Puerto Rico--Archives #4

GUILLIGAN ISLAND

Our next day got started a little late, so getting to the south-western part of the island was a bit of a push.  I did a bit of driving on this day.  I love driving.  Maybe not so much in Puerto Rico though.  Especially not through any towns. Driving in PR has its own vibe.  In PR, police cars drive around with the lights flashing and their sirens blaring, just because.  As Bill and Kim explained it, the folks of PR like having fun.  They like a party.  And a police car without the noise and lights is just, well, boring.  So back to Tunie behind the wheel, Kim likened it to being on a race track. :) Although for the record, she said I never made her feel nervous.  Our goal was twofold on this day.   First, we needed to get to this ferry location to be able to sink our teeth into some empanadas.  Second, we would try to see the sun set at the  Los Morrillos Lighthouse.

So after a bit of searching, we arrived at Guilligan's Island, ordered our empanadas, and sat down to enjoy the music (Island music-upbeat and very lively), and our first good view of the Caribbean.

After spending some time walking around this lovely, colorful, deserted place, our empanadas (isn't that a fun word say?) were ready.  Oh my, oh my!  Hot, heavenly, scrumptious, delectable (just for you Nikki), empanadas were these! Worth every single calorie!  Into the car, and the race against the setting sun was on.  

This place was lovely.  We had not the pleasure of a setting sun, but how could you not stand here and just feel in awe of a Creator who does all things so well?

It was getting a bit dark by this time, and I was feeling a little concerned that we would find our way back to the car in the growing darkness, but the waves were crashing and the wind was a bit wild, and it was rather hard to leave.  Just a note-the cliffs opposite of where we were standing, were the cliffs that we hiked the following day.

A new day was upon us, and we were back at this lovely spot.  If I were to live in PR, I think I would like it to be here.  This is the tip of the island, the Bahia Sucia, the most southern western place you can go.  This was also our play ground for learning the art of snorkeling.  Can you imagine?  What a place to spend a day.

But first, we wanted to do some hiking.  A sure way to really enjoy dipping into the Caribbean.  The lighthouse of the night before.

This coastline was breathtaking.  The relentless sun, the ceaseless wind which pushed and tugged at you so, and the deafening roar of the waves crashing into the cliffs, it was all so magnificent.  Each turn and bend was just a little different from the last, and kept propelling us forward.

I love this picture.

The time always seems to come upon us when we need to eat.  Or as Marc calls it-stoking the smokestack-which would be mine.  As we had no fine dining establishment within many a mile, we packed our own victuals.  We desired a spot of shade.  A rest from the wind.  A hiding from the sun.  And so we crawled into this little place of refuge and ate our fill of fruit and nuts and sandwiches.

You have to keep your eye on Kim.  We were walking along the cliff, and she spotted this hole, or cave below us.  In a wink she was off navigating the cliff to get down to it as Marc, big Bro, was uselessly offering words of concern and caution.  Ha ha.  She was wise and only ventured in a tiny bit.

Seeing this was a surprise, but then that was becoming the norm on this island.  We finished our hike, being quite hot, and looked forward to that beautiful water.  By the time we made it back to the beach, it had filled up considerably.  We found our little stash (which we hid in the brush) of towels and snorkeling gear, and got changed.  Neither Marc or I have ever snorkeled, so this was something quite new to us.  I learned to swim as a child, and can swim fine, but enjoy it, not so much.  And floating?  Ha ha! Not at all.  I sink!  So it was with a little concern that I was going to attempt snorkeling.  But alas! I floated! (thank you salt water)

 And besides that, it was actually fun!  We were ready for Culebra Island in a few days.

              to be continued.....

Fresh Eyes

I went out to dinner tonight with Nik.  Good old Texas Roadhouse, one of those places that just...is.  Neither particularly good nor particularly bad; the belly is filled with a minimum of fuss one way or the other.  Tonight was a little different, though.  Dinner tonight held an element of...Excitement! Danger! Adventure!  "Roadhouse?", you say?  "Adventure?"

Ah, indeed yes.  Tonight, we had a little man with us, and when you're seven months old, dinner is a wondrous excursion down all sorts of new and tremendously exciting paths.  One must navigate pitfalls (WATCH THAT PLATE!), thoroughly investigate whatever novelties one finds (this soft, squishy bread thing tastes good!), and make all sorts of discoveries, both good (ooey, gooey marshmallows) and....interesting! (Whooeeeyyy! This yellow thing is SOUR!!)


















It's funny, how something as routine as another plate of chicken critters takes on such sparkle when a little person is around.  We slow down...look around..."I wonder what he'll do with this ketchup bottle?"  "Here, give him the waxed paper from the dinner roll basket..."  "Can he have some Coke?"

 Suddenly, we grown-ups are sucked into the game.  Mealtime changes from a mere refueling session, rushed through en route to the next task on the checklist, to something bigger, and if you ask me, altogether better.  It seems like, somewhere in between dipping our fingers in honey mustard and rescuing dropped forks and wiping smashed sweet potatoes off of little noses, we start to see things with new eyes.  We hear a little better, gain some perspective.  Suddenly, all those big things we thought were so important are cut down to size.You start to understand why the Lord loved little children so much, and why he told us, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."













