Puerto Rico - Isle in Style

Sometimes, it is what we don’t know that brings us to navigate unchartered waters: our ride over the Cordillera Central with a rented 4-cylinder Toyota Echo will be engraved in the labyrinths of my brain. The Cordillera slices the island horizontally, and is about 4,000 feet at its highest point. If you are not paralyzed by the vertiginous drops on the mountain’s roads, you might notice that people live up here. Oh yes, they had the presence of mind of installing random guard rails, but who are we kidding here? No, I will not forget.

Our visit to the Serallés Castle in the north of Ponce was enchanting; it served as a residence for one of Puerto Rico’s rich-via-rum families until the mid-1940’s. It is a reminder of the excesses to which the wealthy are prone, as it stands over the city in stark perfection against Ponce’s weather beaten housing. Behind it towers a huge cross that was built as a sentinel point hence the name La Cruz del Vigia . We didn’t have to climb up to see the city below, nor Isla de Caja de los Muertos , or Coffin Island, so called because of its shape.

Quick Tips:

Several hotels are offering free airfare right now to Puerto Rico; there are countless other deals on the internet to make your mouth water. The weather in Puerto Rico is nothing short of fabuloso and you can fly AA, Delta, USAir from the US and a host of other airlines from elsewhere; Luiz Muños Marin is an international airport. If you’re a US citizen, you don’t need any documents to enter Puerto Rico. A visit to OSJ is a must, but I encourage you to get lost.

To safeguard against the sun which can be brutal between the hours of noon to about 2:30 pm, wear a hat and sunglasses. Bring comfortable shoes because the only way to see OSJ is on foot after you’ve taken the trolley for an overview. There are 2 trolley routes, the central , and the norte which will run close to the Moro Fortress. If you have the time, spend a few days in Patillas ; this turned out to be one of the most romantic spot of our vacation. Patillas is southeast of Ponce .

Best Way To Get Around:

In San Juan, you could get by for a couple of days without a vehicle. Buses can take you from Condado into OSJ for 25 cents!!!, or take a taxi for / depending on the driver. Just you stay away from OSJ Juan by car; the streets are narrow, one way and you will waste lots of precious time and gas standing still. We rented an Echo from Avis for about for a week. Gas is somewhat cheaper there, running between 25 cents to 37 cents a liter. That will translate into .07 to .59 per gallon. I would recommend a smaller car like the Echo unless you are traveling with a group or large family. It’s great to park, super with mileage and really handles those mountain curves well.

There are advantages to the bus: you get to go native and look at things other than the road. Taxi drivers love to talk about their lifestyle and love for this land. We met people who had lived in New York for years, but came back to claim their roots.

More about the Island

Ponce: la Perla del Sur

Chuck, the wiz kid, was able to get rooms for us at $70/night here, and that''s remarkable, considering the hotel was almost fully booked by the end of our first weekend in SJ. To make things even sweeter, he was able to get an upgrade to an ocean view room which was heavenly, especially in the evening when we left the door open, and could hear the tireless cha cha of the ocean waves breaking on shore. If you come here, try to get Room 614.

The balcony provided 2 white chairs and table; walls were painted shrimp with aqua grill work. Inside the super comfortable beds, down pillows and lightweight cotton blankets with Cheerful yellow/gold/burgundy colors. The carpet didn''t really match, nor did the love seat, but the view forgave everything. Cable TV channels identical to those stateside, with 3 spanish channels. Local phone calls cost $1.25 and we were able to connect to internet/aol to search out car rentals and other hotels for our jaunt outside SJ.

In the hallway is a large mirrored closet with iron and board. Under the TV is an inroom safe, a snack bar, 2 telephones. A large desk with high backed chair is there if you want to do some work. The floor to ceiling glass window will most likely deter any inclination toward labor of any kind.

The prints in room and bathroom depict colorful native scenes of the island. The bathroom is very spacious with coffee maker; the hell with tea drinkers. I had to steal them from the breakfast table every morning. There''s no magnifying mirror, but a wall mounted dryer. Shower adequate, but a bit narrow. All toiletries are provided by Neutrogena.

They have an option where you can specify the hour you wish for your room to be cleaned. Have fitness room, sauna, ballrooms, and yet we witnessed another wedding party here. Marriott had no shuttle service to/fro hotel. Taxi is $12 per ride. Other services include beauty salon, barber shop, business center with fax, computer, copies. Casino on premises as in most other hotels with gambling. Masseuse services available; WH Smith gift shop located in Main Lobby. NY Times Sunday is $10. Water is undrinkable from the rooms. Evian water available in room for $5.00. If you have a car and wish to park, $10 if you do it yourself, $15 for valet. Pool has waterslide for kids. 3 Restaurants on premises with one bar cafeteria and lounge. Nearest to beach is La Isla Pool Bar & Grill; La Vista open 24 hours inside and outside seating. Tuscany Restaurant - italian elegant cuisine. The Tour desk in the lobby offers several different excursions beyond SJ

In Room copy of "Bienvenidos" looked worn to say the least, although it''s an excellent primer for the island. You have to ask the reception for the "Where to Go" guide which has stellar suggestions and lists of lodgings, and maps of the various zones.

We were not able to get a room here, however, we did quite a bit of touring and investigating

This hotel is a gem; we happened to find it on our stroll around the streets of OSJ. It is flanked by a cathedral and a park, and posh shops. It has 3 floors and historically served as a 16th century convent, and later, a bordello. It is exquisite, and the rooms are set to surround the open atrium in the center which has tables and umbrellas and palms and a glass elevator all the way to the rear which we took to see the reception area.

They had no vacancies which is totally understandable. One of the women at our hotel had lunch here, and recommended we check it out. We walked from the reception outdoors to what looks like a breakfast outdoor area protected overhead, and with indirect lighting coming from potted plants. From that terrace, you can view part of the port, the ocean and the huge tree from the park below. Beside the terrace is a small door which leads to a den, which is decorated as a library with magazines, a television and videos. To the right of that is the executive suite to which there is no access. Up one flight is the spa and massage service area.

We took the stairs down from the reception; there was a huge steel gate half way down designed to prevent access to walk-ups. I went to check out the restaurant. It''s multi-leveled with most seating in open air, but providing head cover. There was a beautifully tiled open style oven near the cooking area. On the way down, you catch sight of the boutique shops affiliated with the hotel, one of them is the super posh "Oggetti". I know they are very exclusive, and have another large location right on Ashford Avenue near our hotel.

