Alex and David in the US!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

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.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

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.