Tag Archives: Rincon

Winding Down and Winding Up to the Season

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The Sahara dust that the wind carries with storms over the ocean limits visibility and creates hazy days, but also spectacular sunsets and sunrises

Here in Rincón we are now in the midst of the transition to “season.” Season, as people here call it, is the tourist season. Surf’s up and it’s cold up north, so many North Americans and others come to Rincón and Puerto Rico in general during the winter.

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But right now, early October, we are in the transition. A few people are trickling in, but overall the roads are still nice and unclogged, the beaches are empty and the days are slow and lazy. Britton and I have acclimated to the temperature (by NOT using air conditioning and losing some weight) and need little more than a fan and a nice cold beverage to stay comfortable.

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At a beach near 3 Hermanos

It’s just as beautiful as ever. Because we really have nothing to gain by the season we have never really cared one way or another, but this year we are looking forward to it a little more because our band has been practicing all summer for it and also because our cabin should be finished soon and we can rent out our little cabana that we’ve been living in.

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Britton and Chris installing the interior doors and also finishing up the bathroom

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Our little cabana will be available for rent soon! contact us if interested!

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Practicing on the keys at a jam

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Checking out some costuming ideas too! Halloween is the official start of season and a lot of fun in Rincón! How do you like this look?

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Or how about this one in a pink wig?

When we’re not working on the cabin or jamming with the band, we’ve been enjoying our days just as always.

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And there’s still always some new and weird thing to see! Yes, this car has horns! Literal horns.

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Palm silhouettes in a fiery sunset

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Our beautiful friend Isabella at DAR’s weekly horse class near Sandy Beach

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Jangueando con amigos Walter y Pedro

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Enjoying a girls’ night out at Villa Cofresí (I swear I’m not that tan!)

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Just playing around with some cute kiddos at the Lazy Parrot!

up-on-the-roof-with-missy-and-benSunday morning brunch at our house with our friends the VanEes

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A clear tropical day at our finca

It’s a time of preparation and also relaxation. Enjoying the calm before the storm. When the tourists and part-timers (seasonal people) come everything becomes more electric and exciting, the humidity drops a bit and the days become crystalline, but it also means that the stores run out of certain things, prices tend to get a little crazy, the roads are more dangerous and people can unwittingly (or wittingly) be a little annoying and arrogant. Still, I happily accept this seasonal change over the snow, wind, gloomy dark and cold any day though.

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Fireball into the sea

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Just a Tuesday: Hula Hooping, Pig Visit and Fiery Sky

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Tuesday we had a pretty open day. We went and visited a friend and then headed down to the Rincón balneario where some other friends were playing with poi and hula hoops. I’ve always thought I was good at hula hooping, that is until I moved here and saw what real hooping can look like. I can do basic waist hooping, neck, legs, arms, but I have a hard time with any transitions between them.

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Larger hoops are good for basic moves. In the background you can see Frances playing with the staff

I practiced a few transitions and I think I got the move from waist up to arms and down back around the waist. It’s so fun! I need a hula hoop at home though so that I can practice more. My friend Frances is the guru of hooping around here. I also learned some basic poi moves. Poi is basically fire dancing and very hypnotizing if you see someone do it. Lauryn has done poi and fire dancing choreography professionally so it was really cool to hang out with them. For the poi play, we didn’t light them up yet, but rather just played with practice tools like sand socks and the staff. My arms are sore! I am not so much into “working out” but I love moving my body and dancing. This was perfect!

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Beachside Poi and hooping!

As we were going home, the sky lit up amazingly. Rincón is a special place because you are surrounded by water, almost like an island unto itself. Then add the special charms of beautiful sunsets, a rural small town feel and the hippie vibe (come on we were hula hooping and fire dancing on a Tuesday at 3pm with the friendly homeless people of the balneario) and you begin to see why people love it so.

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Silver lining clouds

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A nearly empty Steps Beach. I love September!

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The clouds and sky were just amazingly lit! I felt like we were in a movie set!

When we arrived home we were greeted by a huge sow and her eleven little piglets! It was so funny!

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Mama piggy and her babes



A perfect day in our special corner of the world!

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Trapped in an Aguacero

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This time of year we just always must expect rain. It doesn’t usually last very long, but it can come down in sheets. One Sunday we went to the farmer’s market and then the grocery store, but we got trapped in a downpour AKA an aguacero!

Cassie Farmers MarketFun chatting and checking out all the wares and goods of the Rincon farmer’s market

Grocery Store blocked up

The rain was coming down super hard and we humans tend to not like to get wet. So everyone got backed up in the store by the exit.

Cassie in an aguacero at the store

We managed to squeeze through the crowd huddled at the doorway and wait outside under the metal roofing and watched the rain.

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When we got home we found poor Kitty ready to come on inside! Life in the tropics can be a bit moist in the summertime! Over by the cabin we have an intermittent creek that is usually dry but when an aguacero comes down we have a full-fledged river and waterfall! Check this out!

These rains can be a challenge to navigate and it makes things like the Fiestas Patronales a little muddy. But it also makes everything SUPER green and lush. Because of all the rain we have to keep things mowed a lot more but I just love the finca this time of year because it is just so beautiful.

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Those big clouds usually mean more afternoon rain!

We both get out and mow the upper meadow area about once a week! It’s hot, hard work and the ants are out en force but if we didn’t do it things start growing wild and vines overtake the fruit trees. I actually enjoy mowing now that things are a little more manageable and there aren’t as many stumps and huge rocks to break the mowers. And I love how it makes the farm look like a park.

Yard workBritton and the chickens doing a little yard work

 

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First Time “Surfing”

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I went surfing for the first time the other day! We picked up our friend Will and his surfboards and headed out to Domes Beach.  It is summertime and that means there aren’t many waves, but it would be a good chance to practice paddling and sitting on the board in the water without a bunch of people (for my sake and theirs!). I wouldn’t call it exactly surfing…but something like it. I had a surfboard, I paddled and hung out in the water, and I had fun…that’s surfing, right?  🙂

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Loaded up truck

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Scoping out the beach

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Britton tried to surf, but his chest sticks out in the center and causes some discomfort so he’s going to need some sort of guard.

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Me out on the board with Desecheo Island in the distance

I easily paddled out and hung out on the board, but I couldn’t stand up or even get on my knees. Takes a lot of practice and balance! Not to mention that waves would be nice too! 🙂

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Walking back with the board

Another beautiful day at the beach!

Will on the other hand could catch just about any tiny little wave and spent a long time out in the water. Then he and I came back and played in the trees! A fellow monkeyman!

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Fun climbing trees!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThen I went swimming!

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And hung from the trees some more!

All in all, a fun day “surfing.”

 

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