HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE!

The NPS turns 101 years old this week and in celebration they are offering FREE
admission to all patrons visiting El Morro or San Cristobal on August 25th


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A beautiful day and a great day to discuss drinks!  Did you know that the Pina Colada originated here in Puerto Rico?
Yes it did.

So as you may know Puerto Rico is an island dedicated to the celebration of food and drink with many festivals throughout the year that focus on food and drinks. Well that is a long-standing tradition.

Two bartenders from Puerto Rico won a contest for the ownership of their national drink. Ramón "Monchito" Marrero Pérez claims to have first made it at the Caribe Hilton Hotel's Beachcomber Bar in San Juan in 1954, using the then newly-available coco lópez cream of coconut. Coco lópez was developed in Puerto Rico in 1948 by Don Ramón López-Irizarry, hence the Puerto Rican connection and the 1952 account of the drink's creation. Some say the drink did not acquire its name until the 1960s. The Caribe Hilton Hotel sits on a 17-acre peninsula outside San Juan and was the first luxury hotel to open in the region, becoming a popular destination for the rich and famous who helped spread word of the drink.

Ramón Portas Mingot also says he created it in 1963 at the Barrachina Restaurant, 104 Fortaleza Street, Old San Juan. The restaurant stands by his claim to this day.

Even pirates can lay claim to creating this drink: Puerto Rican pirate Roberto Cofresi was said to have used a concoction of white rum, coconut and pineapple to boost the spirits of his crew prior to his death in 1825. Unfortunately his recipe was lost when he died so he gets little credit with the creation of this famous beverage.


National Piña Colada Day is celebrated on the islands on 10 July and is considered to be the national beverage of Puerto Rico.

If you are planning to visit any of the NPS Forts on the island wait until April 22 and 23rd as the forts are offering free admission to all on those days.

Another great event occurring on April 23rd is the Rio Camuy raft fest. This event is family friendly and the locals pull out all the stops with decorating their canoes, kayaks and motor-less flotation vehicles for a festival and floating parade.  You will find this large gatheing on the river on the outskirts of the town of Rio Camuy. This event allows family and friends to gather together for a great day of entertainment and fun. A lot of emphasis is placed on outdoor activities, with visitors being able to participate in mountain biking and amateur diving contests. There is live music to liven up the atmosphere, while great food keeps your appetite wonderfully content. Much of the land-based action takes place along Joaquín Martínez Avenue. However, the water is where the most exciting parts of the event occur. That is where a massive rafting event takes place during the course of the festival. Many of the participants take advantage of the opportunity by getting very creative with their boats, often creating some really odd-looking and mind-boggling boats. Others stick to more normal buoyancy devices and make use of rafts, kayaks and tubes. All participants enter into a race which follows the river down-stream on a scenic voyage which lasts for around 45 minutes. In past years, up to 360 people have taken part in the voyage, with fans of the event lining the banks to cheer on the craziness. With that many people in the water, the traffic is obviously insane. However the number of participants also testifies to the popularity of the event.

If you like historical buildings with phenomenal architecture you can't miss La Fortaleza!

Also known as Palacio de Santa Catalina this is the only structure in the western hemisphere still in use since its construction in the 16th century. This was the first fortification built by the Spaniards in San Juan Harbor. Constructed between 1533 and 1540 the original fort consisted of a circular tower and four massive stone walls.

At the end of the 16th century  the Spaniards added the Austral, a second tower to defend against Carib raiders. Invaders only were able to capture the fort twice in the history. The first time the fort was taken was in 1598 by the English then again in 1625. In 1625 the Dutch were unsuccessful in their siege against San Felipe del Morro so they burned the city including the fort.

From 1640 onward it was customary for the island's Governor to utilize the fort as a personal residence. In 1846, La Fortaleza was enlarged and the street facade was altered. The original tower was named Torre del Homenaje (tower of Homage) still stands. The name reflects the tradition of the resident Governor climbing to the top of the tower to pledge an oath of loyalty and courage to the island during dangerous times,

While the island was under Spanish rule the fort was designated the Spanish Captain-General of Puerto Pico's official residence but after transition to being a US territory the building became the official residence and offices of Puerto Rico's Governor.

The fort was added to the UNESCO's World Heritage Site list in 1983 and has free guided tours of both the indoor and garden areas. . Call 787-721-7000, extension 2211 or 2323 for details on schedules and reservations.

   La Fortaleza, a National Historic Landmark, is located within the San Juan National Historic Site in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is open 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday-Friday. Call 787-729-6960 or visit the park's website for more information. La Fortaleza has also been documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey

It is the first Sunday of the month so head to the Humacao Culinary Fest!
This event is monthly and occurs at 11:00 am at Luis Munoz Rivera Square. Even if you miss the culinary festival the town square is beautiful and 

Holidays on the island.......LA FERIA opens today and runs through 3 Kings Day January 6th 2017

http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/la-feria/ for a great article about the event.

Park is only open during the holidays from November to January; CHECK FOR DATES AND TIMES

 Do you know someone who loves amusement parks or carnivals? Then La Feria – The Park will be right up their alley. This annual carnival runs from mid-November through early January (just after Three Kings Day).

While it’s not the largest amusement park some people may have been to, it is the largest one in the Caribbean. So, for us, it is HUGE FUN! This family-friendly fair is full of amusement park rides and games, food and refreshments, live music and shows, holiday light displays and even a petting zoo. There is something for all ages.

