Puerto Rico, part II

 

Looking toward the Hilton Ponce golf course

We had already planned to spend three days in San Juan, now it would be thirteen days, enough time to get a taste of other locations on this 100-mile-long island.  Some day we may want to bring our entire family here for a holiday; this may be our chance to preview some resorts.

After visiting Viejo San Juan, nearby Escambron beach, and an excursion to El Junque rain forest in the interior mountains, we picked up our rental car and headed for Ponce on the south coast. There we are staying at the Hilton Ponce Resort.  Lazy days by the pool, watching the iguanas feed on fallen fruit and other food scraps.  We are not used to such leisure, but strenuous activity means exposing ourselves to the tropic sun. Now we are more health conscious and prefer the shade of palm trees and umbrellas, avoiding long exposure to direct rays of the sun.  One reason we enjoy snorkeling is that it gets us under the water.

   Relaxing near the pool

Instead, we enjoy a late afternoon walk on the beach and then an evening circuit of the entire property including part of the golf course.

The sunset view from our hotel room at Ponce.

From Ponce, we drove the coastal road to the resort of El Conquistador near Fajardo.  This resort is even more impressive; visit the resort website if you want more details.  My favorite activities there were evening walks on the golf course, taking the ferry to Palomino Island, and speeding down the water slides at the marina water park.   

An evening walk on the golf course

Me, speeding down a water slide.  When you hit the pool, you skim across its surface

   On the ferry to Palomino Island

   Evening view from our hotel room with a full moon

    Resident iguana at nearby hotel gardens

Our time on Puerto Rico has been very enjoyable, new and different but familiar.  English is widely understood.  Interestingly, heights in Puerto Rico are listed in feet but road distances are listed in kilometers.  Most liquids are sold in quarts or gallons, but gasoline is dispensed in liters.  Thus, they have a 'hybrid' system of measurement.