While we were cleaning things up (a constant struggle) I found the journal we kept while in Puerto Rico on our honeymoon over 6 years ago. We had decided then that our honeymoon would help us decide if Puerto Rico was right for us to move to. After the adventures and enchantment of the island, we were hooked. I thought it might be fun if I posted these journal entries from time to time on here, so you can see through our eyes the first time we were ever in Puerto Rico and the excitement and fear of the unknown we felt.

At Casa Grande Resort in Utuado, Puerto Rico

Day 2- August 8, 2005

The Honeymoon Begins: San Juan Arrival

We have arrived at Hotel Casa Grande Mountain Resort. It is in the middle of a forest filled with banana trees, coconut trees, stray dogs and cats and we have a gecko in the room as I write this..he’s climbing the wall. We have a pool out the door and the coqui frogs are chirping louder than crickets. The owner of this place was a New York lawyer who left it all and opened this “green” yoga and nature resort.

Britton and the gecko

We spent most of last night searching for a place to stay and once we got our rental car at about 11pm we drove around and around tons of cars and people. They drive so horribly here- going through red lights, cutting you off, tail-gating- I’m just glad Britton’s driving and not me.

We saw hookers and what looked like crackwhores and dealers when we took a wrong turn into the ghetto -I can see why Pam thought San Juan is dirty! Some places are really dirty!

Our little red rental car, me, and the hotel of our first night in San Juan

Finally we found the beach and a small hotel and decided to call it good eventhough it was $115 for a small room. It was good to sleep though after traveling since 7am MDT that morning.

Today we got up around 9:30am local time (7:30 in Colo) and began our adventure. Britton brought up some continental breakfast and we headed out off to Old San Juan.

The Cobblestone Streets of Old San Juan

We took a bus into OSJ and saw Fort of San Cristobal and San Felipe del Morro- the huge walled-in city and cemetery which was really cool.

The cemetery in Old San Juan is right next to the ocean!

Very ornate marblework!

The bus system works pretty well and only cost 25 cents, sometimes free if you get on the trolleys. We stopped at a restaurant and had lunch -American cheese costs extra! $1!!! Most things so far cost about the same as at home, but it is very different here- especially the humidity and the warm, sweaty air.

At El Morro in San Juan

A bum came up to me as Britton and I were waiting for the bus and made a leaf flower and wanted all our change. He didn’t think .65 cents was enough apparently…

Grassy area between the cemetery and the morro -the kite flying area

In Old San Juan

Garita de Viejo San Juan