After returning to Amsterdam from a Rhine River cruise in late December, we spent the first three weeks in January completing a number of boat projects and preparing for our upcoming trip south to the Mediterranean. Projects completed included installing a new 55-inch TV, replacing the windshield wiper arms, greasing the davit, replacing a depth-sounder,…
Feb. 14 – Beach Day
“A Day At The Beach Restores the Soul.” –Unknown
Today we hiked towards the west on our beach (Seven Seas Beach). The trail wound through the mangrove and along the water to two wonderful secluded beaches. The first one we visited was Playa Colora. It’s a little known beach at the far left of the Seven Seas cove. The beach was wide and dropped sharply into the sea. The waves were rough, but the beach was beautiful and very private. We enjoyed the walk along the water, but it wasn’t a good place for swimming or for a picnic, so we moved on to Playa Escondida.
Feb. 13 – El Yunque Rainforest
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
We left the beach this morning to explore El Yunque Rainforest. It’s the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest Service. With an average rainfall of 120 inches a year, it has a very diverse ecosystem, hosting hundreds of unique plant and animal species, including the island’s famous coquí frog.
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Feb. 12 – La Zanja
I’d rather look back on my life and say “I can’t believe I did that”, than say “I wish I did that”. –Unknown
Today we hiked to La Zanja (the trench). It’s located in Fajardo, on the northeastern-most tip of Puerto Rico, right along the rugged coast. The little pool is a hidden gem, but was definitely not swimmable today. It’s in Las Cabezas de San Juan nature reserve and not accessible by car. Getting there was a bit of a walk, but La Zanja is so pretty, it is worth the hike.
Return Trip to Seattle
The day after returning from Berlin, we made a ten-day trip to Seattle for James to attend some work meetings. While there, we picked up our mail, caught the last day of the Seattle Boat Show, met up with old friends and handled several medical appointments. And Spitfire enjoyed some time at “the resort” of…
Feb. 11 – Fajardo, PR
“Beach rules… relax, unwind, enjoy.” –Unknown
We spent most of our first full day in Fajardo relaxing by the pool and exploring the beach across the street. We also made a run to the grocery store just as an afternoon shower moved through the area…at least it didn’t mess up our beach time.
Museum Island
Berlin’s Museum Island is a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of five museums built between 1824 and 1830 on an island in the river Spree, with a sixth scheduled to open later this year. The museums are significant in that each was designed to showcase the collection it held and they demonstrate the evolution of…
Feb. 10 – Fajardo, PR
“Surround yourself with people who make you hungry for life, touch your heart and nourish your soul” –Unknown
Our adventure east continued today. Our final destination was Fajardo, actually a small little place outside of there called Las Croabas. We’ve rented a condo for the week with our friends from home, John and Janice Bradley.
Feb. 9 – Cabo Rojo, PR
“Dare to live the life you’ve always wanted.” –Unknown
Our adventure in the Rincón area has come to an end and today we headed east along the southern shore. But before we left town we stopped by the farmers market in the plaza. We did more looking than buying and enjoyed checking out what each vendor offered.
Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz was once one of the busiest intersections in Europe and the geographical center of Berlin, but was completely destroyed during World War II. The area remained largely abandoned during the Cold War, as the Berlin Wall bisected it and sections formed the “death strip” of the Berlin Wall. After the wall fell, Potsdamer…