The advantage to staying here is that you are at the pulse of OSJ, and it''s one of very few hotels in the old city. It''s also extremely well run, and there is little that they have not thought of in order to pamper their guests.

After we rented our little Echo, we started getting lost and loving it. But as the dining hour approached, we started heading back to the Condado area where you can find restaurants for all tastes and budgets. As we headed east on Ashford Avenue, I spotted the word patisserie, and immediately went into Pavlov mode. Parking there is less than ample, accommodating maybe 2 mini cars. We were the only ones, so it was OK.

The Patisserie itself was poorly stocked when we arrived, and unless you probe further, you'd never know they served anything but waist enhancing goodies. As you walk past the pastries display, you go up a step, and voila, an adorable little set up of blue wrought iron chairs with round tables for 2. Booth seating is available against one wall only and we found it quickly enough. The menu was quite varied actually, with several tempting omelet concoctions which they stop serving after 11:00am.

Chuck chose the King Crab on French bread and I had an avocado and Swiss Cheese wrap . For drinks, I had Earl Gray (what's new here?) and Chuck tried the El Presidente beer which is imported from the Dominican Republic. The food is fresh and served fairly quickly by the man who appears to own the place. If you are interested in a dinner that doesn't entail many courses, this is a great little find on Ashford, the main and poshest drag in the Condado district of San Juan.

Before making an exit, I decided to sample a couple of pastries for later and chose an apricot tart which, later, melted in our mouthes; one plain croissant and one guava croissant. This kind of stuff never stays around long enough to get old.

We wanted to try breakfast outside the hotel today, and did just that. About two blocks east of the hotel, we spot this outdoor restaurant (café would intimate something on a smaller scale) with very clean, blond wood furniture, Xmas decorations girding its outdoor sign. We immediately sat down and waited for someone to give us a menu.

In the meantime, looking around the place, I noticed a beautifully painted mural on one side depicting El Morro, and recalled the many times I had been there when Michele was yet a tot. The ceiling also had something that looked like holly hanging from it, together with some other colorful ribbons and flowers. We were told that Christmas in San Juan begins immediately after Thanksgiving. What I found terribly annoying was a television overhead showing a rerun of E.R. What a way to break a spell!

Ok, our menus are coming with a well dressed man who gives us a few minutes to review. The breakfast slate is filled with tasty egg dishes , and even steak and eggs . The prices are at the nadir of the scale, but don’t be fooled. The food is excellent and fresh. So much so, that we went back there the next day. I chose the fried egg sandwich which is served on crisp French bread which is toasted; Chuck had a ham omelette , which comes with a side of bread. He also liked the coffee even though it is quite strong. My tea was dismal for two reasons: it was regular black tea, and they had taken the liberty of adding hot milk to it, which makes it taste positively awful. The next day we were there, I asked for cold milk on the side. This is the land of café con leche, so I’m not going to go ape over this. As an aside, I had asked upon checking at our hotel in Ponce if they had tea, and the gentleman at the desk told me that this was not a luxury hotel. I had to restrain myself altogether from responding.

When we returned the next day, I ordered the pancakes and recommend you DON'T if you ever come here. Stick to the eggs, as they are foolproof. The pancakes felt and tasted like plastic Frisbees. At least, I had tea I could drink without feeling myself curdle. Chuck enjoyed what I had the previous day.

They do offer a lunch and dinner menu, and are a good, inexpensive alternative to the ritzier, higher priced offerings in the Condado area.

The Lobby Bar is perfect for "noshing" , and if you don’t know what that means, it’s a New York word for eating something small, as in let’s have a nosh. Noshing also implies continuous eating. In this context, I am taking the first definition. There are only 3 tall, marble topped tables which are set in front of the bar for seating. Each one is graced with a single stem of yellow bird of paradise in a glass vase. For effect, they’ve filled a large bamboo basket with loaves of different sizes and shapes to start the salivation process. They have a full espresso bar with all sorts of coffee concoctions including cappuccino . They proudly display sealed packages of the island’s premium brand, Alto Grande .

In addition to coffee, you can have tea (thank heavens) and I was able to get English breakfast one morning, and Earl Gray on the next. There is also natural sugar to be had, or turbinado, as it is commonly labeled on packets. In the food display case, you will find some familiar bakery in the way of croissants , muffins , assorted breads, and danishes . I was more attracted to the mallorcas which are sweet breads powdered with sugar and simply divine. They have fruit tarts incorporating strawberries, kiwis, peaches, mangoes, - it’s hard not to stare as the visuals are almost as enticing as the tarts themselves. There are cheese stuffed pasteles and guava stuffed which are also wonderful as they are not too sweet. I tried the raisin bran bread the next day, and it was quite good as it was most likely baked with brown sugar. Hector Cardwood is the Marriott's award winning pastry chef whose marvels are displayed here. Every bakery in San Juan, or in the rest of the island for that matter, has a reposteria , which is a sweet shop. I don’t recall seeing juices here, but it’s not meant to get complicated. Many people also come to the bar para llevar , which means to take out. They are quite slow in serving, so slow your pace down if you originate in the Northeast.

It was interesting that every morning, as we walked through the doors of the hotel onto Ashford Avenue, this restaurant was right in our face. We never even bothered to check it out or look into it. This was when our room was facing the ocean; on the return trip, we had a room on the executive floor facing the city, and I caught the restaurant in a photo and it looked fabulous!

We went down for dinner and learned that there were 2 restaurants sharing the building, but only the Stone Crab had the outdoor seating and music. That shifted the odds a bit. The other restaurant is called Tropical and specializes in Cuban cuisine.

We were seated very promptly and on the whole, must have had the most attentive wait staff we’ve ever had. The menu was quite interesting; the wine list included a slew of "hurricane" drinks which relate to the major storms which hit the island. From the menu, we chose the hurricane salad to start which is a huge round plate of assorted greens, celery, red and yellow peppers tomatoes seasoned with a guava vinaigrette . Then we tried the alcapurrias , which are stuffed with 3 varieties of crab meat, white rice, rose colored beans and more salad. Food was awesome; we shared a dessert that was so rich, neither one of us could finish it.

Sonny Santana was the music artist that night, and he is very talented. His repertoire was jazz-slanted, but he honored 3 requests from Chuck without blinking. Our server and the maitre d’hotel checked with us often to see if we were pleased.

