Last night’s rare sky formation called a “bridge triangle”. Taken in Rincon, Puerto Rico.

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According to the NYT, residents and tourists waded through knee-deep water yesterday as they navigated the city’s narrow streets and alleys, and its historic St. Mark’s Square was inundated.

One of the highest tides in its history brought Venice to a virtual halt, rekindling a debate over a plan to build moveable flood barriers in an effort to save the city from high tides.

For three decades, a single idea on how to safeguard Venice and its lagoon from sinking beneath the sea has held sway: a wall of hinged barriers at each of the three entrances to the lagoon that would rise at the flick of a switch to collectively block extreme high tides from entering the lagoon. Sounds simple, right? Well, it is, after a fashion. Below, watch an animated movie and see how the mobile gates would work.

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Into our second month here. We have moved into our place on a hill overlooking the town of Rincon.
Very pretty and breezier, thank god. It can be extremely hot here in the afternoon 87º+ on a regular basis. We just constructed a screen door, so we can keep the front door open being that there is only ac in the bedroom.

A couple of days ago, while driving back from dinner, I almost ran over a few stranded puppies that were left on the side of the road. There are so many stray dogs and cats here.  Not more than a month old, someone just dumped these 3 adorable dogs and cut out.  We stopped and put them in the back of our borrowed SUV. Home with us they went. Fortunately, we were able to find a home for one of the puppies and shelter the other two for adoption in Mayaquez.
The island has a cultural disregard for animals. Last year a horrible incident took place when animal control workers seized dozens of dogs and cats from housing projects in the town of Barceloneta and hurled them from a bridge to their deaths. Since then, there have been laws put into place to halt the abuse and negligence of dogs and cats.  Obviously, this has not stopped people from throwing them out of cars late at night. Very sad.

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Beautiful sunsets they do have, but living here in Puerto Rico has been an enlightening, frustrating and sad experience.

My partner (E) and I arrived a little over a month ago with the hopes of taking a break from NYC, and starting a seasonal bar/grill on the beach. E, would have time and space to read, write and do her artwork, and I would work on menus, cocktails, music and ambiance. How excited we were of the prospect of doing what we enjoy and of waking up to beautiful bright days by the sea.

We rented this small house on the beach. Not the tidiest, but on the beach afterall. We swam most morning before embarking on daily location scouting (for our new spot),  grocery shopping, book store hunting etc.

To give you some background, Rincon is on the far west side of the island.  San Juan is on the East side. There is a big surfing community here, both local and riders from abroad.  These beaches have some of the best surfing on the island.  Rincon also has a large ex-pat community. My guess is surfer dudes that started coming here in the 60’s and 70’s and just decided to stay or come back and settle in. Some have opened guest houses, casual eateries and of course…surf shops. As you can perhaps imagine, it is a very laid back town.

Coming from NYC, it has taken us quite some time to adjust. As New Yorkers, we are so accustomed to getting everything asap.  Here, there is no sense of urgency for anything. I’m not just talking about customer service, there is no urgency on the road, on the check out line, returning a call, keeping an appointment. They must be returning calls while driving because everyone is on a cell phone, which partly explains the turtle speed. I’m not sure if it’s the heat, but it’s unexplicable. I ‘ve heard of “tropical time” but this is ridiculous.

Rincon thrives on tourism. It’s their main source of employment and income. So, you would think that customer service would be priority. There is so much potential here, but I do not understand the disregard for some of the basic requirements to keep customers coming back. The funny thing is that I believe they know what it takes but, just don’t care. Maybe because no one really cares about them.

