Hello everyone
Just a last update on the rest of the Caribbean trip.
I had a great time while staying in the apartment in Rockley, Barbados. I attended the Congaline music festival Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Had a local date for Sunday night.
On Saturday I went for a pedicure at a small spa in the fancy hotel next door to my apartment buildin. Did some shopping during the day Friday and Saturday.
Sunday morning I hired a taxi to take me for an island tour north and west to the stunning beauty of the West Coast of Barbados where the world famous Bathsheba cliffs are. They are more marvelous than advertised. Yet another place where the sweeping vistas are breathtakingly gorgeous and you could swear you are looking at Africa from atop lava mountains.
Sunday afternoon was set aside for beach time but I covered myself with 45SPF sunblock and sat in the shade of a palm tree to avoid the sun. Read, slept and journaled on a chaisse lounge that I brought down from the apartment.
Monday was the day of departure to go to San Juan, Puerto Rico. I stayed at the Caribe Hilton which is a gorgeous hotel. Unfortunately, though, my stay was not a pleasant one. I had numerous problems with service there including them not posting my deposit to my account. This meant that I had to give them more money when I checked out. Grumble. There was a major hassle in one of the restaurants on my first night too. My last night, they made up for it with lots of extra service, a free drink and free dessert.
While there I enjoyed a manicure at Olas SPA and excellent meals and service at Olas Health Food Cafe.
I signed up for a tour to the Rio Camuy Caverns and Arecibo Observatory. This was a great day trip. We started with the 2 hour drive to the Rio Camuy Caverns National Park (see photos soon to be posted) then had lunch at Restaurante de Observatoire. The Arecibo Observatory was a thrilling visit for me. The Awesome feeling of standing on the visitors' platform above the gigantic dish is impossible to describe. For me it was nothing less than a life changing experience. This is the place where scientists listen to, watch and study the far reaches of the universe. A place that I would love to work just to be that close to the possibilities.
San Juan was also a wonderful city... but, of course, I speak of the historic Old San Juan. The rest of San Juan is a huge, noisey, grbage strewn city with too much traffic. The entire coastline on either side of San Juan and stretching for miles in both directions is lined with large hotels and resorts teaming with pasty white tourists from the worlds cold spots. Yuck.
In Old San Juan I walked for hours. Visiting the 2 'forts' that are at opposite ends of the city. Castillo de filipe del Morro and Castillo de San Cristobal. Both very impressive and set up for touring. The walks to and from the forts were along the city walls overlooking the ocean to the north and gave a good view of the city and scenery.
I arrived home to Ottawa on Friday May 2 following the worst yet of the American Airlines many flight fiascos. Yes, I was supposed to be home on Thursday May 1 in the afternoon but had to spend a night in Montreal (a place I was not scheduled to be) without my luggage which went to Ottawa ahead of me. Thank goodness it was there at Ottawa Airport when I arrived Friday morning.
I have had a nice visit home and was able to visit many friends and family but not everyone I would have liked to visit. I'll catch up with the rest after my return on June 19. Now I must run because I have a bus to catch to Dorval on the route to Zurich, Switzerland, the first stop in my 6 week tour of Scandinavian Europe, Bruxelles, England and Ireland. Got rail passes will travel.
I will continue to update this blog whenever possible.
Posted by gailene at May 10, 2003 11:57 AM