Dragon Fruit anyone......

On the way into La Plata Lorrie and I noticed a couple plants we hadn't seen before. Being as muddy as the road is right now it sorta lends itself to a slow drive. This was beneficial because it allowed us to see some things we hadn't before, like the dragon fruit. I had no idea what it was until I googled it.  Here's a picture I took:

This was about the size of a baseball. From what I've read it's full of vitamin C and antioxidant's. We saw of number of these.  More info on Dragon Fruit can be found here

Second thing we saw on the way in was lots and lots of Latana in bloom. Strange that I've never noticed it growing before. It's one of our favorite plants back home. Here's a shot of it growing along the road down to La Plata:

Not many people on La Plata today. We did meet a couple from Poland, who know live in the states. They were down with friends. We hung out with them for a long time over near the gallery. Suppose to hook up for drinks tomorrow night. Lester (the husband) and I struck up a political conversation. We both think along the same lines. It was great to talk with them and get there views on the U.S. as compared to Europe.

Experienced something else at La Plata we haven't before, lightning and thunder. I real angry storm looked to be heading our way. Because of all the lighting we opted to shag out. I was wanting to drive to the very end of La Chiva, just out from Blue Tang reef, and take a look at the storm to see how long it might last. When we drove past turnout 15 there was a chain across the road. No admittance because of unexploded ordinances. So we just hung out at turnout 15 while it was raining.  There's a wooden pavilion there and we sat and drank a couple beers. Did get a chance to see some really serious vines growing in the trees around the pavilion, you definitely get that jungle feel.

Rain seemed to have let up and we couldn't decide whether to go back to La Plata, hang out on La Chiva or go into town to get something to eat.  In the end we opted to hang out at La  Chiva. We Drove down to turnout 4 or 5 not really sure.

La Chiva is really a beautiful beach for walking. I many times forget just how gorgeous it is. Also it has a lot more shells than La Plata.

I was content just to sit down and take in the vista, beer in hand. Lorrie opted to take a stroll along La Chiva.

 I spent my time watching the plovers feed in the surf.

When Lorrie got back from her walk, shells in hand (but no crabs shells this time) she was anxious to show me what someone had created down the beach. She told me someone had lined up coconuts making a sort of sidewalk up to some really nice palms. I grabbed the camera and heading down the beach to check it out.

and naturally Lorrie had to walk the path...

 These palms that the pathway lead up to were huge. Really beautiful trees. I believe this is turnout 1 on La Chiva.

While Lorrie was admiring the palms I was checking out the coconuts lines the walkway and thinking "there sits some great coconut water and coconut meat"

and it wasn't long before both Lorrie and I were enjoying some fresh coconut.

Closed the beach out headed back to the house.

Might try for jumping rock tomorrow.

:-)

Curt takes a hike...

Woke up early this morning. Had a light breakfast of hard boiled eggs, juice and coffee (sounds like a broken record doesn't it). We arrived on Orchid about 8:45. Judy and Andre were right in front of us on the drive in. We were surprised to find another couple on Orchid when we got there. We were also surprised to find our cabana empty. So far this trip I haven't had to build one...yet. After we unpacked, my first order of business was to add a stone to the sundial for 9am. Problem was I got side tracked by talking with Andre and missed the 9am point. We decided to wait until 10am and put that stone in.

 I did remember to take a picture of the table I made yesterday:

You can see the coconut laying on the table. Well when Judy and Andre were down talking they told me about all the coconuts laying around down by them. They said I should come down and get some of them. So Lorrie and I did. We tried to grab ones at different stages. The first one I opened had only milk in it, but the milk was sweeter than the ones we had yesterday. But that was nothing compared to the second one I opened. The outer shell on it was all brown. I was actually just looking to eat some coconut meat. What I found was a whole lot better. When I began peeling the outer shell off of the nut I noticed a small sprout coming out of one of the three eyes. I felt bad at first because this had already sprouted but I couldn't see it under the shell. The sprout was only a half inch or so long.  I really didn't know what to expect because I had never opened one that had germinated. Well what I found was a spongy ball inside the coconut once I got it opened. There was also white coconut meat. The ball had the consistantsy of  angel food cake and tasted like cotton candy. What a treat. I had once watched a Survivorman show where Les was one a small island. He opened a coconut and found one like the one I had opened. He talked about how good it was. Anyway..Lorrie and I enjoyed it. I have pictures of the coconut:

I have since learned that this is a delicacy and I believe it's called coconut bread or coconut heart. Once the coconut sprout reaches a height of 18" or so it can be poisinous. Something to be aware of if your thinking of eating a coconut with a big sprout out of it. Mine had no visable sprout, otherwise I would have never cracked it open. I probably would have planted it.

