Views

Submitted by lmcshane on Thu, 02/28/2008 - 20:06.

It's always good to return home with fresh eyes.  There are so many positives to our city.  It all depends on your view.

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except for the imported trees

this looks like home for me... I am cold and wishing I was there. Glad you had a good trip, Laura.

People watching

  Where are the good places to people watch in Cleveland?  Admittedly, bathing suits make the view more entertaining, but this is one popular past time in San Juan.  This image was taken at the restaurant Di Parma, where we lived each night along the plaza Ventana al Mar.  The food was fabulous and the wait staff superb.  I would go back every night just for Oscar!

Reasonable

I won't go into specifics, but lest anyone thinks this was an expensive trip...think again.  It can be done economically, almost ridiculously cheap.  We ran into an East Indian couple at La Mallorquina, who flew down on Spirit airlines for $9.00.  Our lunch at La Mallorquina was $12.00.  And no passports needed.  Kids are welcome, almost encouraged. 

On Saturday night, it was thrilling to see grandparents, parents, gay couples, straight couples and kids enjoying the night life!  And no attitude--every one was good to us.  Gracias San Juan.

Here is a photo from the other side of the hotel--not as appealing and it does show the high contrast of life in San Juan--but beautiful, nonetheless:

Alternativa

  Alternativa de Trasporte Integrado--La manera inteligente de moverte.  Not so hard to understand, yet not well understood in Puerto Rico or in NEO.  The island is overrun with traffic, congestion and refuses to recycle!  Remarkably like Cleveland to me. 

In Cleveland, there is a class attitude of let the "poor" ride public transportation, let the poor worry about housing and suffer with an infrastructure that has been reduced to shambles.  See the effects of this throwaway mentality in Puerto Rico.  My sister compared it to the Planet of the Apes.  Can you see the ruins overgrown with vines?  Let Mayan culture be an example--once fed by a system of canals that fell into disrepair due to warfare and deforestation, destroying a mighty culture.

Inserte en esta direccion/Este lado hacia usted!