January 1, 2017. Visiting the posh side of San Juan

LOCATION:  San Juan, Puerto Rico WEATHER:  Hot and sunny. Highs in 80s   Happy New Year!  We had feared that it was going to be noisy last night, but it wasn't too bad.  We could hear singing and dance music, as well as a few fireworks, but not too bad.  

Being New Year's Day, and not a tourist area, everything around our hotel is closed.  We asked the hotel owner about suggestions of places to go. Since the busses are not running either, we are a bit stuck.  She felt really bad, and said she didn't want us to waste a day lounging around our room.  Then, she said her husband was going in the general direction of the beach area, and could give us a lift.  How kind!  So, we hopped in his truck with him and he took us to the Condado area, which is the beach touristy area.  

 

We decided to stroll along the avenue full of hotels and restaurants.  We went into the Hilton to check out the lobby.  They have a nice deck overlooking the waterfront, so we sat there for awhile, admiring the strong waves.

Since it is touristy here, most places are open.  We stopped in an air-conditioned restaurant for a drink and to cool off.  Then, continued on. 

 

One of the nicest hotels is the Vanderbilt.  We checked out the lobby, full of doormen greeting us and opening doors for us.  

Hotel stays here start at about $500+/night.  We decided to splurge and have lunch in one of their beachfront cafes.  

It was really very nice and not all that much more expensive than other places.  It had a Mexican theme, so we had chips and shared an order of ceviche.  We took our time and soaked up the "ambiance".  

 

The breeze from the ocean was heavenly.  We people-watched.  I guess people who stay in these nice places have to pack big suitcases when they travel as many were dressed up in fancy beachwear.    We tried to call Uber to return us to the hotel.  It is not quite legal here, but people use it under the table.  We couldn't make contact, so negotiated with a taxi driver for the fare, as it is quite a distance.   Back at the hotel, we listened to the choir in the Pentecostal Church across the street belting out hymns.  George watched Sunday football on TV.  I read.  After way too much football, they finally aired "Sixty Minutes".  It was coincidental that they did a story about the "feud" between Bacardi in Puerto Rico and another rum company in Cuba about the rights to the original recipe.    

Since there were no restaurants open around us (even the street vendors were taking a break), we had leftover paella and Japanese chicken for dinner.