The Naam Vancouver, Canada

2724 W. 4th
(Stevens & Mac Donald)
Kitsilano
(604) 738-7151
http://www.thenaam.com
Child Friendly
Open 24 Hours
All major cards accepted

Breakfast menu: http://www.thenaam.com/naam/menus/breakfast1.htm
Lunch/Dinner menu: http://www.thenaam.com/naam/menus/dinner1.htm


Any vegetarian should be aware of this famous restaurant! Depending where you are staying this might be a little out of the way, but this must-see restaurant is open 24 hours a day and is always delicious. Their wide menu and convenient hours make The Naam a modern-day Nirvana!

Since 1967 this hot spot has been offering their extensive menu right along with their award-winning "indifferent" service. OK- the service is not the best ever offered, but the food is amazing & comes quickly.

Their array of different foods from Asian dishes to Mexican, Mediterranean to classic American, there is something for everyone, morning, noon, and night. Boasting burritos, quesadillas, Vietnamese noodle and vegetable bowls, soups, veggie burgers, pita pizzas, enchiladas, nachos, sandwiches, and lots more, makes every visit different and enjoyable for breakfast, lunch or dinner.


The quesadillas are a perfect opportunity to get a true tasting of Vancouver's very own Daiya Cheese, a locally made vegan cheese substitute. A great way to enjoy a classic comfort food, these quesadillas are crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy inside, and seasoned perfectly with just a touch of jalopeno and green onion. Accompanied by a small salad and their signature fries with miso gravy, this is an extremely tasty and fulfilling meal.

After the main meal, they offer many desserts, hot beverages, shakes, beers and ciders.

All of their dishes are vegetarian, and they offer some vegan and macrobiotic options. Also, as they mention on their menu, the complete list of ingredients for each dish are not listed, so it is a good idea to ask your server exactly what you are ordering. If they are a bit short or curt with you, it is what they are known for. Smile and know you have an amazing experience coming!

Sweet Cheribum Vegetarian Eatery (Vancouver, Canada)

1105 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, Canada
(604) 253-0969
10 AM - 10 PM
http://www.sweetcheribum.com
Menu: http://www.sweetcherubim.com/pdf/SweetCherubimMenu.pdf
All major credit cards accepted!

This major vegetarian/vegan conglomerate has been a part of Vancouver, Canada since 1980, when the Bagga family started this veggie venture. They promote vegetarianism for the reasons of world hunger, world health, world peace & world environment.


The first entrance leads to their small, but packed health store stocking everything from whole ingredients to prepackaged foods, bath and beauty supplies to books, they have it all. Perfect for the traveler who is not allowed many beautification product on the plane, or someone interested in the best products from Vancouver.


Exploring the store is a great adventure of local and organic products, but proves difficult for the dessert lover, for the smells and scents coming through the threshold of the bakery.

The postre collection Sweet Cheribum has to offer is outstanding. Not only do they host a large cookie selection, but they also display many creative, natural desserts like fruit and nut combination delights, balls & squares. This is all well and good for those who have a far smaller sweet tooth, but if you are looking for the big contenders there are cookies, cakes & cupcakes. All the desserts are vegetarian, some being vegan. Their chocolate covered macaroon is a very satisfying choice. This moist cookie, with a hint of coconut and covered in chocolate, is the satisfaction that a sweet tooth is looking for!

Even if Sweet Cheribum is visited just for the bakery, the eatery is worth checking out. Their hot buffet has an Indian feel, with their selections of dahls, nan, and wide variety of somosas and subjis, but they also have many mediterannian salads and pakoras, tapas, and other choices. The bufet and restaurant is very clean and organized, and the dishes are all vegetarian, mostly vegan.

The main entrée of lentil dahl with multigrain vegan bread & salad offers an amazing taste combination. The dahl is very flavorful, with a heat that lingers a bit (but definitely not too hot) and the freshly baked bread is an appropriate accent.
The raw salad dressing packs a possible larger punch then the dahl! Consisting of tahini, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, dates & lemon as the main ingredients, this dressing offers a huge blast of flavor that compliment the spiciness of the dahl.

With many lunch and dinner entrees and combinations, and even snacks on the go, Sweet Cheribum is a place that can be visited over and over again for different experiences.. all of them delicious!

