Author Archive
Hurricane Earl Skims by Vieques
Posted by: | CommentsOn Monday night and Tuesday during the day (August 30 & 31), Hurricane Earl passed about 100 miles to the north of Vieques. While it was blowing about 135 miles per hour in its center, it brought only tropical storm force winds ( about 40-50 mph) and some rain to Vieques. Not much damage was done, although a few trees and lots of branches came down. One problem was the loss of water and electricity for a while. One sailboat (“Asante” – about 45 feet long) was pushed up on the shore of the beach in Esperanza. It took the rescue company two days to get it out because it was sitting in less than 3 feet of water. I went beach combing today on Sun Bay and saw lots of shells, sea sponges and sea fans, a crab, a baby conch (which I through back in the water), and the normal trash that gets brought in with a storm. Tonight Tropical Storm Fiona will pass us by far to the north and we are hoping for sunnier days this labor day weekend.
My first mango of the season
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I was walking home from snorkeling in Esperanza today and picked up three mangoes from the road. When I took the first delicious bite from my first mango of this season, I was swept with joy and anticipation of what is to come. I look forward to the dozens of mangoes I will eat this summer. Vieques has many varieties. I prefer the ones that are not stringy. When they are so plentiful, we can afford to be picky! Hope you have some mangoes while you are visiting.
Vieques on horseback
Posted by: | CommentsMany of my guests had been giving rave reviews of the horseback riding tours by Esperanza Riding Company. So when two of my guests suggested I go with them on this tour, I finally decided, after 10 years of procrastinating, to go riding.
It was a wonderful experience – made possible by my very gentle horse, “Rescate” (Rescue in English), and the skill and confidence of Elizabeth, the owner and tour guide.
Elizabeth has about 20 horses that live on a beautiful pasture overlooking the south coast just outside of Esperanza. We met Elizabeth at 8 AM at her horse farm at the corner of Routes #201 & #996 and were given very clear instructions about how to manage the horse using the reins and our heels. It was a thrill to trot through the hills and the beaches of Vieques.
Between Sun Bay and Esperanza with westerm mountains in the background
If I can do it, you can too!
Check out Esperanza Riding Company tours.
Fun can be very “taxing”
Posted by: | CommentsThe Vieques Cultural Festival was a great success on all “accounts”. All three nights (April 16, 17 & 18) it was well-attended and presented great typical Puerto Rican music, dance and puppet performances. Food was sold to raise money for the students graduating this year and for the Relay for Life (cancer services). My favorite food was the “relleno de platano” – a fried ball of mashed plantain with a center of ground beef. The arts and crafts were very beautiful, as always.
So how does this get so “taxing”? On Saturday night I was happily bouncing in my seat to one of the many live bands, when, over the beat of the music, I heard my name called from several seats away. I was motioned to come over by Sandra, who I know very well from the Vieques Women’s Alliance. Sandra, who is also the director of the local Revenue Office, wanted to let me know that I had dropped off my tax return without signing it. I thanked her and said I would be there to sign it after the weekend. Kudos to Sandra for going above and beyond the call of duty on a Saturday night. What a joy to live in Vieques where personal service is the norm and even filing taxes can be fun.
Getting Engaged in the Bio-Bay
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Penny with her diamond
The bioluminescence wasn’t the only thing making the bio-bay sparkle on the night of April 12th. Dave made his surprise proposal for marriage to Penny while they were on a tour to the bio-bay. It’s hard to get down on one knee when you are treading water and just as hard to get a ring out of a Tiffany’s box to present to your beloved.
The couple kayaked out to the middle of the bay and threw themselves into the luxurious glowing water.
Dave & Penny after engagement
Then Dave proceeded to ask Penny to marry him and pulled out the box with the diamond ring from his bathing suit pocket. But Penny wasn’t satisfied with that. She wanted the ring on her finger then and there. So, with much trepidation, Dave opened the box while treading water, slipped the ring on her finger and then planted a long kiss.
When they arrived back to Casa de Kathy, I was ready to hear the joyful story (Dave had already consulted with me on how to safely transport the ring to the bay). I gave a big hug to Penny and took several photos of the happy couple. May this engagement day
Dave proud of his proposal
be one of many happy memories that they create together.
Hike to Black Sand Beach
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Kathy and Luvy
Today I went for a hike to Black Sand Beach with my dog Luvy. I left Casa de Kathy at 7:30 AM and walked to Coco Beach (Playa Cocal) and west along the south coast. There are about four headlands of rocks that you have to pass so it is good to wear shoes that can get wet. The walk is peaceful and you will pass many beaches good for beach combing (finding shells and sea glass). The coast is rocky and wavy.
