After sightseeing along the way to Grand Island and missing two deer, we made a quick Walmart and McDonald's run and then it was off to the airport.
I don't remember taking off from Grand Island airport. As soon as I found my seat, my eyes were so heavy they couldn't even stay open for announcements. I remember waking up as we were preparing to land in Dallas/Fort Worth.
After a short 3.5 hour layover, a long walk through the airport to stretch our legs, and a yummy lunch at Twisted Root, we boarded another plane for a 5 hour flight to Puerto Rico.On this flight I barely remember take off but I did manage to stay awake while we were taxiing down the runway because I was sending pictures to Isaac. After that, it was lights out for me again. I woke up in the middle of the flight after Dave had told me that we had just flown over Orlando. The sun was just starting to set, and the sky was a beautiful bright pink, blue and purple.
We finally landed in Puerto Rico. As we got off the plane, we immediately noticed a drastic temperature change. 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Quite different from the 33 degrees Fahrenheit we left this morning. We found our luggage and then found a taxi to take us to our place where we are staying.We chose to stay at an Airbnb called Justin's Place. It's a little one-bedroom apartment that is definitely a very cultural experience. But, the most interesting thing about this place is that you definitely cannot put your toilet paper down the toilet! Let's just say a normal sized bowel movement has a hard time going down the pipe....
We decided to go for a walk and see what we could find to eat. We ended up at a grocery store to buy water and as we were checking out the rain begin to fall from the sky. Thinking it would let up shortly, we stood on the sidewalk with the security officer under his umbrella. But, as you guessed, there was no let-up in the rain. We had made the decision that we were going to live life like the couples on the Amazing Race and started to walk, but another customer had pity on us and asked where we were headed. We told him we were walking back to where we were saying about a mile back. He said, "Just a second, let me go talk to my wife." He came back and said, "Get in my car. I take you."
Without thinking, Dave and I just jumped right in the man's very nice car. We waited for him while he went in the store and tried to speak with his wife. Unfortunately she didn't
speak English and we don't speak enough Spanish to communicate quite well. But Jacob and Thomas would be very proud we tried! We did learn that she has two children who are grown up and of the home. The man finally came back and asked us if we spoke Spanish. I replied, "un poco". He chuckled and said, "My English is very bad." I responded, "Don't worry, my Spanish is worse!" I asked him what he did for a living and he told me he was an electrician and Environmental Activist. He shared with us about how the big buildings were building next to the beach and several of the "Wins" he had with buildings that were too close to the water. After that, we arrived at our little apartment. We got out and thanked the couple and they took off. As we made in to our little apartment, we thought about what we had just done! Only we would do something so crazy!
Once the rain let up, we decided to venture out again and try to find someplace to eat. Unfortunately, we ended up at a different grocery store. We found some food to take back to our little apartment and cook. This food required the cooking to take place in oil, so I use the little oil that I found in the house, and threw it in a kettle on an electric range. Let's just say that it was well done! But, hey, last time I tried frying anything, I caught the house on fire so I feel pretty good about this experience... especially not in my own home!
Dave and I sat down, enjoyed our basic $12 meal from the grocery store consisting of Titan Tacos de lasaña and Goya Empanadillas de queso that I cooked all by myself right here in Puerto Rico. For a refreshing drink I served Aloe Vera King Strawberry--which is drinking Aloe Vera juice with strawberry flavoring. And of course, one must not go without dessert--Muuu..Sandwich--its like a chocolate cookie. From my rainy, crazy, almost burned, YUMMY chocolate picture window to yours, have a great week!
