Sunday at a dead run

DH wanted to check out a different hotel in case we would rather stay there when we come thorugh next year. It's located in an old convent - utterly charming with lots of antiques and romance and modern plumbing and gracious, old-world service. La Conventa looks like a winner!

We walked the length of Old San Juan to get to the hotel. This is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere. The streets are wide enough for a wagon and ox-team. These days, cars park along one side of the street, with two wheels up on the 24 inch wide sidewalk, and other cars can just squeeze by if they scrape the curb with their sidewalls. Many cars are missing side mirrors. Scooter drivers are suicidal! The houses start right at the sidewalk - blank, pastel walls straight up, balconies on the second floor, every so often a locked gate offers a peek into a secret green courtyard.

And everywhere there are cats. Cats hanging over the edge of balconies, cats lurking under cars, cats skulking in doorways and sneering arrogantly from shaded hideouts under the bushes in the many city parks. A local group traps them, neuters and medicates them, then releases them into their old territory to keep down the rats. These are cats who could dance the salsa if they cared to.

Being old hands at this buisness, we got on board as soon as we could, because the crush only gets worse. And for me, getting unpacked is a way of marking my territory. (beats peeing on the doorpost.)I am never fully settled and ready to kick back until our suitcases are empty and stashed under the beds, not to be seen again for a week. And now, my room will take me to lovely places. I can have the pillows and blankets exactly right, I will be able to find the bathroom in the dark, I won't forget anything in the last place we stayed, and room service is free!! Oh MY how I love cruising!

I started to blog yesterday, and the laptop battery died. Luckily, I was able to post in time to save at least a word or two. So I am going to post again, now, just to cover my wide, white . . .