Araya's Vegetarian Place Seattle, WA

Araya's Vegetarian Place
1121 NE 45th St
U District
(206) 524-4332
http://arayasplace.com
Mon-Thu 11:30am-9pm
Fri-Sat 11:30am-10pm
Closed Sundays
Visa/MC Accepted


This all-vegetarian Thai restaurant is located in the heart of the University District, and is easily accessible by bus or car (with onsite parking). The hours are wonderful, and the prices are excellent. 18% gratuity is added for large groups.

Boasting the only all-vegetarian Thai restaurant in the Seattle, WA area, Araya's does not disappoint. With favorites like Vegetable Tempura, Spring Rolls, Pot Stickers, Hot and Sour Soup, Phad Tai, and Red & Green Curry, even the most suspicious will feel right at home. Their more creative dishes include taro root, lemon sauce, veggie meats, avocado. mango, cashews and special sauces.

One of the local favorites is the Avocado Curry, a dish that brings the subtle tastes of tofu, veggie meat, bean composition, and avocado together with bell pepper, basil & green curry. The combination of smooth and creamy with the flavorful burst of the green curry is a powerhouse. The Mango Salad is also sure to please, mixing the sweetness of the mango with Thai seasonings.

No matter what type of food lovers are in your party, Araya's is sure to please.

Teotihuacán Mexico: The City of the Gods

This once very powerful city provides a look into the history, daily life, religious practices, and mentality of the Mesoamerican people. The eight square miles of amazing architecture, and formation, of these many separate buildings and temples is astounding.
Climbing the first structure, one can find not only beautiful views, but an ancient temple that is named Temple of Quetzalcoatl (the Aztec name for the Feathered Serpent that is prevalent in many Mesoamerican religions). Behind the smaller pyramid, with a flat platform on the top, is the larger building, adorned with busts of the Feathered Serpent. These breathtaking sculptures are very detailed and specific. Quetzalcoatl was believed by the Tolec people to be the creator of humanity, and was a very serious God in Aztec culture as well. So much that when the Aztecs took over the City of Teotihuacán, they did not live there, but considered it the City of the Gods.

Walking down the main street, called the Avenue of the Dead, there is a large field with yellowing long grasses, surrounded by a smaller wall, about 4 or 5 feet high. With steps built into many of the sides, it is said the inhabitants used this as a central meeting place, possibly where religious rituals like human and animal sacrificing took place, but the Spanish mistakenly named this area the Citadel. In the present, many people lay in the cool grasses soaking up the sun. Local legend is that there is a certain sun-energy present in the pyramids, and many people participate by resting in the glow of the sun.


Later down the Avenue of the Dead is another renovated structure just outside of the Temple of the Moon. The Palace of Quetzalpapalotl is possibly where the high priest lived, and the main stairs that lead to the palace are guarded with large heads of an animal, which are believed to be jaguars. Here there are many wall paintings, and further in is an outside courtyard, with fresco painted and carved walls. Columns adorned with carved images of the Quezal bird, some with obsidian eyes (a volcanic glass black opaque in color), and some bricks in the walls had images or faces.


After a quick snack at one of the little tourist stations, it is a short walk to the main temple pyramids. The first, on the right, being the 70 meters high Temple of the Sun. Although this was built after the Moon temple, it has gone through many renovations, and is much bigger and popular. Apparently, due to the Sun Temple being built 15 degrees east of true north, the temple lines up with the setting sun on August 13th, and at that time there are hundreds of people who meet on top of the Sun Temple to soak in the energy.

Straight ahead is the Moon Temple, which has three sets of stairs, and a chain-link handrail in the middle of the extremely wide staircase. This makes the climb possible for families, the elderly, and those who would be otherwise nervous. A short climb to the top awaits some of the most beautiful views these early civilizations left us. The bird’s eye view enabled tourists to see the placement of the pyramids, residential housing, and nobility palaces far and near.
Teotihuacan is a strong insight into the pre-Spanish history of the Mexican people, and holds interest, wonder and excitement every structure visited. is a trip that should not be missed.

