Isla Del Encanto

I spent my Christmas holidays in Puerto Rico, which is where my partner, Tomas, was born and raised. It was my first tropical Christmas and one that I will remember forever. Tomas' family lives there and it was a very special trip for several reasons: we attended his brother's wedding, his nephew's Christening and it was also the first time my parents were able to meet his family! On such a bone-chilling day here in the Northeast, I thought it would be nice to share some of Puerto Rico's warm sunshine and blue skies with you. Below are some of my photographs from our two-week stay on this beautiful island.

This magnificent place is called Hacienda Camp Rico, which is where the wedding reception was held for Tomas' brother Armando and his wife Zobeida. It is an old plantation that has been converted into a grand reception hall.

Armando and Zobeida being photographed on the grounds.

The Hacienda keeps a small herd of white deer on the property, which graze peacefully.

There was a fantastic salsa band that was hired to play at the reception and everyone was dancing, including Tomas' Uncle Pakito, who was a real character! Below is Tomas' niece, Fabiola, who is as fabulous and beautiful as her name suggests!

The car that Armando and Zobeida were whisked away in was a 1963 Chevy Impala SS convertible, the only one of its kind on the island.

We stayed in San Juan, in a very vibrant region called Condado. It is only a short walk to the beach and just a ten minute drive to historic Old San Juan.

This is one of the guard towers at El Morro, the fort that was constructed by the Spanish army in the early 1500s. It is a fascinating site to visit.

Old San Juan is one of the most charming places on earth, with blue cobblestone roads and pastel-hued haciendas that date back centuries. Old San Juan is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is always a hub of activity, culture and commerce.

The ceiling at the San Juan Cathedral was enchanting.

This is the church in Carolina where Tomas' nephew Sebastian was Christened.

Sebastian was such a good boy and didn't make a fuss!

We also had the privilege of attending the Christmas recital for Tomas' niece and nephew, Giovanni and Fabiola, both of whom are so talented! It was a great show!

The beach at Guajataca, a town on the north coast of the island, is rugged and beautiful.

There are many gorgeous homes in Guajataca, perched on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic.

We took a short trip off the main island to the smaller island of Culebra, where we stayed for two nights. It is a very small community but the beaches here are fantastic.

We went swimming here, at Flamenco Beach, many, many times! The water was warm and so beautiful to swim in.

This quaint vignette was found at a very charming and delicious restaurant called La Casita Blanca, which serves traditional Puerto Rican cuisine.

Here I am posing with Tomas and my parents. They had a wonderful time on their first visit to the island! We all have many wonderful memories to keep us warm throughout the winter months.

My Trip To Canada's East Coast

I had promised that I would share some photographs from my recent trip to the east coast of Canada, and here they are! We had a wonderful time on our cruise aboard the Brilliance of the Seas as it toured the various maritime ports of Canada. Our stops included Quebec City, Saguenay in Quebec, Halifax in Nova Scotia, Sydney in Nova Scotia, Corner Brook in Newfoundland, Charlottetown in Prince Edward Island and the French island of Saint Pierre. I hope you enjoy the photos!

The Chateau Frontenac Hotel in Quebec City is bathed in the early morning sunlight. Many of the buildings in the foreground are original to the first settlement of the city by the French in the 1600s.

This is one of the city's original public squares in Quebec City, paved entirely in cobblestone. The buildings are now occupied by restaurants, shops, museums and apartments.

This is "Artisan Alley" - a long alleyway in Quebec City used by local artists and crafters to promote their wares.

Quebec City was founded by Samuel de Champlain of France in 1608 even though the French had occupied the territory since the early 1500s. The word "Kebec" is an Algonquin word meaning "where the river narrows." The city overlooks the Saint Lawrence River just at the base of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

 This is one of my favourite restaurants in the city: 1640. It serves traditional French food as well as traditional Quebecois dishes.

This is a view of our cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas. It was such a beautiful ship, inside and out!  

Only several hours from Quebec City is the Saguenay River, which stretches north into the heart of the province of Quebec. The land here is very rugged and beautiful.

 On Cape Brenton Island, in Nova Scotia, there are so many gorgeous vistas of the sea!

 

We came upon these two Highland cows munching along the roadside. 

One of the curators of a local museum we visited, dazzled visitors with tunes on his fiddle.

 Futher south on the coast of Nova Scotia's mainland is Peggy's Cove - a beautiful and serene fishing town.

Many tourists come here to see this historic lighthouse and experience the quaint Nova Scotia charm.

I loved these colourful chairs sitting on a dock in Peggy's Cove, backed by a large stack of metal lobster traps. 

Lobster is big business in this part of the world and many small businesses sell them fresh from the sea, such as the one above! On the left is an old wooden lobster trap, which many fishermen no longer use because they do not last as long as their steel counterparts and are easily damaged in rough waters.

 In Corner Brook, Newfoundland, these wooden lobster traps were not terribly active.

 A lovely view along the coast of Newfoundland.

 One of the main industries in Newfoundland is fishing. Evidence of this was everywhere!

 

Many North Americans do not realize that France owns two small islands just several miles off the coast of Newfoundland. They are called Saint Piere and Miquelon. We needed our passports to land on this small island, which was very rugged but very beautiful.

 

 

 

I noticed lots of life on these two Dahlias at the Public Gardens in Halifax, Nova Scotia: two ladybugs, a bumble bee and a monarch butterfly.

I thought this was a very clever way of planting an urn. The sides of this urn at the Public Gardens in Halifax were covered loosely with wire mesh, filled with soil and moss and then planted with various succulents and groundcover plants. The effect was beautiful!

The historic distric of Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island has streets lined with colourful houses.

From the balcony of our room on board on the cruise ship, there were many beautiful views of the sea. I loved the soft grey light on this day and the cold, dark waters below.

Here I am, taking it all in!

 On one of our last days at sea, we were treated to a beautiful sunset.