Sunday, July 29, 2012

Picture Perfect Places In San Juan, Puerto Rico


Looking for that perfect picture opportunity in San Juan, Puerto Rico?  Here are a few of the places in San Juan, Puerto Rico to get some great photography shots:  


Old San Juan, Puerto Rico


Garita, El Morro Fort, Puerto Rico

                                                                          
Old San Juan

Places for a great picture include:  Any street in Old San Juan with its picturesque colonial buildings    and narrow streets made of blue cobblestone, Paseo de la Princesa, a walking path alongside the San Juan bay, Puerta de San Juan, one of the only remaining doors of the wall that surrounds the city, and a Garita at El Morro Fort.


El Morro Fort, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
 


 
Castillo San Felipe del Morro

 
Old San Juan's El Morro fort, built in the 1600, will take you back in time, and you will find many    photo opportunities. 

Condado Lagoon, Puerto Rico


Condado Lagoon

In the Condado area, the lagoon is a great place for a picture day or night.



Isla Verde Beach, Puerto Rico


Isla Verde Beach

Isla Verde Beach is the best beach in the San Juan area.    Get a cold drink, like a Puerto Rican Piña Colada and pose for the camera. 


                                                                     




Sunday, July 22, 2012

In Search Of Pork Roasted On A Spit (Lechon En La Varita) In Puerto Rico

Arroz Con Gandules, Boiled Banana, Roasted Plantain And Pork In Puerto Rico

Pork Roasted On A Spit In Puerto Rico



On the weekends during the day, Puerto Ricans go in search for lechon (Pork).  The popular places for lechon en la varita or pork roasted on a spit are in Guavate, near Cayey, Puerto Rico.  In the mountainous region of Guavate you will find many lechoneras, outdoor restaurants that have a whole pig slow roasted over an open fire pit, so that the pork is tender, moist and full of flavor.  You can order lechon with rice and pigeon peas, yellow or green plantains, sweet potato, and boiled banana.   For those who do not eat pork, turkey and chicken is available.  It is best to get there by noon on the weekends.  Some of the lechoneras are open during the week. 


To get to Guavate from San Juan, go southbound on the Luis A. Ferre Expressway (PR-52) to Cayey.  This will take about 30 minutes.  Then exit at PR 184 and go up the mountain to Guavate.  On this road you will see the lechoneras.  Enjoy and buen provecho!


                                                                                   
 



                                                                      



















Sunday, July 15, 2012

Mona Island, Puerto Rico Could Become A World Heritage Site


Mona island, off the west coast of Puerto Rico, could be recognize as a World Heritage site.  New Progressive Party Representative Eric Correa Rivera is petitioning the United Nations to add the uninhabited island to its list of sites considered to be of outstanding value to humanity irrespective of the territory on which they are located.


Mona island located west of Puerto Rico and east of the Dominican Republic, has a rich history and a wide range of flora and fauna.  The unique island is one of the most important biological and archeological laboratories in the region.  Correa said, "It is important to recognize the importance of this little island in the development of Caribbean culture.”  Correa, who is chairman of the House Natural Resources, Environment & Energy Committee, sent a formal request to, UN Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Executive Director, Irina Bokova.


Covering 22 square miles, Mona island is the third-largest island of the archipelago of Puerto Rico, after the main island of Puerto Rico and Vieques.  Mona Island is currently managed as a nature reserve by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural & Environmental Resources.  The island is known among divers for its vibrant reefs and crystal clear waters.


 "Mona island uniqueness should be preserved with this important designation," Correa said.   Receiving the designation of a World Heritage site from UNESCO, would place Mona Island in the same company as El Morro Fort in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. 


Here is a video of Mona Island:




                                                                        





Sunday, July 8, 2012

Real Estate Incentives Program Gets Extended In Puerto Rico


Did you ever had the desire to own a home in Puerto Rico?  This could be the perfect time to buy.  The Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño, is extending the home-buying incentives program through the end of 2012.  The Governor wants to continue this initiative, that provides the opportunity for families to buy their own home.


Under the Real Estate Incentives Program, those buying new homes get a five-year property tax exemption, a 100% exemption on the capital-gains tax at the time of resale of the new property, and a 100% exemption on fees, stamps and vouchers.  In addition, buyers of existing homes get a 50% exemption on fees, stamps and vouchers and a 50% reduction on the capital-gains tax at the time of resale.


Since the program was implemented, 27,000 homes with a value of $3.7 billion have been sold.  The program applies to residential and commercial properties worth $3 million or less.



                                                                        




Sunday, July 1, 2012

Vieques and Culebra, Puerto Rico Will Be Served By Private Ferries



Three private ferries will be put into service to help improve the service between Fajardo, Puerto Rico, and the offshore islands of Culebra and Vieques.  The three private ferries: two cargo boats and a passenger vessel, were contracted from Puerto Rico Fast Ferries to help the Maritime Transport Authority (public ferry service) with some unreliability problems, that were creating protest from Vieques and Culebra residents.  Many rely on the ferry service to get to work, shop or get medical care on the main island of Puerto Rico.


The 160-foot cargo ferries can carry a deck load of 280 tons, equivalent to six 40-foot containers or between 12 to 18 cars.  Both have room for 68 passengers in an air-conditioned cabin.  The cargo ferries can reach speeds of 34 miles per hour, and can go from Fajardo to Culebra or Vieques in just under 45 minutes.  The 151-foot passenger ferry has room for 378 passengers and has a twin-hull design providing for a smooth ride.  The passenger ferry can travel 40 miles per hour, making the travel from Fajardo to Vieques and Culebra in 30 minutes.  Each ferry has three plasma TV screens for entertainment.  


With the private ferries, the offshore islands will be more accessible to visitors, and this will help increase tourism to Vieques and Culebra.