Back in old San Juan

Although De Anne prefers to visit new places she was agreeable to San Juan PR again since our last visit was a short stop over on a cruise ship 35 years ago.

 Our trip down was the best kind - uneventful. The scariest part of the trip was the first leg. Driving from her sister, De Linda's house, through the Atlanta downtown connector to the airport. Once that part was done the rest was easy.

 On our first full day we attended a Coffee put on by the San Juan Newcomers Club. One of the members we chatted with admitted to living here for 30 years, but enjoyed the club and remained a member. Although we have no concrete plans to move here they accepted us and we will attend a couple more events this month.

 View from the patio at the coffee:

Today we found the bus to Old San Juan, arrived at the main downtown station next to the waterfront and promptly merged with passengers spewing from 2 cruise ships onto the waterfront.

There was a replica galleon from Cuba visiting for a month and it was quite a sight against the two cruise ships:

We took the free trolley uphill into the old town and walked around until I got tired. Of course that was about 2 or 3 hours before De Anne would have given up on her own.

Watchtower along the ramparts:

The forecast had a 10% chance of rain, but since we were out and about there were 2 brief but intense storms. Making our way back to the trolley stop after the second storm we encountered lots of police in the square where our trolley stop was located. During the storm a tree in the square fell, took out a street light, and more to the point injured a couple tourists.

I did not take an after picture since it would be in poor taste to photograph injured people; however, this was the square when we arrived. The lamp post and tree to the right of the woman are now horizontal.

Of course traffic was at a standstill so at the risk of sounding self-serving and self -centered, I will note that I had to walk back to the bus terminal instead of the much anticipated trolley ride.

Moving on

Our five weeks on Lake Conroe ends tomorrow. Next stop Atlanta, and from there a flight to San Juan PR.

Our holiday weather was warm and De Anne made use of the week of 80 degree weather to kayak.

She also conducted a boat inspection at the marina:

Hard working bird

One of the small pleasures of our current location is relaxing on the balcony while watching the water fowl busy in the harbor.

The cormorant is the hardest working bird. It will dive 10 times to get a fish, but that is just the start of it's feeding work. When it surfaces it must get the fish turned to swallow head first and protect it's meal from opportunistic rivals. We have seen a Great Heron swoop down on a cormorant and steal a fish from its mouth. The resident osprey has also successfully stolen a hard won meal.

Cormorant drying its wings on our dock:

During a walk on the breakwater that protects the marina, we spotted a Muscovy duck. We had not seen one of these since leaving Homestead. De Anne and I agree it is the ugliest water fowl.

Merry Christmas to all!

Wolf sanctuary

Yesterday we visited the nearby Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary. Isolated at the end of a country road this non-profit organization handles rescue wolves and wolf/dog hybrids from not only Texas, but also surrounding states.

 Dumb people think owning a wolf in an urban or even apartment setting would be fun. When reality bites them (both literally and figuratively) the wolf has to go. Many are put down, while the lucky ones get a home here.

 At first we were dismayed at the 30 foot by 50 foot pens each housing 1 to 3 wolves, but by the end of the tour realized this was the best that could be done for these lucky few.

It was explained that wolves are escape artists. Each pen was a 12 foot chain link fence topped with 45 degree, 3 foot high chicken wire retainer. Rebar was driven 3 feet into the ground all around the fence perimeter and finally a secondary 12 foot fence was set back and encircling all the pens. The safety and care costs are high.

One wolf was brought out and we were instructed to sit on a bench and not get up while the wolf was out. This was the most docile animal in the sanctuary, yet two handlers were present - A woman holding the thick leash and a man right behind her holding a shovel. Extra protection even with the most civilized wolf of the bunch.
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The wolves put on an impromptu concert for us. One let out a string of howls and several others joined the chorus. The singing when on for a couple minutes.

 We left impressed with this facility that cares for these beautiful animals.

Lake Conroe

The distance between points was much less this month. 240 miles versus last months' 1,600 miles; however, I managed to make it difficult.

In trying to outsmart our GPS - the GPS won. I wanted to use some side roads that the GPS did not like so (with my crafty ways) I programmed a halfway point, then when we reached it I reset it for Lake Conroe thinking it would pick the route I wanted. Wrong! The GPS got even by sending us on ever smaller side roads. I finally gave up and got us to I-10 headed to Houston, exactly what I was trying to avoid. I surrendered; however, the GPS was not done humiliating me. It put us on toll roads. After a couple tolls we hit a stretch with huge signs warning that the SunPass was the only way to pay the toll ahead and violators would be prosecuted. We exited and re-calculated yet again. Winding our way through the northern suburbs of Houston we finally arrived having added an hour to what should have been a 4 hour trip.

A couple Sailor Jerry rum and cokes coupled with the view from our balcony improved the day.

After 3 days of rain De Anne is basking in sunshine again this morning.

Dudes

We could not visit Texas without a visit to a real ranch, so dressed like a couple of dudes in shorts and tees we went to the biggest - the King ranch.

 The first sign I noted on arrival was a warning about rattlesnakes. A hundred years ago Henrietta King, bothered by all the rattlers, offered a nickle bounty for every set of rattles. Within a couple months she was surprised to have paid for 10,000 sets of rattles. Poor folks had a new job - killing snakes. She lowered the bounty from five cents to three cents. Before the year was up the count reached 100,000. She lowered it again to two cents, but ended the bounty when an out-building was full and the count passed 250,000. The oppressed reptiles were never wiped out and from the looks of the ranch and 32,000 square foot ranch house Henrietta's bank account did not suffer unduly.

 Note the insolent deer placidly grazing in the front yard of ranch house.

 The out-buildings, like this stable, were brick construction because of the fear of fire.

 Our time is about up in Bayside. Our next stop is a condo over-looking Lake Conroe (north of Houston) until just after New Year's. Then we will spend the roughest two months of winter in Puerto Rico. First in Punta Las Marias, then the second month in Biascoechea.

Meeting up

Friends from Mexico Beach, Dawn and Brian, parked their RV for a few days in Rockport TX on their way west. We spent the next couple days as a foursome of tourists.

 While lounging outside their RV I mentioned to Brian we had a restaurant we wanted to try for lunch that had been recommended by a friend. Brian said "Fine, as long as it's Snoopy's". I was stunned - that was where we had planned to go. After further questioning Brian said he had read about 10 restaurants you should visit around the USA and Snoopy's was on the list.

The following day we visited the Rockport Maritime Museum which also has the high point in Rockport with a third story "observation deck". Note the storm approaching - it's not always sunny in south Texas.