Sometimes I think we can be so principle driven that we miss out on some of the finer experiences in life. Take… I don’t know… me, for example. I try to follow a certain set of self-imposed food rules. I don’t do it out of a specific belief, but it’s mostly because I have the knowledge that my body doesn’t tolerate certain foods very well. I’ve also realized along the way that my mood is greatly affected by whether I enjoy my food or not. I noticed this quirk while on a beach trip to Samara, Costa Rica a few...
I’ve mentioned before that I can sit at the beach all day and be completely entertained and fulfilled. Sometimes I actually feel a little guilty about it, as if I should be productive or experience something I’ve never done before. With that in mind, this is how I ended up in Vieques. During my trip planning, I read a lot of different opinions on whether Vieques or Culebra was the more idyllic vacation spot. Culebra is smaller, and some say it has better beaches. Vieques is described by some as too populated but more lively– and some say it has...
I’m not sure when I lost my interest in the beach, but I certainly remember the exact moment I rediscovered it. I spent much of my childhood going to the Jersey Shore, even after the days when hypodermic needles were washing up on the beach. The whole state gets a bad rap, but I remember the joys of swimming in the ocean and playing in the waves with friends and family. I never saw any needles. In fact, the beaches there were quite nice and, if I remember correctly, CROWDED! Then followed the years in which I just stopped going...
One thing about me is that I happen to be a foodie. I love food. I love to eat it. I love to talk about it. I love to cook it. I love to look at it. I love to take pictures of it, and I love to look at pictures of it. There is a lot I avoid because of food sensitivities, but I still find a way to enjoy good food– the food I eat is just a lot simpler now. And I never ever miss a meal. So when I realized my lunch options were very limited,...
Our days in Vieques were simple: woke up to roosters welcoming the new day– though their cries did sound more like misery than excitement. Got ready for the beach. Then packed the car and headed to town for breakfast. It would have been more convenient to cook breakfast in the condo, but it wasn’t appealing in that shabby kitchen with no dish soap. Plus, the eggs we found at The Green Store were dated about 1 month earlier. The woman there said that was the ship date, not the use by date; but we didn’t want to take any chances. ...
Vieques has quite an interesting history. Once inhabited by the Taino Indians, it was eventually under the rule of Spain and ultimately the US. After the start of World War II the US Navy assumed control of over 70% of the island, and they began to use the island for training and bombing practices. Though controversial with the locals, this continued until 1999 when a civilian was accidentally killed in a bombing target practice. And so began the Navy-Vieques Protests. These protests drew international support, and lasted until May 2003 when the US government finally announced the Navy would leave...
I know I say this about a lot of things, but I love Vieques. I’ve been to other beach destinations before and felt like a week was too long. So when I booked our trip to Vieques, I kept it to 3 days. I was worried I would get sick of it if I stayed for too long. Boy was I wrong! What makes Vieques so different? The beach beaches! Nothing beats the Caribbean waters, and this is all it takes to keep me occupied for days on end.We arrived at the tiny, deserted Vieques airport with no one in...
You don’t need me to tell you that flying kind of sucks these days. I mean, I don’t want it to sound like I’m complaining, but it really is different from how it used to be. While I do appreciate that it is all for my own safety, blah, blah, blah… it’s still kind of annoying. I’ve been repressing these feelings, and they awakened when I flew on VAL– Vieques Air Link.We recently spent a week in Puerto Rico, and I felt compelled to get myself to the white velvet sand and turquoise blue waters that grace that part of...
