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Published: December 14th 2009
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Thursday afternoon we picked Ken’s parents up from the airport. We had a very overpriced Thanksgiving dinner at Perla, the famous restaurant in our hotel that sits under what looks like a gigantic shell pearl shell. I had diver scallops, 4 total, for $37. While they were tasty, I could not identify most of the other stuff on my plate, except for the fried bone marrow, which was incredibly greasy. I really can’t get over how expensive the food in Puerto Rico is for what you get. I guess at a place like our hotel there is little competition in the area, so they can hose you. Regardless, it was a nice dinner and nice to have a couple of members of our family with us. And the ambiance was pretty spectacular with a view of the lapping waves.
Yesterday we hung out at the beach during the early part of the day. The weather was perfect, the water was beautiful, and the temperature of the ocean was very comfortable. I felt like I was beat up after being in the waves for a few minutes, but it was fun to be in the ocean. And of course it is
always fun to people watch on such an international beach.
Late in the afternoon we headed to Old San Juan. We drove past the El Fuerte San Cristobal and El Morro, the famous light house, and stopped for a photo opportunity. We then drove into the heart of the city, and I did an amazing job parallel parking on a hill on a tight cobblestone street. We strolled around the city for a couple of hours, going in and out of craft shops and art galleries, listening to street musicians, and watching people walk by with ice cream and shopping bags from Coach. We also stopped at El Parque de las Palomas, where there were a ton of kids feeding pigeons pieces of corn. The view of the city from there was pretty awesome, and there was a little Catholic altar set up where we saw a number of women go in, cross themselves, and say a prayer.
For dinner we went to El Convento, a convent turned hotel. There was a tapas place upstairs overlooking a courtyard (where a black tie wedding was occurring). The food was very tasty (thank goodness!), and we had the special privilege
of being served by the chef himself because one of the main servers had just had a baby and so they were short staffed. We shared lobster empanadillas, chicken croquets, meatballs, and filet on skewers.
Old San Juan was what we were looking for most of our trip—cute little Puerto Rican neighborhoods with local restaurants and shops. It was a bit crazy with its tight streets and so many people, but it made for a fun evening. And it reminded Ken and me of Barcelona with the style of architecture and narrow alleys.
After heading back to the hotel, we sat out in the pool/bar area listening to the tree frogs chirping (el coqui) and a DJ pumping trance music in the lobby that had transformed to an upscale martini bar. There was also a wedding reception going on on the opposite side of the pools, and women decked out in tight dresses, spiked heels, and bold jewelry walked by over and over again. We talked about our favorite places to visit, what’s next on our to-see lists, and how nice it was to be in such a location on such a beautiful night.
This morning was
musician in Old San Juan
Ken gets the credit for taking this amazing photo. more beach time to get some last minute sun and waves in before heading home. Another gorgeous day where you just cannot help but be in awe by the beauty of the palm trees and water.
Now we’re at the Atlanta airport waiting for our flight back to Raleigh. The flight from San Juan turned out to be a jackpot win because we were upgraded to business class (even though our flights were bought with miles)! One of the benefits of being a frequent flier… So we have had a great trip back so far. We’re both exhausted but content. Both more relaxed, more present, more grateful for our circumstances, even if they have been challenging as of late.
Next stop? Fiji! We already have the entire trip booked for our honeymoon in May. I cannot wait! I’m enjoying getting to explore so many beach destinations. The past 5 or so years of my life have been devoted to mountains and deserts. Palm trees, sparkling water, and pristine beaches are certainly welcome new adventures.
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