As I stood on the 4th headland and looked west, I saw the very long sandy beach with orange cliffs. That is Black Sand Beach. In a very short distance I stopped where the river bed joins the coast because that is my favorite spot to swim because there is a sandy bottom. I swam for about 10 minutes while my faithful dog Luvy watched.
There are patches of black sand all along this beach. How much depends on the the movements of the sea.
Dry river bed that leads to black sand beach
Then I walked north up the dry river bed under a wonderful tree canopy. The total silence except for the birds is what I love about this walk. In about ten minutes I arrived at the public road (201) where I took a right and headed back home. This walk is nice in the morning because the road is shaded by all the trees. Thanks for these photos of life along the river bed taken by my guests Theresa and Slava.
Lizard (anole)
Hermit crab
I got home at 9 AM – one hour and a half after I left. What a great way to begin the day!
Vieques Cultural Festival, April 16-18
Posted by: | CommentsEspañol abajo
Celebrating the XXXIII Viequense Cultural Festival
Fort Count Mirasol Museum
Institute of Puerto Rican Cullture
PO Box 71 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765
t. 787 741-1717 f. 787 741-4688
rrabin@icp.gobierno.pr
5 April, 2010
Celebrating the XXXIII Viequense Cultural Festival
Vieques celebrates its 33rd annual Cultural Festival this year between 16
and 18 April. Three nights of artistic-cultural presentations will take
place at the Fort Count Mirasol Museum, project of the Museums and Parks
Program of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. The Festival is the
oldest and most diverse manifestation of Viequense-Puerto Rican culture to
happen on the island-municipality.
Folkloric Ballet, typical Puerto Rican music, Bomba and Plena, an artisans
fair – with dozens of craftspeople from the main island and Vieques – and a
Vieques book fair, are among the weekend’s activities that begin each night
around 7:00. The Municipal Band, the Band’s Orchesrta Workshop, music
groups Mariyandá and Albacaná, the Pleneritos del Son (Luquillo), Sol del
Caribe Folkloric Ballet (Guayama), music and puppet theatre by the Caguas
Municipal Cultural Office, the Pleneros de Vieques, Victoria Sanabria and
her Orchestra form part of the program
The festival is dedicated this year to Myrna Pagán and Charlie Connelly for
seventeen years of journalism through the Vieques Times (1987-2004). Also,
we will hold a posthumous tribute to two Viequense cultural workers with
close ties to the Cultural Festival: Dr. Rafael Rivera Castaño y Mario
Solis.
Two special exhibitions will be at the Museum during the Festival and
continue to the end of May: a presentation of Vieques Times’ front pages
and an impressive exposition of Puerto Rican popular arte that includes
masks, wood carvings, ceramic and musical instruments.
This very special event is sponsored by the Institute of Puerto Rican
Culture, Vieques Municipal Government, Vieques Artisans Guild, the
Department of Education and a large group of Viequense businesses.
For more information please call 787 741-1717
Contact: Robert Rabin 787 375-0525
———————————————————-
Programa Tentativo*
Tentative Program
Viernes 16 de abril
Actos de Apertura Oficial/Openning Ceremonies
Dedicatoria: Charlie Connelly y Myrna Pagán por 17 años de periodismo
viequense a través del Vieques Times
Dedication: C. Connelly, M. Pagan for 17 years of Vieques journalism vía
Vieques Times
Banda Municipal de Vieques/Vieques Municipal Band
Oasis de Vieques (Proyecto Educativo): Dramatización escenas de la
esclavitud africana en Vieques
Oasis Vieques Ed. Project: Dramatization scenes from African slavery in
Vieques
Los Pleneritos del Son (Luquillo) /Children Plena Group (Afro-Caribbean
rythm)
Taller Orquesta (Banda Municipal de Vieques)/Orchestra from Vieques
Municipal Band
Sábado 17 de abril
Grupo Folklórico Sol del Caribe (Guayama)/Folkloric Dance Group from
Guayama, PR
Ballet Folklorico Mariyandá/Mariyandá Folkloric Dance Group
Los Pleneros de Vieques/Pleneros of Vieques
Domingo 18 de abril
Ballet Folklórico “Las Caribeñas” (Esc. Maria M. Simons, Vieques)/Student
Folkloric Dance Group
Municipio de Caguas:Caguas Municipal Government
Teatro Titeres/Puppet Theatre
Ballet Folklórico/Folkloric Dance
Taller Típico Criollo/Typical PR Creole Music
Conjunto Albacaná/Albacaná Music Group
Victoria Sanabria y su Orquesta/Salsa and other Puerto Rican music by V.