I did take time to go out and try to snorkel again today..but the visibility was no better than before. When I came back in I checked the sundial to see it was still keeping correct time. I checked it at 2 o'clock and took this picture:

It was right on the money.

Today saw 17 people on Orchid, about the same as yesterday. One lady came down to talk with Lorrie and I. Her name was Mimi and she was from Mass. She ask how one goes about getting one of the cabanas on Orchid. I said "you build one". She was amazed that we had built our little cabana. She ask where I got the materials? I told her that everything came off of this beach, even the rope.

It was a really relaxing afternoon for Lorrie and I. We went over to the rock gallery and stood up pieces that had fell over. I added a new one and so did Lorrie. We talked with Judy and Andre for a long time. The weather forecast called for a 50% chance of rain. Other than a quick shower when we arrived, the skies where absolutely clear all day long.

It was getting later in the afternoon when I told Lorrie that I wanted to walk over on the west side of Orchid around the point and take a few pictures. I ask her if she wanted to go. She said she would rather stay at our little cabana and read.  I bid her adieu and headed out, camera in hand.

So if you want to, come along on my little walk. I took A LOT of pictures. Rather than comment on each one I'm gonna to just talk about a few. Most were me  trying to capturing different colors and textures I saw along the way. So if a picure doesn't make a lot of sense...it wasn't really suppose to. Alright then..here we go:

First we tell Lorrie goodbye...she's already into her book.

Now this is the reason you have to wear shoes or sandals if you leave the immediate beach. That's a sand burr and let me tell you they hurt.

Ok...it was somewhere around here when I was taking shots of the cacti that I realized I was over the half way point to Escondida. I decided to push on and walk all the way over to Escondida and then take the road back to Orchid. I hoped Lorrie wouldn't worry about me being gone so long. So..on to Esondida:

When I got on the beach I saw this palm. I had planted this palm in November. It was laying on the beach, having been uprooted from Irene I would guess. I had dug a big whole and mounded the sand up around it. It was still there and the palm looked to be doing fine.

Now it was back to Orchid

When I got back, Lorrie could see me come up from behind and ask "How did you get there? I thought you were walking over there by the west side of Orchid?" I told her I had walked all the way around.  Pretty good little hike it was.

Lorrie and I ended up staying on Orchid until 6 o'clock. We set a stone for 5:30 but the sun was too low to do one for six. So nice to have the beach to ourselves again. We took one last swim for the day, Judy and Andres rocks were over on the far east shore, ablaze in the setting light.  I took a quick video right as we were leaving Orchid today. We hated to leave,  it had been such a beautiful day.

Still wanting the day to last we decided to drive to the very end of Playa Chiva and catch the sun as it dips under the horizon. I shot video of the sun setting and Lorrie and I taking it all in. How many times have you just took 4 minutes to watch the sun set? Funny how we only find the time to do that when we're here on Vieques. If you've got 4  minutes to spare watch the video and sunset with us:

See ya tomorrow

:-)

November Video....

Just a video from our trip this past November. Orchid, Escondida and Blue beach.

:-)

Slow'n it down......

Water was perfect today on Playa Chiva.  Check out the video and you'll see what I mean.



We began the day early. Got to Playa Chiva about 8:40am and were delighted to find it crystal clear. I busied myself with building a cabana, yeah I know...another one.  Lorrie was a real trooper and did the beach combing for rope.

She also took quite a few shots of the construction of Casa Verde (we had a green flag on it and used green rope). Here's the process, as if you haven't seen it before:

He digs the holes.

He gathers the poles.

He builds the frame...

He gathers the fronds...

can't think of a rhyming word that corresponds.

Almost finished

Ta DA!

We used it all day...just kick'n back and taking things easy.

Left the beach about 4:30. Got home, ate and headed over to Peter and Rick's place. Peter had invited us over for drinks a day or so ago. This made our second visit and we really wanted to see how their construction had progressed. Peter was nice enough to allow us to take some pictures. The place is spectacular. I ask Peter if he ever pinches himself when he looks out his back door. What a view. A side benefit of visiting such a wonderful place like theirs is that I was able to get my "dog" fix. They've got 4 dogs and 2 cats (I think I have that right?) We love their pets and I had been missing Thorn, so it was nice.

And finally, here's some of the shots we took. It was later in the evening when we went over so the light was fading.

Last year when we were over they had what looked like a skateboard ramp in the area where the palm tree is. The palm trees were to be delivered the next day and the ramps were used to slide the palms into place.

See I told you there were dogs.

We love the downstairs of the house.

 What a great way to end a nice slow day. Thanks again Peter, we had a wonderful time. He makes the best Gin/tonics on the island.

Hasta Manana