The Scurvy Dog's Puerto Rican Blog

Arrg! ’tis Talk Like a Pirate Day, ye Scurvy Dogs..

As is befit’n September 19th, we be honoring thee scalawags that survived the Seven Seas and lived to tell about it. Tales to send shivers up yer spine. ’tis a tradition now, on the Scurvy Dog’s PR Blog so sit back ‘n ponder what it is to be truly ‘Piratical’

Special credit goes to the two guys that started the whole ‘Talk Like a Pirate’ thing, you should check out their website. It rates a major ARRGG!!!

Since ‘strong drink’ is part o’ the lifestyle, I’ve featured it in both previous posts. In 2010, I featured a review of 12 Rums found in Puerto Rico and in 2011 I featured a local drink known as ‘Pitorro’. There is even a ‘legit’ version of it now.

Well, I got two new ones to run past ya.

On the high end, I finally scored a bottle DonQ Gran Añejo. A Puerto Rican Rum made by Serralles. The label sez it’s a blend of their best aged rums, some as old as 12 years… nice. At $48, it’s the most expensive bottle of rum I have ever tried… comes in a nice gift box too. There are more exotic, expensive rums and hard liquors like tequila, brandy or scotch that can cost way more, but those hold no interest for me.

This añejo is strictly for sipping… it will never, ever get used in a Cuba Libre. I’ll be work’n on this one for a long time to come. As far as flavor and taste goes, it is the smoothest of any rum I have ever tasted, including my old favorite, Ron Barcelo Añejo. [Read more…] about Arrg! ’tis Talk Like a Pirate Day, ye Scurvy Dogs..

The Ponce Museum of Art

‘Museo de Arte de Ponce’

I’ll stop right here and say, this is a must see!

It rates in MY Top Ten of Puerto Rico’s best travel attractions.
It’s that good.

It is a ‘world class museum’. I have no doubt about that.

Even if you have never been to an ‘art museum’, this one is worth the trip.

I had read about the Ponce Museum of Art before, but it was still being renovated when I first got here. I did get over to Plaza las Americas to see a small sampling of the museum’s collection and reported on it back then.

After having been closed for major renovations, it reopened in November of 2010.

To be fair, $30 million was spent over 3 years to renovate and add 40% more floorspace. More about that, a little later in.

What I saw was amazing.

The arrangement of art and the placement of lighting fit perfectly. OK… I’m not an art critic, per se, but this was really nice. Very inspiring.

We’ve driven past the Museum on several occasions because it’s on a busy, popular street… Avenida Las Américas (Highway 163). [Read more…] about The Ponce Museum of Art

3 Years to the Day…

I set foot in Puerto Rico for the very first time.

I did not know then, I would move to PR before the year’s end. I deliberately picked the middle of the Hurricane Season so I would know what Puerto Rico was like at it’s worst.

It was also the cheapest time to fly!

The trip was a springboard for a travel blog about Puerto Rico.

A fun way to keep track of my experiences.

I figured 5 weeks running around the island would give me a good idea as to whether I might want to retire here. As it worked out, I only saw about a quarter of what I had ‘planned’. That’s not a bad thing and I’ve still not seen everything I had in mind for that first trip.

On that first visit, I met 3 people from the mainland who had come here on vacation and never left. That amazed me. [Read more…] about 3 Years to the Day…

Garden Experiment 1D- African Horned Melon

Cucumis metuliferus

AKA- Kiwano, jelly melon, English tomato and cherie.

I had stumbled across the African Horned Melon while doing research about tropical fruits and veggies. My sample came from a grocery run to Walmart and cost over $6 bucks a pound. I bought one so I could retrieve the seeds.

It was bright orange and very firm.

I sliced it up it for photos and then sampled a bit. Though bizarre in appearance, it tasted like a tart, juicy cucumber and was very refreshing. It would be perfect, put through a juicer and added to some juice or smoothie. What’s more, the entire article is edible. On a mature Kiwano, the spines are relatively soft and the skin is very thin. The spines are sharp and hard on a green ones. The seeds are edible and the ‘melons’ can be eaten green. In fact, the green ones took several weeks to turn orange so they have good ‘kitchen keeping’ properties.

Restaurants use them as artistic garnish to add a touch of color.

Though they were originally from Africa, New Zealand has rebranded them as ‘Kiwanos’ and is now exporting them in quantity. My sample was actually grown in Puerto Rico. [Read more…] about Garden Experiment 1D- African Horned Melon

Salinas Speedway, a Day at the Races

I’ve been wanting to cover this venue, ever since we drove by it, 2 years ago.

Racing and showing off your car is very popular here in Puerto Rico.

I’ve spoken before about the interest in big bikes and jeeps.

Well, little ‘souped-up’ imports are also very popular.

Auto parts stores and tire shops do a brisk business.

On to Salinas-

It’s a straight shot out of San Juan via Highway 52. There is an off ramp to Highway 1 for Salinas, after that, turn east on Highway 3. A huge sign marks the entrance to the Salinas International Speedway.