Ruta Panoramica (Panoramic Route)

Guidebooks about Puerto Rico mention a small series of roads which traverse across the heart (and mountains) of the country.  Since the whole island is less than 200 miles across, I figured, 'How hard could it be.'

Ruta Panoramica owned me.

Slapped me like an angry step dad.

Made my GPS look like a Fisher Price toy...


(This was when I still had service and the road was like a highway. See that mountain ahead of me - GULP- yup, went over it)

 But there is a story to be told first.

OBSERVATIONS - PUERTO RICO 

Now that I have been driving all over the country, I feel like I have a good feel for things.  And I have noticed that while some things look very much like the USA I left behind:

Other things look more like Latin America:

OH, and I noticed things seemed different and couldn't put my finger on it - till I realized THERE ARE NO PEOPLE BEGGING FOR CHANGE at intersections (or anywhere else).  But there are plenty of poor folks to be had...

So I decided to wander across the interior of the Island.  I drove to the East side (I have now been to the North, West, South, and Eastern shores). I started in the Southeast corner.

As I worked my way up the mountains a few things struck me,

1. There are a LOT of people in Puerto Rico. The guide book says that it is MUCH more dense than we are used to, and all day I turned corners and saw houses.  And I mean ALL DAY.  (there was one stretch where I was on a road I had no business traversing where there were no houses, people, or anything else). But that was probably only forty five minutes).
2. This is a REALLY pretty place
3. It is easy to get lost when your GPS doesn't get a signal any more
4. I will drive in circles SEVERAL times for roasted pig.

This is what the road looked like BEFORE I hit the stretch where the fauna was hitting both sides of my car (thank God there was no oncoming traffic). 

I also saw a lot of Bamboo and pretty green valleys

At least forty feet high

I went through a SERIOUS downpour 

and FINALLY found the holy grail of pig (called the Pork Highway and featured on Bizarre Foods.

Roast Pig, Rice and Beans & Blood Sausage

I sipped a homemade Pina Colada (con Rum). And meandered back to San Juan satisfied.

I still have 2/3 (and reportedly the hardest section) of the Ruta to finish before I die...

STILL UNDAUNTED!

To the edge, and back, and to the edge again...

So it turns out that I woke up a bit sore from my 13.9 mile hike up and down the forts of San Juan.  No worries, I planned a drive across the Island to Ponce.  The trip is a pretty one, first lush tropical mountains, then arid plains (think Bakersfield California) and finally the Southern (and then Western) tip of Puerto Rico.

This journey is best told through pictures....

Catederal de Nuestra Senora Guadalupe (1670)

Cafe Cafe - One of the best meals I've ever eaten!

Fruit salesman

Vice Pays (Don Q Castle - Rum Kingpin)

Tail for sale in Market

Bombas Museum (Ponce)

Human remains from an archaeological dig north of Ponce

Saw this tree while travelling, looks like love

Stopped at a roadside stand for fresh Pina Colada

Southwestern tip of Puerto Rico

Lighthouse stairs

LOVED this lighthouse!

Fishing village on Western tip of Puerto Rico

El Bohio Restaurant - I ate her and watched the sun set

The place that makes Mexico City seem new

Remember the "ditty"? 'In 1492, Columbus sailed the Ocean Blue'? Well, guess where he sailed?

San Juan Bautista - 1520

Ok, it was the Dominican Republic (known as Hispaniola by Chris and the boys), but THEN he went to Puerto Rico. Which is why the SECOND oldest church in the Western hemisphere is in San Juan (the Catedral de San Juan - built in 1520).  Think about that, 1520!

And the old just keeps on coming.

The Spanish quickly realized the strategic importance of Puerto Rico. It was a base to fight the "New World Wars" with the French and English in the Western Hemisphere.

It was so important that they fortified the entire harbor with enormous thick walled forts and a giant wall surrounding what is now known as "Old San Juan".

