After a mostly sleepless red eye flight, we arrived in Puerto Rico, somewhat bleary-eyed, but full of anticipation. The sky was a deep azure blue accented with puffy white clouds and bright yellow sunshine.
Flowering trees were blooming almost every where and each house seemed to be painted a different bold color. There were signs of poverty and neglect in many of the buildings, but they are mixed in with the resorts and richly appointed Spanish style structures. It feels very much like slipping into another country, even though it is a US territory. There's a definite flavor and vibe that is unique to Latin countries.
We stayed in a little posada or guest house called Andalucia. They are like a bed and breakfast, only without the breakfast. They have a little courtyard with tropical plants and trees.
The rooms are pretty basic, but clean and perfect for a short stopover. The host was very welcoming and friendly. He gave us a local area map and pointed out restaurants and places of interest. He also has supplies, like beach towels, chairs, and even coolers that could be borrowed for use at the beach, which was a short walk away.
The beach had plenty of sandy space to layout on, with crashing waves and kite surfers to watch. We went to a little restaurant right on the beach for lunch. The prices were really a bit too steep for lunch, so we just split a meal. It came with one of the best creme brulee desserts, by the way.
Later that evening, after a much needed nap we had dinner at Bebo's. It was a little bit of a walk from our posada, but a recommended place to eat if you are looking for great Puerto Rican food. The prices were better than what we had for lunch, although not cheap, but the plates were of good size and taste.
On the walk back we listened to the Coqui frogs sing and enjoyed the sea breezes.
