Disillusionment

It's not easy to face certain realities about the places you love. It's certainly even much harder when the said places hold an infinitely secured place in your heart. San Juan, Puerto Rico is one such place for me. However, my last visit to the island proved to be as revealing as one might like to avoid.

It's true that March is perhaps the best time to visit PR if you are not fond of the blistering heat of the summer months. The problem, as it has revealed itself, is that the sun hardly comes out in March. It's disheartening to find oneself attempting to escape the dreary New York winter only to be harshly confronted by rain and cloudy skies. Because I had already seen the majority of the touristy areas, I didn't mind being confined to the wonderful El San Juan Hotel and Casino. But my disappointment came about when there was a power outage and this beloved hotel didn't have back up generators to keep the rooms lit. It wasn't such a bother that I couldn't lay by the pool or go for a swim In the ocean, but having to bathe in the dark and having my dinner plans cancelled due to a lack of power was beyond annoying. The truth is that I did not go to Puerto Rico so that I could have
dinner at Chili's.   This experience doesn't mean that I will stop going to San Juan, or that I will stop staying at the El San Juan. However, I'm beginning to face the reality that San Juan may not be quite as charming and unique as I would like to think.