A colonial town sprung up inside, and it is now a world heritage site (for good reason).

Overlooking the bay from a guard tower in the city wall

The first fort - a man can stand upright in the small portals near the top

Once fearsome to enemy ships

Clear turquoise Caribbean waters below the City Wall

Beautiful cemetery inside the fort

The Colonial Jail

Cobblestone Streets

Finally, there were some modern things I thought were worth sharing:

Cool statue over a fountain

The 'old' cigar factory

Sunning on the City Wall

And did I mention the colorful end to the days here?

Leaving troubling times~

As I wrote a few days ago, our life has had some dramatic shifts. And although we had a multitude Of difficulty in a very short time - we realize that ALL lives have adversity. The truth is, we are blessed. Just having the ability and means to travel is not something we take lightly. And the fact that I am at a nice airport restaurant in Dallas (Ling and Louie's) drinking craft beer and ordering without looking at the price is a new treat!

I often hear people complain about traveling. Finding a parking spot, waiting in line for security, jostling to board a plane - and I get that. I have done enough traveling to know why it isn't something I want to do for a living - but on vacation - I live by the mantra that happiness is a choice.

I am flying to a new spot on the globe (for me). With powdery white beaches, exotic foods, and centuries old buildings - how could I possibly complain?

I am also struck by the "normal America" I am leaving behind for a week. As a police officer, I am fully aware that kooks and criminals are coming out of the cracks with the intention of delivering "retribution" for some wrong they have felt or perceived in their life. I am now a target.  In twenty-five years I have never felt the anger and danger being so distinct. We issued a warning to officers to be exceedingly careful when going somewhere public in uniform alone. Something I do every day...

How can we be in and a part of the community if we can't go into it without measuring each person who comes near us for threats?

I know that most Americans support the police. But perhaps they need to stop doing it so quietly. I read this quote from the Harris County District Attorney prosecuting the man who killed a Texas Deputy gassing his car: "It is now time for the silent majority to come forward to support law enforcement".

Amen.

Because this is a picture of a guy with an obscene sign and loudspeaker yelling at the police below my window at work.  It's true that he is alone - but that also means he has the only voice...

(Minimal) Labor Day

Before Marci starts her night/weekend shifts - we took a quick trip to Southwestern Colorado. With the leaves just hinting at changing, and crisp nights, it is a great time to explore.

We rented a small cabin in South Fork Colorado. It is at the base of Wolf Creek Pass, and is bigger than you might think.  The Rio Grand River winds past the town and there are plenty of places to eat or get supplies.

We spent the first day reading and relaxing (no tv or Internet).  The second day we went for a 509 mile drive. What a pretty area!

Color Burst in Creede

Fall Reflections

Rio Grande Rail Bridge

Old Cattle Car

Downtown Creede

Precarious Mine Shaft

Ouray from above

North Clear Creek Falls

Knocked Down - but not out!

For those of you who know us well, this post will not come as a shock.  Marci and I have had a pretty rough time since (and during) our last vacation. In fact, in the past two years we lost our first grandchild, Marci lost her mom, I lost a dear friend at work, and to top it off, Marci had a stroke the night we came home from our last trip (March of 2015).

We've also had some great joys. Kiana brought baby Aniyah into our life and I was promoted to Deputy Chief of Police, AND my team at work won SIX Emmy Awards!!!.

Deputy Chief of Police

Chief and Director of Safety O'Malley with DPD Emmy's

Marci's stroke also caused her to look at her life and make some big changes. She has had a remarkable recovery - but she still doesn't have the stamina to teach kiddo's the way she feels she should. So she left the teaching profession - and is now in training to be a 911 operator. And she LOVES it.

The down side is that she is an entry level employee for a 24 hour 365 organization - so for the time being, we will not be able to traverse the globe until she gets a bank of leave. We will be taking some small trips together - and she has been supportive of my still taking some biog trips, so get ready - this will look a bit different for the next year...