still finishing up

Kathy and Lisa kayaking thru the bay. in total darkness
I am hanging onto the tree so our kayak doesn't float away while Maro takes the picture


Right before we set off at nighttime on our kayaks to see the bioluminescent bay. My apologies - I still haven't figured out how to spell it.
I have heard negative comments about the food postings. Too bad. This was chicken and shrimp of some sort


Our last breakfast. Was kinda sad to be honest

Maro, hanging onto the mangrove tree. We are on the bay tour, it is pitch black out. So I'm pretty happy with how well this pic turned out.


Kathy, Maro, myself right next to the tsunami sign.
This was pork medallions, stuffed with homemade ground beef, wrapped with bacon.

from my dining room...

Some town... I don't know what happened to my maps, but I loved the view.


hmm... the building codes seem to be a bit lax in PR. This missing board is on a pier


If there's a tsunami, seek higher ground.



Maro, from our room in the resort, chatting with the family
New Year's Eve. Me wearing my 'bling' that Matthew gave me for Christmas.


View from the restaurant patio at our resort. Kinda unbelievable.

Ms Kathy, on the treacherous pier

day 6

ahhhhh the final day
it's after midnight now, and we have to be out of the hotel in less than 7 hours. The internet has been really spotty, so I'm not posting pics now. Am finally able to connect, but I don't have the patience to try and give you all the pics I was saving. And the stories.
We did go see the bioluminescent plankton fish thingies tonight, which was a tour that was 1/2 of kayaking to get there, and therefore a 1/2 hr to get back. Have a feeling that pulling my suitcase thru the airport tomorrow is going to be tough.
Lovely lovely time and I will update and wrap up from somewhere else tomorrow. Layover in DFW, and then waiting 90 mins or so for Kathy to meet up with me at SFO at the end of the trip. Will try to post comments and pics then. Adios all!

plenty to report

I have it all typed up and saved with all of the pics to post, BUT for some reason MY laptop will no longer connect to the hotel internet. I'm using their computer center for now.
You will just have to wait a bit.. I will try after breakfast again.
Things have still been lovely
No more Matt sightings, tho not for lack of trying
More yummy food - meat stuffed with meat wrapped with meat sorta things
New Year's stories - More exciting, and yet naseauting for some, less so for others.
You will just have to stay tuned... oh and it looked like a hurricane this morning. Took some video for the post. But after ten mins it passed. When is it going to rain? typical island answer - within the next 24 hours.

day Four

currently in between activities...
830pm, new years eve. Maro possibly napping in the room. Lisa and Kathy making some friends in the casino. I am in the lobby watching the fancily dressed people meander to the ballroom for the high priced event.
Got up late today. Had some brunch then relaxed at the pool. Got a couple interesting videos of an iguana trying to drink someone's drink. But I'm in the lobby and the camera is in the room.
Eventually made it to pick up some food for dinner, then came back to the room to eat.
I think we are toasting 'champale' (all we could find at Ralphs) on the beach at midnight, but we'll see.
Happy New year to anyone and everyone who is reading this. May 2012 be a banner year for all of us!

day 3 - first or last post

view from look out tower at rain forest
I can apparently only post five pics per 'post' so that's why there are so many entries for day 3. Lots to say and view.

Day 3

No breakfast today. Snacks on the tour. We went on the El Yunque rain forest tour this morning. Simply amazing. For those of you unwilling to save the planet, you should tour a rainforest. It will make you sad at what we are doing to the earth. The forest was so gorgeous, and prehistoric, and good smelling, and just awesome. Not to mention our tour guide was a cutie patootie.

After the tour, which was about 3 hours of walking up and down through the layers of the forest, we came back to the hotel and crashed. We went to the pool and laid back. After a bit, decided to clean up and get ready for the evening. Lisa and Kathy hit the casino while Maro and I were getting ready. Then we drove to Luquillo (nearby town) and hit the local strip of restaurants, which was odd, yet delicious. It was odd because it was like a warehouse cinder block strip mall of yummy places to eat. We went to Tapas 13 (which meant it was the #13 kiosk in the strip) and had some amazing tapas. We’ve decided we need to either open up a few Puerto Rican restaurants in Oakland and Elk Grove –OR- we are moving to PR.

We chatted with the waiter and the chef for a bit – not only because they were cute and friendly but because we needed info for New Year’s Eve. Apparently the entire island shuts down on the holiday. By shuts down, I mean shuts down. The restaurant even closes at 6p. We asked these guys what a good thing to do is. They asked us where we were staying and we gave them our hotel name. The first guy said here is where he goes! They are having a giant party here tomorrow night ($120/person for the international buffet) and then fireworks and such. The chef also said he recommended staying in the hotel, ‘where it’s safe’. Hmmm… safe? Maro is teaching us about Brazilian new year’s eve traditions – wearing white, jumping over 7 waves in the ocean before you do anything else, some others. Then the stink thing is that the island will be mostly ‘closed’ on Sunday, January 1. Puerto Ricans ignore the world on holidays, to spend them with their families. Weird, I know.

lots of pics from day 3

El Yunque rainforest.
thanks sisto, for taking this. walking a rain forest is hard work.


meat paella. chorizo, skirt steak, chicken. NO fish products. YUM!


after this pic was taken by Maro, she climbed into the waterfall. Was cold, but she is brave

mom -Matt Dillon was recently in Modern Family. so there! no follow up spottings though. Will eep you and Lori posted!