The place started to get crowded and was almost full by the time we finished. As we asked the maitre d'hotel to take our picture, CK told him we would be writing about the restaurant for a travel website. This brought out the owner, Trel R. Lloyd , who sat with us, and told us his life story. He showed us around the inside of the restaurant, his hurricane room, and the concept of the Hurricane drinks which figure on his menu. He introduced us to his son and asked Chuck to take as many pictures as he wished. He also invited us to lunch the next day, but we were unable to go because of the Bacardi festival. He encouraged us to come back on Sunday night at 9pm to listen to another artist who was very good.

I recommend this place very highly: it’s unbeatable for ambiance, and the food is superb.

We had walked all day and were dead tired. We decided to go into the first restaurant that had an open door. Thai food is always welcome at any time after 1:00pm so we were delighted to go into the King and I. As we entered, the wall decor immediately to our left was a golden relief work which was framed and depicting typical Thai art. The walls' colors were a melange of soothing pastels until your eyes come to rest at the back: a bright red wall further embellished by huge wooden schools of fish.

Tables are set French bistro style. We sat side by side at a booth and were taken with the beauty of the embroidered placements which were protected by top glass. They depict the exotic Thai dancers with their graceful movements. The silverware is intricate and carved, and quite unusual. There was only one person as a server, bus boy, cashier. This was probably due to low attendance by tourists on the island.

On the plus side, the food is freshly made so if you're in a hurry, move on. Most entrées are super spicy and marked as such; we ordered Pad Thai which is a tasty combination of noodles , peanut sauce , & chicken . There was not enough lemongrass in it, but I was hungry and tired and willing to forgive. As usual we ordered for one, when food arrived there was enough for 4. We both had seconds. Chuck also had his newly favorite el Presidente beer and I stuck to water with a slice of lime. I was disappointed again in that they did not have any traditional Thai desserts but rather offer chocolate cake and ice cream which are an anachronism here. Bananas and Coconuts are so abundant and readily eaten on the island that I don't think the Puerto Ricans would shun that dessert. Oh well.

Another plus was the ambiance which was serene and enhanced by instrumental new age music. For $22.00, we ate quite well. Recommended if authenticity is not that important in your dining.

Other Thai restaurants we've been to:

Café Bangkok , Novato, California
Erawan , Queens, New York
P.F. Chang's , Asian fusion, nationwide
Thai , San Francisco, California

It was fairly crowded when we entered and we were dispatchd to the upper floor which is the non-smoking section. As customary, there is memorabilia all over the walls, but in the center atrium is a huge wall with a rendition of Elvis Presley when he was thin.

Our server's name was Rafael, and we found out later that he used to live in Astoria, New York. He returned to Puerto Rico because he missed his roots. He indicated that his girlfriend bought him a ticket to visit her in San Francisco, but he was too scared to fly after the events of 9/11.

We ordered a platter of cheese nachos with beans , tomatoes and jalapeños which we carefully avoided and 2 cokes. Rafael brought us a boxed Hard Rock Glass/San Juan to take as a souvenir. As we ate, Rafael sat with us and was happy to loosen his tongue with English. This particular Hard Rock has been here for nine years.

The cool air here was a welcome respite from the sweltering heat outside. In addition to the A/C, they have ceiling fans.

Rafael and Chuck got chummy, and I took a picture of them both. Rafael asked us if New Yorkers were friendlier since 9/11. Not many diners here right now, but the TV's overhead were screeching. I saw Don Henley of the Eagles and some of his music by the ladies' room and Elton John's guitar and one of his earlier wacky costumes. Our lunch was wonderful because we had great conversation with Rafael.

After our tour of the Bacardi plant, we set out for Ponce, but leisurely, as we were told it's only 90 minutes away. You'll realize what a joke that is later on. If you look at a map, Bayamon is southeast of Cataño so we're going in the right direction. We were on Route 2 which is a main artery. We stopped on a side street in Bayamón for lunch. This is a half-residential, half-industrial area, and the restaurant we entered was not terribly fancy, which means the cuisine will be great.

It also meant that Chuck's suspicious antennas will go up, and he'll stick to something "safe". It was not very crowded, but there were 2 businessmen at one of the tables. Our server was a lanky guy who brought us the menus which were so very colorful, and even have ads for the dry cleaners in the front. Hadn't seen that in ages! By the way, Los Gorditos means the little fat ones; it is also an expression of endearment where, if you call your husband or wife by that name, it is not regarded as an insult.

The menu is comida tipica criolla which is very typical food for the island. I ordered the carne frita (fried beef) with amarillas (yellow plantains, fried and slightly sweet); the beef is so tender that you can take it apart with a fork but, there's too much fat attached, so I have to perform surgery in order not to eat it. Chuck, the adventurer, settled for fried mozarella sticks . With coke, the total bill is $11.00 . Amazing.

A few other folks come through the doors; among them is a delivery man with 4 jugs of juice in each hand and I wanted to capture him with the camera but he was too darn fast. A woman also came in, and must either be a regular, or the owner's lover, as she made her way behind the cash register, and they took turns trying to lift each other.

I recommend this place only because this is going to give you the real Puerto Rico, not the place near the Marriott or the Hilton, or the SJ Towers. Even if the meat is slightly greasy, you are going to taste authentic island food.

La Isla Bonita Restaurant is decorated in such a way as to make you feel you are outdoors. We were attracted by the lights, and went inside to have a look; it's a beautiful setting, with long, flowing drapes which have been scalloped on the ceiling! Lovely music pervaded the atmosphere, and the seating recreated one of nature; bamboo/cane chairs and tables with plenty of potted palms and other green plants. Tiny lights had been wound around just about everything and as your eye is drawn to the neon above the bar in the rear section, you see the name La Isla Bonita seemingly floating in the air. The menu was displayed near the entrance, so you can make your decision without entering the physical area of seating.

We were able to take a corner table near the front as there was only one other couple dining. A bit later, an American family of 4 arrived and sat adjacently to us. The servers were less than experienced and not terribly forthcoming. When I asked for bread, I was told, after a quick check in the kitchen, that they ran out of bread after lunch. Well, mujer* , go out and get some then!

Chuck opened with the house Merlot which apparently wasn't bad. For the appetizer I chose the queso frito (fried cheese) and a traditional salad. Chuck let his guard down and agreed that the cheese was delicious. For the entrée, we had grilled snapper which we both love; this was served with a yellow rice mixed with beans and chorrizo (sausage).

Part of the fun of the evening was taking pictures of the family next to us, and having them do the same; naturally, one of the men fell in love with Chuck's new toy, the camera, and a lot of opinions and advice followed that.

I had my usual hot tea craving after dinner, and was informed by the server that hot tea is not served, only iced tea. I was baffled, only because the restaurant wants to portray an elegance which is unfortunately extinguished by the lack of basic staples, and the inexperience of the wait staff.

