Errands, Errands
03 June 2011 | Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce has been a stop of mixed constrasts. It has been a joy for provisioning, with all the big-box stores we could need to replenish our boat.
The harbor is really set up for commercial shipping or weekend boaters, and the four different law-enforcement agencies that have scrutinized our papers over the past few days seem slightly perplexed at what we’re doing here (“Where are you coming from?” “The D.R.” “Did you stop in Cuba?” “No” “Do you have any Cuban tobacco or liquor on-board?” “No” “We’re going to run our drug-sniffing dog through your boat” That last one was not phrased as a request for permission).
Along the waterfront is a small boardwalk with a few trinket shops and food vendors that all seem to offer the same menu of empanadillas and tostones. In between are courtyards where musicians and dancers keep the beat going. And going, and going. Last weekend when we were arrived we were a little surprised that the loud music goes on until 3am. Really, 3am. When Tuesday rolled around and the weekend was past, we had an evening without music. We thought we had it made. Until 4am Wednesday morning, when a religious group took hold of the facility’s very powerful speakers for a three-hour sunrise service. Wednesday night the evening music went to 3am, and then a different religious group took over at 4am. Sleep has been a bit ... tenuous.
As a first-time visitor to Puerto Rico, I find it simultaneously exotically familiar. All spoken language is of course in Spanish. But it’s fascinating how the big stores in the malls (Sears, JC Penny, Ponderosa Steak House) have almost all their signs in English, distributed straight from the lower 48 states. Except Walmart and Home Depot, which have signs predominantly in Spanish with English underneath. On the express roads, distance is measured in kilometers, but speed is in miles per hour. Gas is priced per liter. I think I like Puerto Rico if I can get my Spanish up to speed.
Weather permitting, tomorrow we continue east to Salinas.