Puerto Rico
After a wonderful stay in the relaxed but chaotic Dominican Republic, we decided it was finally time to move on and cross the notorious Mona Passage to Puerto Rico. We had run out of reasons to stay in our beloved Samana Bay, the most important of which were obtaining a visa for the Puerto Rico (part of the USA) and waiting for favourable weather. When the conditions were finally right, even a severe case of diarrhea could not stop us from leaving.
It was just the two of us again, after three enjoyable months of having various visitors aboard. Funny how even our little boat suddenly seemed spacious! Thanks Thijs, Jos, Bart, Ben and Ellis for your company these past months, it makes a trip so much more special when you can share the fun…
Our first days in Puerto Rico were a bit of a shock really, as the country is very different from the Dominican Republic (DR). The beautiful bays resemble Dominican landscape, but they are contaminated by packs of jetskis and countless powerboats, all competing who can be the loudest. Overpowering reggaeton instead of people happily dancing salsa in the streets, prices three of four times as high as in the DR. We couldn’t even find a bus to the capital San Juan, as the country is so car-oriented that public transport is virtually non-existent. Most of all we were disappointed that people are not very open, groups keep to themselves and starting a random conversation was a real challenge.
Luckily this view of the country has changed, as we’ve seen more than just the spoilt holiday-spots on the south-west coast. San Juan especially is an incredible city, one of the most beautiful we’ve ever seen. The past two weeks Maarten’s mum and sister joined us for a cruise of the Spanish Virgins off the Portorican coast. These islands are stunningly beautiful and unspoilt, as they largely used to serve as bombing practice targets for the US Air Force & Navy. As long as we left the unexploded bombs alone, the snorkling definitely rivals the best spots in the Bahamas.
It was just the two of us again, after three enjoyable months of having various visitors aboard. Funny how even our little boat suddenly seemed spacious! Thanks Thijs, Jos, Bart, Ben and Ellis for your company these past months, it makes a trip so much more special when you can share the fun…
Our first days in Puerto Rico were a bit of a shock really, as the country is very different from the Dominican Republic (DR). The beautiful bays resemble Dominican landscape, but they are contaminated by packs of jetskis and countless powerboats, all competing who can be the loudest. Overpowering reggaeton instead of people happily dancing salsa in the streets, prices three of four times as high as in the DR. We couldn’t even find a bus to the capital San Juan, as the country is so car-oriented that public transport is virtually non-existent. Most of all we were disappointed that people are not very open, groups keep to themselves and starting a random conversation was a real challenge.
Luckily this view of the country has changed, as we’ve seen more than just the spoilt holiday-spots on the south-west coast. San Juan especially is an incredible city, one of the most beautiful we’ve ever seen. The past two weeks Maarten’s mum and sister joined us for a cruise of the Spanish Virgins off the Portorican coast. These islands are stunningly beautiful and unspoilt, as they largely used to serve as bombing practice targets for the US Air Force & Navy. As long as we left the unexploded bombs alone, the snorkling definitely rivals the best spots in the Bahamas.