62. Playful Puerto Rico

I’ve been riding an unpredictable rollercoaster and decided to take break from reality. It was a short four hour flight from New York to San Juan. Arriving in Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, it was a simple process to enter the U.S. territory. There were welcoming signs with sounds of Puerto Rico showcasing magnificent musicians. Then a quick twelve minute ride to Fairmont El San Juan Hotel. The check in took a bit of time but eventually sped up. Bag drop was great with Ifrahim and Nelson. And then onwards for our adventure.

As it was the first day, Mum and I tried the local beer, Medalla and ate a tossed salad accompanied by flavourful snapper at Caña. The staff including Emmanuel, Gabriel and Xavier were knowledgable and welcoming. Following that, we spent the day at Isla Verde Beach West. Gricel greeted and escorted us to cute blue and white cabanas and towels. Then Yuvial provided the cervezas and football banter. Once tipsy and tanned, we retreated to the lobby bar for a piña colada. Afterwards, we enjoyed an excellent experience for dinner. We commenced with champagne celebrations at the bar with Alanis. Meat Market definitely delivered with a caesar salad, grilled asparagus, macaroni and cheese and a 6 oz lobster tail which was more than enough to share and of course an 8 oz steak to share. Lovely Lola took care of us. She really gave exceptional customer service.

On Saturday, we focused more on the cultural attractions. Driving through the concrete city centre, there were must see museums. At the Museo de las Americas, the structures, tapestry, clothing and architecture left lasting impressions. While at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, the paintings, objects and cool courtyard were lovely.

For an afternoon break, we stopped by HP Tavern where we met Miguel. We discussed Premier League over beers and pub grub. Thereafter, my favourite was the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico as it was very vibrant and specialised in educating on the various eras of the boricua art scenes. Each institution had something unique to offer where you could learn and reflect on how art has changed and influenced how we live our lives.

On Sunday, we slept in. In absolutely no rush, we ate the Banyan Tree Grill. Grateful for the wonderful waitress, Laura who was attentive and friendly.

Then it was all about the beach. Being in a calming atmosphere where you can connect to nature relieves stress, relaxes the mind as well as the saltwater smells and sounds of the ocean are a captivating escape. For dinner, we repeated Meat Market because it was so good. Puerto Rico was the perfect peace and contentment for us.