Harley Grace Bollinger

We are pleased to announce the arrival of Harley Grace Bollinger. She is the first baby girl for David's cousin, Alison and her husband Blake. She arrived at 2:10 am on Friday the 25th of February, weighting in at 6lbs 13oz.

Most of you know of Tutu, David's grandmother travelled all the way down to Australia for our wedding, and is due to turn 93 this year. This officially makes Tutu a great-grandmother!

Congratulations to Alison and Blake, we could not be more thrilled for you both!

Bio luminescent Bay

One of the key attractions in PR is the presence of Bio luminescent Bays. These are bays where the water literally glows as a result of the micro-organisms that emit a flash of bluish light when agitated. There are 5 bio luminescent bays in the world, and PR hosts 3 of them.

Visiting the bays is possible at night and by kayaking only, in order to preserve the eco-system. We kayaked for about 45mins thru red mangrove trees before reaching the bay, but not before rocking some serious life jackets!















Interestingly, the eastern side of the bay is located in the southern most tip of the Bermuda Triangle, so we have lived to tell the tale!




















The experience was truly magical!

Palomino Island

One of the benefits of staying an a huge resort conglomerate is the use of a private island.

Palomino Island is an 100-acre private unspoiled tropical oasis, located 7 mins by catamaran,and located surprisingly close to Ricky Martin's private island - ole ole ole!

View of El Conquistador
















Arriving at Palomino island
















By the beach

David lounging by the palm trees.

Alex taking a dip!

El Conquistador

"David! Get me to the compound!"

After a few days of stretching my legs and scratching below the surface of Puerto Rico I was ready for some western style decadance...........to El Conquistador Resort we went!

Perched high above the ocean on 300-foot cliff, it was all things fabulous and over the top! Divided into five villages all with panoramic ocean views, complete with day spa, 18 hole golf course, 14 restaurants, water park and private marina, pure indulgence awaited us…………and I was ready to greet it!
















View from our room at the Marina.















Tough life, but someone has to do it!




















Enjoying dinner outside at Bella Vista.

Ponce Museum of Art

One of the highlights of our trip was the visit to the world class Ponce Museum of Art. It was designed by Edward Durrell Stone, Museum of Modern Art, NY, and houses the most extensive art collection in the Caribbean.















The building, with seven interconnected hexagons, glass cupolas and a pair of curved staircases. It contains one of the most important pre-Raphaelite collections in the western hemisphere.

The museum houses more than 1,000 paintings and 400 sculptures, including the finest collection of European works in the Caribbean, such as works by Velasquez, Rubens and Rodin.















An extension to the gallery was added in 2010 to include a sculpture garden.........















.......and more Carribean pieces such as mosaics.





















Fabulous!

Ponce

After our fun in San Juan, we made our way to Ponce, pronounced PON - sai, thru the mountains famous for their coffee plantations.















Ponce is Puerto Rico's second largest city, and is known as " La Ciudad de los Leones" (city of lions). It was founded in 1692 by Juan Ponce de León's great-grandson - Loíza Ponce de León.

The "Parque de Bombas" is a landmark and still in use. Originally it served as headquarters of the Ponce Fire Corps, but in 1990, the firehouse was reopened as a museum, and the municipal band plays a free concert every Sunday night.





















The unique red and black century old wooden firehouse is the second most photographed landmarc in all of PR.
















Ponce is also known because of its many beautiful neoclassical buildings and facades........

...........I would like to add that this is basically code for very little to do and not many eating options.

The Dead Centre of Town.

Bacardi Factory

As most of you know, I love a good theme. Can you guess it so far?

Bonbonera? Bread? Bautista Cathedral? Boiling hot day?
Next on the list...........Bacardi Factory!

















This was an odd choice seeing we are not big Rum drinkers, but it was interesting nonetheless!





















The "gratis" drinks helped ease concern we may have had....

















....... and the ferry ride with views of OSJ was worth it alone.

















Gorgeous!

















No more Rum for David!

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista

After our sugar and caffeine fuelled breakfast we made our way over to the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista. It is one of the oldest buildings in San Juan, and is the second oldest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere.

The cathedral contains the tomb of the Spanish explorer and settlement founder Juan Ponce de Leon.




















David doing some sketching.




















Behind me is El Convento, a 350 year old Spanish convent converted to a 5 star hotel with roof top bar - hola!

















It was then down to the main entrance of OSJ, where travels and supplies arrived. You will note the St John the Baptist mosaic over the entrance, for which travels paid their gratitude once they arrived safely.




















The entrance from afar and appropriately arriving cruise ship!

If you like Pina Colada's.......

...........then you will love this plaque in their honor!

La Bonbonera

La Bombonera is the second oldest restaurant in the old San Juan, one of the most famous and most renown. It was founded in 1902 by Antonio Rijo, and today features a restaurant and bakery.















It is most well known for its coffee and mallorca's.

A mallorca is a Spanish style fluffy pastry stuffed with cheese and ham and sprinkled with powdered sugar.......delicious!

Pamela's on the Beach

For Valentine's Day lunch, we headed to Numero Uno located at Pamela's on the Beach. It was the most romantic way to spend the day, with a gourmet lunch served beach side.


















After we spent the afternoon relaxing in lounge chairs and enjoyed the beach.......






















..............perfecto!

Ummo

After a long day of carting around forts, we headed out to Ummo an Argentine steakhouse in Condato.

















A much needed glass of wine!
















It was all about the steak, as you can imagine, and David was in heaven with 6 different cuts of meat, bread, plantain mash, rice, beans and veggies.....
















yummmm
















I decided to try the blood sausage, with wine on back up just in case.

It did not go well.

Fort San Cristobal

At the other end of OSJ is Fort San Cristobal, the photo below was taken at San Cristobal looking back at El Morro, which is the tiny tip in the distance.

It was a long and hot walk, but very pretty with all the Spanish architecture that was located between the two forts.















So quaint.

San Cristobal is the biggest in OSJ, spanning 27 acres and covering the most of the area.

It was one big fort.
















Shenanigans, it was a long day.