Isla South Region, Puerto Rico

That Long Road to Hacienda Buena Vista

Hacienda Buena Vista is a restored coffee plantation, one of my favorite places to tour. I’ve been back there frequently because it is so well done. The grounds are as close as possible to the original in every detail and you get to experience most every aspect of the production and processing. This old plantation is located in the hills above Ponce. My video was made to make it easy to find. Enjoy the ride with the video and if you haven’t read the post yet, Hacienda Buena Vista is waiting. It is an impressive place to visit!

Road Video: The Drive to Hacienda Buena Vista

Here’s that promised ‘From the Road’ video to Hacienda Buena Vista, from Expressway 52 as if you were coming from San Juan. If you are already in Ponce, then take Highway 123 North. It’s a straight shot, sort of. As always, it was shot with my trusty Vado HD videocam, mounted to the roof rack of my Isuzu. You can just make out the PONCE ‘P’ before I turn off 52, onto Highway 10.

The background music was courtesy of the Free Music Archive – they have been a great resource for me!

The weather has been pretty crummy lately, but a new trip is in the plans.

The Long Road to Hacienda Buena Vista..

Or how to get lost without really trying.

I will say upfront, that it was worth the hassles of tracking this place down for a visit. Fortunately, we hit the road early or we would have missed the start of the ‘non-refundable tour’. It did seem odd that they stressed the non-refundable part when making reservations (required) over the phone. Now I know why.

Restored Main House on the Grounds of Hacienda Buena Vista, Above Ponce, Puerto Rico Of the 4 maps I have of PR, only one specifically mentions the Hacienda Buena Vista historical site. It was suppose to be a straight, 10 mile shot up Highway 10 from Ponce.

What none of the maps show is the ‘revised’ Highway 10, the new Highway 9 and Highway 123.

I got real close once, where Highway 10, turns briefly into Highway 9, before turning around and heading back up the ‘new’ Highway 10, all the way to Adjuntas. It was a beautiful, but frustrating run. I knew we had gone too far so on the way back, we stopped and asked for directions. My sidekick speaks Spanish so we were able to get good directions from a roadside vendor. At that first point where I turned around, the OLD Highway 10, intersects Highway 123. Dinning Room of Restored Main House on the Grounds of Hacienda Buena Vista, Above Ponce, Puerto Rico This was the original “twisty, turny” Highway 10 up to Adjuntas. I did shoot a ‘From the Road’ video to Adjuntas and back, but my little Vado HD videocam ran out of memory before we made it all the way to the Hacienda. I plan to back-track that part of the road in the very near future. Highway 123 is marked at the turnoff (but NOT on any of my 4 maps). Its also a beautiful, but slow slog up a typical Puerto Rican highway. Once you get on Highway 123, there are a few signs pointing to Hacienda Buena Vista. Nothing before that. [Read more…] about The Long Road to Hacienda Buena Vista..

Ponce, PR to Tibes Ceremonial Center, “FTR”

One must-see place to visit if you are in or near Ponce is the Tibes Ceremonial Park Center. It is a semi-restored area that had obvious importance to the native people of this area before the arrival of the Spanish explorers and colonists. You can walk through gardens and sporting arenas and see how life was for the Taino people. Much more, and images of it all on the Tibes Tour Post.

A new ‘From The Road’ video of the drive south on Highway 52 to the Tibes Ceremonial Park, shot with my customized Vado HD videocam.

Still working the kinks out of uploading big files via my Puerto Rico Web Provider. My first attempt failed.

If you look close, you can see the PONCE letters, just before I turn off Expressway 52 on to Highway 10. This is one long, unbroken clip, right into the parking lot of the Tibes Ceremonial Park as reported on in my last post.

The music was courtesy of the Free Music Archive a great resource for me!

My next Post is just up the road from here.. The Hacienda Buena Vista coffee plantation. I also shot a video from Highway 10 right up to the Coffee Plantation Entrance. You can see that video now!

The Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center

A Most Excellent Side Trip, Outside Ponce

This is by far, one of the best maintained visitor’s centers I’ve been to on the island. The staff were very helpful and courteous. Several spoke English. Though commercial photography is not allowed as a rule, I did get permission to shoot from the general manager. A special thank you goes out to her and to our guide. [Read more…] about The Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center

Coamo… Last Stop of a New Adventure

I spent a lot of time in and around Coamo checking out the local situation, scoring a “cheap” ride and getting a sense of what Puerto Rico was really like. Sure, I got stuck while trying to buy a car. I’ve already explained all that.

However, I never “felt” like I was stuck anywhere. [Read more…] about Coamo… Last Stop of a New Adventure