. The wires and the cistern are both a form of progress. In the living memory of most grand parents here in the west, a wooden house on stilts used to be the norm. Now homes are built of more storm resistant concrete, have electricity, indoor pumbing and most, a large blue plastic water cistern.

Puerto Rico certainly enjoys its prosperity but is not enslaved by it. The heart of life on the Island is family and the continuity, connectedness and security a family brings. The people on this Island have it right. They have a balance in their lives and they understand what it takes to live a humane life. So, those wires, concrete buildings, and internet are great and becoming the norm, but still, unfailingly, family is steadfastly first.

Presbyterian Church in the Plaza, Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-02-08T16:18:00.005-04:00

While we are thinking about central squares or plazas, we want to show you the other church in the Plaza - the Presbyterian Church. This church stands on the southern corner of the square. Puerto Rico, for most of its history, has been a Catholic country but since the U.S. invasion of the island in 1898, the protestant churches have grown in number and importance.

Statistics about the Presbyterian presence are available in online here.

The church congregation is about 125 members and services are held every Sunday. The mural that you see in this photograph was recently redone. The mural tradition does live on here in Puerto Rico.

Union #23, Rincon Puerto Rico

2009-02-06T13:30:00.003-04:00

Today we are following up on the doorways of Rincon theme with this image of #23 C. Union. The street just off the Plaza to the east is Calle Union. I don't know what the name derives from but it is the kind of street name that is rather common in the U.S., and union in Spanish also means "union" in English.

In the photograph, one can see the strong wooden double doors of #23 C. Union. Not shown are the windows with iron grates. I like the colors and the hand drawing and lettering. The shop is a Colmado and Cafetin... or a small shop that serves some limited food selection and some simple can goods. The front wall features a ground instant coffee called "Rioja." The name of the establishment is "Union" and the proprietor is Eddie Caro. I took this image around Thanksgiving time and you can see decorative lighting and a red Christmas ball.

There are actually a range of shops in the Plaza and just off it. These include several restaurants, a small department store, a surf shop and a hairdresser and a cleaner among others. No banks any more, sadly , as they have moved to very contemporary stand-alone structures on Calle 115, the road leading into town, well away from the plaza and center of town

In the plaza, Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-02-05T18:12:00.003-04:00

In all of the town centers, there is a square or plaza. In the square is at least one church, shops and the center of government... usually a bank or two as well. This photograph is a view of the Catholic church in the Plaza of Rincon. As with all churches, it is the site of marriages, funerals, christenings and worship. As it is a large church and in the center of the plaza , it also that the services as a forum for public events.

I think here it is taken for granted that faith is a central part of life. People's names reflect this as do place names. At Christmas, the town erects, in lights... images of the three kings and the nativity. I am older now, and I remember that in the United States, at one time in the past, faith was also central and had a place in the public square. Of course, now that has changed. If you were to look for one sign that Puerto Rico is not a "state" within the United States, but rather a Free State in Association with the United States, then what occurs in plain sight every day in the public square would be a good place to begin.

Sunset blue and orange, Puerto Rico

2009-02-04T15:59:00.004-04:00

As I was thinking of today's blog entry I got a feeling I needed to see a sunset, not sure why, just did. As I went through my collection of sunset pictures I came to the one above... I thought then, "...hey nothing special about it." Then about a half hour later I came back to it and thought about the "nothing special" part.

This was a great sunset but then here in Rincon, we seem to have lots and lots of great sunsets. What I like about this one is the color fields...the blue and orange. The orange is toned with yellow as one looks towards the horizon and with purple as one looks towards the sky. The sea is blue no doubt... and calm.

Today the ocean was calm... almost glassy in places. We had a small swell earlier and will have another larger one filling in on Friday night. Today was great. A lot accomplished... and then mostly relaxed, con calma. As it should be...

Doorways of Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-02-03T16:15:00.004-04:00

Old San Juan is famous for its old doorways. Wooden, metal, brightly decorated and particularly shaped. Like this example or this one. There is even a well sold poster of the many doorways in San Juan you can see it here.

True, Rincon is not Old San Juan but we do have our doorways... some which are known landmarks and some of which are quite interesting but people pass them by. The doorway above is on the street just before one gets to the plaza in Rincon. As you head towards the plaza it is on the right side of the street. Who is Victor Lorenzo? What did he do to get his name on the iron work? What about the framing colors, fresh paint. How about the stairs in the background... where do they lead? The gate is chained shut and locked with a padlock. We have been here for five years and I have never seen anyone come or go through this gate. I have stopped from time to time and looked... sometimes there is trash in the alcove... how did it get there? Who cleans it up? All of these questions for one small doorway in a very small town.

Have you seen this doorway?