Interfering with the wonderful music is the most distasteful high volume of the bar television. Those little touches really bring down the class of the restaurant quite a few rungs. Nevertheless, the food itself was excellent.

La Vista Restaurant is aptly named as the view is appetizing, especially if you sit outside the restaurant. The few times we came here, we always sat outside and it was a particular pleasure one night when it was pouring sheets of rain, and I was getting pummeled sideways on my right shoulder.

Room service also is prepared from the La Vista Menu.

The first day we were here, I refused to lift a finger, so we had room service from La Vista. The room service menu is very limited; in addition to inflated pricing, they add a 17% service charge and a $2.50 trip charge. This is when beaming up the server would come in real handy!

Our dinner consisted of an exquisite orange and avocado salad with lime and coconut dressing; pinchos de mar , which are tuna kebabs with peppers and onions marinated and grilled with tropical chutney on the side. Foaming at the mouth yet? Not till you've had the piña colada cheesecake that even had Chuck raving.

The evening that we had dinner at La Isla Bonita and couldn't get a decent cup of tea, we came here afterwards, and I indulged in several cups while Chuck had a Passion Fruit float . We also had breakfast down here a couple of times.

If you get here really early, you can sit outside very comfortably, unless someone decides to blast the radio from the beach bar which did happen one morning. They offer an a la carte menu with everything you can imagine for breakfast, but it's best to take advantage of the buffet as it includes anything you might want to eat on the menu. So, it's pancakes for Chuck, healthy buffet for me which includes breads, pastries, cereals, yogurt, juices, fresh fruit (the melons were vinegary; I was mortified), compotes, bagels, cheeses, cold cuts. As we were eating, we were reviewing pictures from days prior and had hearty laughs.

On the day of our last breakfast here, I had granola, yogurt and dried fruits which I adore, but Chuck would rather have plain toast than yogurt. Our server was wonderful and feeling generous that morning. She decided to charge us for only one breakfast instead of two. You just never know what makes a person's day!

Call 787-788-8400

The Bacardi distillery is huge; it emcompasses many other buildings besides manufacturing. When we arrive, we park next to tents which are going up for next week's arts and crafts festival which they sponsor once a year. Revenues from the fair go to charities. This tour is completely free, and you are given white tickets to enable you to board the tram that takes you from building to building. Orange tickets allow complimentary drinks mixed with Bacardi. The choices today were coke, fruit punch, 7 up and some other thing.

Our tour guide speaks English fluently. They are very conscious of security here, and are constantly counting heads and speaking into their walky-talkies.

The first sugar cane plantation in Puerto Rico is established in 1517. Harvesting starts in January by slave labor until it's abolished. Work is done in exchange for basic necessities, such as lodging and food. They are very strict about No pictures allowed inside any of the buildings. The Bacardi logo is a bat which had been suggested by the founder's wife, as the first building had fruit bats in it. Fruit bats are a sign of family unity and prosperity. This is now the 6th generation. They are processing 21 million cases per year and are exporting to 71 countries. The rum is also made in Mexico and the Bahamas, and the labels will say that.

On to the 5th floor where they have the rum gallery, they show off the "cuatro" which is the national musical instrument of Puerto Rico made of white oak. In the early 1990's they bought the Martini & Rossi brand and subsequently, acquired the Dewar's brand. They continue to be made in Italy and England respectively.

Different color rums are used for different flavor mixes. Bacardi 8 is the top of the line and is aged for 8 years. Bacardi Light outsells all other world rums. The 151 is flammable and not permitted on airplanes for that reason; it is 75 proof. Bacardi is made from molasses, yeast and water

. On to 2nd floor where they show the manufacture; we see a huge 50,000 gallon drum with a brownish gold liquid fomenting,- looks like some alien form.

There are 700 people employed at Bacardi/Puero Rico, and 7000 worldwide. The carbon dioxide which is collected post fermentation is sold to soda companies and people who make dry ice.

The drums for storing rum are made of white oak which is imported from Kentucky and Tennessee.

We then watched the bottling process from filling to putting in cases for shipment. Women do the quality control in various stages of the process. In the gift shop, we purchased a bottle of Tropico for $12.95, and which sold for $25 on Ashford Avenue in Condado. It's a fascinating story about a family business that grew to mammoth proportions.

We forfeited other plans so we could attend the Bacardi festival. As we approach the factory, roads are closed, vehicles parked sideways, and tents outside the grounds. There is very high security all around, and we are told we need to park "outside". It is stifling hot, but luckily, the sun is hidden by a few clouds. This event draws 50,000 people each year and as we reach the front gate, there is a line that only hell knows how long. Security gates with metal detectors, directly as a result of the 9/11 events, slow admission.

Music is loud and coming on a regular basis. As we arrive, all we see is food, food, food. People are eating shish-kebab at 11 am. The art exhibits are housed under tents.

I’m sorely disappointed; I see the magi in wood, glass, ceramic, paper maché, painted, unpainted, on plaques, and in leather. Less than 10% of all artists had non-religious themes to their work. One was a ceramist with exceptional light switch plates, and other very ornate pieces. Another was a woman exhibiting art made with handmade recycled papers. Belts, leather hand bags and hats. A very original item was wooden purses which were put together with 2 different shades of wood. CK took some pictures and I really never found anything that exceptional here.

There might have been over 150 artists in total, maybe more. There was also a huge stage with appropriate decorations and Bacardi logos, where a singing contest was being held. TV cameras were filming the event. People were sprawled all over the lawns, in chairs, on their derrières, where ever there was a spot to sit. We had a bite at one of the food stalls. I opted for a cheese arepa and a Mango batido and Chuck had a chicken shish topped with an Amarillo.

We started walking out as we were eating. Some people were posted along the exit route to survey the participants, and one of them stopped me. She asked what I thought about the fair, if it reinforced family values, and if it addressed people of all ages. I did say that in all fairness it did not, unless you are deeply religious as far as the arts and crafts go. I also responded that I would not come back nor would I recommend it to anyone else. Too much hassle and fatigue for very little return. The food was excellent, but no one needs to reach a boiling point of 200 degrees for an arepa.

As we exited, we looked at some of the people who also set up their wares outside; that was far more interesting and varied than what we found inside; in fact, I ended up purchasing a wonderful 3 pot mobile for $25.00 from a local ceramist. The walk to the car seemed interminable, and traffic was at a standstill for miles the car, we took a detour.

