12/9/07

Oh wow, where to start? DH and ABabe arranged for massages for IDad, Ymom, and me, so once we assembled the troups and had a bite of free continental breakfast in the atrium, we wandered around a bit, strolling down the cobblestone single-lane streets, fighting the wheelchair up and down the curbs,( hoping the sidewalk would be wide enough for the wheelchair when we got it up there. It’s a good thing Ymom is so slim, because a wide wheelchair would NOT have fit on the sidewalk! Give you an idea of how narrow things are? It’s single file only, or play dodgem cars on the cobblestone streets.) We made our way down to the Eden Spa enmasse, then, before we separated, Idad made sure the kids knew that “Uncle” DH would watch over them and they could ask him for any help they needed. “He knows where you should go and he will take good care of you.” Ababe is 18. Gdude is 16. As soon as the spa doors shut behind us, DH turned to the kids and said, “You have my phone number?” And they said, “Yep. Bye!”

Ababe and Gdude went exploring and shopping (!) and DH did a reconnoiter for lunch. After an hour of pampering and cosseting, Idad, Ymom and I staggered out of the spa, relaxed enough to be buttered across soft bread. Dh was sitting outside, waiting for us. Idad looked around for the kids. “Oh, they don’t need me,” DH said. “They went out shopping. Are you hungry? I found a great place for lunch.” Ymom was sort of worried that the kids might not eat, but Idad pointed out that they didn’t need to be breast fed and there was food all over the city. So us old folks stopped at the Tamarind restaurant and fell on the food like locusts on a field of green wheat. I have never had a bad meal in this city. This was another superior feast. I had a Cuban sandwich with plantain fries and ate myself almost into a stupor. Just as we were finishing, Ymom’s phone rang. “Hi, mom. We’re lost. Oh, wait. There’s a Coach store. It’s a Coach outlet store! There are sales! Call you back, mom!”

We reconnected later, and DH and I split off, making our way here and there till we came across a tiny shop carrying Indian made clothing. The saleslady was wonderful, waited on me as if I were a millionaire, and knew her stock perfectly. “You like that dress? Wait just one minute. You will love this one!” And she was right. I got a pants set that fit (!) two new dresses, and a new skirt and blouse. Indian ladies are fuller figured than most Europeans, and the clothes are a much kinder cut than I am accustomed to finding at home. Pretty, pretty me!

The day finished with one of those peak experiences that you remember all your life. We have a friend, Laura, who lives in Old San Juan. She invited us to come to her house for dinner, and invited some friends to meet us. We sat in her courtyard in the balmy night, savoring sips and nibbles (wines for the grownups, sodas for the kids, brewskies for the guys.) listening to the little frogs whistling in the greenery, and all talking as comfortably as if we had known one another for years. It was quite, quite magic.

One of the ladies is a high-powered travel agent, slowly going blind and finally deciding to retire. What experiences! And here’s an example of the kindness you do in your youth, coming back to you in your age. She was dear friends with a couple who lived in San Juan, and was always fond of their son. Now that she is going alone and childless into the darkness, the son, who is now an important and successful architect, has taken her as his second mother, is getting her settled across the street from his splendid apartment, in a wonderful penthouse apartment of her own. Actually, she bought both the penthouse apartments in her building, and uses the second one as guest quarters.

Toward the end of the evening, I asked Laura, who lost her brilliant husband Lindsey several years ago, “Do you miss him dreadfully?” And she said, smiling, “He’s still here.” Idad lost his own dad over Thanksgiving, and suddenly here was someone who knew exactly ow he felt. They talked and talked. When we left, Idad took Laura by the hands and said, “You have to stay in touch, because if we lose you, we lose a piece of our heart.” Later his daughter and wife both told me that it was the first time he has completely relaxed, completely enjoyed himself in a month. It was magic and healing and left us all a bit euphoric.

And now we are on the ship, and unpacked, and it’s time to get on to the shore excursion talk, so I will try to connect to the internet and post to blogger. Thanks for your comments yesterday! I took a quick peek this morning while I waited for breakfast.

this is what Christmas decor looks like in old San Juan. Huge red bows on a hot pink building.

A famliar icon in an unfamiliar setting. How can this be Starbucks without cold rain?

The old city wall with a guard station looking out over the bay, so they could keep watch for pirate ships.