2011 - CARIBBEAN PRINCESS - PUERTO RICO

ONCE AGAIN, THERE IS DE-ICING LEAVING OTTAWA.

HERE'S AN ALMOST A PERFECT SHOT OF A DOUBLE, CIRCULAR RAINBOW, WITH THE PLANES SHADOW IN THE MIDDLE

ON THE WAY TO PUERTO RICO

A STRANGE PLACE POLITICALLY. ONE I DO NOT UNDERSTAND.

THE WAY I DO UNDERSTAND IT IS WRONG, BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS -

IT IS A 'COMMONWEALTH' OF THE USA & IT'S CITIZENS ARE US CITIZENS WHO CAN HOLD US PASSPORTS, BUT THEY CANNOT VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT

( LIKE DC APPARENTLY, THOUGH I MAY BE WRONG ABOUT THAT TOO )

COMING INTO SAN JUAN...

MY HOTEL IS RIGHT ON THE BEACH & IS THE CHEAPEST, SMALLEST HOTEL ON THE STRETCH..NOT EVEN WORTH A PHOTO..

I TAKE A BUS INTO SAN JUAN FOR A WALK-ABOUT AROUND THE FOOT OF THE FORT...

THERE WERE LOTS OF SPIDERS ON THE ROCKS BESIDE THE OCEAN...

AND IGUANAS...

AND TOURIST - VICTORIA & HUSBAND - A COUPLE WHO WANTED ME TO TAKE THEIR PHOTO..

FOR A TOURIST ISLAND, PEURTO RICO IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO TAKE TOURS IN. I FOUND IT SO ANYWAY.

I DID FIND ONE TO THE WEST END OF THE ISLAND. EL JUNQUE FOREST....

A NOT VERY GOOD PHOTO OF THE TINY, TINY COQUI FROG -- SOOOO CUTE.

AND ONE OF THE SMALLEST FERNS IN THE WORLD...

AND INTO SAN JUAN TOWN - LOVELY PASTEL COULOURED BUILDINGS

NICE BIRDS IN THE SQUARE...

RACHELLE & NEIL ARE ON THE CRUISE TOO, BUT STAYING IN A DIFFERENT HOTEL PRE-CRUISE. THIS IS IT...LOOKED VERY NICE..

INSIDE THE FORT NOW...

XMAS IS APPROACHING...

NOW I AM OUT TO THE FAR WEST END OF SAN JUAN. TOURISTY FOR THE LOCALS...

IT SEEMS COCK-FIGHTING IS LEGAL HERE...

AND SPANISH IS THE LANGUAGE... MANY PEOPLE HERE HAVE LIMITED ENGLISH WHICH WAS A SURPRISE FOR ME.

AND IT'S TIME TO GET ON THE BOAT & HEAD OUT INTO THE CARIBBEAN

AVOIDING THE PIRATES...