A real pleasure to be able to avail oneself of the great prices of a duty free shop even though you are not considered an overseas passenger. This particular shop trumpeted the fact that it catered to "all passengers". That's great.

Luis Muños Marin International is very modern, spacious, with good bi-lingual signage. As we started heading for baggage claim, we spotted this shop, and as usual, neither one of us had to ask; we just went in. By comparison to other duty free shops, this one is mid-sized and does more with fragrance and cosmetics than with liquor and jewelry. As we walked in, a 40% off table was the first thing we saw; it had an assortment of perfumes, colognes, and eaux with the majority geared toward women and 2 or 3 for men. A young woman noted our interest and immediately offered to help in spanish. I tried a few things in as many spots as my bare arms would allow. Then I walked around a bit to let the fragrance chemistry work with my skin's own. Chuck was window grazing in the hope of finding himself a bargain.

After a few minutes of checking the skin care sections, I returned and decided on a spray perfume by Van Cleef & Arpels (reputed for jewelry) called Birmane. It had a sweet and heady smell, and I thought this would be the right tone for wearing on the island in the evening. Then we started discussing a fragrance for Chuck, and there were some CK imitations of which we have tired. Then I spotted something from Lolita Lempicka for men: well, this had to be special. It was super spicy, but not obnoxious. It's called "Au Masculin" for obvious reasons and it lives up to the promise.

We paid $55 for both, which is just about the regular price of one of them (mine). I wanted to find something for my daughter, but she is super particular. I did get lucky on the return trip: Calvin Klein cologne suddently appeared on that 40% off table, and it quickly joined my luggage. I recommend you visit this place if you come here since the prices are terrific, even without the additional forty percent off. An important caveat: make sure you like what you purchase as they do not accept returns.

Call 787-763-3252 for directions.

A huge mall which is characterized by a glass tower you can see from the highway. Plaza Las Americas is the predominant shopping center in Puerto Rico. According to my brief research into this, J. C. Penney's largest store of its entire chain makes its home here. For mall buffs, it's a must see with over 190 stores, eateries and they boast 100% occupancy for the last 3 or 4 years which is more than we can say here. Their jingle goes "Menos Mal que esta Plaza" which means thank goodness for this mall.

We actually didn't want to come here, wanting to reach the mall at Carolina instead. Chuck needed a computer hookup for his latest gadget for new camera, so we had to find an electronic store. My map reading took us in the completely opposite direction to the Plaza las Americas Mall. Cops were all over the place, and in each parking lot, they had a little tower with an attendant that surveyed the whole area. The anchors at the mall are J. C. Penney's , Sears , and a recently added Macy's . K-Mart is big here as well. We never do get out of the car, because it has taken us quite a few turns and returns to find any kind of mall at all. Office Max is across the street from the mall, so we go there and find what Chuck needs. The people at the cash registers can drive a monk mad with their languidness. Back in the car, we were now looking to get back to the hotel. We apparently cruised Santurce without knowing it. It's crowded, bustling with people, and the lodging goes from elegant to ratty. We get back to Condado by sheer error. That's the delight of getting lost.

As you start rolling on 191, it's about 2 miles before you get to the new visitor center which they call "el Portal" . The signs will direct and greet you. They have handicap facilities, toilets, phones and a gift shop. Expect a $3.00 entrance fee for adults, $1.50 for kids 12 and over. We collected some maps at the entrance which is cleverly designed so that you are actually walking over the rainforest canope, so it's an interesting perspective. There are exhibits and interactive displays which educate you about el Yunque.

It started pouring, but stopped right after the 12 minute film, narrated by Jimmy Smits, which is shown before you start your tour. It's optional, but I suggest you see it as it's very informative. We learn that the Puerto Rican parrot is an endangered species and they are being bred in captivity to increase the population. Also learned that the rainforest played a pivotal role in 1989 when hurricane Hugo went tearing through the Caribbean, in that it absorbed most of the violence, thus protecting the island from destruction.

We start off on the tour, and the road is very narrow and tortuous. Don't drive like a maniac. This is an instance where pictures are worth more than words as they really tell the story. We stopped by the Yokahu Tower where you can scale to the top to appreciate the view; we found it unnecessary as you can get an eyeful from that vantage point anyway.

The variety of trees and leaves will astound you and the flowers are wonderful, although not abundant. Near one of the vistas is a whole slew of passion flowers and frangipani, which is so rare and so aromatic. Then I found some bizarre looking growths which I shot and decided to investigate them later. The "La Coca Falls" are worth getting out of the car for. There are also many designated trails which you can attempt if you are ambitious; they do let you know the degree of difficulty for each and what you are likely to encounter. We were encouraged to bring rain gear, but it’s really not needed. It did rain for a few minutes, and the wetness was refreshing. Both Chuck and I had cameras and shot different views which we would merge later.

The history of this forest dates back to the time of the Taino Indians, which are Puerto Rico's ancestors. The name was taken from the word "Yuke" which means sacred or white lands, which is a reference to the clouds. Though we did not see any, there are petroglyphs to be found on rocks within the rivers which support evidence as to the Taino presence here.

Today was the day to visit the northeastern part of Puerto Rico. We were going to do the Yunque Rainforest, Luquillo Beach and Fajardo and decided we'd come back a different route to see something interesting.

To get there, if you are coming from the Condado area, head east towards Old San Juan. Traffic will not be great no matter what time you go, so have patience, as it gets better. Highway 26 is about 2 blocks from the hotel, so for us it was fairly simple. Follow the signs to Fajardo - drivers here are courteous most times and observe the speed limit - I didn't see too many weavers. Highway 26 becomes Route 3 which is fine, as you will stay on there; it's a limited access highway, so you will have to contend with stop lights, but there's lots of stuff to see along the way.

We passed Plaza La Carolina Mall and the Carolina Shopping Court . Then there was a huge semi-circular stadium on the road, a municipal court house and a Lilly Drug manufacturing plant. Drug Manufacture is Puerto Rico's principal export, to our surprise. Then comes another huge strip mall with Kmart, Home Depot and all the stuff you can think of. Mountains in the background are the only "anomaly". The weather will change drastically as you get closer to el Yunque . We also passed by the Belz Outlets , which is advertised everywhere as it is fairly new. It's around Cavanovas . The neighborhood starts to deteriorate at this point, although it remains fairly clean. Houses turns to shacks. A sign indicates that the Rio Grande Plantation Eco Resort is here, so note that the National Forest is coming up and as Route 191 sneaks up on you, so stay alert, as it will take you to el Yunque.

