Take me back. Better yesterday than today. I think back to our tour with some nostalgia Puerto Rico in 2018. It's not every day that you travel halfway around the planet to attend a conference. Yet that was the initial reason we flew to the Caribbean. Be inspired for two days with an intimate group by the best wedding photographers around. That was the Fearless Conference in a nutshell. Not only a wonderful experience for ourselves, but also a very useful one. Not long before, Puerto Rico had been hit hard by Hurricane Katrina. All proceeds from the conference were donated to charities that helped Puerto Rico get back on its feet. Carine knew nothing at first. I had bought our entrance ticket for both of us behind her back. Yes, then you have to, right? But, as expected, Carine did not object very much and a few months later we flew after the sun with a suitcase full of shorts and T-shirts.
I regularly see these questionnaires on Social Media and one of the questions I see more often is 'Beach or mountains?'. Now I think mountains are beautiful. Breathtaking. But if you ask me where I feel more comfortable and happier, it is on the beach. The wavy water has a calming effect on me, and I really agree with the laid-back culture that beach areas often entail. Everything on time and above all, no rush.
We would spend the first five days in the capital San Juan stay, but then the journey became a matter of: We'll see where the wind takes us. It became a journey that makes me warm when I think about it. Puerto Rico is a country full of friendly people and beautiful beaches. It is not difficult to get carried away with the wonderfully relaxed lifestyle and we thoroughly enjoyed the sun, the food, the (slightly too) many cocktails and the beautiful surroundings.
Absolute highlights were staying in one of the last AirBnBs with a name that immediately appealed to me: The Lair of the Octopus. Dearest hostess and hostess Monika and Nathan invite us to spend Thanksgiving with their sweet family. Old-fashioned fun at its finest! On our penultimate day we visited the Arecibo radio telescope, known not only for its many scientific discoveries, but also for Goldeneye. One of my favorite Bond films. An impressive institution, and all the more difficult it was to see the observatory collapse last year. The fact that we were able to visit before disaster struck was a bonus. With due reluctance we went home. But what else do you expect, after all this beauty:
BONUS MATERIAL
It's nice when you get some bonus material after the end of a movie or a computer game. A nice surprise that you didn't expect. Even if it doesn't mean much, it's still nice to receive.
Our bonus material: We quickly went to New York. Like it's nothing. On the way back home, we had a fairly long transfer, and just enough time to take the tram into the center for a pretzel (you are in New York after all!), a walk and a cup of coffee. It was the definition of a lightning visit, but it definitely left me wanting more. So it's on the list to go again!