* Teotihuacán is 50 km Northeast of D.F. (Mexico City), and is open daily from 8am to 6pm. The entrance fee is 37 pesos. There is an additional charge to use a video camera. No tripods are permitted.
*No high heels signs have been put in the palaces and certain places, so please be careful.
*Bring water, good walking/climbing shoes, a hat and sunscreen (there is very little shade) snacks, and money. Good snack shops, lots of tourist shops to browse in, and beautiful items for sale are available.
*Other than the short drive, there is a bus from the Terminal de Autobuses del Norte bus station in Mexico City. Take the bus to Los Piramides. The trip is less than an hour.

CATEDRAL DE SAN JUAN, San Juan Puerto Rico

151-153 Calle Cristo
San Juan 00902 Puerto Rico
+1 787 722 0861
LuisNieves@catedralsanjuan.com
http://www.catedralsanjuan.com
Open Hours
8:30a-4p M-F, closed during services at 12:15p weekdays


I am NOT a church-going Christian… more of a vegan anarchist! But one should always appreciate art, and there are many times when religion and art go hand in hand, like … everywhere in Latin America. Especially here in Puerto Rico where religion and government go hand in hand. So do religion and birth rate, religion and music, religion and history, and the list goes on. So if I couldn't beat 'em, might as well take some photos, see some art & learn some history! Plus, I am a pretty big fan of the gory and bloody symbols of the Catholic religion!


I heart effigies! This one being St. Pius.

This is one of the many local churches in my town, but this is the biggest, and most historical of them all. I have bought hand-made rosaries for various family members made out of indigenous dried seeds here, and beads, and not once was I ever able to get them blessed by a Padre, who was always off the premises, so I figured the coast was clear for me to go in and snap some shots. The women who run the church are very friendly and allow photography almost any time they doors are open. They have people praying during times that are not mass, but the church stays open to tourist groups and individuals anyway. I had a great feeling that I was not getting into anyone's way, and was not getting crappy looks like some church members like to throw. This was a much healthier environment.

The San Juan Cathedral, is located on Calle del Santo Cristo (yes… the street of Christ), and was built in the 1520's (literally, the estate was picked out in 1521, the roof was put on in 1529) by Monsignor Tame Alonso, first bishop of the island. Since then it has been renovated a number of times, and has survived attacks of pirates, the English, the Dutch and PR's own history of crappy politicians, but it still stands.


Are people really this bored in hell?

The convent across the street is as widely-known as the church. Constructed in 1646, it housed the nuns associated with the church, no matter what sect they were from, and in back of their building is a beautiful staircase called the Escalinata De Las Monjas, which was the route the nuns would take to the church. In 1903 the convent was closed, and (according to local legend) became an apartment complex. After a while, in 1959, the structure was turned into the now world renowned El Convento Hotel. Not only is the building still in tact and breathtaking, but with less than 60 rooms, is extremely exclusive as well. Now it is very common to have wedding ceremonies in the cathedral, then the reception in the convent. Weird.


As I understand in history, traditionally wandering people did not make a place a town until they buried their own there. In this case rumor is that San Juan was a military base, not a residence, until there was a church. Once they built one, then it was a hoppin' town that would later be known for it's whorehouses. Go figure.

This cathedral is definitely beautiful, majestic & worth a look. In no case is it as eerie as the half-melted wax gory Catholic statues of Latin America, but since it houses the remains of the famous fountain-seeker Ponce de Leon, well… that makes it a must-see.

** Since there was no one there to answer my questions about the history of the church, I have an appointment next week. I will try to get as much information as possible! Stay tuned!
**For more information about the El Convento hotel, or their history, please reference www.elconvento.com

Campamento Guavate Cayey, Puerto Rico

My first visit to the site of the Campamento Guavate was a surprise and left me stunned with a smile for the rest of the day, and three rolls of film to develop. There is so little information about this abandoned correctional facility that I figured I had better do some research and come back.



This structure was abandoned in the early 00's, and is said to have been a correctional facility for juveniles- which would explain a lot of the graffiti saying "Let our children go", etc. Other than being a spot for locals to test out new guns, and for teams to play paintball, it looked like the structure had been left abandoned, and untouched, for many years.



This series of structures (a ring of little buildings, some with bridges connecting) is located off the main road, and set rather deeply in the lush rainforest foliage. Bringing our car past the violently smashed front gate (looks like it was locked at one point and opened when meeting the front of a large truck), we hid the car behind one of the first main buildings so as not to attract attention from the police, passer-bys and locals. Before getting started on our journey, I gave some of the local dogs food so they would not follow us.


one of the first main rooms-check out the view!