I want to live that way, every day.  Love every moment.  Savor every experience for the great adventure that it is.  Be grateful for eyes that see and ears that hear and a chance to make it all count.  Live Logan-style.

Rebecca

Rebecca.  I would like to introduce you to my wonderful 

daughter-in-law, Rebecca.  She is a delightful, pleasant, amiable young lady.  She's beautiful, bright and creative. She enjoys riding and training horses.  She enjoys teaching children.  She's a pretty special girl, and she loves my son, Tyler.  She's our answer to many prayers laid at the feet of Jesus.  She is God-send, and we love her dearly.  She also will be starting her first year of teaching.  We are so proud of her.  And so today, Nicole, my daughter, threw a surprise lucheon in her honor. What fun! I love, adore, and delight in surprises!  Even more so if I can have a hand in the making of one for someone else!  So this was our afternoon.  Fellowshipping and eating--always a gratifying activity!

                                         

LUNCH

STACKED-CHICKEN-BISTRO-SALAD

SOUTHWESTERN CHEESE SPREAD WITH ASSORTED CRACKERS

OVEN-ROASTED TOMATO AND AVOCADO SOUP

CAKE

We made the cheese spread into little balls, one for each plate, instead of one big ball of cheese.

Carrie's work space.  As neat as a pin.  Carrie is like this.  Neat.  Organized.  Methodical.  Disciplined.

My work space.  Explosive.

Roasting the tomatoes for the soup.

Haha! My impulsive answer to, "Which side of the plate does the napkin go on?"  "The right", I answered.  Carrie muttered just audibly, "I always put it on the left."  See?  Organized.  Precise.

Are you growing tired of viewing this plating? It can't be helped.  This lunch was so good.  Light.  Refreshing. Spicy.  A bite of cold, then a bite of hot.  Flavors playing on the palete.  A perfect lunch for a gathering of ladies.  (This is where I shine a little...where my creative genes can assert themselves.  Although to be fair, I was a little stumped on this menu.  I played with several different dish combinations in my head, and couldn't make it work.  Carrie came up with the soup--one we had made before--and it was perfect).  This was a fairly simple (ha!) menu.  We started it late last night, and I completed it this morning.  Nikki hosted it at her house.  So I could cook this morn, leave my mess, and enter into her spotless, cold house.  Ahhhh. Nice.

Because you really should make this:

Southwestern Cheese Spread

8 ozs cheddar cheese, shredded

4 ozs swiss cheese, shredded

4 ozs monterey jack cheese, shredded

2 tbsp diced green (we used orange) pepper

2 tbsp diced yellow pepper

2 tbsp diced red pepper

2 tbsp chopped green onions

1 1/2 tsp minced capers

3/4 tsp minced garlic

3/4 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp chopped dill

3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

dash tabasco sauce

3/4 tsp cajun spices (I've never used....)

2 to 3 tbsp dijon mustard (don't use the regular stuff!)

1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Combine cheeses, peppers, green onions, capers, garlic, worcestershire, dill, cilantro, tabasco, mustard, and mayo in a large bowl.  Stir to blend.  Line a bowl with plastic wrap, leaving a 4-inch overhang.  Press cheese mixture into bowl and fold plastic overhang over top.  Cover with another piece of wrap and refrigerate.  When ready to serve, unfold plastic wrap and invert onto a serving plate.  Serve with tortilla chips and assorted crackers.

another great recipe from Stop and Smell the Rosemary, adapted 

sweet girls!

Puerto Rico--Archives #3

Grandparents having some fun!  The town of Aibonito.

We have now arrived at our hiking grounds.  Our hiking grounds?  You would think so.  We only ran into one group of hikers at one of the waterfalls.  Otherwise, we had this place to ourselves.  In fact, of all the places we trekked, excluding anything to do with water, we had to ourselves.  It would be pretty cool to go to Glacier National Park or Yosemite or YoHo (Canada), and have it this way.  This is called San Cristobal Canyon, and it was fun!

The descent.

We've made it to the bottom.  Rock hopping is about to commence.  I love spending a day in this fashion.

The first of three waterfalls comes into view.

As we made our way to this waterfall, another group was making their way also.  Although this group of hikers were coming from the top of the falls.  They had hiked through the brush and trees and had come down the side of the falls.  Notice the helmets?  They were a pretty lively group and ended up in the water.  Helmets, life vests, cameras and all.  We continued on down the canyon.

This is so neat.  It's like someone built this to walk upon.  I love seeing the handiwork of God.  In Job it says, "Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;  To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?"

We've made it to the second waterwall, and our personal swimming hole. :) The water was cold and refreshing.

And now, the third waterfall.  This was quite a beautiful playground.

We had stayed longer than we intended to.  Stomachs (well mine), were asserting themselves, that real food was in order.  I cannot sustain myself  to long on nuts and fruit, as some folks can.  So we gathered up our packs, and began the climb out of the canyon. 

And this is the lovely place we chose to dine at!

Typical Puerto Rican food.  It was good!

to be continued....