A swell is in...Puerto Rico

2009-02-02T19:50:00.005-04:00

Today a swell arrived. Not a grand one but a swell none the less. It came in from the north and wrapped around the Rincon corner. Up at Steps this afternoon it must have been 8 feet but here at the Lemontree it was barely a foot or so. The picture was made at Domes beach with Desecheo Island as a back drop. If you want to keep up with the wind and waves a great site is Windfinder.

I have the site set up for Aguadilla which gives a good approximation of what we can expect at the surfing beaches here in Rincon. If you check out the link you will see that the next big swell is due to start filling in on Friday afternoon and last through at least Sunday. This will be great news for surfers and those who love to watch their rides. It will also wash out diving and snorkeling here for a bit. If you want to dive this weekend the report suggests that a short drive south to Parguera, about an hour, will fill the bill. Check out West Divers for a great wall dive. Ask for Victor and tell then the Lemontree sent you.

All asleep in Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-02-01T17:11:00.004-04:00

Last night, unable to sleep, I went out for a walk. For some reason the words from an old play by Dylan Thomas called, Under Milk Wood, went around in my mind like this:

"You can hear the dew falling,
and the hushed town breathing.
Only your eyes are unclosed,
to see the black and folded town fast, and slow, asleep."

The night by the sea is perhaps the most mystical of times. All is laid bare... warts and smiles and hopes and thoughts of what is to come. We don't hear the falling dew but the beating of the heart of the planet... the sound of the sea can be almost soothing. The breathing of the planet... the sound of the breeze as it rustles the palms is a comfort. And all of us... the slow and the fast, the dull and quick, the high and the low... all of us wishing for the kindness of sleep.

Bella Jane at practice, Puerto Rico

2009-01-31T17:07:00.005-04:00

Today, we were in Old San Juan for the second semester of music class at the conservatory. For Bella Jane it was the Tiple workshop which is kind of like a small orchestra and also the beginning of the study of another local instrument the Cuatro. With the inducement of playing in a local paranda or music group I, Ted, have begun to study the Bongo.

I made the photograph above yesterday. I caught Bella Jane by the open window practicing. The scene was so timeless I thought to make it into a photograph that also seemed timeless.

Pelicans, Puerto Rico

2009-01-29T20:58:00.004-04:00

I caught this pelican in flight one morning. The bird gliding silently across the sea moved without moving. A paradox? Sometimes they glide by in pairs or in larger formations shaped in a V. They are quite aware of what is below them and when they spot a ball of fish proceed to dive down, catch and then swallow the small fish. They might sit for a bit on the water and then awkwardly and slowly start to walk, skip, hop and fly in a take-off. At evening's end they will fly to roosts in nearby trees... and at dawn return to hunt. Fishermen are also aware of the pelicans and will follow them to spots where they see these large birds hitting the water. Sometimes when the smaller, bait fish come to the surface it means that below are the larger fish out hunting the small ones ... and so it goes.

The Flag of Rincon, Puerto Rico

2009-01-26T20:04:00.003-04:00

This building is located in the pueblo of Rincon. It is decorated with the flags of Puerto Rico (the central flag) and that of the United States. The two national flags are flown side by side because Puerto Rico is a free state in assocation with the United States. So far so good... but what about the third flag... the orange, green and yellow one?

This flag is that of the Municipality of Rincon. From Wikipedia:

"The central white star represents the urban zone. The surrounding nine stars represent the nine wards of the municipality. The red and orange colors symbolize the vigor and the vitality of the city. The yellow represents Christianity. The green represents vegetation and the hope of the progress of the municipality. Finally, the white represents purity and the unity between the wards and the urban zone."

Pretty neat...

Thoughts on photographing the setting sun, Anasco Bay, Puerto Rico

2009-01-23T11:18:00.006-04:00

This sunset photograph was made as a storm, just to the south, was threatening. The storm never actually broke but it did create a very dramatic sky and wonderful colors on the water. Of course, this shot is looking due west. Normally, it is not really possible to shoot directly into the sun as it is just too hot and will blow out all the details, leaving most of the frame in deep, black shadow. This day the sun was partly diffused by the clouds... and I was using a neutral density filter. The filter enables me to capture more of the details in the face of a bright light source.

A sunset photo is a requirement of a tropical vacation. So is this photograph above just a cliche? One of thousands of such shots. We have all seen them and taken them. I took this photograph because I was fascinated by the rays, by the color fields and especially by the path the light carved on the water. I like the composition... the three broad fields... the way the eye follows the sun path all the way to the sun... and then the rays of sunlight shooting from the sun both up and out.

So is this just cliche? Or, perhaps that is not the right question. Here are better ones. Does this photograph make you, the viewer, feel something? Does it trigger thought? Is it a good starting point for you in thinking about the world and your place in it? If you have had any kind of reaction to the image then perhaps it is something more than just another cliche sunset photograph.