by Janie Chadwick
by Janie Chadwick
October |
|
2008 |
Hi everyone,
What is happening in Vieques in October? Well, to be
perfectly honest, not much. And that is a good thing. September came and went
with only one little flirt with a storm. What eventually became Kyle, left us
with a lot of rain and some gusty winds, but really did no damage. The main
island did not fare as well and had some major flooding, but again, it could
have been worse. We still have October to get through, but historically, the
most severe weather hits in September. Everyone please knock on wood.
October is a fantastic time to run away from home and visit us. Ten years ago,
this would not have been true. In the old days, the sidewalks pretty much got
rolled up from Easter to Thanksgiving. The season ran for 3 to 4 months and then
when the tourists left, Vieques would go into a coma-like state and reemerge in
the late fall. No longer. The island has become a home away from home for so
many, that the coma is a thing of the past. Places and activities are open,
albeit, not all of them all the time, but open nonetheless. The beaches are
virtually empty and really do look like the commercials of a Caribbean vacation.
You know the ones, they show an endless expanse of sand and blue green water
with two people having a great time swimming and walking hand in hand with the
sunset in the background. So, if that’s your ideal vacation (and of course it
is), get thee to Vieques.
One of the most interesting foibles of living on Vieques is the refusal of most
locals to remember, or ever know street names and road numbers. This gives rise
to some funny stuff when anyone asks for directions. The poor soul who asks, “Is
the Fish and Wildlife Reserve located on Route 997?”, receives nothing but blank
stares. The response is, “Gee, I don’t know, but you take a right off the Garcia
Road about 3 miles from here.”
Here are some others:
To get to the bakery in Esperanza, you turn at the Trade Winds corner, I
don’t know the name of the street, and take a left at the big rock, I don’t know
the name of the street.
To get to Barrio Villa Borinquen you turn at the house with the plastic cows,
except sometimes when the cow is a real one.
To get to BBH for dinner, you go past the ferry dock and the lighthouse,
take your first right, then before you hit the house in front of you, make a
sharp left.
To get to the Fort Museum, go to town and do not turn left onto the main
street, but stay sort of straight, then make your next right, it’s at the top of
the hill on the left. Don’t know the name of the main street but it sounds close
to the name of the airport in San Juan.
To get to the gas stations from Esperanza, take the middle road. Not the real
middle road, but the other middle road??????
To get to the Crow’s Nest, follow the directions to the gas station, but
don’t go so far.
To get to the airport, take the airport road. By the way, you can get to the gas
station that way too.
To get to Green Beach, go past the airport and keep going. Remember, the
airport is on the airport road.
Anyway, you get the drift of the problem. Everything is next to everything and
nothing has it’s own address. Fortunately, there is a map by WhizzBang
Designs that is produced each year. Without that, the guests on the island
might never be able figure out where to fill up the car, the grocery cart or
have a beer after all that work of finding out where everything is.
The game is on at the Mar Azul. Al has installed four, count them, four
televisions, for your football viewing pleasure. Sunday’s feature daytime drinks
by Bill and then either Seth or Lupita take over at 5pm. Coqui Fire is
catering tailgate style eats starting at 3pm and going to whenever.
The Blue Crab is holding to it’s schedule of Wednesday through Monday for
lunch and dinner, except Saturday is dinner only. They are hosting Friday happy
hour on the back deck from 4:30 on. Isla Nena Bistro and Ceviche Bar has
opened in the old Uva’s space on the corner going into town. El Patio and
Richard’s Café are open. Coqui Fire is open on Tuesdays and
Thursdays, with a special Pasta Night scheduled for this month, 435-1099.
Topacio and the Iguana are both open. Crow’s Nest will be closing the
restaurant from the 17th thru the 30th, re-opening for dinner on Friday the
31st.
Trade Winds is re-opening on the 3rd for dinner. Call them 741-8666 for
breakfast and lunch schedule as they are doing some renovation on the gift shop
area. Duffy’s is closed on Monday’s, but open for lunch and dinner the
rest of the time. Bananas is closed on Tuesdays in October and will also
close for the last week, from the 25th and reopen on the 1st. Belly Buttons
is open for breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday.
A quick note: The San Juan Star, the English newspaper, has shut down.
Scuttlebutt has it that they went bankrupt. So breakfast with a local newspaper
is only possible if you read Spanish.
The owners of Trade Winds, Diva’s Closet and Kim’s Cabin
spent a few days at the Surf Show in Orlando picking out some super fabulous
clothing for the upcoming season. In town, check out Barefoot Beachwear
and Pretty Woman, both located, you guessed it, next to and across from
El Patio restaurant.
As with September, October is a month of refurbishing, relaxing, and visiting
family, so be sure to call restaurants and shops before venturing out, with your
map, to be sure they are open. Hours and days of operation are often subject to
change this time of year.
One thing we don’t want to forget, is that October has the second most
celebrated holiday in Vieques, Halloween. Halloween is the day that everyone can
get dressed up in stupid clothes and get stupid at a party and no one points fun
at them. Just like everyone is Irish on St. Patty’s Day, everyone is someone or
something else on Halloween. This year the Blue Crab is hosting a party.
The traditional go to spot for All Hallows Eve is the Mar Azul, which
always features some outrageous get ups.
Marge, bartender and breakfast chef at Trade Winds, just returned from a
stateside visit to see her family. Her family is single handedly populating
Worcester, Massachusetts with satos (dogs) from Vieques. To date her sisters
have adopted three from the island, who are living large in New England. The
Humane Society is able to get animals from here to the States, pretty much
anywhere there is someone flying on a direct flight. It’s a great way to help
the island and bring yourself years of fun. The Pennies for Puppies
program launched last month has brought in a few bucks. We wish we had thought
of calling it “Dollars for Doggies”, but every little bit helps.
So, when you next visit and you hear this little exchange, you can smile the
smile of the all-knowing.
“Can you tell me where the Laundromat is? Across from the Mar Azul in
town. Where is the Mar Azul? Next to the ferry dock. Where is the ferry dock?
Next to the Mar Azul. Where is town? On the other side of the island. Do I take
route 997? I don‘t know, but you take the Garcia Road.”
Thanks for reading!
Janie
A late note from Maryanne Miller: Vieques Air Link has STOPPED allowing dogs, cats and chickens on the flights. This is important for everyone returning to their homes this season to know in advance.
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