Puerto Rico is a place that holds some very special memories for me. It was a honeymoon destination, which is whatever, but we were 26 and broke and just wanted an adventure. The first afternoon, I got cracked on the head by an almond, sitting under a tree on a beach in Isla Verde. We were dangerously under-hydrated, puffy and damp. We brewed coffee in a little percolator in our $28/night guest room, ate fruit from the stands on the corners, and splurged on one "Indo-Rican fusion" meal in Old San Juan with a cardamom martini that changed my life. I chatted with grandmas selling sandwiches on the beach, and one even got her adult son to give me some "pasto" as a "wedding gift." (!!!) I bought a sandwich from her every day for a week. We watched a hurricane sweep in from the beach, and brought two stray puppies into the room secretly, to keep them from the storm. Magic everywhere, when you're open to receiving it.
Such a good wander through the subject of place. I just took a class in essays and we learned to look for aphorisms in them. I think these are two A+ ones: “San Juan is an easy place to love and a difficult place to live.” and “One life cannot swallow a city whole, though certainly it can be attempted.”
Thank you! I work for an airline and have layovers in SJU. I plan to visit https://www.gustoscoffeeco.com/ on my next trip unless there is another spot you recommend.
Loved this article - answered many questions for me about retiring in Old San Juan. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and loved to enter the mindfulness world of eating those almonds. Worth the time and effort. I guess I can return back to Puerto Rico and savor its painful magic again.
Great piece Alicia, Thank you. I've been thinking a lot about what I lose by staying in big cities- first NYC now LA. I no longer feel the need to form an opinion about the best new restaurants because, to your point, the price so rarely makes it feel worthwhile. Nothing can beat a farmer's market bag and lunch on the patio while I study squirrel acrobatics and hummingbird dives. So why am I here, still?
In Panama earlier this year I tried to free an almond with no tool and also wished for a machete while thirsty around an abundance of coconuts. Those details so perfectly describe the fine line between what makes a place beautiful, difficult, worthwhile. <3
Puerto Rico is a place that holds some very special memories for me. It was a honeymoon destination, which is whatever, but we were 26 and broke and just wanted an adventure. The first afternoon, I got cracked on the head by an almond, sitting under a tree on a beach in Isla Verde. We were dangerously under-hydrated, puffy and damp. We brewed coffee in a little percolator in our $28/night guest room, ate fruit from the stands on the corners, and splurged on one "Indo-Rican fusion" meal in Old San Juan with a cardamom martini that changed my life. I chatted with grandmas selling sandwiches on the beach, and one even got her adult son to give me some "pasto" as a "wedding gift." (!!!) I bought a sandwich from her every day for a week. We watched a hurricane sweep in from the beach, and brought two stray puppies into the room secretly, to keep them from the storm. Magic everywhere, when you're open to receiving it.
Thank you for brief exodus outside of my own small space. Your words made me forget where I was for a moment.
The greatest compliment—thank you
Such a good wander through the subject of place. I just took a class in essays and we learned to look for aphorisms in them. I think these are two A+ ones: “San Juan is an easy place to love and a difficult place to live.” and “One life cannot swallow a city whole, though certainly it can be attempted.”
I would appreciate a list of any coffee shops that may offer a non-dairy option. Thank you!
All coffee shops here at this point have non-dairy options.
Thank you! I work for an airline and have layovers in SJU. I plan to visit https://www.gustoscoffeeco.com/ on my next trip unless there is another spot you recommend.
Cafe Regina is really fabulous!
Thank you! I can't wait to visit!
Loved this article - answered many questions for me about retiring in Old San Juan. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and loved to enter the mindfulness world of eating those almonds. Worth the time and effort. I guess I can return back to Puerto Rico and savor its painful magic again.
Great piece Alicia, Thank you. I've been thinking a lot about what I lose by staying in big cities- first NYC now LA. I no longer feel the need to form an opinion about the best new restaurants because, to your point, the price so rarely makes it feel worthwhile. Nothing can beat a farmer's market bag and lunch on the patio while I study squirrel acrobatics and hummingbird dives. So why am I here, still?
In Panama earlier this year I tried to free an almond with no tool and also wished for a machete while thirsty around an abundance of coconuts. Those details so perfectly describe the fine line between what makes a place beautiful, difficult, worthwhile. <3