Hola from Puerto Rico

Hi from not so sunny Puerto Rico!

I admit this is my first real vacation that involves no family members since well before my oldest was born. And that's too long.

Fortunately, I was blessed to have a very generous invite from a friend who's a faculty member at the university here, and I'm spending 72 unsual hours in San Juan.

I arrived yesterday to torrential rains (apparently we picked hurricane season!) that didn't quit until late until the night. Instead of roaming old San Juan or dipping my toes into the beach, I ducked under umbrellas and hoped for the best.

Instead of running around outdoors, we were limited to wandering the most ubitiquous of American institutions: wandering the mall. After seven hours in transit, a little walking was in order! We opted for a low-key evening at home after dinner out.

The most unusual thing is the culture. I find it interesting that while we're in America, we juggle seamlessly between English and Spanish, and the laid-back attitude is taking some getting used to after rushing around for, well, years. And I could get used to 79 cent pineapples at the grocery store!

Today, the skies are overcast, and we've already had a few showers. The cool breezes are welcome after yesterday's mugginess, and I hung out in a hammock for several hours today doing what I haven't done in ages: reading a book. Uninterrupted.

Right now, we're hoping for a return to wellness for my friend's pets, whom she understandably doesn't want to leave at home for reasons I won't recount here. That, combined with a strike and protests planned in old San Juan, means we're very much playing the day by ear. So while this wasn't the visit to Puerto Rico I'd imagined, it's at least restful. Wishing the same for you today!

Robbie