Puerto Rico-a last look

Landed stateside just after 8 p.m. CST on Tuesday. After being back in Norman for not even four hours I'm longing to be in PR again.

In typical fashion, the group melded nicely toward the end of the trip, putting aside this and that to get along and really enjoy one another.

It's always a special feeling following a trip such as this. My sentimentalometer is waxing. I think it will be most noticeable that I'm not in Kansas when I wake up in the morning, deprived of my other 13 compadres.

We had comraderous times in Viejo San Juan Monday night, our last on the island. Everyone danced and truly enjoyed him or herself.

If possible, I recommend such study abroad options. Good for pushing your comfort-zone limits in dealing with people not like you, and gaining quality cultural insights. I feel quite blessed in being able to go.

After looking through all the PR photos I posted up over the past days, I feel I've not properly represented San Juan. I showed the beautiful, the exotic and the pristine — as any honky tourist can. So, I thought I'd show more of what you won't see in guidebooks, but what is a viable part of Puerto Rican culture.

I can see I need to improve my abilities to capture the unsightly with the dazzling — reality vs. perceived reality.

I took this series of photos around Condado, the area of San Juan where we stayed. Some of the graffiti even appeared on our hotel.

Now I'm looking forward to resting following the sojourn. It was a highly draining excursion for being so vacationy. But, it was definitely worth it.

I've a better appreciation for our territorial neighbor in the Greater Antilles.

!Viva la Puerto Rico!

Puerto Rico-almost home

Today's the last full day of the trip. Quite a nice time I've had these past 14 days. I've grown in my understanding of Puerto Rico, a culturally distinct entity of the 'States, I have a broader appreciation for the latino masses on our own mainland, and most importantly, I've gotten acquainted with authentic rum. Bacardi shat aside, I've tried the good stuff. And by good I mean I can tolerate it in a mixed drink. Sorry, even the best brew still tastes slightly like turpentine to me.

Here are a couple of pics from Sunday. We went on a classic booze cruise, stopping our 46' catamaran at various sites for snorkeling and what not. The booze was all inclusive but I didn't much feel like partaking. Instead I made a hobby of applying sunscreen to my milkish epidermis.

My faith in sunscreen has been renewed. While the usual farmer-tan parts have gotten darker these last weeks, my uniform tan remains nil. So, paranoid of potential radiation overload, I lathered on 13.62 gallons of SPF 50 throughout the day. The reasoning was sound and thankfully I came away with nary a burn, save an uncomfortable tops-of-feet burn. That one always sneaks up on ya. I've probably sunscreened my feet four times in my life. It's just not natural.

All in all a good time yesterday despite being a mind-numbing tourist draw. Nothing very authentic about the experience. Although I did have an interesting discussion with the boat's captain, Saso. According to Saso, Ricky Martin's dad was on our cruise. Not only does he have a pop-star son, but a kick-ace speedo to round out the combo.

When pulling into the dock, we threw fruit to the Iguanas on the shore. Pretty weird seeing tens of Iguani scaling it through the high grass for some citrus leftovers. Look like mini-dragons.

Puerto Rico-what day is this?

Well, I decided to scrap my story over Reggaeton. My decision wasn't dramatic but very theraputic. My findings over Reggaeton were very inconclusive, frustrating even. And I care little for the music.

So, I've opted for doing a story over the two Spanish forts in Old San Juan — Castillo del San Cristobal and Castillo del Morro.

The Spanish started builing El Morro in 1539, finishing it some 250 years later.

Sounds like a government project, no? Construction on San Cristobal began in the early 1600s.

They're both massive multi-tiered forts, designed to ensure Spain's firm control over strategic Puerto Rico.

One can see the worn steps of El Morro, beaten down by centuries of foot falls. Think about how many steps that would take?

Huge, green fields lead up to the walls of El Morro. The outside expanses are a popular recreation site. Lots of picnicing and kite-flying in the robust sea-breeze. Quite nice on a sweaty day.

I'm thoroughly enjoying myself here, but the lack of a schedule is vexing. Days, events, places, people — all fuse into thick, intangible refried beans.

What day is this? can be heard at any time of the day or night among class members.

I've given up trying to follow the days. I think I'll just enjoy myself with the remaining time and hope I get to the airport on time on whatever day I'm leaving.

Style

We've had several free days in a row now. I've taken a trip-low amount of pictures the last 48 hrs (only 15 pics in two days! My highest was 450 on Tuesday during the music festival — yes I know this is a lot of pictures) so I thought I'd conjure something with the ones I have.

The floor tiles are from Univ. Sagrado Corazon, and the blue brick can be seen covering the streets of Old San Juan.

Puerto Rico-belated update 1

Well, things have been busy. Late nights a la discoteca and early morning starts have made me prioritize and cut out the chaff. Unfortunately, the blog falls into this category.