My parents are Puerto Rican. They both emigrated to the U.S. in the late 1950’s. Not by choice, unemployment was high in Puerto Rico. In the 1950’s, the United States under FDR implemented “Operation Bootstrap”. This program aimed to transform Puerto Rico’s economy from agricultural-based to manufacturing-based. The U.S. offered foreign businesses major tax incentives to get them to set up shop on the island which included hard-working men and women at a fraction of the price. Yes, cheap labor. In the meantime, farmers lost their land, some were bought or taken over by Americans or other foreigners and we stopped producing. If you go into any supermarket in Puerto Rico, all across the island, everything is imported. Puerto Rico has become a dumping ground for products and it’s people have become major consumers.  The U.S. will never give Puerto Rico it’s independence because it needs the island for business. Suzuki, Isuzu, Ponderosa, Burger King, Taco Maker. There are sooo many fast food chains here. Fish is imported from China. This is an island, surrounded by water, where is the fresh fish?

Does the U.S. care about the people of Puerto Rico? I’m beginning to think not. They ask, are we American? Are we Puerto Rican? This limbo state continues indefinitely. Do we have a voice? Certainly not in America. Puerto Ricans can not vote in U.S elections because they do not pay Federal taxes. They don’t seem to have much of a voice here either since many programs and funding need to be approved by the U.S. Federal government.

The island is having it’s elections for Govenor today. There has been a non-stop caravan of cars with loud music, and flag waving crowds along the roads cheering for either the red party (Popular Democratic Party) or the blue party (New Progressive Party). It just seems like an occasion to party and literally “burn rubber” with friends and family. I wondered if anyone really knew what their representatives stood for. Some of these kids weren’t even old enough to vote! I have been warned to stay indoors tonight and avoid the street frenzy that ensues after elections. If only Puerto Ricans were as enthusiastic about maintaining the beauty of the island and it’s waters, education, infrastructure, animal rights, gay rights…

I’ll be glued to the TV set tonight watching the elections in the States and listening to Reggaeton blasting out of souped up Hondas out my louvered windows.

…to be continued.

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The seven-night trip, dubbed the Sweet Caribbean Cruise, will start in New Orleans on Nov. 8, 2009, and include calls in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; and Roatan, Honduras. Sweet also is selling a two-day, pre-departure New Orleans package that includes city tours, voluntourism and ecotourism programs, as well as a kick-off celebration.

Norwegian says Sweet also is working with the country’s largest lesbian party promoter, Club Skirts, to host tea dances and parties on board.

Sweet is taking bookings for the voyage at 877-793-3830; more information is available at discoversweet.com.

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Last year, women in Pamplona, demanded their own version of the run complete with cows instead of bulls. Women have been allowed to take part in the San Fermin bull-running for some years but they still represent a tiny minority. Why would anyone want to do this anyway?

Since 2002, people have come together from all over the world to protest the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. According to a Gallup poll conducted in October 2006, 72 percent of Spaniards show no interest in bullfights – up from 54 percent in the 1980s. It is tourists who are keeping this cruel tradition alive.

images via Reuters

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Known for it’s breathtaking sunsets, Rincon is a secluded beach town with emerald hills that overlook golden calm waters at the south beaches and you can also ride big waves at the north beaches.

We’ve been coming here for the past 10 years , and fortunately, not much has changed. A Miami style hotel popped up a couple of years ago, much to my chagrin, but, I’ve gotten used to it by now. More jobs for the locals. Not a bad thing.

Puerto Rico was Hillary’s last stop during the long winded primaries of 2008. According to the media, Puerto Rican voters came out in full support of Clinton. What most neglected to mention was that only 16% of the voters participated in the primary, compared to 80% who usually vote for the general elections on the island.

Puerto Rico is a semi-independent commonwealth that cannot participate in America’s general elections. Those living in Puerto Rico, and all other U.S. territories, (Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa) are not permitted to vote in November. In order for residents of a territory to gain the right to vote in the general election, the territory would have to gain statehood, or the Constitution would have to be amended. For Puerto Ricans, the primary was a chance to make their voices heard on the mainland.

Puerto Rico’s role within American politics remains hopelessly muddled. The United States won the island from Spain in 1898. Today, 110 years later, Puerto Ricans’ ties to the mainland are still fraught. Since 1952 the island has been a commonwealth. Puerto Ricans can vote in presidential primaries, but not the election itself. They serve in the armed forces, but have no vote in Congress. They enjoy some federal programs, but pay no federal income tax. In essence, Puerto Rico is still a colony.

