An unremarkable and surprisingly long three and a half hour flight down to Puerto Rico, until we reached the island, flying over outgoing and incoming cruise ships and a flight path directly over Old San Juan. Didn't know anything about it at the time, but from the air, I knew I wanted to visit that place. Come to find out that Old San Juan is one of the prime tourist destinations of Peurto Rico.
The cab ride to my hotel was the ride of my life. New York which is famous for its taxis are nothing compared to the operations here. The ride started normal, then I got stuck in rush hour traffic. I could tell that traffic was definitely going to be an issue here. A small quaint island it was not. My driver started speaking Spanish to another taxi driver coming the opposite direction, and even with my total lack of understanding Spanish, I could tell there was an accident ahead. My driver slowly worked his was to the next exit and I took a ride through the poor local districts all the way to my hotel. First, I couldn't believe the taxi could fit on these roads, secondly, I couldn't believe he fit, with parked cars and oncoming traffic. The small narrow streets and people everywhere did not affect his speed. He only hit another car door once.
I was disappointed to find that my hotel was further away from the main beach and hotel cluster than I thought, but that would account for my hotel being half the price. A quick walk around my hotel I was unable to see how I was able to walk over to the main area as it seems I was separated by a large lagoon and highways. The few small local restaurants that I walked past were all closed/not open yet and didn't look that great. I ended up eating at the hotel.
Early start on Tuesday as my customer picked me up at the hotel. After getting to the business on the other side of the city, we drove to a warehouse location where I performed the training so that nobody else in the company could find my students. The warehouse was an unpleasant place to work for the rest of the week. Water was only available for one day. An advantage/disadvantage was that because I was working for a distribution company for many products, including various snack items, there was no shortage of foods and candies in the training room from boxes stolen from throughout the warehouse. Lunch consisted of a simple sandwich brought in from somewhere. Nothing fancy, but satisfying enough.
Leaving work that day, the tropical rains started. Most evenings for the rest of the week I had torrential rainstorms. I took a taxi that evening down to San Juan beach and hotel district to find a place to eat. It was a short trip, and barring the rain, I knew how to walk it for the rest of the week. I hid in the Marriott Lobby bar as the rain would not stop. I thought I would have to settle in for several drinks and some sort of appetizers, when the rain slowed a little and I decided to take a chance and explore the main strip. I finally decided on Tijuana's Bar. It was a small eatery where I found an empty stool at the bar. I followed my rule of trying a pork dish (pork is always cooked differently, no matter where you go in the world I have found). If I had ordered a Pork Burrito in the US, I would have expected some sort of barbecue pork thing, but here I got almost a dry roasted pork with some sort of sweet marinade and the usual fare of cheese, beans and guacamole. The real punch for the evening was the margarita. The first one was good, and by the second one I was feeling a little wasted. Excellent for just two drinks. Receiving the bill, I found that the drinks were not cheap, but luckily, they only charged me for one, and rather than being honest as I usually would since I expense the meal, I let this one slip. I was thankful for the walk back to the hotel as I need to sober up a bit.
Wednesday was another typical day at work with pizza brought in for lunch. For dinner, with a break in the rain, I walked back down into the city. Before eating, I decided to look for the beach in the fading daylight. As seems typical in these tourist areas, the hotels line the beach and it was very difficult to find public access. Once I found it via a road, it was disappointing. Its a shame they have allowed the island to be built up so much and ruin the beachfront. Where are the public access parks? I know they exists (I did find them another night), but it would be better if the whole area was open. For dinner, I decided on Yerbabuena, a contemporary Caribbean place. I had Red Snapper in a wine sauce with a flash fried mash potato thing. It was a great meal, sitting outdoor in a relaxed atmosphere. The economy seems to have hit the tourism trade here, as there were not many people out tonight. I tried the local beer for the first time tonight "Madella light" meaning medals in Spanish apparently for all the awards it has won. I have to admit, that for a light beer, I enjoyed it very much. I will be looking for that back home.