Luquillo Beach is a stone’s throw from the Forest, and we went into the Park area which precedes the beach. As it was a week day, the grounds and beach were fairly deserted. We were not terribly prepared for the beach, as we had no towels, no change of clothing, no bathing suits. What is most striking about Luquillo is the cleanliness of the huge park, and of the beach itself. All of the beach eateries were closed except for one souvenir shop that remained opened. There were less than five bathers as the weather was quite fickle, but the expanse of sea, sky and sand was intoxicating. There was one woman sunbathing and reading; a family with 2 children where I found anchor and threw down whatever I had brought along. Chuck was already in the water; I made a bold move and removed my tee shirt and decided to go into the water with my bra and shorts! The water was amazingly warm with shreds of algae floating by with the tides. Imagine having Luquillo Beach almost to yourself? The sun was really not hot enough to dry my clothing, so I had to improvise a bit.

We are now making our way to Fajardo which is a lovely little resort town at the tip of Puerto Rico's northeast coast. We never find the beach, instead, we get out to see the town square where men are busy putting together Christmas decorations. There is a promenade with some apparel shops and shoe stores. I spent quite a bit of time in the women's shop as they had the type of dresses I love to wear, long and flowing with spaghetti straps. Chuck had already toured the rest of the shopping area in the meantime. Back in the car, we are trying to find a restaurant to have a bite. This will not happen until we reach Humacao which is south of Fajardo actually. In our desire to find the shore, we hit on the Marina which is incredible. There are so many boats here that they are parked 3 high; there is a hotel on the premises. But no vehicles can go past that point so we turn around. We are on Route 53 and making our way to Humacao which is a major city, around all small and poor villages. The mountains are truly majestic around them. We go through the towns of Ceiba and Naguabo , and somewhere between those two, we hit a dead end at the Roosevelt Roads Naval Reservation Golf which is for military personnel only. Dinner at Chili's is quite welcome and tasty. Chuck goes for the beef sirloin fajitas and I have a hamburger. After dinner, we go into Sam's Club because Chuck wants to check out their prices. It’s no big deal really although it's quite large and the locals here apparently like to shop. We are asking people at the door for directions and we get 3 different versions. Night is falling and this will be our first solo ride in the evening in Puerto Rico. It turns out to be quite rapid and efficient; the roads, signs are well maintained and if you are alert, you will not miss your exits. We actually get back on Route 53 which will dump us on 30 west which you take all the way up and back to San Juan. Speed limit varies between 60 & 55, and when you get closer to Bayamon, you'll get a 4 lane highway instead of 2. A long day, indeed.

Ashford Avenue is a ritzy address in the heart of the Condado area of San Juan. It is here that you'll find luxury hotels & casinos, high priced apartment buildings, elegant restaurants, and upscale shops. When the sun goes down, the lights go up all along the avenue, and taking a leisurely stroll can be very pleasurable. It does not have the charm of Old San Juan, nor the crooked, blue cobblestoned streets. It is a thoroughly modern avenue, and were it not for the occasional signs in Spanish, you could be on Main Street, USA.

Luckily for us, our address was on Ashford for 6 days, and we strolled it in both directions, by sunlight and moonlight. We also went as far west as we could until the neighborhood really started to deteriorate; we turned around and it was then that we found La Patisserie de France . About a block east of the hotel, is a Walgreen's Drugstore which was a lifesaver for me. Actually, it is a much bigger deal down here than back home. It is located at:

Walgreens Drugs
1130 Ashford Avenue
SJ 787-725-1510

After a brief survey, I have concluded that prices are approximately 20% higher than on the mainland, and there is more emphasis on beauty products and more brands for the modern woman who lives here. In addition to filling prescriptions, they have a mini-market, gifts, beach accessories, some computer supplies, toys, office supplies, frozen foods, snacks. This is where we repeatedly bought bottled water as the tap water in SJ leaves a lot to be desired. Also picked up some diskettes from my sony digital, emergency polish remover, cotton balls, juice, and munchies. They also do one hour photo and have an ATM on the premises.

A few feet away is a beauty salon that really taught me the meaning of an Ashford Avenue address. I walked in as I had wanted a fresh manicure and pedicure. The shop was completely empty except for the man behind the desk. I first asked about the pedicure and was dumbfounded when he replied $40.00! So I asked the same question in Spanish to ensure that I had made myself understood, and the answer came right back at $40.00. So I dared to ask if there was any special treatment that came with the pedicure like massage, paraffin, what not. Well, no, just regular pedicure. I made a U turn, and rejoined Chuck on the sidewalk.

The identical scenario, or somewhat similar took place at a predominantly male clothing store (a few token dresses), where silk shirts were upward of $120. They had signs in the window advertising pants for $20.00, and as long as we stayed at the Marriott, we never were able to see anyone shopping there.

So, we cross the street, and find a condom shop and we always find these to be great fun, so in we go. There is one thing that you will see here that just does not go over too well on the mainland, and those are huge bathing towels with bare breasted women on them. They are also prominently displayed in souvenir shops as well. It's refreshing to see such openness; but it does go hand in hand with the cat and mouse game that Latins play between the sexes. Well stocked in sex toys, games, gags, and flavored liquids.

As we continue our walk, I notice a very charming, small parador that used to be the consulate office for Spain. Info below:

Hotel El Consulado
1110 Ashford Avenue
SJ 787-289-9191

We go inside to inquire about the rates and look at the rooms. It smells really clean and a young woman shows us 2 different rooms: one with balcony and one without. Both looked very comfortable and streamlined. The facilities are air conditioned, and the manager quotes us $85/night with complimentary continental breakfast. It is good to remember these folks, as they are part of the very first chain of Puerto Rican hotels designated as IHPPR. They have other locations near the beaches, and you can check out their website at www.ihppr.com.You're in the heart of Condado, so if you don't mind being away from an ocean view, I certainly wouldn't mind staying here.

This was the day we went to rent our car at Avis who are also located on the Avenue. We also caught the bus here, # B21 which takes you right into Old San Juan for $0.25. As a footnote, I'd like to say that drivers here are extremely courteous and do yield the right of way to pedestrians.

We did Ashford in the other direction the night we went to dinner at Stone Crab Alley . The Avenue was really dressed up in lights including the restaurant, and after the meal, we walked and saw a few other restaurants, Italian, Mexican, and see posh shops, one of them is Oggetti which I've been dying to go into, and is having some sort of private tasting in one of their rooms. There are also expensive and elegant clothing stores. We also go by El Canario hotels is on Ashford, and we did go in to get some information. They have 3 locations, and the Canario by the Sea is around the corner from the Marriott facing the beach. The street is a dead end, and has served us well for parking our little Echo. We end the stroll by going into a local grocery store which is a couple of blocks from the hotel.

