Where the hell have I been?

Saturday morning started out yet another beautiful day (we're on a roll here). As I was sitting at the cart, a friend from St. John surprised me, showing up strolling across the bridge, a great unexpected Christmas present. We did bits of Culebra, including some great Night Riding with Greg, conga night, Amy Jo at Dinghy Dock, and then headed over to Vieques, one of about three Caribbean islands he's never visited.

Penny from Sea Gate hotel made us welcome, in her own inimitable style. At Mar Azul, my favorite bar in Isabella Segunda, we saw Al the owner, and Jimmy of Coqui Fire hot sauce, who told me I had hot sauce waiting at the airport on Culebra. Oops! But if you've been waiting for it, it's in (along with some Trinidad Charlie's sauces from St. John, which little Laurie brought back on her sailboat. Thanks, Laurie, you rock)!

A great local meal (I can't remember the name of the restaurant, sorry), a couple trips to Mar Azul, waking to 10,518 really angry sounding roosters at 2:30 a.m. (you think we have roosters? NOTHING like over there...there are 1000's and they're mad!). Then some friends of mine tracked us down and took us to breakfast in Esperanza at Tradewinds, followed by a trip to their very awesome home. They've planted a gazillion ginger & heliconia plants to surround their new pool (new to me, since my last visit) and it looks incredible. I was too awed to even remember to take photos. Thanks mucho, Karen and Lee, what a nice treat to see you both.

I felt like a complete tourist on holiday during the Christmas season, something I've never done and really enjoyed...so that's what it feels like. I came home with island fever, really glad I didn't have to wonder how I could move and live here forever. Huge thanks to Steve for a brief, refreshing and absolutely unexpected time out.

Mar Azul bar, with Jimmy's football season snack bar...and a great Tequila sign

Al, owner of Mar Azul, and a friend who dropped in

Our amazing meal...whole fish, obviously, and Tropical lobster, which looked like uh oh and turned out to be yum yum

Steve & MJ feeling sated full

Yet another neat space at Sea Gate...where you'll find your favorite book in your room

Weird yard in Vieques...what is it about dolls and Puerto Rico...scary!

View of Culebra from the ferry, heading to Fajardo from Vieques

Sitting in the unofficial waiting room in Fajardo...never know who you'll run into!. Crazy Russians can be anywhere!

Home again...waiting for the green flash that didn't quite happen...

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