Puerto Rico

​Puerto Rico.  

   Once again the Thomas/Pinkerton foursome are heading out of country for a while to bask in the warm sunshine of Puerto Rico, an American Territory in the Caribbean.  We leave behind the chilly, icy miserable cold of Northwest Arkansas and rough it for a couple of months in the warm tropics  of the Caribbean.  Our first stop for about 4 weeks is a beachfront condo on Luquillo Beach, just east of San Juan.  

   Here we go, up before the chickens to get to the Bentonville airport by 0430 for a United flight to Houston and then San Juan.  We boarded our plane at XNA and was told that due to a ground cancellation, we had to get back off and wait for a couple of hours until the FAA restores air transportation.  Apparently, a computer glitch shut down FAA’s computer system and all domestic flights were canceled for about two hours.  At 9:00 AM eastern time, the FAA would hope to have the computer problem fixed and we could resume.  It wasn’t only us experiencing the problem.  All domestic flights across the United States have been grounded until cleared by the FAA.  We didn’t really know why, so a myriad of thoughts hit us like a ton of bricks.  Was there another 9/11. Did Korea fire off a Ballistic Missiles   to our shores?  Did China get upset over high tariffs or lack of sales?  We were not happy about this as we thought we might miss our 10:30 flight from Huston to San Juan.  Fortunately that flight was also delayed two hours so we made it on board.

   We ]finally landed in San Juan about 8;:30.  We grabbed our luggage and called for a ride.  Taxi service to Luquillo Beach would cost us $186 according to an airport staff member. I checked on UBER. A minivan for 6 was $65. That was more like it!  The ride took about 20 minutes. Soon we were at the gate trying to find our key fob to gain entrance. 

   After finally locating our keys in an unmarked box that should have been marked 306, we were inside checking which entrance door opened with our key, as nothing was marked again. Luckily there were only 4 outside doors. Our key fit the third one. 

   Once inside, with no elevator and assuming Unit 306 would be on the third floor, we began carrying our luggage up 6 short flights of stairs to the top.. At the third floor landing, our key needed to fit one of two unmarked doors. The second one opened and we went inside our condo. 

   After checking our home for the next 4 weeks we called it a night and headed for bed. Fortunately it’s a two bedroom unit. We soon fell asleep, lulled to sleep by the sound of crashing waves, barking dogs and a noisy refrigerator motor. 

   Morning came and we were awakened very early by the sound of crowing roosters, barking dogs and crashing waves. After coffee we got an Uber and went to McDonalds for breakfast. Can you believe it?  McDonalds in Puerto Rico?  

   The grocery store was next on our list as we needed to stock up. Prices are very reasonable here. We relaxed a lot today. Hoping for a good night’s sleep. The local roosters vbegan crowing at 1:30, every hour until sun-up. If this keeps up, we may be having rooster for Sunday dinner!