Hurricane Maria Update #1

Decided to go to Puerto Rico for the 25th Anniversary to celebrate in the Caribbean.  Figured we could relax, take it easy; hang on the beach.  We missed Hurricane Irma, so what are the chances that another Hurricane would hit this small island?  Tropical Storm Maria developed over the weekend when we were preparing to leave, but it could hit anywhere and could be just a bad storm one day. Delta Airlines waived the baggage fee because we were headed to an area touched by Irma.  It became a Category 5 on Monday and looked as though it would be a direct hit on San Juan PR.  We had a discussion about leaving the vacation and returning to the mainland.  We decided to ride it out here.  Hell, maybe we could volunteer with the clean up.  It would be a good story for getting a sympathetic free beer at a bar.

One thing I noticed so far is that it is nothing like what they report on CNN.  The reporters are in one fixed location and things are different all over the island.  So, it gives you a false sense of security because that is not what is happening here.  They seem to go to where the storm is the worst so looking out your window does not match what is on TV.   We walked around on Tuesday (our actual anniversary date) with all the stores closed or boarding up their places.  Took some pics of buildings that we do not think will do well in the Hurricane so that we have before and after pics.  We walked around the promenade that connects to Old San Juan next to the north east side of the Island right on the ocean.  They evacuated those hotels and they boarded up the businesses on the first floor.  We got to the Subway sandwich shop just before they were closing because they had run out of food.  We got one of the last sandwiches they were making before closing and boarding up the place.  Got some supplies from the Publix, but not anywhere near what our neighbors brought back.  Embarrassing.

We got stuck in some rain on Tuesday afternoon, but it did not start sustained rain until about 10 p.m. in San Juan.  The wind started getting up in speed about 1 a.m. and the power went out at 1:27 a.m on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.  The hotel has a generator which we happen to be right on top of so that kicked in quickly.  I asked my wife to go down and tell them to turn it down so we can sleep but she refused.  The hotel is pretty modern and has concrete internal walls but it did not provide much comfort that the street flooded on Tuesday afternoon when there was only a short rain storm.  That could be a problem.  The lady across the street boarded up her house and then said a short prayer.  I hope that her prayer covers the whole street and not just her house.  She loaded up the SUV and left her house and her prayer behind.  It was comforting that the hotel staff all came to this hotel to stay and ride out the storm.  They are actually staying on our floor.  If the residents of Puerto Rico feel that this place is safe then I can sleep tonight.  Another neighbor cut down her palm tree in her front yard so that it would not fall on her house--rough.

I almost stayed right on the ocean in this hotel pictured here, but I liked the look of our current hotel in the pictures with the apartment like qualities.  I am so glad we stayed here instead of on the ocean, because I am sure those guys had to evacuate.  Cities look so cold and primitive in the dead of night without electricity. We will see how long this generator lasts or if the street floods.   The views on Sunday and Monday even from our hotels were cool, but our families keep bothering us to leave.  They keep telling us we are crazy and this is going to be our last anniversary.  The kids are also worried long distance for us, but it is an adventure or at least that is what I keep telling myself.  I am not sure we are going to be able to leave on Saturday, and the sightseeing stuff is probably shot to hell.

by Brian Davis