Puerto Rico--Archives #2

We were on to explore our third cave.  Just to insert a bit of information before continuing, PR driving is not for the timid.  Not all roads are marked well, and some roads (picture major highways) have no lane markings at all.  Imagine 4 lanes of traffic weaving, making their own way.  Thus said, this driving excursion was no exception.  Bill (we applaud your driving skills), at the helm, was looking for one of these such unmarked, unlabeled roads.  While we, his fellow passengers, sighed, smirked,  smiled and either offered silence or encouragement.  Depending, perhaps, on the length of the search. (Another bit of information-he found the sought for road because three men were sitting in chairs at the intersection, just like the first time he stumbled upon found it).  This prized road, our gateway to another adventure, was a one car road.  Meaning, if you met with another car, driving the opposite direction, someone needed to yield the right of way.  Concerning this road, way easier said than done.  This was the type of road that you honked your horn when rounding curves (lots of them), because you couldn't see beyond the curve.  At one point we climbed up and up and up.  Then the road fell away from our tires view.  Marc who was in the passenger seat, shot out of his seat and fainted gasped!  The road went straight down, and so did we. (May I mentioned yet again what a great driver Uncle Bill is?)  Finally, this road ended.  In the yard of a cluster of three homes, all of the same family members.  We offered payment for parking, which was waived away.  So we offered the next best thing we had, an apple pastry, which was accepted.  Imagine, a public hike on private land.  By this point of our day, daylight was fleeing.  We had one hour of hiking time.  Scrap the cave and make no trail mistakes (Marc and I are famous at losing our way on trails...)

This is a banana tree? A relative of a banana tree? At any rate, it was very cool.

In this last picture, you can see (towards the top), the opening of the cave we would have liked to have been standing at.

And the end of this day.



A new day dawns. And with it, a new terrain.

The one usually behind the camera; phone.

We are now in the town of Ponce.  A really neat town.  Full of flavor.  Full of iron.  So cool.  But before I give you picture after lovely picture of sightings in the town, let me say a few more words about Uncle Bill.  Number 1, he's a great guy.  Number 2, he was so kind to give his time to us as we never would have made it out of San Juan without him. (our Spanish being nonexistent).  Number 3, he loves to practice his Spanish on whomever he can. To Marc and I he really does quite well.  At times, a Spanish conversation will crumble into English, but he hangs in there for a really long time.  That's what he's doing here.  I think most of the locals enjoy the encounter.

to be continued...