Page 93 - quebec
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I          nstead of looking both ways


                                                                                        as I crossed the road, I was
                                                                                        gazing up at a cloudless,
                                                                                        baby-blue sky, watching the
                                                                                        amazing ability of a pelican
                                                                                        to just hang in “no” motion,
                                                                                        suspended in the air above the
                                                                                Palmas Del Mar Yacht Club & Marina
                                                                                like some sort of weird, hovering peace
                                                                                sign.

                                                                                I stepped down off the sidewalk onto the
                                                                                street and walked directly into the path
                                                                                of  a  four-person  golf  cart  —  the  main
                                                                                mode of transportation at the Palmas re-
                                                                                sort in this southeastern beach town of
                                                                                Humacao in Puerto Rico.
                                                                               “Oh, I’m sorry,” I said to the young, dark-
                                                                                haired guy behind the wheel. “Don’t be
                                                                                sorry,” he replied as he swerved around
                                                                                to avoid hitting me. “Be happy.”

                                                                                That’s the kind of attitude to which I
                                                                                grew accustomed while I was visiting this
                                                                                island, known as the Caribbean’s gate-
                                                                                way. Although the pace here is relaxed,
                                                                                the one-week trip with friends was a tad
                                                                                more accelerated: around two days each
                                                                                for San Juan (north), Ponce (south) and
                                                                                Humacao (southeast).

                                                                                Top:  Papier-mâché carnival mask.  Opposite: Pine
                                                                                Grove Beach, San Juan









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