Once inside, it was great to see funny things like the remnants of the naked women magazine clippings that were up still up in the lockers, and playing cards still all over the floor in some of the rooms. The beds, showers, kitchen, lockers, watchtower and some of the windows were all pretty much still in tact. Rusted and broken, but still present. We even found a "work card" of one of the kids, explaining he is to report to work in the kitchen.


area for toilets



After surveying the land, I saw very little security measures. I am sure there were guards, probably with big guns, but other than the watchtowers with their spiral staircases, I saw little else. The regular chain-linked fence, topped with razor wire, ran along the border of the main road, but I saw no other barrier between the site and the rainforest.

All in all, a fair example of what to expect of an abandoned correctional facility in the Caribbean. Everything that could rust did, the rest wasn't going anywhere. I recently have heard of another prison in Bayamon that is not only closed and abandoned, but apparently is going to be reconstructed and opened soon. I'll try to make it there before they do! stay tuned!

*** Photos are larger files and may take a moment to load!

The Craziness of LA CALLE!!

I have to tell you, if I did not live in the specific area of the Festival De La Calle in Viejo San Juan for the last three years, I would have a very different opinion of the festival. But I do, and I have, and although it is a huge pain in the ass for us locals, it has some amazing charms as well.

Every town in Puerto Rico has a patron saint, to which that town holds a festival once a year. San Juan holds a festival to their San Juan El Bautista (St. John the Baptist), and people celebrate with a public baptism of drunk people throwing themselves into the ocean backwards at midnight. Old San Juan celebrates our favorite martyr, St. Sebastian, by popping open a can of Medalla. Since Calle San Sebastian is our street of bars, we celebrate our saint by allowing thousands to drink in the streets. With this, the Feast of San Sebastian is also called the Fiesta De La Calle, or the"Party of the Street" .

Part of this festival's history is the Parade Cabezudos, which is a great parade, encompassing everyone on the street with very catchy music. I would almost call it addictive. Today I was in my home when I heard the parade go by, and I couldn't help but grab my camera & head out to join the celebration. It is almost impossible not to! With the parade comes the very famous Comparsa Pleneros Del Pueblo, or people wearing masks of huge heads of common people. These, along with the vejigantes of Ponce, are the star attractions of the parade, and the festival. Although no one could answer to what the history of these masks are, including the children in the masks and their parents, I will just call it one of our dearly held traditions, and hopefully edit this part out when I can call the Cultural Department once the festival is over and they open again.
Other than the big headed people, the festival of St. Sebastian is also world-renowned for the artistic fair that is held in the area of the Totem. Famous musicians and artists come together to preform and exhibit their talents and join the huge arts and crafts fair. Last year the main musical attraction was Ricky Martin, and featured the art of Ada Rosa Rivera, Elida Rodríguez, Javier Alzérreca Frambes, Oslvado de Jesus Cruz, Roberto Matos, and Sixto Cotto. This year's line up is much more local, involving the Orchestra of the North to South Julito Alvarado, and the group Así Somos.

Enjoy, and maybe I will catch you out on the street!

Mexico City A.K.A. El D.F.

I have to admit, I wasn't sure I would want to return home after our week in El D.F. The city is packed with history, museums, culture and amazing sites. From beautiful modern buildings to ancient Aztec pyramids, parks and street fairs to plazas and sporting events, el D. F. is the place to be!

Planning this trip for months, I had my weird little list in tow. With only six days in Mexico, and three of them being the Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration outside of the city, I had to condense my expectations. If the temperature was over 40° Fahrenheit, we could have done everything. Coming from Puerto Rico, I brought all the winter wardrobe I own, which consisted of a long-sleeved T-shirt and a zip-up hoodie. Once the sun started going down, you would think there were vampires the way we ran back to the hotel!

Good friends of ours at Evolution Tattoo were kind enough to bring us around with their friend visiting from Mexican Family Tattoo in Sardinia, Italy. We went with them to a live lucha libre! It was amazing to see the drama unfold live before our eyes in the ring! We were not allowed to take our cameras inside, but we were able to snap some photos of the lucha arena and the street fair outside while we were eating at a small taco stand.