No matter how many times I come here, there are always new discoveries. On Saturday night, we wanted to go to OSJ for dinner and possibly some dancing. The concierge advised that everything was basically closed, and that there was only one restaurant which offered a show with dinner called La Sala . So, we take a cab and $12 later, we are in front of the restaurant. They're not open yet nor are they serving, we need to come back later. So Chuck and I decide to browse the streets, as we spotted some open shops. In a corner souvenir shop, both of us pick up sunhats which subsequently save us from the infernal heat. Then I spot Haitian paintings into the next store, and this is a must if you're in the area:

The African Shop
253 Calle San Justo
OSJ (tel)787-725-1572
email: africanshop@hotmail.com

The store had glaring 50% off most of the merchandise signs in red; can't miss that color! A huge inventory of African clothing, wooden masks, musical instruments, butterfly collections Z(big on this island), jewelry, antiques, african art, haitian art, some rasta hats.

We ask permission to take photos and the young woman who works there begins to talk with us and wants her boss, who is deep in conversation, to allow us to take shots of the store. The owner looks like the guy who used to do the Kola Nut commercial for 7 UP; remember that deep, labyrinth-like voice? Well, his clone is here, alive and well. After he realizes our intentions are honest, Chuck goes clicking around while I look at the paintings in the back that are so very colorful, always depicting Haitian life.

Then Mr. Owner requests a picture by himself, as he doesn't like the impromptu one taken by Chuck with him discussing business with some tourists. So we obliged. All kidding aside, if you are serious about African Art, you can find some terrific values in here, with the proviso that this 50% off sign is permanent.

We continue our walk, and as we head toward the pier, we see a magnificent cruise ship portside and start to plan the next, next vacation immediately. It's not terribly crowded this evening, and strolling around the old city is unhurried and the breeze is merciful.

We are now hungry, after talking about cruises and how much weight you put on aboard, we find a great restaurant inside the arcade next to the Wyndham called la Isla Bonita . After dinner, we head toward the tourism office which is open! In we go and start taking one of everything; additionally, some artisans are displaying their wares around the building and some of the sidewalks adjacent to it. They are almost all tipicos of Puerto Rico artisanship and Chuck buys me a wonderful leather key chain with my initial on it. A old man is begging for money with lackluster results.

. We head back towards the Wyndham, and go in to find out what the rates are at this time, and are quoted $145 for a standard room. They, too, have a casino on the premises. Outside the hotel, there is an outside café area where a live entertainer is singing and swinging. We stop to listen and sway to the beat of the band. She ends her show with Santana's Oye Como Va .There couldn't be a better finale as I am dancing on the sidewalk.

We hail a cab back to hotel; our driver is delighted to tell us all about Bayamon where he lives with his family and loves it. He recommends that we go there to get a flavor of the real Puerto Rico. Will we ever find the time to follow all the recommendations we are getting. Back at the hotel, the lobby is very crowded, dancers crowd the floor in front of the band. We make our way to La Vista , the hotel's poolside restaurant to have tea and Chuck orders a passion fruit/guava smoothie . Ocean air is fresh and not too many people are dining now. Our feet begin to ask for mercy, so back to room 614 in anticipation of a new day.

We decided to catch the city bus to OSJ which costs $0.25 per person. That's 50 cents for both of us as opposed to $12.00 (quite a savings). On the way to town, we are the only tourists on the bus. Chuck gets an attack of the hungers, so we need to find a cafe as soon as we get to the terminal; to make matters worse it is now 92 degrees. The Hard Rock Cafe was the first place we found, and in we went.

We went to the area where " La Negra" was supposed to appear at 1:00pm, and she wasn't there. They were casually setting up the stage so we boarded one of the free trolleys which take you around the OSJ area. One is the "Central" , and has a fairly short run before it gets back to where it came from. The other is labeled "Norte" and goes as far as the parking lot of El Morro and back to town. It also touches upon more museums and galleries on the outer periphery of OSJ. As we boarded the Central trolley, I circled the areas I wanted to revisit again.

Below are some of the highlights of the foot tour:

Fashion Garments, Inc.
310 Fortaleza Street
OSJ - 787-723-3005

Bob Vaswani is an importer/wholesaler of designer clothing from Jakarta and Thailand. One of a kind pieces, very avant garde and elegant. Spoke with him, and did purchase an outfit which spoke to me as soon as I walked in. He and his wife travel to Southeast Asia quite a bit, and he told us to hurry up and go to Thailand. He couldn't stop singing its praises. He talked about the difficulties of importing from Jakarta now because of the problems Americans were having there after 9/11. LADIES!, if you are in Old San Juan, go to this shop. No joke. A lot of shopkeepers here hail from India.

Haitian Gallery Arts & Crafts
206 Fortaleza Street
OSJ 787-721-4362

This gallery is loaded with incredible talent. The wood sculpture is by far the very best on the island; we saw two toned wood statues that were heart stopping, and small to large wooden chests with relief carving on their lids such as calla lilies. They had low tables with similar motif which should be covered with glass. Also masks, paintings, large and small of familiar Haitian scenes of natives, farms, and fruits. Expect high prices but the pieces are well worth it. Two locations on Fortaleza street; the other is at # 367. This one is one a corner and affords the largest space.

We then heard some fairly loud reggae music down the street, and I never did get the name of the place, but you can't miss it. The walls are filled with Bob Marley posters. The guy incharge could be his son. He was playing a CD for a couple that were buying; he said he's trying to initiate people into other reggae sounds that include spanish and english compositions. He was very friendly, and we were rocking to the music. Prices comparable to mainland, at about $18 for international CD's. He's got a wonderful assortment of latin reggae.

We stopped in a local restaurant to grab a bite; the whole place was filled with sleds, santa clauses, red velvet ribbons. We sat at the counter and ordered guava filled pastries and limeades. It gave us the energy to continue walking.

We then happened on the Convento Hotel and this needs a separate journal. Nothing short of amazing.

There is quite a bit of non-native art in OSJ; i.e. 3 Peruvian art galleries on the same street; one of them is listed below:

Casa Peru
237 San Francisco Street
OSJ 787-725-5754, next to La Bombonera Restaurant
Casa Peru

There are a high number of souvenir shops and you identify them by the T-shirts or saris which are hung on the doors; an inordinate amount of Indonesian crafts can also be found in the old town's specialty gift shops.

