At Pools Beach, Rincon, Puerto Rico

Pools Beach is a north facing Rincon surfing spot that seems to attract surfers and their admirers. Its a pretty safe surf break and there is plenty of sand to stretch out on. This morning the clouds were thick and threatening but the rain held off until later in the afternoon. Perhaps the word for the atmosphere today was "unsettled." Plenty of promise, much to see... and a possibility that it could go either way.

On the Beach at Night, Alone. (Puerto Rico)

Last night I went for a walk on the beach... alone... but for my camera and made this photograph. I titled it, "Five Posts."

I left the Lemontree just before sunset and stayed on the seashore, photographing, watching, experiencing the night fall on the sea. As I watched and waited, I recalled a couple of poems by Walt Whitman... one of which is the same as the title of this entry. I looked up the first lines of the poem which go:

"ON the beach at night alone,
As the old mother sways her to and fro, singing her husky song,
As I watch the bright stars shining—I think a thought of the clef of the universes, and of
the future."

You can read the entire poem here.

I may not have thought of the clef of the universe but the walk back in the dark... with the tide rising... and dinner waiting, was cleansing. The beach was deserted. A soft breeze rustled a the leaves of the trees along the shore and it was if they were coming along home with me like a faithful dog keeping his master company. The stillness of the night, the sound of the heartbeat of the sea, the feel of the cool, the night air... and then, I was home.

El Convento in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Many of our Lemontree guests travel to Puerto Rico through San Juan. Because of the arrangement of flights, some find it convenient to spend a night either upon arrival or the day before departure in the San Juan area. When they do, one of the hotels we recommend that they consider for a night is the El Convento hotel in Viejo (Old) San Juan.

When we want to remind ourselves of the pleasures of urban living we stay at the El Convento. This is simply the finest hotel in the city. It is charming in an old school way. The service is superb and the appointments of the accommodations are sublime. Its location is where you want to be when you want to see Viejo San Juan. Dining here is pure joy with the food well prepared and the service unrivaled. The El Convento is a wonderful venue for a destination wedding and we have had the pleasure of seeing the preparations in progress as well as the charming tropical weddings themselves.

On this page you will see the Blurb badge for a small photo book I made of the hotel. The colors and feel of the hotel reminded me of an Italian fresco and so many of the photographs were treated to give such an effect as well.

Amazing Vegetation on the beach in Puerto Rico

Vegetation here in Puerto Rico is amazing. Plants will grow anywhere and everywhere. This tropical almond tree is a tenacious old tree and you can see it is growing right next to the decking of this beach house. The roots are spreading out across the beach and frequently are bathed with salt water and yet...it still thrives. The bark of the roots becomes smooth and gets a beautiful patina from the washing water and wind. The bark on this tree looks more like driftwood than a living tree! Check out this site for more information on tropical almonds.

Some days just require a beverage at lunch. I was looking around town today, doing errands, and stopped by the Villa Cofresi... and its popular beach side Tiki bar. There were plenty of people in the water... it was like a pool and plenty of people were relaxing on this long weekend.

Oh... that's right, what do I mean long weekend? Monday here is the commemoration of the birthday of Eugenio María de Hostos. Hostos was a fiery revolutionary who advocated the independence of Puerto Rico from Spain and then a Confederation with Cuba and the Domincan Republic. He died 5 years after the United States acquired Puerto Rico from Spain. He is a national hero. You can check out some particulars here.

The hand with the bottle... not mine... honest. Just saw the frame and took the shot.

Fishing boat in Puerto Rico

Walking down the beach from the Lemontree is always fun. Each time we pass this boat we smile…how joyful this boat is and how happy its owner must be to step into it and go out and fish. You can see in the photograph that he has a wench to pull it in and out of the ocean and up onto the beach. All boats must be registered and are given a number and a seal that you see here. This fellow has also named his boat. He has named it Cucaracha. We don't know why he named his boat this but the song "La Cucaracha" is of Spanish origin.

The most traditional Spanish version is as follows:

La cucaracha, la cucaracha,

Ya no puede caminar

Porque no tiene, porque le falta

Las dos patitas de atras

English

The cockroach, the cockroach,

Can't walk anymore

Because it doesn't have, because it's lacking

Its two back feet

This boat isn't walking...its gliding over the waves!

We see fishermen almost daily out with their nets and lines and some sell fish by the side of the road. If you are really lucky, one of them will become your friend and you will be on the “short list” for lobster and fresh fish!

Puerto Rican Cultural Center en Viejo San Juan

We went over to Viejo San Juan a few days ago and in our walking around, came upon this choir singing in the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. During the extended holiday season, one hears music coming from doorways, rooftops, balconies and restaurants. On the terrace across from where we stayed in Viejo San Juan, an extended family was enjoying a happy and boisterious parranda.

Tomorrow, January 9th (after the last of the Kings days) begins Octavas and this continues for eight days. Originally these were more religious in nature and were used to glorify the Reyes and the Christ child. Octavitas began right after the Octavas and were eight more days of continued adoration. These were a prelude to la Cuaresma (lent).