Inside we had a wonderful experience as we watched the most fake wrestling imaginable. I can now honestly say their moves were real and they used a lot of acrobatics, and the wrestlers were very impressive! El Blue Panther (not Pantera Azul for some reason), was celebrating over thirty years in the business, and made a touching speech to his fans. The whole time vendors were walking around with food items of all sorts... pork in a cup, ramen noodles, 6-inch personal pizzas, coffee and doughnuts, popcorn, ice cream, the works. I am pretty sure we could have stayed there for a week alone!

During the "fights" where wrestlers would de-mask each other, then try to cut the other's hair, the best characters to watch were definitely in the audience. The crowd was mostly under 10, or over 40. With the screaming and obscene hand gestures, it looked like the 40+ men were using their children/grandchildren as an excuse to see the matches themselves. The men stole the show running back and forth screaming and throwing things, wearing their favorite wrestler's emblem on their shirts. Meanwhile, the children would be ringside trying to sneak an autograph on the inside of their favorite mask. After watching the men, much more than the players, we didn't feel as old as we thought we might going to these types of events, and we understood crystal clear why they were serving coffee and doughnuts!

The morning after the lucha, we ran around town trying to see as much as possible. We started off at Belles Artes in the Alameda Park section of the city. This gorgeous and interesting building is used mostly for classical music concerts and dance exhibitions. As far as fine art, this museum is best known for the original murals of Diego Rivera they house. One of the murals they display is a replica Rivera created that is a smaller version of his controversial piece for Rockefeller Center, involving the likeness of Lenin. These murals are enormous and beautiful, and are joined by others from Tamayo, Siqueiros, and Orozco. Once we found our way around the murals, I located the bookstore, and spent many an hour there.

After the shopping spree, I decided to stop by the post office and send everything home. The post office building was my favorite by far, and I never thought I would be interested in buildings made of gold. The architecture and details are breathtaking, and the glass and gold elevator took us up to the top floor, where the Mexico Maritime Museum was! No more wondering why the elevator man was dressed like a Naval Officer in the middle of a post office! This museum was very interesting and the staff was very well informed about the history of wars and battles involving the Mexican Navy. I found the models of the ancient ships the most fascinating.

After breaking for a quick all-vegan lunch, we hit the street fairs like a sledgehammer! We even found a little alleyway that was lined with tables of books as far as the eye can see. It was like Christmas for this nerd. I realized earlier down the path that there were no books in english, so it was mostly a browsing trip- but I did pick up some reads for friends in Puerto Rico. In Alameda Park, many vendors were selling toys, gifts, scarfs (brilliant idea), and lots of food. After wandering around for a while, at 5 PM I was faced with a very hard decision.

As it turns out, around the time of Dia De Los Muertos, and Halloween (Jalogüin), interesting sites pop up that we would never have found out about. I stood in the crossroads. To my right was the National Museum of Art's exhibition of death, to my left the Museum of Torture and Antique Torture Devices. Wow. I found out that the art museum had a policy that after 5:25 PM, entrance is free (until closing at 6PM), so I knew where to go first.

I was impressed with the display at the Torture Museum, and amazed to see the actual replica of the devices. The exhibition was set up in a way that there was a detailed (and very well done) written piece about the device, then a photo or drawing about how it was used, and then POW! As I turned the corner, the device would actually be there. This I was not ready for! Seeing these horrible instruments made the written stories and cute little drawings a reality, instead of a twisted storybook on the wall. I was also horrified to see how many of the instruments were made specifically to torture women. I guess between the Spanish Inquisition and the Salem Witch Hunts, they needed as much help as possible.

Afterwards, we shot over to the exhibition of death, which I was not sure I could stomach. The arrangement of art was fantastic, and there was art from many different time periods. Mostly political drawings from the early 1900's, the illustrations were beautiful and very powerful. I was in awe of the smaller room that displayed all the oil paintings of dead children (paintings of the children in the coffins). That was powerful enough to make me sit for a while.

