Last day

After we dropped Nancy and Jim off at the airport, we had a day to ourselves.  Raissa had a wedding to go to, so we were on our own.  Eric and I got gussied up and went out to dinner.  We met up with Raissa's sisters friend Sara and went dancing (happy me, poor Eric)

But the next morning, we got some time with the new family.  We had a yummy brunch (mofongo eggs benedict, yumm)

and more time with adorable Alvaro

 I really am going to miss them.

Bacalaiitos

The last day before Nancy and Jim left, we went to Raissa's family's favorite beach up by San Juan.  

And we got to eat bacalaitos, yummy.  Odd though, since it is basically a fish pancake deep fried.  yum

Fun with the Hales

Relaxing day

Tourism is hard work!  We spent the next day just lying around once again

Here's the view from our condo

Iguanas liked to hang out below our balcony

Stormy beach.  You can see Viaques in the distance.  funny how the island across the way looks ever so intriguing 

No idea who these people were, but they look cool

Eric and I, on the other hand, look a little doofusy.  but oh well

Sunset

Sand crabs

Back to Old San Juan

We took another day to tour San Juan

La Perla, a reportedly sketch neighborhood outside the walls of town

we laughed because in our world, that would have been prime real estate, not slums

Entry is hard though

An old cemetery 

gilded rubble

very pretty though 

And then to El Morro, the fort blocking the harbor 

more garitas

triangle stairs

view across old San Juan to San Cristobal

The Three Kings are a big deal in Puerto Rico.  Nativity scenes always contained them, sometimes exclusively (no baby Jesus needed here)

Cobble stones

El Yunque

Puerto Ricans are very proud of El Yunque rain forest.  And it really is spectacular.  

Full of waterfalls 

and lush plants

We took a little hike down the big trees trail

fun plants

fun water

We hiked up to the cloud forest.  There is seriously a cap of clouds that cuts the world off

Back at the car, we finally met a mongoose (can you see him under the car?)  Signs all over the park warned of rabid mongoose occurrences.  hmmm, is is safe to approach the car?

Pelican beach

After all the running around, we decided a relaxing day at the beach was in order.  The fun part was that the little bay was full of diving pelicans.  You can bet I spent hours searching for the right picture.  

And perfect for Christmas time, they had santa hats

SO, I have way too many pictures of pelicans here, but I couldn't decide.  And this truly is pared down

They weren't the only ones fishing

So, they would circle above the water, and then tilt their heads just so.  Ah, fish sighted!

and down

down they would dive

Splash!

After a dive, they would circle again.  Sometimes coming super close (and we just barely missed a good dive bombing this particular pass)

So I decided I wanted a picture of them just as they entered the water

Dive

Splash

Dive

so close, but splash!

Oh fish

Dive

Splash

And then finally, the perfect sequence

you can even see his toes in the splash

Such pretty birds

Oh wait, another one

I love this dive

Part of the joy of tropical beaches is fresh coconut

Nancy sure enjoyed adorably

I considered the idea of climbing the tree, but ouch

Coconuts transport by water.  I had to take this picture for teaching

Some pretty tropical beach scenes

And back to the pelicans in the evening light

but now they were in pairs

even harder to get the picture now

so many of them

and then!  

I had so much fun watching pelicans!