Puerto Rico is awesome!! Today was my first full day hanging out with my navy buddy Nilsa and her boyfriend Manuel. We woke up kinda early to catch a ferry to the Isla de Culebra and rented a jeep. Then we drove straight out to Flamenco Beach and drank beers, slathered on SPF 48 waterproof sunscreen (worked pretty well though I am slightly darker) and drank cold Medalla Light. The sun was shining, the water was warm, and Nilsa’s ipod cranked out authentic PR reggaeton!
We packed up just after lunch and drove around the island checking out the beautiful views. There was a turtle nesting beach we stopped at and walked around the rocks. Then it was time to head back and catch the ferry home.
A few things that have enlightened me since I got here is realizing that sunscreen dissolves nailpolish, and even SPF waterproof 48 needs to be reapplied every 2-3 hours, even if the sand gets in and exfoliates your skin. Also, a rapid change in weather- actually, tons of sun- makes you suuuuper drowsy (i guess I should have already known, but in the Chicago winters you forget that!) They drive in miles per hour and yet gas is sold by the liter… and signs are posted in kilometers. And finally, Puerto Ricans use dollars. Not pesos, dollars. Don’t make the gringa mistake I did and ask!
Thanks to my brother I have received a huge compliment and have been incredibly flattered: This blog is easy to find on google! Here are your instructions:
Google “Iowa city” and click on Images Search. Pics number #16 and #17 are from my blog “Saturday night in Iowa City,” which is my most-visited blog.
How was this discovered, you might ask? A friend of my brother’s apparently needed to find an image of Iowa City and recognized my brother’s apartment, complete with “The Matrix Reloaded” on t.v. in the background of one of my photos.
My brother looked at the image, said “yep, that’s my apartment and that’s my sister.” And then he told me! It’s weird to think my blog is a sort of internet ambassador for Iowa City!
This past weekend I drove with my brother and father down to Arkansas to visit my Grandparents and Aunt. The trip was really great, aside from the ride down… I know you’re supposed to be SUPER VIGILANT in those tiny rural towns of Missouri, and yet some cop said I was going 8 over the limit and gave me a $100 ticket. It was one of those speed traps where the posted limit changes every 50 yards so you can’t really drive normally, you’re too busy making sure the speedometer needle is EXACTLY at the posted limit- just be sure you’re in the correct speed limit zone!!! But enough of my bitterness… 
Our visit was pretty low key, basically just catching up with family. My dad is a total nut who knows how to irritate me, which I tell him all the time! That in itself made the 12-hour car ride down even more fun… all I can say is, thank God for “This American Life” podcasts! Here are some photos and a video of visiting with my grandfather. He randomly spouts poetry and sings little songs, hopefully I’m this fun to be around when I’m 88
Grandpa Paul sings from leslie on Vimeo.
Just found the lyrics to Grandpa’s song… I only got the last bit on video, but here they are in their entirety!
The pale moon was rising above the green mountain
The sun was declining beneath the blue sea
When I strayed with my love to the pure crystal fountain
That stands in beautiful vale of Tralee.
She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer
Yet, 'twas not her beauty alone that won me
Oh no! 'Twas the the truth in her eye ever beaming
That made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.
The cool shades of evening their mantle were spreading
And Mary all smiling was listening to me
The moon through the valley her pale rays was shedding
When I won the heart of the Rose of Tralee.
Though lovely and fair as the rose of the summer
Yet, 'twas not her beauty alone that won me
Oh no! 'Twas the the truth in her eye ever beaming
That made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.