This is a traditional carnival with a Puerto Rican flair---lots of music, food and games.
The rides (and most of the employees) are brought in from the States, so many of the workers spoke English.
 
The idea behind this park is that you pay one price to get in, and then you can go on the rides as many times as you want all night. There were lots of rides for the younger kids, and a decent amount of rides for older kids and adults.
But most of the non-kiddie rides needed an extra ticket that you have to buy inside the park. These extra tickets were usually $2 each, but a few were $3 or even $5 per ride. There were a number of adult rides that were included in the park pass, so you can enjoy the evening without paying extra.

The games of chance allow you to try and win a variety of stuffed animals and other prizes and are a few bucks per play. There are all sorts of other fun things to buy like temporary tattoos, T-shirts and jewelry.

Not to be overlooked is the food. They have the usual fair fare like pizza, cotton candy, candy apples and popcorn. But there was also some more local stuff, like pinchos and empanadillas. There were some unusual things like deep-fried Twinkies, Oreos and Milky Way bars! Beer and mixed alcoholic drinks were also available.

Included in the price of admission are live music shows and a small circus show featuring acrobats. The live music stage was open-air, had a small dance floor and was standing only (no seats). The circus show was under a small tent and it had seating. On the night we went the live music started at 8pm and the acrobat show was at 9pm. They don’t post show times anywhere. So you will need to be flexible.

The admission prices for the 2015/2016 season :

• Monday to Thursday: adults $18.50, kids (3-11 years) $14.50, Seniors (65+) $9.50, Family (2 adults + 2 kids) $60.50.
• Friday to Sunday: adults $20.50, kids (3-11 years) $16.50, Seniors (65+) $10.50, Family (2 adults + 2 kids) $62.50.
• Handicapped people and seniors (60+ years) are reduced price
• Parking is $5.
• Prices include tax

The carnival is open 7 days/week. Monday to Thursday from 6pm to 12midnight. Friday to Sunday (and holidays) from 3pm to 12midnight.
If you want to leave the park and return later, get your hand stamped on the way out.


GPS COORDINATES:  18.416277,-66.07281
 

Today is a Puerto Rican holiday: Discovery of Puerto Rico day is celebrated every year on November 19 in commemoration of Christopher Columbus landing on the island in 1493. This is a public holiday which means that the schools, banks and public offices are closed on this day. A grand festive parade is held, people also enjoy fairs and other cultural events.  Columbus and his flotilla set sail on their second voyage on September 25, 1493 and by November 19 they landed on the island. He named it San Juan Bautista, but the name was changed during the 1520s after the name of the most developed and famous settlement of the island. The name of the settlement was changed to San Juan to avoid misunderstanding and confusion.


Celebration of Discovery Day also marks the beginning of the Christmas seasons. The festive decorations of the Christmas trees are lit up, people start preparing for Christmas.

Hello all,

While perusing you-tube I found this great video showcasing all the things Luquillo has to offer and I thought I would share.......

Happy Halloween!!!
So you only have tonight and tomorrow to check out the Route 66 outlet mall and the annual Psycho Circus Haunted Attraction.

PSYCHO CIRCUS HAUNTED ATTRACTION - 3D
A unique experience where you'll have to survive the persecution of clowns killers escaped from a mental institution in a maze that only seek to have fun taking out anyone who dares to enter his circus.
Do you have what it takes to survive, or you will become your own fear?

Enjoy this terrifying experience 3-D only in Puerto Rico!
Monday: 6pm-11pm
Sunday: 2 PM-8 PM
 General admission $ 19.00 (tax included)
Tickets available at the box office located in front of the attraction the days of the event.
For more information please call us at 787-256-7040.

When we visit OSJ for the afternoon we like to go into Casa Bacardi first if we have friends who want to take the distillery tour then we drive the short distance to the Catano Ferry and take that over to OSJ. OSJ was built in the 1600’s and the parking is atrocious! If you choose this parking plan please remember that the last ferry departs OSJ about 9:30pm and the taxi ride is EXPENSIVE!
 
http://www.casabacardi.org/ Bacardi’s largest distillery that was once located in Cuba and moved to Puerto Rico with the influx of the communist regime. We usually park at the Catano Ferry dock and ride the ferry ($1.00) round trip per person into Old San Juan to avoid the parking nightmare in OSJ.
 
Casa Bacardi now offers a $12 factory tour that includes a rum drink in a keepsake cup, $45 Mixology tour where you learn to mix 3 of the most famous rum drinks (Cuba Libre, Mojito and Pina Colada) or a $45 Rum Tasting tour where you learn the nuances of the different rums that Bacardi creates.
 
Between Casa Bacardi and the Ferry is a large yellow building and the public parking lot is just to the west of the building. It is easy to see on the satellite google map of the area.
 
The Catano Ferry (La Lancha de Catano) runs every ½ hour from Catano to Pier 2 in Old San Juan. The ride is about 8 minutes long. It doesn’t go by any of the "sites" of Old San Juan, but you can see the old city wall, the San Juan Gate and El Morro in the distance, also you can view Casa Bacardi and Isla de Cabras on the trip. The bay next to the ferry occasionally has manatee feeding so be on the lookout.
The fare is $0.50 each way. People aged 60-74 years pay 25¢ and seniors (75+ years) are always free. You can buy your tickets at the ferry terminals. Extra baggage/stuff (like bikes/ice chests) also have a small fee.
 
There is also a decent Puerto Rican restaurant right in the Cataño pier area called Don Tello. We have not been there, but I hear that the food is good and inexpensive, and the restaurant has a good view!