Afternoon in Rincon, Puerto Rico

Today's first big mission was to go shopping for "frumpy" female clothes. No easy task on a tropical island where the women love to show off skin. But my Aunt Ginny who is visiting for a couple of weeks has a follow-on mission of teaching English in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, just a few days after she leaves Puerto Rico. Dress standards for teachers in Saudi Arabia are unique. We went to the Mayaguez Mall, which never ceases to amaze me. For an island that lives mainly on the largesse of the U.S. taxpayer, there sure does not seem to be any sign of an economic crisis in the mall. Fortunately, clothes fitting the "frumpy" description were available on the sale rack for a tremendous discount. Then we headed North to Rincon, the surf town that is the focus of the well-named book "Derelict Junction." Since hosting the 1968 World Surf Championships, the town is a hangout for worn-out surf bums and a pilgrimage spot for wannabe surfers holding regular jobs in the States. Meeting up with Mike Green, we went snorkeling in the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve. Lots of elkhorn coral and colored fish kept us occupied for an hour, and a tumble in the surf put us back on shore. Next, was a trip to the Rincon lighthouse, sitting on the westernmost tip of Puerto Rico, to watch the sunset. What comes after a beautiful sunset in Rincon? Well, a stop at Calypso's, by Maria's Beach, for a happy hour Rum Punch and a jalapeno cheeseburger, while we listened to a beach band led by a midget and watched tourists. A fitting end to a rough Monday in the tropics.