Winter is over and the weather is gorgeous!
Next weekend is busy here on the island with lots to do and see. Happy St. Patrick's day to all and an open invitation to walk, dance and parade from Luquillo Town Square to El Flamboyan for Irish food, drinks, dance and raffle for items donated by the local business.

Other interesting events across the island this weekend are:

•  Ironman 70.3 Puerto Rico on Sunday March 17th
  
• National Salsa Day dance at Hiram Bithorn stadium also on Sunday
•  Corona Pro Surf Circuit 34th Edition at Domes Beach kicks off on Thursday March 15th and ends Sunday March 17th
  

Upcoming events:
March 30-31: Coffee and Chocolate Expo in San Juan

 This week is the culmination of the Holy Week Celebrations and the island is back to work. All the business' will have return to normal hours and the festivities are back to the basics like the celebration of Jose De Diego.

​Jose de Diego Day is celebrated annually on the island on the third Monday in April. Jose was born in Aguadilla in 1866 and spent his life and career working toward the independence of Puerto Rico. He was a staunch and outspoken anti-Spanish rule activist in his day and partnered with President McKinley to overturn Spanish rule.

Many towns across the islands hold parades and festivals in remembrance of this great Puerto Rican patriot.

Unfortunately our condo is still awaiting repairs from damaged sustained during Hurricane  Maria last fall I really hope you will book a trip to the Caribbean as tourism is the one source of income that will help all the affected islands and people as they are trying to recover from the devastation. 
Here is an article from Afar Magazine that explains in greater details:



The Best Way to Help Hurricane Relief in the Caribbean? Book a Trip
 article written by: Devorah Lev-Tov    11.3.2017

​
The tropical islands need your support more than ever—and these travel initiatives are making it even easier to give back.A lot of bad news came out of the Caribbean this hurricane season, causing many travelers to rethink their winter getaway plans. While 12 islands did suffer incredible damage, forcing many hotels—and entire islands—to close for the winter, there are many more that were lucky enough to avoid direct hits. Islands such as  St. Lucia, Grenada, Curaçao, and Barbados are all open (see a complete list of open and closed islands here). And they need your business.

“The Caribbean covers over 1 million square miles and the storms only damaged small pockets in the region,” says Adele Garbutt, director of Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel in Grenada. “Tourism is a major source of trade and supports many of the economies in the Caribbean.”

And here’s an added bonus: When you spend your tourist dollars at unaffected islands, you could directly help affected islands. How? Several initiatives, such as the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) One Caribbean Family, allow hotels in the region to easily donate a portion of their bookings to help their neighbors in need.

“A number of [hotels] are joining the One Caribbean Family initiative established by CHTA and are offering to contribute a set or percentage amount based upon travelers’ bookings to the Caribbean Tourism Recovery Fund,” says Frank Comito, CEO and director general of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association. “It is important that the unaffected governments do not experience a downturn in tourist arrivals because the traveling public might mistakenly believe that those islands were impacted. This would adversely affect their budgets and also could negatively impact employment levels.” 

The article continues below and simply put, it would be devastating for travelers to avoid the entire region due to a misunderstanding of the impact.

Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel,(Grenada) which sustained no damage, is one of many properties participating by committing $50 per booking to the fund for stays from now until December 31, 2017. Supporting those affected by the hurricanes this year was personal for Calabash.  
“In 2004, Grenada was devastated by Hurricane Ivan. Ninety percent of the island was destroyed, so we know what it is like to live through the aftermath of a storm. Having no home, electricity, or running water was a reality for many Grenadians for several months,” says Garbutt. “Our Caribbean neighbors came to our rescue back then. They helped us rebuild and recuperate, and it is our duty to return the favor.”

Antigua, which narrowly escaped major damage and is fully back in business, has several hotels giving back. One is Hermitage Bay, which is donating $50 per booking from now through December 15, 2017, to the One Caribbean Family fund and extending a $250 air credit via Classic Vacations to encourage travel to the region. Classic Vacations is also donating $50 per booking to One Caribbean Family. 

Many in St. Lucia, which came through the season largely unscathed, were moved by the damage sustained by nearby Dominica. The Anse Chastanet, Caille Blanc Villa, and Jade Mountain, are just a few of the hotels donating portions of their bookings to One Caribbean Family and are each offering a resort credit match for additional donations made, meaning if you give, say, an extra $100 you’ll get $100 to use at the resort. BodyHoliday, who sent a boat laden with goods to Dominica, is donating $5 per night of a booking to the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Relief Fund.

Graycliff Hotel in the Bahamas is contributing $10 per night from each booking and $5 per diner at its restaurants to the HeadKnowles Hurricane Fund (a local Bahamas fund—the Bahamas did have some damage), One Caribbean Family, and CTO’s Tourism Relief Fund. 

Sailrock Resort in the south Caicos, which sustained minor grounds-related damage, will reopen on December 16, 2017. Sailrock Development Limited president and director Colin Kihnke will match all donations up to $1 million to the South Caicos Heritage Foundation, which was established to support the restoration of the island.

And the newly renovated Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa is offering the Westin Reveal Package to travelers now through December 22, 2017. Ten dollars of the daily resort charge when booking with this package will go to One Caribbean Family. The Cayman Islands were not impacted by the hurricanes.

Those who love a good island-hopping tour can also help: Now through November 30, 2017, travelers who book CheapCaribbean.com’s new Rum Tour, with stops in Antigua, St. Kitts, and Barbados, will have 20 percent of their booking fee donated to Tourism Cares.

This article was written and published in November of 2017 but the Caribbean does really need your business.

Rip Current Statement
 
 
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
National Weather Service San Juan PR
420 AM AST Fri Jan 26 2018
 
PRZ001-002-005-012-VIZ001-002-261630-/O.CON.TJSJ.RP.S.0009.180126T2200Z-180129T1000Z/
San Juan and Vicinity-Northeast-North Central-Culebra-St.Thomas…St. John...and Adjacent Islands-St Croix-
420 AM AST Fri Jan 26 2018
 
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...
 
* LOCATION...Northern beaches of Puerto Rico, Culebra, St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix.
 
* TIMING...Through late Sunday night.
 
* IMPACTS...Strong currents that can carry away even the best of swimmers.
 
 
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
 
There is a high risk of rip currents.
 
Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. 
 
Don`t swim against the current. 
 
If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline.

If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.
 

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


​

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