By the time we got to the Zócalo area of the city, it was night, and we were only able to see a small part of the plaza. This was fine with me, since I did not want to be in the area where they have bullfighting every weekend anyway. The only site on my list was to see the largest Catholic cathedral in all of Latin America. The huge plaza is beautiful, and I am glad we saw it! The cathedral was all but closed, and the smaller area that was open was having a public mass. We tried to take as many photos (museum style) as possible, but at night with no flash, that was not happening. The only one that came out was of the Jesus on the cross, which was probably the most interesting site there! I tried to ask the church security why they would have an all black (not African, pure BLACK) Jesus on a black cross. No one knew why.

Once we exited the church, the violently cold air hit us likes bricks flying in the night, and we realized it was time to hit the hotel.

How to add fair trade to your ecovacation

**THIS WAS TAKEN FROM OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT ECOTROTTERS! CHECK OUT THEIR SITE FOR MORE HELPFUL INFORMATION!

http://www.ecotrotters.com/eco-articles-How-to-add-fair-trade-to-your-ecovacation/614269754f794558532f633d-article.html

When thinking of eco vacations, unspoiled natural environments and green hotels are what probably first comes to mind. However, eco holidays also entail a certain respect and concern for the local communities we are visiting. By directly supporting local communities as much as possible during our travels, we are contributing to the preservation and improvement of the area, and thus helping to create benefits for the locals as well as future travelers. But how can we support local communities during our travels? One simple, transparent way is by adding fair trade to our eco vacation.


Fair trade is an international certification program that aims to alleviate world poverty by empowering small producers and eliminating the middleman, supporting environmental sustainability in the process. Farmers and laborers in developing countries are more often than not paid extremely low wages that cannot cover their daily expenses. Through fair trade practices, however, wages paid must allow workers to at least cover the cost of sustainable production. By earning appropriate wages, producers may spend more, which helps the community as a whole. Workers also receive an added premium to promote the community’s economic growth. Working conditions are also improved through specific health and safety requirements that must be met.


Although fair trade leads to fair wages and better working conditions, it provides an added bonus- environmental protection and sustainability. Most fair trade products are organic, and those which are not usually follow specific production practices that are environmentally sustainable. For example, although the farm itself may not be certified as organic, chances are that the farmer will still be practicing organic farming techniques such as minimizing pesticides and herbicides. This leads to more natural crops and a reduction of the negative environmental impact resulting from human activity. And as consumers, we enjoy healthier, more delicious products.

Considering the obvious benefits of fair trade, then, we should try to participate in the process during our vacation. We can do this by thinking about where our money goes before buying anything. We must ask ourselves, was this piece of jewelry/craft/souvenir made by local artisans? Was this fruit/vegetable grown by local farmers? Buying from local artisans and producers, eating at local restaurants that buy from local producers, and staying at hotels that both employ locals and buy from locals are some simple ways of contributing to the fair trade ideal. Both at home and away, we can maintain the principles of fair trade by taking a look at what we buy. The easiest way to buy fair trade items is to look for the Fair Trade certified label. And we must remember- not only by participating in environmental projects or reducing our energy consumption are we helping the world become a better place.

SHOPPING VSJ STYLE!!

our main shopping district is on the streets of calle fortaleza and san francisco. here you can find just about anything! many stores offer nothing but local art, crafts, and souvenirs. the rest offer clothing, accessories, jewelry, electronics, just about anything you could want!

on the east side of the town (towards fort el morro) is a smaller shopping street called calle cristo. on christ street you can find the first three churches of old san juan, and just about every clothing designer there is! from tommy hilfiger to ralph lauren, guess, coach and puma, we have them all (or they have been through there at one time!). towards the top of the hill is custo barcelona, pachouli, spicy caribbee, and our favorite little store mi pequeño san juan.

MI PEQUENO SAN JUAN

sells hand-painted replicas of the san juan buildings. they also carry hand-made dolls and other gifts that make great keepsakes.

107 calle cristo
787-977-1636
ducart@yahoo.com
http://www.mipequenosanjuan.com/


CUSTO BARCELONA

hot street fashion clothing. The only thing better than the clothing and best dressed employees is the way they blast blondie through the streets. i’ll be there any day!

152 calle cristo
(787) 722-1212

PACHOULLI

the perfect store for a girl to be a girl. from local perfumes to beautiful sundresses and jewelry, I find a new treasure every time I walk in! definitely worth checking out.

