Tag Archives: Rincon

Sea Turtles and a Beer

We generally don’t do a whole lot of tourist activities around Rincón for a few reasons. One, we are pretty frugal and two, since we live here we don’t really feel like tourists. However, there is a lot of cool stuff that happens when you are out and about in Rincón. Recently, we have been going out and seeing thing with fresh eyes again and focusing on the moment.

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Beautiful stretch of Sandy Beach 

One day we decided to go out to Tamboo Restaurant on Sandy Beach in Puntas which is probably one of the most quintessential tourist locations for food and drink directly on the beach. We were enjoying our meal and Blue Moon beer when we heard a bit of commotion and many people rushing to the edge of the deck and then jumping down to the sand. People from the beach looked up at the growing group of people. And then the bubbling excitement. The sea turtles hatched and were working their way to the sea! We had brought our camera, but the battery was unfortunately dead, so we just enjoyed the scene together in full awe that we had serendipitously come across.

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After finishing our meal we ran back home for the camera and caught the VERY LAST ONE

We watched these moment old “Careys” AKA Hawksbill sea turles struggle and dart in a straight line for the water. It was interesting to think of them with an innate drive to their destination that would hold so many challenges. So fragile and so strong at the same time. The people all around cheering them on, placing bamboo poles as a border and removing any rubbish in their way but also letting them do what they needed to do without too much interference. Could that be a metaphor for life and our role for others? I look forward to seeing them soon when we are out snorkeling at Steps.

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The last of the group after the final turtle merged with the sea

There are so many magical moments to being alive that I don’t think we always fully recognize them until much later. Living in a world that is so different from the one in which we left is full of struggles that we never fully anticipated but it is also full of wonder and marvel. We all seem to be just like these turtles just working our way to the next adventure beyond.

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Snapshot Update: Boquerón, Aguadilla, Rincón and Finca

Life just keeps trucking. Sometimes there’s more exciting things than others, but I always try to have my camera ready. Here are a few snapshots of recent moments of our life here in Puerto Rico.

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A fun stop in Boquerón (notice the bicycle with coconuts!)

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A beautiful beach scene in Aguadilla

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A cool treehouse in Aguadilla! I need to do some more exploring of this! It’s amazing!

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Because I do love to climb trees!

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The finca is producing lots of food! Especially bananas and papayas right now!

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And also cool stuff like turmeric (curcuma) and ginger

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I did a fun photoshoot with my friend Laura at the Lighthouse Ruins in Aguadilla

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And we are super proud of our chef friend Tommy’s new Poke Shack venture in Rincón!

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With local caught tuna and many other fresh local ingredients!

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It has been a bit rainy lately but that means gorgeous rainbows!

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And still lots of fun times!

Oh and check out this cool stick bug I found on the screen door of the cabana!

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Masquerade Ball and Rincón Halloween 2016

Halloween in Rincón means the start of season and the buzz is electric.

This year Halloween day fell on a Monday which would probably usually mean a pretty mellow Halloween. But not in Rincón! Here it meant a 5 day marathon. Rincón takes on Halloween the way the rest of Puerto Rico does Christmas. The festivities are intense! The first parties started on Thursday because of Art Walk and continued on until Monday.

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Mysterious masquerade ball

Our band decided to have a masquerade ball at beautiful Villa Orleans featuring some of our new songs that we’ve worked on all summer. We figured that masks are an easy, elegant and fun way to celebrate without using your Halloween costume. The party was great. The location was amazing. Our music rocked and people were dancing next to crashing waves. It was magical.

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La maga, the ringmaster

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lauryn-daisy-cassie masked-people singers britton-and-tom
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party-picWhat a fun night!


So fun!! Videos thanks to Jeff and Luis and some of the photos thanks to various friends 

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Party night!


Check out Britton AKA Aloysius busting some moves on Rapture

fire-lauryn-3And we had an extra special performance by my friend Lauryn, the fire dancer!


Hypnotic flames!

After that late night we were pretty worn out and didn’t go out to the Friday or Saturday parties around town. Saturday was probably the busiest of the days with parties at The Beach House, Calypso, El Bohio and of course the big one at Tamboo. We did however recuperate our energy enough to go out on Halloween evening. We weren’t sure how it would be since it was a little rainy, but sure enough the party was in swing!

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I went as “Stormy” the rain storm and Britton went as the guru Aloysius Von Funk

cassie-rain-costume-crop     renee-and-cassie

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Party animals!

The Shipwreck party is always so much fun. People are just plain silly. There’s a DJ playing dance music while people get sweaty dancing on the white gravel. The bar is right down from the marina so the party spills out into the street and down to the beach. The best thing is that the costumes can get downright crazy!

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Here I am protecting myself from an unwanted “grab” by Trump

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And this guy won first place in the costume contest!!

The night ended at the relative early hour of midnight since it was a Monday. The police came and peacefully broke the party up. We talked with the friendly police for a while and I said, “Me gusta su disfraz” and he replied, “¡Pero no es un disfraz!” And we both laughed! Claro que no…jaja.

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In character!

Another great kick off to the season!

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Rincón Chinchorreo

Something I find really fun about living in Rincón is that while there are often “official” events and activities, a lot of the time they are just something that someone decides to do. Like the hula hooping/poi jam, or the hot sauce contest. Someone gets an idea and then they do it! Perhaps it’s because you must be something of a free thinker and a get-er-done type of person, but it is really a fun attribute of living here. The most recent one we participated in was the 3rd annual Rincón Chinchorreo or Bar Crawl thanks to our friend Lowell. It was an opportunity to meet up with some friends and walk around Rincón meeting more and more friends along the way.

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Carlos’ little bar complete with lottery and fresh coconut drinks

At our first stop we even ran into the alcalde (mayor) of Rincón whose name also happens to be Carlos, Carlos López Bonilla.

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The photo’s a little tilted down, but hey!, we’re chinchorreando with the mayor!

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Another stop along the route: El Patio Familiar

It was fun checking out bars that we had never visited before and whenever you go anywhere on foot or bicycle (or horse as the case of some of the crawlers) you are able to see things more slowly and in better detail. Down in Stella/Corcega at Pepe’s Pizza for instance, I was able to check out the erosion of the beach from Hurricane Matthew. Puerto Rico didn’t really experience any major direct damage but the waves that hit the southern part of the peninsula of Rincón caused some serious erosion.

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Coastal erosion up close and personal

The crew continued to grow to our maximum at Villa Cofresí where they are doing some remodeling.

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Group photo at Villa Cofresí

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Some of the chinchorreando crew and Villa Cofresí’s famous Piratas

When we arrived to downtown Rincón, I took a little side tour of the newest downtown boutique hotel: Qué Chévere. And Qué Chévere it is! I loved the retro feel and for travelers who want to experience the cool  Rincón plaza atmosphere it is a great option. The owners went out of their way to show us their pride and joy.

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Qué Chévere hotel

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Britton chatting with the owner in the lobby of Qué Chévere


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Vintage record player

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Awesome roof-top view of downtown Rincón: El Mejor Lugar Para Vivir

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Checking out the newest bar in RIncón: Roots

That evening we continued the fun spending time with our friends Waldemar and Papo who have helped us build our cabin. Over these last nearly two years, we have developed quite the friendship with them and really enjoy each others’ company.

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At one of the stops, Waldemar asked to take a short gallop on one of the horses of the chinchorreo

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Keep the party moving! We went out to another favorite bar in town: El Bohío de Cano to shoot pool

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And had a lot of fun, even getting swept up in one of the many political caravanas

They say time flies when you’re having fun and I feel like we are on a Concord. I love this place.

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