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OMSI science pub
Happy hour burgers and cajun tots, followed by OMSI climate presentation. http://www.omsi.edu/sciencepub
Back to great pacific NW
Cooler climate of NW feels great. I went from enjoying Caribbean buses because they were air-conditioned to enjoying Portland light-rail because it was heated. Six weeks of tropical travel was fun, but I think future trips will be between two and four weeks.
Travel lets you see and appreciate other places and then appreciate being home.
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Chilling at the mall
I had called a place called Blue Line to see what transportation they had to San Juan last Sunday. They had ‘bus’ at 4am, 7am, 11am and 12pm. She said they could pick me up at the nearby airport at 12pm and she’d put me on the route list, but didn’t take my name. I figured I should confirm this morning and sure enough, they didn’t have any record and no other people for the 12pm. Luckily I was talking to the driver of the 9am route and we setup for him to pick me up at the intersection of route110 and hwy2. I packed in under 5 minutes and Terry drove me to the meeting spot. 30 seconds after we pulled in Elliot from Blue Line pulled up in a Nisson Pathfinder. It was me, Elliot and a couple of packages. With the early start to the day I figured I’d see the biggest mall in the Caribbean and kill some time in a cool place. It was almost too cool and at one point I went outside to warm up.
Plaza Las America is a large mall that has a perfect mall look and feel for anywhere. Once inside it’s mainstream mall with full consumerism. Individual store design (look, feel, lighting, colors, architecture) seems a notch or two higher than many mainland malls. Maybe it’s just that I’ve been away from the mall world for a while. Fun place to people watch, catch up on notes, write in blog and have lunch at food court.
Iron rich soil for tobacco growing
Here is a picture of a picture. I took the original with my regular camera. It’s one of my favorites so I snapped a picture of it using my cellphone to post it. I plan to replace this lower quality picture later with the original. Iron rich soil (red) makes this area especially good for tobacco growing.
Living the Corona dream
Beers at Ola Lola’s — went down to local ex-pat hang out with Terry (owner of apartment I’m in for four nights). Nearby are surfing spots. Last year Rip-Curl held a national surf competition here and the famed surfer Kelly Slater compared the waves with north shore of Hawaii. Sounds like a top notch surf spot.
Viaques
Here is a quick video at the passenger ferry boat unloading on Viaques. I’m heading to city of Esperanza to then see at night the biobay (in ‘Mosquito Bay’). Microorganisms in the water light-up when disturbed by kayak or swimming.
Local Insights
I got back to San Juan, Puerto Rico today and was able to meet up with an Oregon friend and past colleague. Rafeal was born here and still has family here. His uncle lives three blocks from where I’m staying. Timing worked for a visit there and then out to a fantastic place (El Hipopptamo) for beers and tapas. I’d never know from the outside how neat of a place this is and how large it is inside (with several rooms). Rafeal also pointed me to several other places to see that have a more true local nature.
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Sunset from the bay
Took an evening/sunset boat outing on the Cinfuego bay. Met up again with three Irish guys that I’d met the day before, a Scottish couple and a German lady. Drinks were included with the price so… Started with rum Mohito, then Cuba Libre, and finally Havana especial (pictured – sugar cane juice, pineapple and rum). Happily watched a nice sunset while chatting English with shipmates.
Great fries, but the hamburgeesa was for the dogs
I ran across this road (malecon) side place and ordered pommes fritas and and hamburgeesa. French fries were a good bet but I was wondering what I’d get as a ‘hamburger’. Gov’t subsidizes some foods and they typically are not things to write home about. The fries were quite good but the puck (no bun) of breaded veal like stuff made it’s way to the dog sitting not to far away. Beer and fries works for me.