Sanabria
Cada noche se celebrará una Feria de Artesanos y una Feria de Libros
Viequenses
Each night an artisans and Vieques book fair
Exhibiciones especiales en el museo : Vieques Times: 17 años de
periodismo viequense
Artesanía Puertorriqueña (Artes Populares ICP)
Special exhibits in the museum: Vieques Times: 17 Years
of Vieques Journalism
Puerto Rican Popular Art (Institute of PR Culture)
Habrán kioskos de bebidas y comidas típicas
Actos de recordación de dos fallecidos trabajadores de la cultura viequense:
Dr. Rafael “Toñín” Rivera Castaño y Mario Solís
Kiosks with local food and drink
Remembrance activities for two Viequense cultural workers: Dr. Rafael
Rivera Castaño and Mario Solis
*Programa sujeto a cambio más info. 787 741-1717………Subject to change More
info… 787 741-1717
Auspician: Special Thanks to: Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña; Gobierno
Municipal de Vieques; Cooperativa A/C Roosevelt Roads, Vieques; East Coast
Repair and Fabrication; Sea Gate Hotel; Lcdo. Gino Negreti y Ardelle Ferrer;
Seaborne Airlines; GE Industrial PR
Para donar: cheque a Comité Timón Festival Cultural Viequense; Apartado 71
Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765
To donate: cheque to Comité Timón Festival Cultural Viequense; PO Box 71
————————————————
Español
Museo Fuerte Conde de Mirasol
Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
Apartado 71 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765
t. 787 741-1717 f. 787 741-4688
<mailto:rrabin@icp.gobierno.pr> rrabin@icp.gobierno.pr
5 de abril de 2010
Celebran XXXIII Festival Cultural Viequense
Del 16 al 18 de abril se celebrará en la Isla Nena la trigésima tercera
edición del Festival Cultural Viequense. Tres noches de presentaciones
artístico-culturales se llevarán a cabo en las facilidades del Museo Fuerte
Conde de Mirasol, proyecto adscrito al Programa de Museos y Parques del
Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. El Festival es la más amplia y más
antigua manifestación de la cultura viequense-puertorriqueña que se celebra
en la isla municipio.
Ballet folklórico, música típica, bomba y plena, una feria de artesanía –
con decenas de artesanos de la Isla Grande y de Vieques – y una feria de
libros viequenses cuentan entre las actividades del fin de semana que
comienzan cada noche a las 7:00PM La Banda Municipal de Vieques y su
Taller Orquesta, los grupos Mariyandá y Albacaná, Los Pleneritos del Son
(Luquillo), Ballet Folklórico Sol del Caribe (Guayama), una presentación de
baile, teatro de títeres y música típica del Municipio de Caguas, Los
Pleneros de Vieques, Victoria Sanabria y su Orquesta forman parte del
programa del Festival.
Este año se dedica el Festival Cultural a Myrna Pagán y Charlie Connelly por
diez y siete años de periodismo viequense a través de la publicación de El
Vieques Times (1987-2004). Además, se rendirá tributo póstumo a dos
trabajadores de la cultura viequense vinculados al Festival Cultural: Dr.
Rafael Rivera Castaño y Mario Solís.
Dos exhibiciones especiales estarán en el Museo durante el Festival y
continuarán hasta finales de mayo: una muestra de portadas del Vieques Times
y una impresionante exposición de arte popular puertorriqueño que incluye
máscaras, tallas en maderas, cerámica e instrumentos musicales.
Auspician este evento muy especial junto al Instituto de Cultura, el
Gobierno Municipal de Vieques, la Hermandad de Artesanos de Vieques, el
Departamento de Educación y un amplio grupo de comerciantes viequenses.
Para más información pueden llamar al teléfono, 787 741-1717.
Contacto: Robert Rabin, 787 375-0525
Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
Apartado 71 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765
t. 787 741-1717 f. 787 741-4688
<mailto:rrabin@icp.gobierno.pr> rrabin@icp.gobierno.pr
5 de abril de 2010
Celebran XXXIII Festival Cultural Viequense
Del 16 al 18 de abril se celebrará en la Isla Nena la trigésima tercera
edición del Festival Cultural Viequense. Tres noches de presentaciones
artístico-culturales se llevarán a cabo en las facilidades del Museo Fuerte
Conde de Mirasol, proyecto adscrito al Programa de Museos y Parques del
Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. El Festival es la más amplia y más
antigua manifestación de la cultura viequense-puertorriqueña que se celebra
en la isla municipio.
