I'm Back

I've been away for a while. We recently got back from a short, but sweet trip to Culebra, Puerto Rico, and I am almost ready to face the New Year. It's great to get away from the every day grind, but going away is also useful for putting things in perspective, I think. When I get back from vacation, I find that all of my usual worries and frustrations (about work, noisy neighbors, my boyfriend hogging the computer) come flooding back. But the fact that they've been absent for a while helps me to recognize them for what they are - bad habits. I read somewhere that a person's thoughts create "tracks" of a sort in the mind and that once we have taken a certain path, we are likely to continue taking the same one over and over again. If going away to visit a new place is good for one thing, I think it's to help one learn to form new tracks.

I suffered from a bout of ennui after returning from Culebra. The beaches there were so beautiful, the views breathtaking and the weather - sunny and hot. It seemed senseless to return to the cold, to my job, to my dark little apartment. Needless to say, I had a bit of the post-vacation blahs. I received a small bonus from work and, interestingly, could think of nothing special to do with the money. I'm past thinking that any material purchases can make a lasting difference in my life or happiness. On the other hand, continuing to save for the future while getting insufficient enjoyment in the present makes little sense. So what, then, could add some zest? At first, I resolved that we would try a different restaurant and sample new fine cuisine each week. The food, I then realize, is more symbolic - I want to focus more on experiential pursuits in general. If I have to articulate a New Year's resolution, it's that I want to be constantly forming new "tracks." Alas, I think I have a goal and, for now, the cloud above my head has lifted.

Vacation Pics

(1) aerial view of Culebra (transl. "snake") upon arrival after a 25 minute flight from San Juan; (2) beautiful Flamenco beach where we stayed at a small villa; (3) the road to Carlos Rosario - a 15 minute hike on a trail at the end of Flamenco beach leads to a small lovely beach; (4) views on the way to Carlos Rosario; (5) the pristine waters of Carlos Rosario beach have some of the best snorkeling on the island; (6) me at Carlos Rosario; (7) we took a boat ride to an even smaller island called Culebrita (transl. "little snake"); (8) we were dropped off at this jaw dropping beach in Culebrita - there, I saw a stingray while snorkeling as well as tons of colorful fishies; (9) more of the beach on Culebrita; (10) the view on one of our hikes on Culebrita; (11) another view on that same hike; (12) the end of our pilgrimmage - a lighthouse built by the Spanish Crown in the 1880s.

Booked It: Culebra, Here I Come!

I like to do three things on vacation - (1) escape from "civilization", (2) experience nature and (3) get in shape. Number 3 may sound strange but if you see vacation as a chance for some adventure, there are activities that are so fun you hardly notice you're working out. I look forward to biking, snorkeling, kayaking and swimming as well as some well-deserved loafing about. Culebra (which means "snake" in Spanish) is located 20 miles east of Puerto Rico and 15 miles west of St. Thomas (it is part of Puerto Rico). It is about 7 miles long and 4 miles wide and has less than 2000 year round residents. It is home to one of the oldest bird sanctuaries and is a nesting site for leatherback, green sea and hawksbill sea turtles. The island has an interesting history. It was first inhabited by the Taino Indians. During Spanish colonialism, it served as a refuge for native Indians seeking to escape slavery on the main island. In the 18th century, pirates used its secluded cays as hideways. Culebra was ceded to the United States in 1898 after the Spanish-American war and used for bombing practice by the U.S. military until 1975. Today, most of the island and its surrounding 23 islets are protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a nature preserve. Flamenco Beach, pictured above, is said to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and the clarity of the water and reefs at another, Carlos Rosario beach, are supposed to be ideal for diving and snorkeling. I will be there for five days and four nights beginning on December 27th. I cannot wait! Now, I only have to make it through Christmas . . . .

Costa Rica

Back in March of this year, we took the most amazing trip to Costa Rica. It was my second trip there, and I've vowed to return every year for the rest of my life (unless I go somewhere else). We stayed at the Punta Marenco Lodge, which is on a nature preserve near Drake Bay and right outside Corcovado National Park. We slept in a screened cabin that had electricity for only two hours a day. The trade-off for our somewhat rustic accomodations, was waking up to views of the ocean beyond the forest below us (we were on a hill) and the sound of howler monkeys and macaws. National Geographic has called the area the "the most biologically intense place on earth," and they're not kidding. We sat on our porch in the late afternoons and watched as an endless number of beautifully-colored birds swooped down into the trees below us, we went out on a boat ride and saw dozens of dolphins leaping out of the water just a stone's throw away from us (we didn't throw any stones), we went canoeing on the Rio Claro (transl.: Clear River) and were treated to a large family of spider monkeys swinging from tree to tree, we took a stroll down the beach and came upon eight or ten macaws, large tropical parrots with brilliant plumage, frolicking in the palm trees (macaws mate for life and apparently squabble the whole time - just like people, except people don't always stay together). The most amazing experience, however, was coming upon a baby sloth on a hiking trail. He looked up at us, smiled (I swear) and went back to sleep. Sloths live and sleep on trees and only come down once a week to poop, so this was an extremely rare sight. We dubbed the little guy "Paquito". And, I don't want this to be one of "those" sites, but just once, vacation pictures:

(Arrival at Punta Marenco)

(The view from our cabin porch)
(A waterfall on a trail off Rio Claro)
(Paquito!) I encourage anyone with the slightest bit of adventure in them to go. I can stand the drudgery of everyday life a lot better knowing that this place exists.