-----
Back in Michigan                                                     Amy with her nieces & nephews

Amy and Luma flew back to Puerto Rico Monday, January 8.
She said when they arrived it was 82 degrees.
 

January 23, 2001: Email from Carrie and Amy:

Here is the information from the last couple of weekends...

We started the weekend by spending Friday night in San Juan, celebrating Luma's and
Joanie's friend Stephanie's birthdays.  We spent a lot of time in the casino watching
Luma lose all her money.  A woman felt so sorry for Amy's
instant loss on the slot machine that she handed her a pile of quarters of which she
squandered immediately.
On Saturday we (Carrie, Amy, Luma, and Kristie) drove along the northern coast
to a town called Isabela.  While trying to find a certain hotel, we got lost
(Amy was navigating) and happened upon a really cool hotel (Costa Dorado Beach)
where we ended up spending the next two nights.  Thanks to Luma and Kristie's
out-going personalities, we went out with the bartender and a couple of employees
that night. We went Merengue  dancing and got free drinks all night.  Not a bad deal.  :)
The next day, not really having a plan in mind, we spoke to our new connections and were
able to stay another night for a very good rate.  (It was an innocent transaction -- trust us!)
The next night we went out again, this time to a pool hall (where we saw our first coqui)
and then to a nightclub that was sponsoring a "Back to College" foam party. After being
laughed at by the youngsters who were almost 10 years our junior, we decided to leave.
Unfortunatley, we never were able to experience the foam beyond our ankles.

Carrie - the "pool shark"

Luma and Kristie at the Paradise Bar in Isabella

Carrie, Luma, Amy and Kristie at the "foam" bar

Kristie, Amy, Carrie at Hotel Costa Dorado

Last weekend we attended La Fiesta de la Calle San Sebastian San Juan
where we were re-united with our good friend Adam and then met some
Swedish Sailors and Jamican Rastamen.  All very entertaining.
However, they did not buy our drinks.

Adam and Carrie at the La Fiesta de la Calle San Sebastian

We are looking forward to a peaceful and boring Guayama weekend this weekend.

Luma, Amy, Mary withSammy Jr, Joanie and Carrie back in Guayama

PANCAKE DAY:

Pancake Race at Guamani School

February 27, 2001: Email from Amy & friends:

February has been an exciting and gossip filled month!  The month started with
a routine trip to San Juan.  We attempted to go to a different bar (Neon's) but
ended up at our usual stomping ground -- Lupi's.

Amy and Carrie ready to "party"       Carrie and Byron reinacting a scene from Grease
                                                                     "Tell me about it -- stud."
It was fate (or just really odd luck) but our late night arrival coincided with
the arrival of two really old, balding, pasty white, typical white guy* Air Traffic
Controllers who somehow mistook Amy for being a Seattle girl.
After many beverages and discussions about dismounts and salaries we became
life long friends. :)  (But only if they continue to buy us drinks!)
---
Carrie and Phil                                                        Tom
*Note:  Phil and Tom were not thrilled about the way we described them. :)
So we just wanted to add that really they are young, great looking, buff, sexy guys
that we are priveleged just to know.

The next weekend in February we stayed in Guayama... we hung out at our new
favorite place, Joe's Bar, and met Joe -- who refused to drive us home. :)
Andy and Linda came in on Sunday and we ate pig in Guavate and played
a dangerous game of darts in Ponce!  (Luckily there was no one else around,
so the reckless darts did not connect with any body parts!)

C
Carrie, Amy, Andy, and Linda at a bar in Ponce.  (I can't remember the name of it!)
Weekend number three was a long weekend.  After eating dinner with Andy,
Linda, Therese, and Carolyn, and hanging out in the El San Juan hotel,
we went out on the town (Lupi's again, Phil and Tom again) with
Carrie's friends Megan and Erin.

Erin, Megan and Carrie at Paradise Club in Isabela

We entertained ourselves by recreating scenes from the movie "Dirty Dancing"
then spent the night under the stars in a hammock.  The next night in Isabella
is inexplicable but it involved: taking baths with bottled water, handing out
carnations to "beautiful mommies",  solo dancing on the dance floor,  meeting
Ed, Eddie, and Edwin,  dancing to N'Sync,  falling asleep on pool tables,
experiencing the ghetto of Aguadilla,  watching the sunrise, and eating
McDonalds for breakfast.

Megan and her Palm Hat at McDonalds

Finally, weekend number four.  Another four day weekend!  School was cancelled
on Friday because there was no power!  So Carrie, Luma, Megan, and Amy  took
off as soon as possible to San Juan to hang out on the beach!  That night we went to
(surprise!) Lupi's (Phil and Tom weren't there this time though) and Tom's Oyster Bar.
Actually, nothing really exciting happened that night.  The next night was Byron's
birthday and we hung out at Joe's Bar in Guayama.  We have nothing to say about it.
We are still trying to forget.

BYRON'S Birthday Party:
------
Katie & Luma                                       Joanie, Carolyn and Byron               Byron & Luma
 

NEXT:
March-April 2001