Day 1   Traveling 7/20/09

So far it’s been nothing but travel. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad flight from the states to Puerto Rico, but it could be that I’m blinded by Isla del Encanto’s beauty and just forget about the 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours of flying just to get to the main island. And I love the Puertorriqueño response to a safe landing in San Juan. The entire plane breaks out in applause. Air Tran and American are the only airlines I’ve flown to date where I’ve actually experienced this show of joyous exuberance.

Even if the weather is questionable en route, it always seems to break between the time I arrive and the time I take off to Vieques. This year is no exception. Also this year seems to be the first year that there hasn’t been major construction in the airport.

I am flying with Cape Air Airlines this year. They are better known for their New England air routes, but they also travel to many islands in the Caribbean, including Vieques! Their planes are new, well kept twin engine Cessna’s and the pilots are ground crews are friendly and courteous. I am impressed with their professionalism. Even the ticket agent was smiling and happy to serve me.

The flight over from the International Airport to Vieques on Cape Air was great. The pilot skirts the coast, so that we could see as much of the natural beauty of Puerto Rico and get a top notch view or El Yunque, the eastern Puerto Rico Rain Forest. The views would have been spectacular had there not been a tropical wave coming through which was pushing the Saharan sands through giving everything a foggy, hazy, eerie look. None the less, when the hurricane season ends so do the blowing sands and the views are once again incredible.

The arrival in Vieques was on time and perfect. We were ushered in to the baggage claim area of the Vieques airport, which is so cute. It has a carousel that is so small that, if you blink, your bag will be back outside and you’ll have to wait for it to come around again. The upside to this is, it will be back in less than 30 seconds.

I collected my bags and was off in search of a Publico. These are fixed rate “public cars”, sort of like group taxis with the fee set per person by destination. The fee to my destination, Hacienda Tamarindo, was $5, as it is to most hotels and guesthouses. My host, Burr Vail, greeted me as I gathered up my bags and headed into the office area. My check-in was was easy and I was off to my room in a few minutes.

The rooms at Hacienda Tamarindo are beautiful and each one is different. I was lucky enough to get the “When Pigs Fly” room, which is one of my favorites at the Hacienda.

After a short siesta, I was off to find some dinner and say Hi to a few old friends. I had a great light meal at the Trade Winds in Esperanza, visiting with Margaret and Chef David for a while, and then I was off to Isabel Segunda to surprise a few other people.

First stop was Coconuts to meet the new owner and an old friend, Chef Michael. Chef Michael has been a friend for many years and has had some of the premiere food businesses on the island, both as chef and/or as owner/operator. It is good to see him back and enjoying himself. I understand the food is great and the sushi pizza is to die for. We shall check that out in a few days.

Then I was on to Mar Azul and Al. It was a quiet night, but it was good to see Al and Bill, the bartender. Al and I both hail from Rhode Island originally, but found the island in different ways, I to escape the winters many years ago, and he to escape a changing
St. Croix a few years ago. Mar Azul is one of the preferred night spots in Vieques, and usually has a great mix of local, ex-pat, and tourist crowd all doing what you do in a bar. Having said my obligatory hellos, I was off for an early night with my pillow.

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