A couple tourism ideas

First off, Petchie points out that buses are currently free until December. As she accurately points out, it is a cheap and sad voting ploy--but it still is a free ride. Take advantage of it.

The ever-reliable Renee has written about rum and how to get it for free... at least as a starting point. A side note: if you ever want a great guide to drinking in the island, there is a TV show called "Three Sheets" which hilariously introduces some of it here. The show is on some obscure Cable+ channel but you can watch it on Hulu for free. Go watch it.

How to Beat the Heat, or, Words of the Week: Manteca(d)o and Piragua

It's not really that much hotter in Puerto Rico now as it is the rest of the year, but it's summer here, hence I'm reminded of these things. And it still is pretty hot right now on the island anyways.

Air conditioning is something confined to public spaces rather than private, generally speaking, which basically means the best way to get some is to head to the mall rather than hide in the house. Unless, you know, you're in a hotel, but then why are you staying in your room on vacation? If it's too hot to hit the streets of Old San Juan, there are plenty of museums around to check out. Or you can get a free ride to the beach (until the end of August, anyways).

The vast majority of houses, however, do not have air conditioning. Most do have those window air conditioners (although many times in the wall rather than in a window) or fans. Side note: if you stop using those a/c units, they fill up with cockroaches. You've been warned.

Anyways, if you do decide to go out, there are a couple good ways to handle the heat. Which brings us to the words of this week, which are mantecado and piragua.

Unlike most Spanish-speaking countries, Puerto Rico doesn't use the word helado for ice cream. It's mantecado. They'd figure out you wanted ice cream if you asked for helado, I suppose, but go with mantecado.

Piraguas are basically tropical snow cones. I'm not sure how to explain them more than that. They have them all over Old San Juan in little carts and they are great--my favorite flavor is coconut. The word supposedly comes from the Taíno word for some kind of long boat, but now they're snow cones.

So enjoy your vacation, and keep cool!

Obesity and casinos in Puerto Rico (hmm...)

My new online obsession is this blog. Honestly, I think I like it better than mine.

That's probably not a good thing...

Anyways, Renee has two great posts about obesity in Puerto Rico and a guide to casinos in San Juan. Plus more amazingness.

Seriously, go read.

Whoops... we missed it

What with the heat, thunderstorms, and lack of technology (I broke free of my chains for the weekend, in case you didn't notice), I didn't even realize that NYC's world-famous Puerto Rican Parade came and left. Then again, I can't imagine it was that much fun, seeing as it was blazing outside. Anyone reading this go to it? How was it? Any stories?

If you're like me and trying to avoid the weather, here's some reading:

• Apparently during my blackout I also missed Top Chef in Puerto Rico making Puerto Rican food. Check out a pretty funny description of the episode here. Another interesting look at it (along with vegetarian versions of some of the recipes) is right here.
  
• A couple things on tourism--well, one is partly tourism and the rest just migration... yep, I'm talking about Puerto Ricans in Florida. Apparently they've beat New York for flights to and from the state. Hmm. The other one is about JetBlue, who is adding more flights from JFK, Orlando, and adding flights early (starting September) from Boston. Good news after AA's announcement; Puerto Rico needs it.
• And now... politics, that inescapable topic. But this time I have decent reading about it (or at least I enjoyed it!). Check these out:
• An interview with Aníbal about why he's petitioning the UN to review Puerto Rico's status:

Many things have [caused us to change our stance]. Instead of getting more autonomy and powers, we have less than in 1952 because the federal government has grown exponentially and aggressively and now controls things that in the past were left up to the states. . . .

For instance, we have a strong dairy industry in Puerto Rico. For the last 50 or 60 years, the government of Puerto Rico has regulated the industry. Last year, a federal judge decided they were the ones that would regulate prices. This is something that affects the pockets of every Puerto Rican, our farmers, our agricultural sector, a whole industry in Puerto Rico, and from now on we have to go before a federal judge for changes.

Another example is we don't believe in the death penalty. Our constitution, which was approved by Congress, specifically bans it. . . . But under the Bush administration, we have seen the district attorney [in San Juan] very aggressively seeking death-penalty convictions. .

• A slightly less political and more cultural look at some of the same thing, Americanization in Puerto Rico (it's not too well written but is a decent introduction to the issue):
  

In assessing the effects of the “Americanization” of the island of Puerto Rico, it is important to ascertain whether industrial progress is always beneficial to the people’s to which it is brought. Through the American perception of the ideal, one would believe that suburbanization and industrialization is akin to progress and success; however, Puerto Rico proves this to be a fallacy. The people of Puerto Rico, hard working individuals with a strong work and family ethic became so immersed in “Americanization” that no price was too big to pay to achieve that “ideal.” Such prices included the dissolving of the patriarchal society, the sterilization of one-third of the country’s women of child bearing years, and the loss of pride in one’s ability to provide not only for himself but for his family. Now, this society is rapidly becoming matriarchal with 20 percent of the males unemployed and living off of American handouts. But how did this happen?