Puerto Ricans’ state of political limbo was reflected in their attitude to the primary.

Hillary visited Rincon among the 40 towns campaigned in and, enjoyed her stay while in PR at the Horned Dorset Hotel, situated in Rincon.

A couple of years ago, we splurged and had a nice 5 day stay at the Horned Dorset. A lush resort with beach fronted villas and infinity pools. Pricey, but worth it for a quiet getaway.

Rincon offers a variety of accommodations, from cozy bed and breakfast spots like, The English Rose, to surf shacks with minimal luxuries located in Puntas. There are also plenty of beach houses for rent. So, next time you’re looking for a sleepy beach town remember, no passport needed for US residents, Spanish and English are widely spoken and Jet Blue flies directly in Aguadilla airport which is approximately 30 minutes from Rincon.

Adios!

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As seen on BBC, campaigners on the Greek island of Lesbos are to go to court in an attempt to stop a gay rights organization from using the term “lesbian“.

The islanders say that if they are successful they may then start to fight the word lesbian internationally.

The issue boils down to who has the right to call themselves Lesbians. Is it gay women, or the 100,000 people living on Greece’s third biggest island – plus another 250,000 expatriates who originate from Lesbos?

The man spearheading the case, publisher Dimitris Lambrou, claims that international dominance of the word in its sexual context violates the human rights of the islanders, and disgraces them around the world. He says it causes daily problems to the social life of Lesbos’s inhabitants.

In court papers, the plaintiffs allege that the Greek government is so embarrassed by the term Lesbian that it has been forced to rename the island after its capital, Mytilini.

An early court date has now been set for judges to decide whether to grant an injunction against the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece and to order it to change its name.

A spokeswoman for the group has described the case as a groundless violation of freedom of expression, and has pledged to fight it.

The term lesbian originated from the poet Sappho, who was a native of Lesbos. Sappho expressed her love of other women in poetry written during the 7th Century BC.

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Unfortunately, I lost my bike to a creepy landlord who let me store my bike in his basement then essentially locked me out when he decided to sell the building. Typical.

Not wanting to waste another sunny moment, I did a little research and discovered a host of shops that rent bicycles by the hour or by the day. Fabulous!

My partner and I hoofed it over to Chelsea Bicycles and got a couple of “standard” bikes for 6 bucks an hour plus the requisite helmet (don’t leave home without it ). The bikes were well maintained, in great working order and the service was super friendly and speedy. Off we went.

After a two hour trek along the Hudson River bike path maneuvering around strollers, vendors, protesters, and other cyclist, we dropped off our wheels and did not have to worry about someone cutting our lock or having to schlep them up some stairs. It was a pleasure. Next week, Central Park!

Where to Go:
New York City Bike Path Map

Where to Rent:
Chelsea Bicycles
212 727 7278
info@chelseabicycles.net
130 West 26th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues)
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 AM-8 PM, Sun 11 AM-7 PM
Price: $35/24 hrs, $6/hr; helmet $5
Type of Rentals: road, hybrid, mountain

Bike and Roll
866 RENT-A-BIKE or 212 260 0400
nyc@bikeandroll.com
Pier 84, Hudson River Park (12th Avenue at West 43rd Street)
Hours: 9 AM-7 PM
Price: $30-$99/day, $8-$15/hour
Type of Rentals: cruiser, comfort, mountain, hybrid, road, tandem, kids

Bike Heaven
212 230 1919
mybikeheaven@yahoo.com
348 East 62nd Street (between First and Second Avenues)
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 AM-7 PM, Sat-Sun 9 AM-5 PM
Price: $35/24 hrs, $25/day, $5/hour; helmet $5
Type of Rentals: hybrid, mountain

Champion Bicycles
212 662 2690
896 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 103rd and West 104th Streets)
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 AM-7 PM, Sat-Sun 10:30 AM-6 PM
Price: $40/24 hrs, $30/day, $7/hr; helmet $5
Type of Rentals: hybrid, mountain

image: BeRadley via flickr

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