Boveda
208 Cristo Street
OSJ 787-725-0263

Boveda is right next door to Atmospheres and typifies the upscale, hip boutique with exclusive lines of designer, one of a kind clothing pieces, aromatic soaps, jewelry (as soon as you walk in, you are greeted by a large jeweler's case). There are also paper luminaries, pillows, etc.. they have an email address at hotmail but no web presence.

Right about this time, we decided to call it an evening, and get some dinner. With our usual luck, we enjoyed the King and I .

The Marriott has done some interesting things in this lobby which are not found in its other locations; the first is the gambling Casino, as it needs to keep up with the Joneses. There you have a mini-rendition of let us empty your pockets slot machines. I never even went near them as there was always something better to do. To the right of the casino is a well placed Lobby Bar. There is ample seating which is positioned around the bar which is the focal point of the lobby. Supporting that placement looking straight ahead from the door is a dance floor with seating, and band instruments which come alive every evening around 7 PM. The Marriott is one of 3 hotels in Condado that offer live music, and Chuck and I took a spin around the floor and tired before the band did.

On weekend nights, many of the locals come for the band, the bar and to "hook up". They tend to overdress here in San Juan as in most Latin American countries I’ve visited. I also wondered if they use more durable thread here to keep their seams from exploding: the tighter, the better. The band plays soft jazz, latin tunes, and lots of slow dancing airs. At times, it gets so crowded that you can’t breathe on the dance floor. The bar is always active, even early in the morning. People are friendly, and men usually stare intently. Enormous arrangements of bird of paradise flowers grace the entrance to the lobby. In addition, the staff was busy decorating for Christmas, and on our return stay to the hotel, we found some incredible talent by way of edible houses made of cookies, sugared mini wheats which served as roof tiles (ingenious!), cakes, icing,-totally fantastic.

There is a W. H. Smith on the premises which you should patronize only in dire emergency as the prices are outrageous. Imagine paying $10 for the New York Times?? They’re good to have around for emergency items, however, there is a Walgreen’s less than a block away. I found the local paper, the San Juan Star , to provide excellent coverage of world news. I later found out that they were the recipient of a Pulitzer; well deserved indeed. Across from the gift shop is the tour desk which was offering excursions to almost all the places we were intent on seeing on our own. The only thing I regret is not having been able to go to Vieques or Culebra island for a day. There are ferries which depart from Fajardo on the northeast tip of Puerto Rico and return at 4pm.

And then there is the concierge service; they come in handy but you can also browse at an enormous album that sits on the counter and gives you suggestions on activities, places to dine etc. They are all bi-lingual so if you don’t speak the language, no problem.

The Marriott has its own private beach, but there are really no physical boundaries which separate it from the public beaches which are available to everyone. The Caribe Hilton has the best beach in Condado, in my opinion. The first day we arrived, I stood on the balcony facing the ocean and watched them sweeping clean the sands below. All the lounge chairs are neatly stacked nearest to the hotel’s back wall.

It is difficult not go to the beach, so after 11:00 am, Chuck and I went to the ground floor directly to either poolside, or to the beach. You must stop at the activity desk, pick up towels and pink I.D. band for your wrist. Otherwise, the lady guard at the steps will not let you stick one of your toes on that sand. She’s there until closing.

They do not have very many activities on the beach, but there are organized brisk walks for those wanting to exercise. As you come down the stairs, you’ll spot a woman who has 2 table displays of assorted jewelry, some made with island woods which are precious. She appears to have been here for a very, very long time.

As the beach was not terribly crowded yet, one of the hotel staff brought us 2 lounges, and anticipating the unforgiving heat of the midday sun, I asked for an umbrella which is free of charge. It is recommended that you tip the man who brings your accommodations. Try to limit your exposure the first day as you can burn severely if you are fair-skinned. The beach is a great place to observe people and the most wonderful thing to watch are the children, especially the little girls.

There is bar service here and you can get what you want either by waiting and hoping the server sees you; the more expedient way is to walk up to the pool bar and request a server. I was getting hungry, and ordered a hamburguesa with a virgin piña colada. Don’t expect quick service; luckily I had a copy of the local paper, and the latest Vanidades , which is a woman’s magazine published in Miami for the Latin community. The ocean temperature was not warm enough for me, but Chuck was in there often, as were some boys with boards who were surfing the waves. The ocean is a little rougher than you’d expect, but again, this is the Atlantic Ocean. At one point, Chuck went for a long walk along the shore and took some great shots of the coast.

They have showers available as you re-enter the pool area to either leave or sit at the outdoor café here. The music in this area is always upbeat and loud. There are no outdoor bathrooms, so you need to re-enter the hotel at the ground level and use the lavatories on the right hand side of the main door.

Avis was the first of two car rentals we visited, as Chuck has preferred membership. It’s about 4 long blocks from the hotel, so it’s an easy walk if the sun is not frying your brains. As we arrive at Avis the woman behind the desk is showing us the cars and the per diem rates. After Chuck tells her we’ll need the car for a week, she give us an awesome rate of $175.00 for the week with an automatic upgrade from economy to midsize. We told her we didn’t need the car today, but she writes the information down for us and indicates that we can come back any time and pick it up. Famous last words.

One of our cab drivers had advised that L & M is the cheapest rental around. So we walk in and the rates are so ridiculously high that we waste no more of the good lady’s time.

In the early afternoon of the next day, we go back to Avis to pick up the car. This time, the manager is there and when we show him the information we received from his colleague, he refuses to honor the quotation. He goes through a myriad of excuses, and despite the fact that business is not booming here, he insists that we can have the car for $44/per day. We leave and find a public phone and proceed to call Avis in the US, in Puerto Rico, and customer service for the international division. We are not getting very far, and it’s about 90 degrees out and patience is running out.

We call Avis at the airport and finally get a supervisor who tells us he will honor the price for us without the upgrade, and offered a $20 credit for cabfare to pick up the car. So, we’re off to Isla Verde again, and as we enter the building, it seems they’ve been waiting for us. We get the keys to a white Toyota Echo which I find adorable, and you know how it goes: once you drive a particular car, you realize that half the population around you is driving the same thing. The moral of the story here is that if you get a terrific quotation, make the reservation right then and there. It is not binding if you change your mind, but if you don’t, you won’t have Señor Waldy Ramirez to contend with

Find Avis at:
1052 Ashford Avenue
Condado 00907
787-721-4499

L & M Car Rental
1051 Ashford Avenue
Condado 00908
787-725-8307