On Thursday, we finally went out for lunch (and I could use a bathroom for the first time). We went to Chicago Burger company where I tried a single small Chicago Deep Dish pizza. I never have that at home and its funny that I have to come to Puerto Rico to have some excellent Chicago style pizza. While one of the other guys went to the bank, we walked around a local Mall. Nothing special, like every other mall in America. The island definitely got the consumer culture from the American Occupation.
It has been raining hard all day, and did not let up all night. Since I had eaten a large lunch, I decided to try and go for a a run after work. The rain had slowed a little so I took a chance, changed and headed in the opposite direction than I had been going the other nights. I ran across some highways, some bridges and reached the shoreline. I found out later that I had actually crossed onto the small island that Old San Juan is located on. I kept running along the shore. The rain was back in full force and now I had to contend with the strong onshore winds. It hurt to look out to sea with the horizontal rain, but it was amazing see the rough and raw surf of the Atlantic ocean. I ran along a road lined with palm trees and with no buildings on the backside. It was nice to be in an undeveloped area. I continued running through a park and along a beach. With the disappearing light and for my own safety, I turned back and returned to the hotel. That night I ate again at the hotel - its always disappointing when you are in another country to eat at the hotel.
Friday is here and I was happy to wrap up work. We had squeezed seven days of training into four and I and the students were tired. We took a late lunch in some Mexican joint. I had some sort of sweet pork taco dish that was excellent and washed it down with a margarita. One of the surprising things to learn from this trip was how much Mexican/Spanish influence there was on this island, and not the Caribbean influence of the very close Caribbean islands. Eating at a Mexican restaurant in Atlanta, you always have to endure the Mexican/Latin music. I always thought that was fake and put there for us Gringos, but from this trip, I've learnt that this is the music everyone listens too all the time and loud. No wonder these people like to dance and party when all they do is listen to happy and peppy songs all day.
After work, Israel took me on a tour around Old San Juan before taking me to the hotel. We walked around the sights for a couple of hours. It was like stepping back in time. It was a five hundred old year city preserved behind the massive Spanish fort that once protected this island. It was very beautiful and a different world. I would have to return the next day and take photos when I have light. It was late when I got back to the hotel and I was ready to eat. I walked back down into the city. The other nights the city had been quite, but Friday had transformed it. It was full of very well dressed up young people. There was no way I could get into my regular haunts with what I was wearing. I also felt uncomfortable being the lonely single guy eating dinner while everyone else around me was preparing to party. I finally settled on the Chicago Burger Company at the end of the strip. It was very uncool, but also mostly empty, and being American, it had no dress code. I ate, and was happy to leave.
I awoke early on Saturday morning. Rather than being lazy, I showered, dressed and started walking to Old San Juan. The walk took me about fifty minutes. I walked around the small winding streets and small parks talking photos all morning. A couple of cruise ships had come in the previous evening so I wanted to beat the crowds. I couldn't believe the amount of cars, as these brick paved streets were designed before a automobile could have even been imagined. Today I was blessed with sunshine, but a fierce wind. With blisters forming, I had to turn back. I went back via the beach I had run past the other evening. Today it was filled with locals. I took fifteen minutes to walk in the sand, wade through the water and just relax. It was the best fifteen minutes of the trip. The sea air does wonders for the body and mind.
Returning to the hotel, I packed, sat in the sunshine for a while, then jumped in a taxi and started the boring trip back to the states. The only plus for the return was the upgrade to first class. Funny since they just unjustly downgraded my status, that I suddenly get an upgrade. All I can say is movies with gin and tonic - that and the apparent drama I missed in cattle class in the back. During the flight a doctor was called over the PA but I couldn't see why. I learnt after the flight that a flight had broken out and one guy had his face pushed to the back of his head. The blood was extensive. When we landed the police came in the back and the medics in the front. Still not sure what really happened, but as I said - Gin and Tonic.
