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I spent time in my favorite place in the world during the winter holidays: western Puerto Rico, my home away from home.<\/p>\nI spent time in my favorite place in the world during the winter holidays: western Puerto Rico, my home away from home.<\/p>\n
I had a difficult time getting there with flight delays and rebooking, but I got there, albeit 8 hours late.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, no one cares any more about protecting others from Covid with no masking or distancing. Though I always wore a mask, it was not enough to protect me. Two days after arrival, I developed symptoms of Covid-19 and tested positive. <\/p>\n
If there is an upside, my symptoms were very mild with only a runny nose, achy-all-over feeling, and fatigue. But no fever, coughing, or worse.<\/p>\n
I credit being so well-vaccinated, including the bivalent booster, that I did not need medical treatment and my symptoms abated in just three days. The last day of symptoms was Christmas day, so I wasn’t able to join friends for a holiday dinner and stayed “home” and binge-watched Netflix. <\/p>\n
On recovering, I began to explore. My first…
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… exploration was going on a 5km hike around Punta Guaniquilla nature reserve. I was led on this hike by a good friend who knows the area. Visual clues for the right trail were sparse, but my friend knew just where to go. We crossed bogs, traversed water, explored a cave, walked by the shores of the Caribbean Sea (my friends took a dip; I wasn’t ready to do that.) It was a long day, but got me out of my funk of being isolated.<\/p>\n
We went to a local winter league baseball game, which was interesting. We also visited the town square all lit up for the holidays. Such a warm and festive atmosphere made me feel happy.<\/p>\n
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I also visited two Atlantic Ocean beach areas that I had not previously visited during my some 35 visits to the island. There I admired the power of the ocean on the rock formations at the shoreline. It was quite impressive and reminded me how strong the ocean really is. I also saw huge pelicans hunting for fish. <\/p>\n
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I took time to go on wildlife photo hunts on some remote trails that I discovered last year. I saw egrets, osprey, and stilts (a shore bird), as well as got attacked by a devilish iguana.<\/p>\n
Here’s the story — I saw a rather large iguana in the bush. I squatted down to take pictures of it. As I stood up and walked backwards, I fell. I thought I tripped over a log — but it was an even larger iguana! When I looked up, I saw a fierce big monster staring at me. I got up real quick and beat boots outta there!<\/p>\n
Later my friends told me that iguanas are vegetarian, but I did not want to find out!<\/p>\n
I enjoyed meals and activities with these friends who are like family. We cooked together, laughed, and shared stories. I am blessed to have many good friends who embrace me and include me as one of their own family.<\/p>\n
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I visited four beaches, including my favorite beach where I scattered my husband’s ashes last year. I enjoyed swimming in the warm Caribbean. News to note — if you are a morning person like me and get to a beach by 8am, you have the entire beach to yourself for hours. Peaceful, calm, and serene. I loved it. If it rains, rain comes in the afternoon, so the morning is bright, beautiful, sunny, and warm.<\/p>\n
My last beach visit was on the date of my husband’s death two years ago. I brought flowers that he liked from a friend’s yard. I spelled out a memory with shells on the beach. Ti amo<\/em> — I love you — a memory I will always hold in my heart. <\/p>\n I leaned back into the water and floated, once again, to be with my beloved husband’s spirit once more.<\/p>\n My last full day was a major Puerto Rican Holiday — Three Kings Day. I spent the day with very close friends whose home I stay in when I visit and enjoyed a wonderful meal. We talked, shared, and just loved one another. My friends there are truly special to me.<\/p>\n Alas, it was time to return home to Maryland. I had uneventful flights with long layovers. Stayed home all last week just to make sure I didn’t get Covid again.<\/p>\n I ended 2022 where I began — in my beloved Puerto Rico. In early 2022, I was a sad sack. In late 2022, I felt that I was in a much better place, both emotionally and physically.<\/p>\n Life is short: love where your spirit is renewed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I spent time in my favorite place in the world during the winter holidays: western Puerto Rico, my home away from home. I had a difficult time getting there with flight delays and rebooking, but I got there, albeit 8 … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bootedmanblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2GingerMe.jpg?resize=300%2C205&ssl=1\")
I took the flowers with me into the ocean and released them. I watched them float gently out to sea, as I watched how my husband’s ashes floated to sea last year<\/a>.<\/p>\n