March 27, 2026
We got our steps in today – maybe subconciously getting ready for the hiking our friend Mike has planned next week when we meet in Grenada. Mike thinks a 15-mile hike is just a stroll.
We started with a walk along the Malicon (the boulevard along the ocean) and realized why Siri doesn’t remember walking here – not quite up to the ‘tourist’ standard. We should have been a bit wary when we asked at the hotel and was told it was fine – just go during the day. Between trying to jump across the 4 lanes of a highway to get to the walking path and then the uneven concrete pathway – it could use some love. Lots of fancy hotels and casinos (didn’t remember that either), but not on the water side.
We did make it across – and back – stopping busses and motorcycles on the highway (didn’t even wait for a local to cross – our usual way to stay alive). We did enjoy the ocean view, and the muraled white obelisk reminiscent of the Washington monument – which may have something to do with the full name of this street – George Washington Boulevard. There is also a Thomas Jefferson street up the way. Can’t get too far from the reach of the US, I guess.
The Peace Corps office visit was a bust – they have moved out of the two-story cozy residence that I remember into a sterile 4-story non-descript – edificio profesional. We passed right by it the first time. There is now a nice guard house, who buzzed us into the courtyard, but wasn’t going to let us go any further without an appointment – which we did not have. Their loss.
We then went to museum central, Plaza Cultural, where the guidebook was almost correct that we would probaby be the only ones there. Well, we did come upon a high school and middle school field trip in the Natural History museum – we almost photobombed them taking their photos under the humpback whale skeleton. Next time we will have to plan to head to the northeastern beaches to see the whales when they visit.
The museum was actually well done, with up to date exhibits and good info. Didn’t know there were over 3,000 islands in the Caribbean and that this sea is twice as large as the Mediterranean.
The cultural history museum was also well done describing the indigenous people who were here – the Taino – when Columbus landed. It also did a good job asking visitors to question the impact of colonization and slavery on this country.
We head back home with a quick pass by the royal palace built by dictator Trujillo and now occupied by the democratically elected (mostly) Presidents since. We go down memory lane as we pass the main bus and taxi station Siri remembers passing through next to parc independencia. A rusty sedan taxi is leaving just as we go by – with 8 people inside. Ahh, the good old days.
Tomorrow we have already made reservations on an air conditioned bus (don’t remember those either) to take us to San Juan. Rivin just left us a message that she will have lunch waiting for us when we arrive. She also asked Siri to tell her what her favorite food is and she will make it. 🙂
Tonight we are resting up. The rains have come and gone – again – and now we are enjoy the evening city sounds – the distant sound of music from the corner bar, the occassional car honking, a few chirps from frogs or birds, and now the light drizzle as the rain returns.
Siri and David Adventures 