At the Peak of the Hurricane Season

Those who live in the Caribbean tend to get a bit nervous this time of the year, because September is the peak of the hurricane season. For the North Atlantic, which pertains to Puerto Rico, the hurricane season officially begins in June and ends in November. Historically speaking, the months of August and September have been the most active. Here's a list of some of the major hurricanes and storms which have hit the Island of Enchantment:

1) Hugo, September 17th &18th, 1989, Category 4

2) Marilyn, September 15th & 16th, 1995, Category 3
3) Hortense, September 9th & 10th, 1996 , Category 1
4) Georges, September 21st & 22nd, 1998, Category 3
5) Jeanne, September 15th, 2004, Tropical Storm

Just like millions of others, I was nervous about Hurricane Gustav. After all, the scars and bad memories left over from Katrina are still deeply etched in the minds of so many. Thankfully, Gustav did not wreak as much havoc in New Orleans. However, we are just now entering the month of September and it looks like quite an active hurricane season. The National Hurricane Center and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have a lot of up-to-date information, as well as tips and advice on how to deal with a tropical storm or hurricane. For the moment, I have my fingers crossed hoping nothing comes directly our way.

(Images obtained from the National Hurricane Center, http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml)

John McCain & Daddy Yankee

I hope you're sitting down for this, because this might potentially give your system a bit of a jolt... Yes, Daddy Yankee officially endorses John McCain for the presidency. Why? Well, he certainly didn't say much but did mention how he agrees with McCain's stance on immigration. By the way, in case you don't know who Daddy Yankee is, he's a huge reggaeton star who hails from... you guessed it, Puerto Rico! He's is also the singer who has taught many non-Spanish speakers how to say the word. gasolina (gasoline, in English), which is from one of his earliest hits.

Just simply take a look at this video and you'll notice how awkward McCain looks when he began to introduce his special guest. I couldn't help but chuckle when he mentioned that Daddy Yankee has been married for 15 years and that he embodies a great American success story. Can you just smell the sense of desperation which McCain is living with? Of course, reaching out to the Latino community is extremely crucial, as it is a rapidly growing segment of the U.S population. So, Daddy Yankee's endorsement might influence some young Latino voters. Anyhow, who would have thought that Daddy Yankee was such a huge fan of McCain? I'd say McCain needs to start listening to a bit more of reggaeton though. Hearing him say "gasolina" made me cringe just a bit.

(Video Source: www.necn.com)

Congrats to Keeth Smart!

"This guy looks so familiar," I thought to myself as I was staring into the TV screen. Then, I heard the reporter say: "you graduated from Brooklyn Tech." Aha! Bingo! I went to high school with this guy! So, who is Keeth Smart? He's isn't just an Olympic athlete who recently won a silver medal in fencing, he's actually a very impressive world class fencer.

Keeth probably doesn't remember me at all, but I am so happy for him. It was just so random how I found a high school classmate of mine, not on Facebook, but during a TV interview for his participation in the Olympics! How amazing is that? Whether or not you get to win a medal, going to the Olympics is something every athlete should be proud of. Of course, medaling is icing on the cake. Congrats Keeth! Your perserverence, hard work and dedication has paid off!

(Photo Credit: NBC4 Beijing Olympics)

Puerto Rico's Top 5 Must See and Do

We had some visitors in town for the past few days, and it was fun showing them around the island. So, I just came up with the idea of compiling a list of my top 5 things to see and do in Puerto Rico. I'll start from the bottom and work my way up...

Fifth Place: El Yunque Rainforest. It's located about 45 minutes or so from San Juan and is definitely worth a visit, especially if you've never been to a rainforest before. There are quite a few hiking trails, some which lead you to pretty waterfalls. Just a word of caution, most people either join tour groups (for those who choose not to rent a car) or explore on their own. The latter is probably the best option. Although there are, supposedly, park rangers who can provide guided tours, I don't believe they're reliable. Oh, if you drive, admission to the park is absolutely free!

Fourth Place: Museo Castillo Serrallés, and Ponce. This beautiful attraction is located in the southern city of Ponce, which is about an hour drive from San Juan. It was home to the Serrallés family, founders of the distillery which brought us the Don Q rum. You must join a tour in order to see the interior of the museum. If you have the time, I would highly suggest you to just go ahead and join the tour! The tour guide will explain to you the history of the house, which is both interesting and fascinating. Afterwards, be sure to go visit Ponce's town center, where you'll find Parque de Las Bombas. One last thing, you must try the ice cream at King's Cream!

Third Place: Viejo San Juan. It's safe to say that you've never been to Puerto Rico if you've never been to Viejo San Juan. Despite the presence of Payless Shoes and McDonald's, it's still a great place to enjoy Spanish colonial architecture in all its glory. There are many art galleries, museums and historic places to see. The most famous include El Morro and the San Cristóbal Fort. On certain days, when the cruiseships come to shore, you'll find Viejo San Juan filled with tourists. Unfortunately, some buildings are in desperate need of repair, but it's still a really charming place to explore. I love the narrow, cobblestone streets because it just transports you back into a completely different era... of the horse and buggy!

Second Place: Playa Flamingo, Culebra Island. This is absolutely my favorite beach in Puerto Rico. White-sandy beaches and clear blue water, it's heaven on earth! Culebra is a tiny island which lies to the East, and takes about an hour and a half by ferry from Fajardo. Culebra is such a wonderful little gem. Rustic, uncommercialized and laid-back, it is the perfect place to get away from it all. Just a word of advice, if possible, do avoid going on weekends. This is when it gets really crowded on the ferries, and it's also quite difficult to get tickets. Do try to plan ahead if you can. If you have the time, try to spend at least a night here.

First Place: Sun Bay Beach, Vieques. Before I go any further about this fantastic beach, I must say I'm completely biased on this one. I won't go into details, but this is a really special place for me. This is a great beach to swim, as there aren't normally too many waves. Like Culebra, I would recommend coming here during the week. There are more ferries going to Vieques, but it's still quite difficult to get tickets during the weekend. This is especially true during the summer. The ferries going to Vieques also leave from Fajardo. Kayaking in the bioluminescent bay, I've been told, is a lot of fun. However, if you're looking for an active nightlife scene, neither Vieques nor Culebra would probably be for you. What I love most about the beaches in both islands is the tranquility.

(Photo credits: Culebra, www.gotopuertorico.org, Vieques, wikipedia.org)