This is the lady that writes this column every month and to whom I am extremely indebted. 
Please stop in at Tuesday Happy Hour at the Crow's Nest to say ¡Hi! and have some free snacks. the webmaster
 

February 2004

Hello from Vieques!

The island remained busy the beginning of January with lots of visitors enjoying the beaches and restaurants. As usual things slowed down towards the end of the month to give everyone a little breathing room until February which is always busy. All the restaurants seem to be happy with the increased tourism this winter and I understand that the guest houses and rental houses are being reserved for the coming months. As you are all battling cold weather, snow and lack of sunshine, we are basking in perfect weather! The nights have been cool and comfortable and the days are sunny and warm, perfect beach weather. Each Winter I remember why I love living here, the weather is perfect! When I catch the news or hear of the temperatures in the northeast, I look out at the ocean and feel very content knowing I won’t have to shovel snow, dress in layers or be so cold my teeth are chattering! So if you are dreading any of those things this winter, take a break and come visit! Even booking a trip for the Spring gives you something to look forward to in the coming weeks. It is “paradise island” for a vacation where you can sun for hours, snorkel, kayak, visit Bio Bay, read that book you have been meaning to get to, eat at some great restaurants and just relax and unwind. First time visitors have a little trouble getting into “relaxation mode” but for the regular visitor to Vieques, it seems just arriving in San Juan and waiting for your connection to Vieques gets you in the “Vieques Zone.” At least that is the way it always worked for me when I was traveling! If you must - bring your cell phone, but leave the laptops at home. If you have to have some internet access you can visit Island Hop Computers or the Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust and pay a small fee to retrieve your messages. Bring a good book or 2 as most places don’t have TV or phones in the rooms. If you need a book to read, stop by 18 Degrees North or 2nd Time Around and buy a used paperback. Shorts and T-shirts are standard attire for day and resort wear is hip for the evening. No need to pack a suit unless you just can’t live without wearing it! A tie, what is that? Dressy casual/ resort wear is perfect for night if you are heading to one of the nicer restaurants for dinner. Pack fresh sunscreen for your visit as well; the sun is hot and intense during the day. As the water intensifies the sun use sunscreen and wear a T-shirt while snorkeling so your back does not burn as quickly. Nothing can ruin a vacation faster than a nasty sunburn. There are 2 sailing charters on the island now that can take you for a day sail with snorkeling at areas you can only reach by boat. Marauder Sailing is located in Esperanza and Vieques Sailing is located in Isabel II. Interested in Deep Sea Fishing, call Capt. Franco of Caribbean Fly Fishing, he says the Mahi are in season right now and he is seeing some Blue Marlin too although he says it is still a bit early for them. And if you run into Franco, say Congratulations as he will be getting married to Laura this summer!

Driving on Vieques is always an adventure as there really are some terrible drivers here. Remember to gas up the car upon arrival and check to see if your car has a can of Fix-A-Flat in the glove box, if not it is a good investment. There are some nasty thorns near the beaches that can cause a slow leak. Although I am not hearing of much crime this year at the beaches it can still happen, take only what you need and nothing that you will miss. I always suggest leaving the car unlocked so that no damage is done to it should someone decide there might be something of value inside.

Dining on Vieques is wonderful, most of the restaurants are really terrific but they stop serving early. Don’t expect to find food at 11pm at night, most kitchens close by 10pm at the latest, some earlier if there are no late reservations. Dinner reservations are always appreciated and in many restaurants required. Remember to show up on time for your reservation as well. Kitchens are small here and there are a lot more customers than ever before. If everyone shows up at the same time you may wait a long time for dinner, reservations let them gage the number of meals they can put out on a timely basis so that everyone gets a quality meal and better service. You can browse through the archives for more restaurant news however I want to add that while friends visited last month I had a great meal and wonderful service at the Wyndham Martineau Bay Resort! I have always said that it was a great place to enjoy a cocktail for sunset but that the food was not memorable, this coming from visitors that had eaten there. I was very pleasantly surprised at the menu and the food. The lobster empanadas were outstanding, and the tandoori chicken very tasty although not what I expected but would definitely order them again. I happen to love Churrasco (flank steak) and mine was perfectly cooked and the Chimichuri Sauce excellent! Some people said the prices were high but I found them to be very reasonable for the amount of food that you got. It certainly was no more expensive than many of the other restaurants on the island. They have big comfortable tables and chairs and we dined out on the porch as I do not like air-conditioning. We had a great time there.

Chef Michael opened for business late last month and FoodSpace is amazing. They are baking fresh bread and doing sandwiches which can be eaten poolside at ¡Bravo! located on the Northshore Rd. in Bravos de Boston. The selection of foods is amazing and they have added some housewares to the inventory which are doing very well. His wine racks are great looking and be sure to visit the refrigerated room for white wines, veggies and dairy products. With his high quality meats a few restaurants have been saved from having to eliminate menu items because he has what they need when they run out. He offers a few wines by the glass which lets you taste before purchasing while you browse the store. As he grows he would like to be able to offer “meals to go” and things you can reheat later at home. He also would like to do some catering in the future as well. All these things take time and patience but it is a joy having him open for now and getting some great food not normally available in the other stores.

Good news for the Esperanza community was the inauguration of the new electronic library there. This is a great facility for the residents, especially the children, giving them free computers and internet access so that they can learn more. The facility has 22 new computers, printers, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and some reference books. Several different companies and organizations pulled together to provide this library in a building donated by the Municipality. This could really make a difference for some of the children who would not have access to information like this. This is something very exciting for Vieques and for the children who can learn so much more with this facility.

There was a public meeting about the Sun Bay Project where The Puerto Rico National Parks Company would like to build 50 casitas and additional camping facilities. Passions ran high throughout the meeting and though most people are not against the project some are very concerned as to the long term effect that it could have on Bio Bay, located nearby, and on the existing infra-structure in Vieques as it currently exists. Many people, were concerned that it would limit access to Viequense families who have used Sun Bay for group activities for years. The original plan has been changed to placing the casitas in the big open field where the current entrance is. Many people expressed an interest in having the casitas moved across the street so that the big field could still be used for family activities, etc. I am sure that the meeting gave the National Parks Co. more things to think about and that people want more environmental impact studies done. I also learned at the meeting that there are some other big projects in the planning stages coming to the island as well. More on those as I hear about them.

Well I think that about covers the information that is important to visitors and some of our non-resident friends who make Vieques a second home! The calendar follows. Hope to see you soon in Vieques.

Y'all come down and visit,

  Judy

PS: If there is anything you would like to see in the newsletter or have any feedback please email Ask Judy. Thanks.  askjudy@enchanted-isle.com 

<click here for the archives>

 If any of you would like to see something specific in this newsletter please contact the webmaster and I will do my best to investigate for you. 
Email: whats_happenin@enchanted-isle.com 

BACK

Past Articles

Page Design by:
Positive Image Graphix © All Rights Reserved
For information on your own Website:
E-Mail: webmaster@positivimage.com
Site was last revised: 01/26/08