• A deeper look at why Hillary "swept" Puerto Rico:

Regardless its unexpected exposure to CNN's limelight, the primary event in Puerto Rico failed, once more, to engage in the potent issues that with some frequency rear their heads in the mainland campaigns. If politics is always local, in Puerto Rico, a superpopulated Island (with one of the highest population densities in the world, despite the fact that a full half of Puerto Ricans live in the United States) it is really a bizarre mirror labyrinth in which the colonial status is the overriding issue. Other social, economic and cultural contents revolve around the question of whether Puerto Rico will continue its colonial status (since 1898), or achieve some kind of resolution, any time soon.

• Did racism in Puerto Rico affect the election? A quick glance...

"On the mainland, Obama is black, but not in Puerto Rico," said Juan Manuel Garcia Passalacqua, the island's most distinguished political commentator. "Here, he is a mulatto, and this is a mulatto society. People here are perfectly prepared to vote for someone who looks like them for president of the United States."

This is of course the party line on the island and is used frequently to say why the island does not need a black movement. However, a mulatto ran on Sunday and race was an issue and not in his favor.

I would argue, though, that when the author says that Black island populations are consistently poorer and less educated and White populations are not does not add up to the same wide discrepancies in Puerto Rico that may be found in other Latin America. Undeniably it exists in PR, but to the same extent as in neighboring countries? That is a very strong statement to make for an island that tends to share its poverties with the entire population. Blacks do tend to be poorer on average, but the margin is smaller than it is in other Latin American countries if I'm not mistaken.

• Finally, an article about racism between Puerto Ricans and Nuyoricans, who are seen by islanders as Blacker and therefore are subject to various ugly stereotypes, including overly sexual. Highly recommended.

Photographs in a controversial video feature smiling fair-skinned beauty contest winners and fashion models contrasted with images of scantily dressed, full-bodied, dark-skinned women in public spaces ---"evidence" of the cultural and aesthetic differences between "real" Puerto Ricans and those who make illegitimate claims on that identity.

These are the verbal and visual claims of a controversial video making recent rounds on the Internet, explaining the alleged differences between Puerto Ricans on the Island and those in the United States. The two-minute video, which has repeatedly been yanked from YouTube, informs the viewer that “Puerto Ricans come from the island,” are overwhelmingly “blancos” or mestizos of Taíno and European ancestry, and “typically VERY classy and/or preppy or as we say in Puerto Rico ‘fino’.” Island Puerto Ricans are also highly educated, the video asserts. In contrast, Nuyoricans are “3rd or 4th generation Puerto Ricans that are usually mixed with African Americans, CAN NOT speak Spanish or speak it very badly!!! They act very, very trashy and ghetto or as we say in Puerto Rico cafre!!!” Nuyoricans are Afrocentric and one is more likely to find them “in prison than in college.” Indeed, Nuyoricans—a misnomer since it encompasses the entire Puerto Rican diaspora—often seem to be a target in this video and beyond for anti-Afro-Latino sentiment. Nuyoricans come under fire for their apparent obsession with race and racism and, most particularly, their identification with African-Americans and blackness.

Quick! Go to San Juan TOMORROW!

It's probably too late for this, but for those of you who have the opportunity, the tren urbano (metro) is going to be free tomorrow in honor of the 3 year anniversary of the ATI (Integrated Transportation Alternative), or at least so says the paper. That's in comparison to a normal $1.50-per-ride fare. Sounds good to me.

Here's a list of the stops, courtesy of Wikipedia:

* Sagrado Corazón (Sagrado Corazón)
* Hato Rey (Golden Mile / José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum)
* Roosevelt (Golden Mile)
Tren Urbano at the Roosevelt Station.
Tren Urbano at the Roosevelt Station.
* Domenech (Hato Rey)
* Piñero (Hato Rey)
* Universidad (Río Piedras / University of Puerto Rico)
* Río Piedras (Río Piedras)
* Cupey
* Centro Médico (University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus)
* San Francisco
* Las Lomas
* Martínez Nadal
* Torrimar (Guaynabo)
Torrimar Station
Torrimar Station
* Jardines
* Deportivo (Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium)
* Bayamón (Bayamón)

Oh American Airlines...

