Our trip comes to an end...

On our last days in Vieques, we relaxed and enjoyed the beaches. But we also explored a little more and found some amazing sights! Our first discovery was the fort known as El Fortin Conde de Mirasol. You can read all about the history of the fort at the link, but the fort gave for lots of photo ops....




We also discovered some old bunkers.



And then we headed back home with a brief stop over in San Juan. Here is the view of the inside of the plane and some shots I took out the window to take my mind off of possibly falling out of the sky.

Day 8 of our Trip

Yes we were gone a long time, but there are lots of great photos to look at for the next few entries so stick around.

For day 8 of our trip, we attended the wedding rehearsal to map out the strategy for the wedding the next day. In addition, after the rehearsal was over, Pam and Ibo threw a beach party for all of their wedding guests. And after all, what good is it being on an island if you don't throw a beach party.

The beach party was at Sun Bay.


And had lots of food, sand, and surf to keep everyone busy.


The bride stays in the shade with a sun hat that was definitely needed.


Football, ocean style, was popular fun for the boys.



And as you looked around, you swore that you had stepped into paradise and just never wanted to leave.


Plus, the wild horses were great greeters at the gate and also made sure to say goodbye on your way out.

Day 7 of our trip

Day 7 of our trip brought more sun and heat but we finally started to get use to it and it didn't seem as hot. Ibo, the groom that was getting married in a couple days, had his birthday on the island. To welcome the guests of the wedding and to celebrate Ibo's wedding, they threw a birthday party at Tradewinds.

The view from the table overlooked the Malecon and the ocean, a perfect setting for a birthday celebration.


The bride gives the birthday boy a kiss.


Friends of the birthday boy.


Drinks for the birthday boy and friends....



The bride sang "It's too good to be true" to the groom with backup from Ibo's friends.


There were gifts...that turned out to be practical in the hot sun later in the week.


And of course there was cake.

Day 6 of our trip

On day 6 of our trip we were gently woken up by the crowing of the neighborhood rooster. Someone did not teach this rooster how to crow properly and instead of sounding like a rooster he sounded like a sick cat. He also continued to crow the entire day...guess he wasn't told that he was suppose to only crow in the morning. In addition, he did not like being photographed, so I pursued him all week to finally get this picture of him.



We decided to head for a walk around Esperanza and get the lay of the land. Granted it doesn't take long to walk around the town, but in blazing heat (we decided to do it mid-day) it seems like walking from San Francisco to New York. However, it was well worth it because we got to see this charming little town.

This is a famous rock that is on one of the streets leading down to the ocean.


A local store where you can buy great Puerto Rician rum.


Off of the Malecon you will see the most gorgeous ocean waters.



There are tons of snorkle, scuba diving, and bio-bay tour places around the island.


Along with some very colorful homes and business.



Unfortunately there are lots of buildings for sale and that have been abandoned. But on the bright side, if you want a tropical get away, you should buy now.



There are these trees that are amazingly beautiful around the island. They can be found in red, yellow, and purple varieties.


And if you want some handmade birdhouses, this street vendor on the Malecon will be more than happy to help you out.


And lastly, my lovely husband bought me a stunning bracelet made of beach glass from Kim's Cabin. Say hi to Peter if you stop by. He makes the most unique pieces of jewelry and you can also pick up some great beach clothes for your island stay.

Day 5 of Trip

As we woke up at the crack of dawn to drive to the Cincinnati airport, we were tired but excited about our trip to Puerto Rico. This trip was to photograph the wedding week of Pam and Ibo who were getting married on an island off of Puerto Rico called Vieques.

The island was beautiful and lush, but before I get ahead of myself let me tell you about our flight from Puerto Rico to Vieques. Below is a picture of the plane that we had to take from the main island of Puerto Rico to Vieques. The plane holds 8 passengers and is not pressurized and is very loud. I love to fly, but this really tested my love of flying.



However small the plane was, we made it to the island and were in a tropical paradise. We stayed at Villa Corals Guesthouse and our hosts were fabulous! It felt like a home away from home. Here are a few pictures of the Guesthouse and the surrounding area.

This is the porch of the Guesthouse where we spent many mornings relaxing and enjoying the breeze.


The Guesthouse also had an upstairs area where you could sit back, relax, and enjoy the views.


This is a view from the upstairs of the Guesthouse looking onto the lush greens of the island and a huge house that sat on top of this hill next to us.


You could also see the ocean from our Guesthouse and take in even more sights.


The clouds made wonderful pictures throughout the week and this is a view from the upstairs of the Guesthouse down the street and across the street.




We also had some guest that liked to sit with us on the porch of the Guesthouse enjoying the sun and breeze as well. This guest's name was Mr. Lizard.


Check back tomorrow for Day 6 of our trip and exploring the town of Esperanza.