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Vieques- February 2005
Living and Working in Vieques..(and vacationing too)
Life in Vieques has assumed an almost frantic pace. Construction, traffic, people all seeming to grow in quantum leaps. Of course for regular people, it probably doesnt seem that bad. The beaches are not crowded, but the restaurants are certainly full. For the first time that I can remember, reservations are definitely required for this mid season boom.
The Blu Macaw, the restaurant at the Inn on the Blue Horizon, had a kitchen fire which demolished the kitchen and some of the dining room. It was a middle of the night fire, and thankfully no one was hurt. But it will take some months before the kitchen is restored. This is not only a shame for Honor and Rick, who run the restaurant, but for the wonderful and courteous staff who worked there. It is a great loss, especially in mid season. James Weis, the owner of the Inn, has opened the bar for breakfast and as an honor bar for guests.
It is interesting to watch some areas of Vieques, such as Villa Borinquen, which had not previously been considered prime develop into desirable property. Land and property selling in that barrio are reaching prices as high as the rest of the island.
On the other hand, visitors from St John tell me that we are positively cheap compared to that island and others in the Caribbean.
It is not the inexpensive quality of Vieques that really counts, however. It is that one receives so much bounty living here. While politics seem to consume everyone I know in the States, here in Vieques life goes on without that particular obsession. We used to wonder if we were running away from life, real life, by moving to this island. Now I think that is the wrong question. Of course we are running away as far as possible from the stress of urban life, the burden of cold weather and the towering concrete which houses all those harried people. But we are not escaping. We do not escape the central life issues. We, who work here, work pretty hard. Jealousy, competition, heartache are not strangers to us. Vieques is a small town, with small town values and small town compensations. We weep, but we weep holding hands.
Sheila
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