All me, All the time: Here it is! The blog entry all have been waiting for...our trip to Puerto Rico!

Fun in the Sun!

Our Puerto Rican Vacation

another in the series of self portraits

they are beginning to all look the same

For a change of pace from our usual vacations spent at sewer treatment plants, we spent last week in Puerto Rico.

While NYC had a 14 degree windchill factor, I was in shorts. It was wonderful. I had mofongo or amarillos almost every day. I drank mango sangrias. Had fresh cooked empanadas, with homemade lemonade from a beach front kiosk.

Here is my favorite photo.

The first day we walked around the resort grounds, until we felt at home. The hotel complex was a little over the top and went the extra yard in coming up with ways for you to part with your money. Even though the only way you could get to the hotel was by automobile, they charged for parking. And they charged to rent those big queen sized beds near the pool. I thought that was a bit ridiculous.

Then you had to wear these fluorescent orange wrist bands while you were on the grounds. Security was so tight around one of the buildings that you couldn't walk on the beach in front of it and the guard actually asked us what room were we in. Some "macher" (big shot) must have been staying there, because men in black stood outside the building all night long in the drenching rain.

We went to El Yunque, the only Rain Forest in the US. It rained, naturally. I watched the tourists, who have no idea how to dress outside of a tour bus, buy umbrellas and rain ponchos in the gift shop during one of the rain storms. We went there, a few times, I really liked El Yunque and want to go back and drive to the end of the road.

A tangent-driving in Puerto Rico.

I love driving. When I was a kid, with my pockets full of change, I would sit in front of the simulated driving video games. Driving on the mountain roads in PR felt so familiar to me. I am way beyond thinking that I have a past life experiences. But I really felt I have driven on these roads before. And then I had an epiphany, driving on the mountain roads was just like playing a simulated driving game. Turn the blind corner, avoid the on coming car, hairpin switch backs, trying not to drive off the mountain cliff. What fun! Poor Larry!!!!

Back to the story...

Something I never expected to see was 4 foot long lizards (iguanas?) roaming the grounds of this luxury resort. They didn't need fluorescent orange wrist bands. I made this guy really, really angry. He got into his cobra pose and shook his wattle at me.

Are you terrified at the sight of my wavy wattle wiggling in the wind?

Are you scared yet?

The next morning Larry saw some leaves moving strangely on the tree next to our terrace-and there he was. I pissed him off so much that he followed us back to the room and was perched in the tree right outside my 2nd story bedroom. I'm getting paranoid.

You can't hide from me! I see ALL!

Do you think he saw Larry naked, and thought Larry was wiggling his wattle back at him? (ya gotta think like a lizard here guys). Was this going to be some sort of guy thing between the two of them for the next couple of days?

One of the really cool things about going on vacation is learning about cultural differences and having new experiences. Larry learned about ironing (culture shock) and that he can dry his wet pants by ironing them (a new experience).

Now that Larry knows how to do the laundry at the laundromat, iron and fold clothes, he will only charge $1.10 per pound to wash, dry and fold and $2 to press a shirt.

"This is really boring" says Larry Zirlin.

Sorry this was just too special a moment for only one picture.

Walking around the grounds of the hotel.

there he is again!

I see you!

Hey maybe I can get a digiscope image and find out where that guy was banded?

He was blown way far off course....

We left the rainy NE side of the island, drove right through the central mountains to the dry SW coast of the island. Again, it was beautiful. The hotel in Guanica was so laid back and relaxing, I fell asleep by one of the pools.