So it seems as if American's cuts are going to take a hit on Puerto Rico, starting this September. American Eagle is only going to have about 33 flights this fall, and a whole bunch of people are losing their jobs. More flights will probably be affected as time goes on, so... be careful, I guess.

And on an unrelated note: why, Ricky, why?

The Best Beaches of Puerto Rico?

Being an island, there are, of course, lots of beaches in Puerto Rico. Quality varies, but the geographical location is the greatest determining factor. North and east-side beaches touch the Atlantic. Most of these beaches are decent, but in general are nothing particularly special. The most outstanding include Luquillo, Loíza (so I've heard), and a few around the city of Fajardo. Also in Fajardo are ferries to Culebra and Vieques, both tiny islands known for the beautiful beaches. On the other hand, tourists will be disappointed with the beaches in San Juan--most are small, overcrowded, ugly, and even dangerous. There are some where swimming is prohibited because currents have caused various deaths. My suggestion is to head outside of the city if you want to find a nice one.

The west and south of the island touch the Caribbean Sea and thus are known for the better beaches. Anywhere from Mayagüez to Aguadilla have pleasant beaches, probably the best in the island. Of note is Rincón, not only an ex-pat hangout but a popular surfing spot as well.

I personally don't have much experience with beaches on the island--while this may be a surprise for some, Puerto Ricans don't go to the beach every day, or even at all. Each time I've been it's a special trip and I gather that it's the same for many other families. However, you've probably noticed that I do have a photo of the beach as a header for the blog. If you've ever wondered, it's a picture of the beach Seven Seas in Fajardo, which I visited a year or two ago. I would highly recommend this beach, since the water is slow, shallow, and crystal clear, and the beach in general is beautiful. It does, however, cost 3 dollars to park there (I don't know about entering in general, though... I'm pretty sure you could at least sneak in for free).

Anyways, for those who have spent more time on the beaches, which ones are your favorites? Any secret gems?

Green Puerto Rico

I'm real busy, but I did want to pass along this blog article about being green in Puerto Rico. It's also just a good general guide to visiting the island!

A Bunch of Interesting Things from the Island!

I know it's been a couple of days but I've found some decent stuff this time, including some acceptable articles in English! Hoorah!

... but first, let's start with some Spanish.



This video was brought to my attention by this blog post, which kindly mentions that this greatness has been mostly ignored. Really sad, since it features the amazing Sunshine Logroño, Puerto Rico's most popular comedian (a very informative Wikipedia article is here). Definitely worth checking out, especially for linguistic reasons. Just sayin'.

Okay. Anyways... good news for anyone reading in California (if there is anyone)! There are flights in May for $225, which is cheaper than for us on the East Coast, although I'm not sure how that makes sense. This is a really low price so take advantage of it while you can.

Back to the real agenda... First off, I have this article about Obama and Hillary courting Puerto Rico's voters. Not too different from the usual but I think I just about died laughing when I saw this:

At the conclusion of the 1898 Spanish American War, the U.S. seized the island, and for five decades treated it like a whore.

¡Qué pavera! (Hilarious is the best way to translate that, I suppose... pavera is a laughing fit) Very unprofessional but I definitely got a kick out of it.

Anyways....

This article doesn't have the same eloquent writing as the last one but it is interesting. It's a collection of census results. It really sheds some light on the housing difficulties (and then some) of Puerto Rico. For example, the homeownership rate of Puerto Rico is about 74%, only behind 2 states (Michigan and Minnesota), and yet they spend almost as much paying for their house (mortgage, etc) as Californians, who spend the most on their houses in the country. I don't think this is due to a lot of Puerto Ricans needlessly buying houses, but rather the massive jumps in costs for amenities and morgage. Also, it says that Puerto Rico has the lowest graduating rate in the country, yet it's bachelor degree rate was higher than three states. Doesn't seem to match up. Poverty has decreased but it's still three times the rate of the United States and twice as bad as the worst state.

I think that's enough of that since it depresses me a bit.

Finally, my favorite newspaper, the Washington Post, has finally got something about Puerto Rico, and it's even in both English and Spanish! Very useful read for understanding some of the roots of Puerto Rico's economic/political problems today. I don't think I need to say much more than that.

History of the San Juan Forts

I just caught this article about the history of the forts in San Juan and felt like sharing.

Real post later...

Too many things going on in Puerto Rico!

Well, the first thing that I have to talk about is the latest news about Aníbal Acevedo Vilá. Boy is he in trouble! He has finally been charged with using illegal donations (from people all over the island as well as the United States) to fund his campaign, along with several other charges. Should he be found guilty, he could serve up to 20 years in jail. We'll see how this works how for him in the future. Meanwhile, here is a great article (in Spanish) with more details, along with pictures, video, etc.

