More things


Sunday, April 28 was Elaine's last day in town. We walked around, then finally went to Fort San Cristobal. We tried to find the Santurce Market, a venerable farmer's market in the Santurce area of San Juan, but no one could give us specific directions to it, and it is very hard to find! Then we went to the botanical gardens at the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras. Grasshopper made from a palm frond - obtained from a street palm frond artist
On the weekends the ocean liners come to old San Juan to offload passengers (and get new ones). They can dominate the skyline. Here are some shots of the tail (?) of a liner: Ocean liner tail Ocean liner tail Ocean liner tail
We got to Fort San Cristobal. Here are some pictures: Old San Juan skyline from the fort - you can see a ship in the harbor World War II improvement at Fort San Cristobal Tunnel at the fort Another view of old San Juan from the fort Atlantic Ocean, La Perla, and Castillo del Morrow in the distance, from Fort San Cristobal Gun emplacements on the roof of the fort - not original equipment
We went to a little jewelry store I had heard advertised on the radio - they gave a 10% discount if you said you heard the ad. Nearby was Barrachina, a bar/restaurant which claims to have invented the Pina Colada. We tried their Pina Coladas (a few nights before we took this picture), and were disappointed - they came out of a slurpy machine! On our way to the botanical gardens we went to Bebo's, a rotisserie chicken joint. Elaine at Amber Dreams Pina Colada sign Bebo's BBQ Bebo's BBQ Bebo's BBQ
We got to the Botanical Garden. This garden is not big on interpretive signs - we frequently didn't know what we were looking at. It's also much more natural in appearance than some other gardens we've seen recently (Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Jardin Botanique in Montreal). Those other gardens are very formal, and have lots of little signs. Snake plants near the entrance Pretty plant Pretty plant Pretty plant Pretty plant Pretty plants Pond Lizard
Wait a minute - here was an informative sign for the Monet Garden - and some pictures from that garden Monet Garden sign Monet Garden Monet Garden
More garden pictures: Outdoor sculpture William and an outdoor sculpture William and an outdoor sculpture more plants more plants Ducks More Ducks Crane
Crane Flying Duck Family Fountain Sculpture Sculpture Sculpture Sculpture and sign
After the garden we must have chilled out at Ben and Jerry's, which had a location right next to the hotel. It's owned by Michelle Campi, who was an Olympic gymnast. She never quite made it to the Olympics because of injuries, but apparently she was a hot gymnast. She is from the states, but her mother is Puerto Rican and they are pictured here, as well as other pix from Ben and Jerry's. Michelle Campi clippings Ben and Jerry's Michelle Campi clippings Sculpture on ceiling at Ben & Jerry's More sculpture on ceiling at Ben & Jerry's Michelle Campi and her mom
Elaine's last dinner in PR was a Ajili Mojili in Condado Elaine at Ajili Mojili Elaine and William at Ajili Mojili Ajili Mojili exterior
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