Dinner And A Beach

Doesn't look like much from the road, but go down these steps and...

If you're one of our never-miss-a-post readers, you might begin to see some repeats here, because we're developing a list of favorite places nearby that we will visit again and again.  Today, we took our friends Burt and April to a couple of those spots!  We took a drive in the mountains, pretty much a round-about way to get to our destination so that we could cover some new territory.  This island is so beautiful and she holds such wonders... I hope to find them ALL!

The view opens up to a stunning panorama!

A lovely, cool mountain breeze wipes your cares away!

Ribs, chicken, carne frita, two kinds of rice and beans, and tostones!

An early dinner at Casajú was a repeat, right down to the dessert... but with new friends to share it this time! It's not just the view that brings us back here... This enormous platter for four, that can actually satisfy eight... if you save room for the BEST dessert on the island (so far).

A beautifully presented fried cheesecake, churros and whip cream topped ice cream!  YUM!!

Don't judge!  April and I DID share a few bites with the boys!

The drive here and back took us through a municipality called Las Piedras.  "The Stones".  It is obvious how the area earned the name, as we passed huge boulders balanced precariously on hillsides, enormous blocks of stone that jut skyward just inches from your car as you wind along the narrow mountain roads, and homes that incorporate the gigantic pieces into their design.

Hey, it's less space you have to mow!

Should have made this a climbing wall for the kids!

View of Faro Punta Tuna

With full and happy tummies, we wound our way back down the scenic mountainside to the shores of the Caribbean Sea.  How lucky we are to have all of this within a short distance of home.  This is our second visit to Playa Los Bohios in Manaubo.

This is a nice little beach tucked into the curving coastline just west of the Punta Tuna Lighthouse, which we visited a few days ago.

Looking west.  

Fade to black

It is one of my personal favorites because it isn't ever crowded, AND it has black sand!  There are many areas of Puerto Rico that can be compared to Hawaii, and this is one of them!

The Boys settled in with folding beach chairs and un neverita (a small cooler) full of beverages, while us girls took off for a nice post-feast beach walk!

Hey girl!  Wait for me!

The black sand fascinates me.  It is completely different from the heavier, "white" sand, which is very coarse.  The black sand is sparkly and very fine.  This beach is layered with patches of both colours.

Signs of beach erosion where the roots of palms are exposed!

April and I set off toward the eastern end of the beach, with our feet sinking deep into the wave-whipped sand.  This kind of beach is very good for exercise as your legs have to work extra hard!  Conversation made it easy work though, and soon we reached the easternmost corner, which was covered in seaweed!

I'm glad that this is all down here, and not where we've camped!

Seaweed... and PUPPIES!!!

As soon as we reached the end of the beach, a band of adorable puppies tumbled over to see us.  The momma dog came also, and it was heartbreaking to see how thin she was.  With the recent death of my Baby Angel, I am seriously fighting susceptibility to new pet acquisition, so I kept my distance.  But April's heart is not so hardened.  We got some puppy snuggles, then quickly left so as not to weaken... Unfortunately, the momma dog followed us back to our camp, where she was rewarded by April!  The leftovers she was taking home went into the momma dog's belly at lightning speed.

You can see momma dog beneath the palm...

A sand crab has tossed out the black sand that lies beneath the white layer

After a brief pause at our camp to check on the Boys, we took off the other way... This is the second time Bruce and I have visited this beach, but we haven't explored.  Today, we found out that the mouth of Rio Manaubo meets the Caribbean Sea just to the west.  How cool is this???

Rio Manaubo seems to spread out just as it meets the beach

With all of the recent rain we've had, the river was spilling into the Sea

Looks very Jungly!

The river water was VERY brown!

Many layers, bot black and white.

April and I explored the river mouth a bit.  Feeling the much cooler water with our feet as it rushed through the narrow channel to mix with the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea.  The sand bank along the river mouth exposed layer upon layer of contrasting sand.

OK, enough of this exercising/exploring stuff... Time to get down to some serious relaxing!  We retraced our steps back along the beach with our explorer needs satisfied.  Time to take our well-earned place in a beach chair with a cold beverage!  I have to admit that we don't do "nothing" often enough!

We've been so busy with boat repairs, storm threats, and who-knows-what-else!  I think it's time that we just sit and watch the waves roll in.  Burt and April are the perfect his and hers companions with which to do this!

All afternoon we sat, and watched as the waves calmed and the surface of the Sea began to flatten.  The sun dropped lower but we were shielded from the heat by the palms.  Eventually the softening of the waves registered in my mind ~ that means it's getting late!  Suddenly it was 4:30 and time to go home!  And thus ends another unique, and wonderful day in Paradise!

We love having friends around with which to share our Island Paradise!  Come to Puerto Rico and we'll put her through her paces for you!

Squeeeeee!  Black sand FEET!