152 calle cristo
(787) 725-3447

SPICY CARIBEE

life does not get better than this! a full store of vibrant smells, bright colors, and beautiful hand-made items. This sore carries many culinary surprises, with many salsas and jams, food items and kitchen accessories. a must see if you have a chef or food lover on your list.

154 calle cristo
(787) 725-4690


TOUCANTIK

beautiful furniture (big and small), along with gorgeous crafts made of cloth and wood. beautiful handbags and smaller gifts.

204 calle o’donnell
205 calle cruz
(787) 725-4231

TURQUESA

this is the house of gems, rocks, minerals and art. Not only is it an amazing collection of beautiful polished rocks and stones, gemstones from topaz to quartz, and great gifts, but there is also a workshop where they make jewelry and sell all the necessities. Watch a necklace being made, or sit and join the fun!

251 calle de san francisco
(787) 721-7972

HELPFUL HINTS TO VIEJO SAN JUAN, PR

There is much to say about one of the most beautiful and historical cities in this hemisphere. Many countries have come and gone trying to claim this island as their own. There are statues and plaques dedicated to the triumphs over the British and the Dutch around the famous Fort El Morro, and many rumors and legends about the other countries bound for the glory of Christopher Columbus’ own paradise.

Although there are many cities of great historical value and beauty in Puerto Rico, Old San Juan is ranked as one of the top. The antiqued cobblestone streets, the Spanish-style buildings, and the local flavor, make this a trip of a lifetime.

TIPS FOR TRAVEL

-Numero uno, and que importante – the cops of Puerto Rico (for the most part, definitely in the cities) DRIVE WITH THEIR LIGHTS FLASHING. If you see the blue cherries behind you, do not slam on the brakes, pull over to the side of the road, or stop walking to throw yourself down onto the sidewalk.
This is for YOUR BENEFIT. You know how the police in the states say they are there to “protect and serve”? here they actually MEAN THAT. The cherries are a-blazin’ purposely so you can immediately find a police officer if you feel danger. It is not meant to freak you out, it is to make you feel safer. And once you are used to it … it does.


-Puerto Ricans point using their lips. There are many stories of why this happens, but no matter. When a native is in a position where they want to help you and do not speak your language, they tend to use many different facial and bodily gestures to help bridge the communication gap. If someone is pursing their lips at you repeatedly, they are probably NOT TRYING TO SEND YOU KISSES OR PICK A FIGHT. They are probably trying to get you to look at something, or get your attention.

-I love this town, and have lived here for four years now, and I can tell you from experience, that people can get downright loud. No joke. You will hear people yell, kinda a LOT. But since I have been here, never have I seen loud yelling turn into a fight or an altercation. The Puerto Rican people are genuinely good-hearted, and do not pick fights out in the open very often. If you hear someone yelling, it is probably someone calling up to the second floor of their building, calling across the street to their friends, or two people having a passionate discussion.

- Local flavor. Yep, we got it- every city does. The homeless, the “crazies” in the streets or sleeping on benches. Not a lot, but a few. This is a very small town, and everyone knows each other, even the junkies. It is up to you if you want to give them money, but it is not OK to hurt these people, and I have never seen any one of them hurt anyone else.

-Fashing pictures. The locals are not really up to be photographed. Really. I know this from experience. There is nothing worse than waking up in the morning, running outside to let the dog pee, or to put the clothes in the dryer next door, just to look up and see a stranger with a video camera in your face. Not cool. In fact, the only fight we ever did see here involved a man smashing a tourist’s camera, and then punching him in the face. Very extreme behavior, but… you get the drift.



HELPFUL INFO

- The area code for the metropolitan area of San Juan is 787. The more remote parts of Puerto Rico are 939, as well as some cell phones.

- During half the year, Puerto Rico is on Eastern Standard Time. What does this mean? It means that we don’t go for that time change stuff. When the East Coast “springs ahead” they join us on our time for 6 months. And when they “fall back”, they do just that (leaving us an hour ahead).

- The currency is the american dollar, and there is no exchange rate difference. The tip rate is 15%, and we do not barter as much as other islands. No, we do not expect bartering, or "like it". Especially at a Starbucks or a Burger King. It's downright embarrassing. You wouldn't haggle over the price of your latte at home, please do not do it here.