Also dealing with politics, I found this article (in English) about Hillary's first campaigning in Puerto Rico. I think it's a very good analysis about the two Democratic campaigns, with a lot of specifics about Hillary's concrete plans. Nice.

If you REALLY feel like doing some reading, I stumbled upon an amazing paper on the entire history of Americanization in Puerto Rico. It's part two of the paper. While it doesn't try to hide the author's political leanings, it does offer plenty of history in return. A sample:

Puerto Rico's 400 years of history as a people was being systematically erased. "American heroes" would replace their own national heroes, American holidays were to replace Spanish holidays, and Protestant missionaries would convert the people to Anglo-Saxon values. The children were taught in school to sing the "Star Spangled Banner", "America", "Hail Columbia", and other patriotic songs of its conquerors. They had to salute the flag each day. In some schools they had to dress in red, white and blue. The Puerto Rican flag was no more. The print media, later radio, and then television continually served a diet of propaganda news and patriotic symbols.

I think it offers a complete look at the early process of Americanization that I touched briefly before. So if anyone is interested in knowing more, I would highly recommend it (for a rainy day perhaps?).

Also dealing with history is a sample of a history textbook from 1899, one year after the Spanish-American War (it's much shorter than the essay). It's a lot less biased than I would have expected, especially considering some of the drivel coming out of the American government shortly after. Good resource.

And one last history source, although this time linking it today, is an description of the Taíno games and their current revival. Interesting but I do have to question the purpose of reviving them. Anyways, it's a good description of the game and some history.

Finally moving away from history and politics, here is an invitation to a party in Ponce. Well, kind of. Since they are temporarily closing el Museo de Arte de Ponce (the Ponce Art Museum), they're having a "closing party" with lots of activities this Sunday. Plus it's free. And the art? It's going to be in Plaza Las Américas, San Juan's giant mall, until the museum reopens in 2010.

Also, here is a VERY helpful page for figuring out when to visit Puerto Rico's bioluminescent bays. Not only does it include good advice but there also is a calendar for the rest of the year for when to go. By the way, if you don't know what a bioluminescent bay is, it is a bay that, with any movement, the dinoflagellates (algae) glow, so it looks as if the water is lighting up around you. There are only eight in the world and Puerto Rico has three of them, including the best two. So it is absolutely something to check out.

Finally, for those of us on and off the island, PBS will be airing a documentary on the life of Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rico's most famous baseball player. I'm not a big sports fan but the way that the writer here explains him I really do want to see it. It's airing April 21.

I think I've taken care of everything that I wanted! Boy has it been a busy week.

A potpourri of topics

I have a bunch of catch-up to do, and then I'll be taking a mental break for a couple of days and then I'll have more catch-up to do!

First off, a very important Puerto Rican artist, Rafael Tufiño, has died. Sad. Can anyone rise up to replace him?

As for blog posts, I wanted to share two from a friend, with photos of the interior of the island as well as some lechón, some photos of Culebra, and an invitation to el Día Internacional de la Salsa in a couple of weeks, which will have some of the biggest names in salsa performing. Oh, how I wish I were living on the island!

Anyways... stay safe and enjoy!

Word of the Week: Chiringa

The word of the week is chiringa, which means kite (the normal Spanish word for it is cometa, I believe). Why did I pick this? Because apparently there is a kite festival this weekend at El Morro. One of the nicest things about El Morro is the kite flying, and in this case there will be lots of it! I would really recommend you go.

Changing your clocks?

Most of America and various other countries are changing their clocks tonight. But Puerto Rico won't. The island doesn't observe daylight's saving time, so actually now the East Coast of the U.S. will be catching up to Puerto Rico. Good to know!

Cavernas de Camuy Reopened

Sorry about the break guys... anyways just wanted to say that las Cavernas de Camuy have reopened since they closed it because of an accident. They've changed it as well to make it safe. Sounds good!

A Chic San Juan?

One last post tonight, I swear. I just wanted to pass along this blog post talking about Puerto Rico's attempt at establishing itself as a "fancy" destination, especially Condado. Something about this seems... strange. Does anyone else get that feeling? Not in a sense of Americanization but just... I don't know what. What do you think?

A Few Current Events: the Eclipse, an Art Collection, and the Teachers' Strike

As everyone probably knows, last night was a lunar eclipse. I found this amazing photo of an eclipse by the faro (lighthouse) in Arecibo and I had to share it!