Ballet folklórico, música típica, bomba y plena, una feria de artesanía –
con decenas de artesanos de la Isla Grande y de Vieques – y una feria de
libros viequenses cuentan entre las actividades del fin de semana que
comienzan cada noche a las 7:00PM La Banda Municipal de Vieques y su
Taller Orquesta, los grupos Mariyandá y Albacaná, Los Pleneritos del Son
(Luquillo), Ballet Folklórico Sol del Caribe (Guayama), una presentación de
baile, teatro de títeres y música típica del Municipio de Caguas, Los
Pleneros de Vieques, Victoria Sanabria y su Orquesta forman parte del
programa del Festival.
Este año se dedica el Festival Cultural a Myrna Pagán y Charlie Connelly por
diez y siete años de periodismo viequense a través de la publicación de El
Vieques Times (1987-2004). Además, se rendirá tributo póstumo a dos
trabajadores de la cultura viequense vinculados al Festival Cultural: Dr.
Rafael Rivera Castaño y Mario Solís.
Dos exhibiciones especiales estarán en el Museo durante el Festival y
continuarán hasta finales de mayo: una muestra de portadas del Vieques Times
y una impresionante exposición de arte popular puertorriqueño que incluye
máscaras, tallas en maderas, cerámica e instrumentos musicales.
Auspician este evento muy especial junto al Instituto de Cultura, el
Gobierno Municipal de Vieques, la Hermandad de Artesanos de Vieques, el
Departamento de Educación y un amplio grupo de comerciantes viequenses.
Para más información pueden llamar al teléfono, 787 741-1717.
Contacto: Robert Rabin, 787 375-0525
——————————————————
Wild horses experience
Posted by: | CommentsThe message below was written by a former guest and friend, Ted Glick.
The photo was taken by another guest, Joe Saraceno who has stayed at Casa de Kathy more than once. This winter Joe and his wife were walking towards Black Sand beach and encountered these beautiful galloping horses and were able to take this dramatic photo. In the background you can see Cayo Afuera, the island in front of the Malecon.
Thanks for sharing, Ted and Joe .
Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 6:34 AM
From: Ted Glick
Greetings from beautiful Vieques.
Yesterday I had an experience like none I’ve ever had. Jane and I are walking up a mountain road, closed to vehicle traffic, no other people around, to the top of the highest mountain here (1,000 feet) and we encountered a herd of a dozen wild horses eating by the side of the road. We spent the next hour and a half, going up and then coming back down, trying to get past them, walking behind them, watching them speed up to get ahead of us and going out of sight, eating lunch prematurely as we came upon them forming a kind of blockade of the road while half of them ate some luscious-looking long grass by the side of the road.
We eventually decided to press our luck by walking slowly up towards the blockaders to try to get through so we could get up to the top. Fortunately, and as we thought was likely, they moved aside and then down the road to allow us to go past. Then, after we’d gone up to the top and were coming back down we ran into the whole group of them again at one point and they proceeded to move as one group, about 15-20 feet ahead of us, all the way down the rest of the hike to the bottom.
It was amazing to have this kind of dance with these beautiful animals,
each of us eyeing each other nervously, us moving cautiously, trying to get
them to trust us, watching certain ones of the horses playing leadership roles in their determination of how to respond to us, etc.
TED
St. Valentine’s Day Dance
Posted by: | CommentsA great time was had by all on February 14 at the Vieques Coliseum. The forth annual “Vieques Baila” fundraiser was attended by about 200 people and the funds will benefit the Vieques incubator which helps start small businesses in Vieques.
The buffet was wonderful with all kinds of local dishes. The desserts were ecstasy! The dance show included swing, salsa, meringue, hip-hop, plena & tap dance. The winners of the 3 dance contests were hard to choose since there were so many good dancers. Thanks to Vinni Tozzi, our coordinator, for another great night of fun. To get invloved with the Vieques Small Busness Incubator (Incubadora de Microempresas), call Nilda Medina at 787-741-8787 or write to incubadora.bieke@cprdv.org
Municipal Band Christmas Concert
Posted by: | CommentsSaturday night, December 19th, the Municipal Band gave a fun Christmas Concert at the Fort (in Isabel II). Ruben Bonano is the conductor of this wonderful local band whose members are from 8 to 68! They played traditional Puerto Rican carols and other Christmas music. Ruben’s wife was MC and also led a short choral presentation. Thanks to the Museum for sponsoring this event which also showcased arts and crafts of Vieques.