But, here are some more pics of the continuing PR action. I'm here till the 30th and we're on the less busy portion of the trip now so that's nice. I'm trying to get more info on Reggaeton for my story and fulfil my class reqs. It's always fun writing about something you have zero knowledge about.

Why pick something I don't know about you ask? Good question. Still working on that one. Just got to keep working toward getin 'er dun.

On the bright side, I got to interview some young ladies about reggaeton when we toured Universidad de Segrado Corazon in San Juan. It was a tough interview, but I got through it. A true journalist's plight.

Photo info (in no general order): Camuy Caves, Lei Lo Lie Festival (syncopated music and colorful dancing), bike riding through the forest, trash on the beach (don't think it's perfect here), me and my classmates (Ariana and Will), sunset over El Morro (the Spanish fort that protected San Juan from the sea), a firethrower in Old San Juan and a family on a Sunday afternoon swim in the river.

Puerto Rico-Day Four: island of Vieques, Bio Bay

Hopping a "quick," one-hour ferry over to the island, we landed about 11 a.m. and began our evaluation of Vieques, Puerto Rico's largest island. Some cute kids entertained us on the ferry. I played thumb wars with the hatted one.

After landing, we ate lunch.

Parmesan, salsa chicken with beans and rice finished in my estomago, much to my delight. The quaint patio venue added to the meal.

Transportation around the 13 mile-long island was provided by a 15 passenger van that we managed 18 into. That's always fun cramming three more hot, sweaty Sooners into a situation like that. The AC was sketchy and the day hot. Some complained. I thought it was pretty fun. It's all part of traveling in a group.

Our driver, Angel, stopped as a local fruit stand for refreshments. They had all kinds of goods. Mangos, bananas, plantains, white yams, hot sauces, grapes etc. Good selection of what-not.

A museum came next on the island. We got a private session with the curator, RObert, about history of the island. Vieques used to be the Navy's primary bombing test site. In the 40s the gov't quarantined about 18,000 acres on the island, turning it into a "wildlife refuge," and has been bombing the shiznit out of it ever since.

The locals hated the military's presence. The noise, the environmental impact, the relentless shelling of the island's east side were common abhorrances.

Robert, the guy in the picture, was one of many who ventured out onto the LIVE bombing range to protest the gov't activities. He snuck past the million-dollar security systems in the late '90s, was nearly killed by artillery fire and arrested thereafter (one of three arrests).

May 1, 2003 marked the day Uncle Sam and Co. pulled out of Vieques. The locals are happy. Robert said it was a huge and entirely non-violent victory for those in opposition to the Navy's presence there.

Quite interesting. Can't imagine being in the sights of a 5-inch artillery cannon.

Next came the beach on a Vieques. Beautiful water and surrounding coutryside and nearly deserted too.

A host of animal life lined the shoreline. Barnacles, sea urchins, snails, crabs, fish. I got the token few sea shells to complete the package.

We ended the day with our night-time kayak tour — "Bio Bay." A 2.5 hour paddling escapade into the world's only bio-illuminescent lagoon. Quite the experience, paddling in pitch darkness in a two-man craft as tiny organisms light the water in green luminescence with every agitation. Swimming among the critters was best though.
Really great.

Puerto Rico-Day Three-the rainforest

Today's headliner was our El Yunque tour, a plunge into the only tropical rainforest in the US foresty system. 28,000 acres of protected land. The rainforest, on the east side of the island, receives over 200 inches of rain a year, compared to the arid west that receives about 30 inches. The west part of the island "looks like Texas" according to our tour guide.

We hiked through dense jungle and eased our way into the 65 degree pools at the base of a waterfall. Cold at first but very refreshing in the long run.

Later we took a sit on Luquillo Beach near the forest. Clean, white-washed sand and pristine waters. AND, $1.50 Medallos and $4 Pina Coladas. The boisterous ones in the class had plenty of both. I saved my intake till this evening. Though I'm tiring of Medallo Light (after two rounds). The group concensus is that its flavor resembles a six-point Coors. I might venture to other alcoholic waters on my next go round. Perhaps tomorrow will tell. Oh, and I'm working on my tan. Can't you tell.

A chap came by playing the guitar on the beach. Through a translated conversation I gleaned that he is Hector and from Casablanca. He's played the guitar for 30 years. And he's short.

The group is experiencing the classic, cellular break down. Susie and Sally always hang out. Betty and George are fast friends too, but don't necessarily like Susie. Etc. Etc. I think you know the trend. But it's not bad. I'm trying to avoid a label and put some time in here and there with various social prides. So far so good. 12 more days to go...

Did the first of my interviews tonight for my story about Raggaeton music in Puerto Rico. Got to chat with some locals. Good times. It's fun talking to locals, and writing the story gives me reason to talk it up. Look forward to visiting the Discoteca on Saturday for some more interviews and what not. Wish me luck.

"Dame mas Gasolina!"