Condado means “hidden”, but as I walk down Calle Magdalena I am struck with a deeper meaning. Located in the northern part a New San Juan, it is a neighborhood that also seems to call out “change”. An example of this is reflected in the weather. Just as the sun is at its zenith in the midday sky and the heat reaches its maximum point of ferocity, a cloud mass gently rolls across the sun and a sweet tropical breeze sweeps in.

            This is Puerto Rico. A land in a constant state of transition and renewal. A place comfortable enough to call home, but foreign enough to make you feel a million miles away from it. And, as an island native put it, a land filled with countrymen without a country.

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DAY ONE

-Arrival-

3 May 2001

The minute the plane broke through the clouds and I could see the palm and mangrove trees, I knew I was in a new world. This was a feeling that seemed to persist as I traversed the island over the next seven days, and a feeling I imagined the early explorers must have had as the Isla de Encanto slowly unfurled its beauty to them.

            It was hot. And Humid. AND HOT! But it felt good. After all, I was in the tropics, and that thought alone seemed to make the heat more bearable for some reason.

            Chico, the leader of our expedition and one of the island’s native son’s, deftly navigated our rental Ford Windstar through the narrow streets from the aeropuetro Mu'oz Marin to the neighborhood Condado in New San Juan. Even though this island is a commonwealth of the United States, and people generally have a good command of English, a quick glance out the window told me that Spanish here was king. All of the street signs and restaurants and shops – all showcased  the language of its earlier inhabitants.

            We checked in at El Prado Inn, a quaint little boarding house resembling a large Spanish mansion – old and genuine.

            One of Chico’s traditions since he started visiting the island on a yearly basis in 1996 was to unpack, and then go eat a good authentic Puerto Rican meal. This we did, too.

El Dorado Restaurante was a simple place featuring the finest in Puerto Rican seafood and rice dishes. The food, expectantly Mexican in flair, had a uniqueness all its own. Sort of a New Orleans style meets spicy tropical flavor. This was also the first time in my life that I had ever enjoyed a Corona. It just seemed…the right beer to order. I am now officially hooked, and I’m sure it’s because of the week of wonderful memories associated with its simple, light flavor. (And after about 3 or 4 of them, you’ll be feeling pretty nice).

The rest of the evening was spent by the pool at El Prado. We took in the sights, the smells, and the sounds that this new place offered as the sun sank past us and was swallowed by the sea. I slept well this first night, not at all yet aware of the wonders to come.