Also, I just stumbled upon this page with a variety of Puerto Rican art. It's not a collection of my favorites, but there are some that are definitely interesting, particularly those from Campeche and "Goyita" (a friend of mine's mother is nearly identical to the woman in that painting!). Apparently this is a selection of what is up at the Galeria Nacional in Viejo San Juan, in which case I will definitely be going next time I am in the island!

Another thought: I've been eying the news about the impeding teacher's strike but apparently it is more serious than I would have suspected. Apparently 10 protesting teachers have been detained and there have been some injuries. It's really unfortunate that it has to come to this and I really hope that it can be settled soon. If you want more information, a great article (along with a video) can be found here... but it is in Spanish.

Exploring Puerto Rico's African Heritage, Part 3: Loíza

Loíza is a city just east of San Juan, touching the Atlantic Ocean. The name Loíza purportedly comes from a Taíno cacica (female cacique, chief), who chose the name Luisa when baptized by the Spaniards. There is a variety of mythology surrounding the name and origin of the city, however. During colonial times, Loíza began to harbor escaped slaves not only from Puerto Rico but from all over the Caribbean. Because of this population, Loíza today is considered the center of African-derived culture in the island, bringing the popular bomba and other activities to the island which now form part of its identity. On the other hand, Loíza is one of the most impoverished parts of the island. Largely because of its black population and bureaucratic racism, Loíza has been slower than most municipalities to receive financial help. Drugs are a big problem, along with crime. However, I think some of these claims are a bit exaggerated and it is not as horrible as some say. I don't have much experience there, though, so I can't say.

Anyways, one of Loíza's greatest contributions to Puerto Rico's identity is the fiesta de Santiago (Saint James). This holiday is celebrated during July in the streets of Loíza with parades depicting the battle between the Spaniards and the Moors. While it is known for its strange creatures and caricatures of people that seems as though they have stepped out of an abstract painting, the real show-stealer is the vejigantes, the bizarre demons with paper-mache or coconut masks and giant dresses made in every vivid color that exists. While they're supposed to represent the Moors, they have become so much more. They are dancing, mischievous characters that have captured the affections of the island.

A great account of this festival can be found here, and a fascinating video (in Spanish and produced by the University of Puerto Rico) from 1949 is here.

(By the way, the picture here was drawn by my good friend. I've asked her to do a few drawings for the blog, hopefully we'll see more soon!)

Exploring Puerto Rico's African Heritage, Part 2: El Museo de Nuestra Raíz Africana, San Juan

Real quick one today. I just wanted to say that if anyone is really interested in looking more at PR's African Heritage, the best place is the Museo de Nuestra Raíz Africana (Museum of our African roots). It's a museum located right outside of el Morro. Honestly, I haven't been (yet!), but if you are interested in seeing a more cultural view of the island it's definitely worth your time. Anyways, if you want to read more about it, here is a description in English and here is better one in Spanish, if you're feeling adventurous.

Safety in Puerto Rico, Part 2: Driving!

So last time I talked about general safety in Puerto Rico. Now I'm going to talk about something that actually does scare me: driving.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's not as bad as driving in, say, Tehran. But driving is still more dangerous than the United States. It's not the roads themselves that are bad, because they're actually quite nice, identical to American highways (although towards the center of the island there are some in the mountains that are only one lane... a bit scary). But these roads are so overcrowded that many are subject to constant traffic jams (tapones), encouraged by the multitude of SUVs (I think Puerto Ricans like them even more than Americans). On top of that, many drivers are quite aggressive and will run red lights (although I've heard with a few new cameras it's become less common) and switch lanes without much warning.


This doesn't mean there are a lot of accidents, however; Puerto Rican drivers have incredibly quick reflexes and so a lot of accidents are barely avoided.


Some of my most terrifying memories throughout my life involve my friend's father driving us around the island. Not only did we have to worry about other people's driving, but he also was a hazard on the road. Every time he started telling a story he would look over to whomever he was talking to and would take his hands off the wheel. I can't even say how many accidents we almost caused.

The buses (públicos) are equally unreliable. They keep rising the prices, they're inconvenient as they rarely come on time or at all, and the driving is just as bad. It's an option for tourists who want to save some money, I suppose, but even for all the money you save it might not be worth it.

Walking and bike-riding are also not good options. While people will run across intersections and such, it always seems kind of risky. Drivers also don't seem to know what to do with bikes on the road, since it's so uncommon. I've actually read a story of a público driver hitting (and killing) a bike-rider in Old San Juan... you've been warned!

Here's a short video of a traffic jam (ignore the music!).