After my meeting with the boss from up North a few weeks ago, I had the realization that, although not likely, I could only have a year left in Puerto Rico! He told me that at the two year mark, they’ll start looking for my next move, and when the right opportunity opens, they’ll pop me. So I figured I’d better get to seeing this place I can now call home.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d been around the island, albeit in most cases I only saw the dealership. One of the few areas I hadn’t seen yet was Rincon, in the northwest corner of the island. I’d heard good things, so on a whim on a Tuesday afternoon, I did a Google search, found a guest house that allows dogs, and booked the weekend.
I left work a couple of hours early on Friday, threw Charlie in the car, and headed west. As San Juan faded in the review mirror, the Chilis’ and the Walgreens’ slowly gave way to open-air bars donned with Medalla banners and enough roadside food stands to rival the corner coffee stands in Western Washington. It began to look a little less like America and a little more like Puerto Rico.
I’d heard someone refer to seeing the sites of Puerto Rico as “underwhelming” and for the most part, I couldn’t think of a better word to describe them. Nothing had really “wowed” me yet. Sure, the beaches are nice and the rainforest is worth a look, but I’d been just a tiny bit disappointed by most of the things I’d done so far.
So I was pleasantly surprised by Rincon. Rincon made a name for itself when it hosted the World Surfing Championship in 1968, and it is still known as the surfing capital of the Caribbean. Positioned on a point where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean, Rincon has something for everyone – good surfing conditions on the north side, and tranquil Caribbean beaches to the south.
I arrived as the sun was setting Friday and seeing as I’m not one for exploring a strange place after dark, I grabbed a quick dinner and settled in with my book for the evening. Saturday, however, I set out to explore. After breakfast at an open air bakery, I drove the famous Route 413, which traces the coastline around the point that is Rincon. The first thing that impressed me was how “un”commercial Rincon has managed to stay. Sure, there’s still a Burger King, McDonalds, and a Churches Chicken, but there wasn’t a chain hotel to speak of. The independent guest house still is the preferred choice for accommodations. I stopped along the way, to explore some of the beaches, watch the surfers and check out the lighthouse, and soon I’d blew right through the morning and into the afternoon. My room was just feet off the water and I wanted to work on my tan a bit!
Back at the guest house, I pulled a chair up on the patio, kicked my feet up, grabbed my book and a cold beer, and quickly realized that I couldn’t remember a time, outside of getting a massage, when I’d EVER felt so relaxed. There’s actually very little to do in Rincon other than enjoy the beach and the sunset, so I’ve vowed to try to get out there once a quarter, if for no other reason than to escape the madness that is San Juan!
Speaking of the madness that is San Juan, last weekend, the 23rd, was Noche de San Juan (Saint John’s Night.) I’m not going to pretend to know the religious significance of this event, but trust me, there is one. And the Puerto Ricans celebrate by heading to a beach at sunset, drinking themselves silly, and then, at midnight, throwing themselves backwards into the ocean seven times – or 12, depending who you ask. Apparently, this is intended to wash away the sin and bring good luck for the next year.
I really hadn’t planned to participate; my boss does an excellent job of making me paranoid about how dangerous these things can be (my mother would’ve LOVED him) but when my new CrossFit peeps invited me to join them that afternoon, I couldn’t refuse. I grabbed insta-friend and we latched on to their group of 15-20 to partake in the festivities.
Good times were had by all! As the sun set and the night wore on, more and more people flocked to the beach. I’d never been to a beach party like that, and I found myself in the ocean with the rest of them at midnight. (Expecting a very good year, mind you.) It finally felt like I’d imagined Puerto Rico would, having a good time on the beach with a big group of friends.
Early on, one of my posts was titled “Settling In.” In hindsight, that only referred to physically settling in. It’s taken a year, like I was told it would, but I feel like I’m finally mentally settling in. The first six months flew by, with relocation and learning a new job, but after Christmas, I was not excited to be here and found myself wishing the time away. Now I look up and it’s already July and I wish I could slam on the brakes of time and slow it all down - before I wake up and instead of looking out at the ocean I’m staring at the Midwestern snow!
No comments:
Post a Comment