We started our last full day in Puerto Rico wondering if there would be sea glass on the beaches as the waves were still huge and rough until six am. After a leisurely breakfast, (James made fabulous scrambled eggs with salmon and cheese),we drove to Aguadilla’s beach where we found a little glass, but nothing like we had found earlier this week. The wave action had scoured the beach and the tide was extremely high.
After we concluded that the Western beaches were not yielding much we decided to drive the two-hour drive to Ponce beach. Traffic was a bit of a nightmare and we crawled at 35 mph for the bulk of the way. By the time we reached Ponce, we were feeling a bit peckish. James found a local bakery that served sandwiches and delicious desserts. We were able to communicate our lunch wishes and enjoyed soaking in the authentic bakery’s atmosphere.
We were to head to Ponce beach to look for more glass when I spied a sign for the Archeological Museum. This museum has Taino ties and the outline of a ball field and plaza from ancient days. It was uncovered by a hurricane. The Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center was on my wish list to visit on the trip, but I never imagined we would make it there. We highly recommend this museum and I was able to speak with Dr. Luis Fernandez, director, about Aycayia. We had an excellent conversation and he recommended resources for the forthcoming Shattered Sea book. I have A LOT of research to do, much of it in Spanish and I’ll be accessing Google Translate for assistance. This will definitely be after The Elen Chronicles, of Love and Blood. I am THRILLED to have met Dr. Fernandez who is also a history professor at the University of Puerto Rico.
We eventually made it to Ponce Beach in the late afternoon. The tide was extremely high, likely from the Nor’Easter. We found some glass and had an enjoyable walk on the beach.
We’re ‘home’ now, at the Air BnB and preparing our bags for our flight tomorrow. I can understand why Puerto Rico is called “The Enchanted Island.” I am a little homesick and anxious to return to my family and friends stateside, but there is a magic here, and I look forward to returning again — hopefully, next year.
