A Weekend in Puerto Rico
Written By: Tracy Block on Thu, Sep 13th 2007
Continuing on my vacation trend this past summer, I hopped a plane to Puerto Rico the day after Craig and I got home from our cruise. And though he did not join me on my last leg of the trip, I was excited nonetheless. Since Gena’s wedding is approaching in November, Max’s family decided to throw them a traditional Puerto Rican engagement soiree.
I hopped off the plane Friday morning, having taken an early flight because I didn’t want to waste the day. Exhausted from the cruise, I had to keep my spirits up and save the resting for later.
Gena and our friend Raquel from high school (who was also in town for the party) scooped me from the airport, and we headed to Gena and Max’s house, where they will be living after the wedding in Miami. A cozy abode that seemed just right, their pad was inviting, and I felt right at home.
After a tour, we met up with Max to grab some lunch. Our gang headed over to this small bakery in town that Max claimed had the best steak sandwiches in the world, so we indulged. Gena ordered a few quesitos, a Puerto Rican spin on cheese Danish, which were fantastic.
After lunch, we picked up Max’s friends Roy and Jessica at their hotel and headed to Old San Juan, where Max gave us a tour of the historical forts and the pier. Although the weather was overcast, the cloudy skies didn’t affect our sightseeing. We browsed the shops and then headed back to the house for a nap. Raquel and I were out in seconds (she had a late night Thursday), and we slept for a couple of hours until it was time for dinner.
Later that evening, we headed to a nice bistro with close family and friends of the bride and groom-to-be. We all ordered a few rounds of mojitos to get things started. I met some of Gena’s new friends, who seemed really nice, and had a few glasses of red (syrah and cabernet blend) and white (chardonnay). We indulged in some authentic Puerto Rican tapas, everything from fried cod fritters to empanadas to corn balls.
For dinner, I had steak with beans and rice, which was a bit too heavy. Maybe all the eating was finally catching up with me, so I sat out for dessert. After the company left, friends stuck around for a few more rounds and then we headed out. Raquel and I were ready to party, but we knew we had a big night coming up, so we zipped our lips when Gena and Max neared home.
The next morning, we met up with Gena’s mom, Susie, for some lunch at the hotel. The weather was still cloudy, but we went to lay by the beach to chill out for a bit. Raquel and I headed back to the room to get ready, and to indulge in a little pre-partying. The gals were sipping Moet and nibbling on bites while getting their hair and makeup done. Once the room cleared, Raquel and I finished putting on our faces and fixing our hair before climbing into our dashing Nicole Miller ensembles for the evening.
We headed down to the elegant affair. Everyone was dressed in formal attire. We mixed and mingled and sipped some vino. The white on hand was a buttery chard, which I was fine with calling my choice drink for the evening. We took some pictures and chatted some more and then it was dinner time.
Paella and ravioli were both being served, so I had a taste. More wine followed, which was fine with me. After dinner came dancing, and everyone was on their feet, practicing for the wedding. As the end neared, the clan staying in the hotel did some after partying of our own. Raquel and I didn’t get to sleep until about 5 a.m., so we were hoping for beach day weather on Sunday.
We awoke Sunday morning and headed to the sunny beach. The weather was gorgeous and the water was soothing. We hung for a while and grabbed lunch outdoors before heading back to Gena and Max’s. It wasn’t before long that I was packing for the airport. I thanked the happy couple and headed in to catch my flight home. The weekend was fabulous, but my vacation was officially over. Still, I couldn’t help but smile when I remembered that Craig would be waiting to greet me when I hopped off the plane in Miami.
Sometimes, coming home is just as nice as being away.