- Although it may not look like it sometimes, we DO drive on the same side of the road as in the States. All of our signs are in Spanish, but the format is the same (doesn't really matter what a huge red octagon on a pole SAYS, right?). Our gas is in litres, which is 1/4 a gallon. when it says gas is 50 cents, they do not mean per gallon. Maybe one day… we can all dream.

- Here in PR, the USPS is King. We have a post office located near the pool hall, and mailboxes scattered all over the city. We even had some of the R2D2 ones! There are Fed Ex and UPS stores here as well.

- For information dial 411, emergencies 911.


HELPFUL INFO FOR VEGANS

-Really, stay away from the beans here in PR. 98% of the time, the beans are cooked with pork or lard. There are many ways to make beans with squash, or other thickening agents, but it is not likely you will find a place who does. In the following posts, I will star (*) the places that i know have vegan options, or do not use any meat in their beans.

-Ask your restaurant for a vegetarian special, or what vegetarian dishes they have available. You would be surprised. We are finding more and more changes to the local menus, and are proud to say we are part of the cause. In most places they are starting to understand "vegetarian beans" does NOT mean "pick the pork out with your fingers before serving". We're learning. Slowly.

-Was this fried in vegetable oil? Why, yes! So was the fish, the chicken and the cheese sticks! Be warned.

- A few places have open-glass holding spaces for fresh fish and eel. It is not pretty.

-A lot of our local crafts are made with leather. Before purchasing, look over the product carefully.

-Yes, we have an alarmingly high street cat population. We are working on this. These cats, for the most part, are completely being taken care of. I have never seen one that is sick, other than old age, and they are given their shots, neutered, and fed regularly. For more info, go to SAVE A GATO

RINCON, PUERTO RICO!

ahh.. my kingdom for a little shack on the beach in beautiful Rincon, Puerto Rico. This little town is actually a world-famous surfing spot! I know it as the best place to catch a glimpse of the humpback whales when they blow their way through town on their way down south, but the locals know there is much more to this lovely part of the island than that! For lots of excitement, whether it be hitting the waves, bars, or just snorkeling around, Rincon has it.

As per usual we headed straight to my favorite little veggie joint, Natural High, on rt. 115. This cute little cafe has some of the most amazing vegetarian dishes in Puerto Rico, and has even won an award from Lonely Planet to prove it! After ordering my very favorite cold sesame noodles and japanese salad, I decided I wasn't going to just hit the breathtaking beach as usual. I mean, I couldn't RESIST sticking my foot in for a while, but I figured there must be more than fun in the sun that makes up Rincon. So, after munching down the most satisfying of meals, we were off to find adventure. or at least more organic food. Whichever.

http://www.naturalhighcafe.com
http://www.naturalhighcafe.com/menu.pdf

This time around, although we did enjoy the beach sports and beautiful scenery, we stopped on the way at the DR. ANN WIGMORE INSTITUTE!! For those who have never heard, this amazing Dra. was known for her methods of using wheatgrass and living foods to detoxify the human body. Being the author of many books, she started an institute in PR that involves a very strict diet of raw foods, and her famous "energy soup". The institute also offers classes on yoga, skin care and self-esteem.

This was a whole lot of fun for me because I was given a tour of their organic vegetable gardens and spoke for a long time with the woman who oversees their on-site gardens. Almost all of the veggies and fruits used for the programs are produced in their on or off site gardens.

Yhere are just some veggies you don't see in island life, and they grow 'em all! From kale to swiss chard, their green leafies are amazing. Also their roots, fruits, herbs and sprouts blew my mind! It was wonderful to talk to their staff and compare notes. Not only is this an amazing detox center, but if you have any questions on organic or hydroponic gardening, pesticide control, or composting in the Caribbean, these are the experts!

For more information on the ann wigmore institute, please go to http://www.annwigmore.org



After that exciting adventure (it is always great to meet another organic gardener), we hit the beach! Our friends at Tiano Divers rented us some snorkels, and we headed to Steps Beach (Playa Escalaras). This is where Ed had seen a baby Barracuda, and I was on a warpath to see one myself! Well, it was a bit windy, so we didn't get to see everything we wanted to, but it was a great time at a beautiful beach, nonetheless!