Okay - It was a simple plan.....
Sail into Puerto Rico and take some time to look around; grab a bite to eat - snag a drink - and blast on to my next destination!
Simple - Right?
So I took the opportunity to snap a few shots of "El Morro."
It was a beautiful day! Not too hot and not wet, windy, or cold!
"El Morro"-- or Fort San Felipe del Morro —or El Castillo San Felipe del Morro in Spanish— is a sixteenth-century citadel which lies on the northwestern-most point of the islet of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It's an ominous site as you approach San Juan from the sea. The fort was named in honor of King Philip II of Spain. The fort, also referred to as "promontory", was designed to guard the entrance to San Juan bay, and defend the city of San Juan from seaborne enemies. It performed quite well in this capacity defending and repelling numerous invasion attempts by the Dutch, French, British, and even marauding pirates. The fort last saw action during a naval bombardment in 1898, during the Spanish-American War. It is easily one of the most notorious tourist attractions on Puerto Rico. El Morro rises almost 150 feet in the air and features a number of garitas – dome covered sentry outposts that have become one of the defining icons of the island itself. And you can see all of this up close and personal for a mere $5 U.S. So be sure to do that and don't do what I did...........
I bumped into a gentleman holding a glass of cold beer. I quickly asked him where he got it....
He replied: The "Old Harbor Brewery!" A microbrewery? I queried.
(You know I'm a sap for a cold fresh beer.)
Yes! - the stoic figure replied.
So off I went on my Quest.
It was easy to find. I could literally follow the aroma of fresh hops as I found my way to the entrance.
I walked in and introduced myself as a beer connoisseur. ( A small exaggeration) I was immediately siphoned away and introduced to a young man named - Wolfgang. A.K.A.
" The Brew Master!"
I met and chatted with "Wolfgang" - This guy knows his stuff.
He offered me a sample of his work and I accepted. I love to enjoy a Stout or Porter when I visit a microbrewery but Wolfgang informed me that they didn't have a Porter. He suggested that I try the Stout. I found it to be good - but not exceptional. So on a whim, I decided to taste the seasonal beer. Wow! It went down like a body shot of tequila bathed in salt and showered with lime on a sweltering summer evening.
I was ruined.
The beer was called Taina and it was nearly perfect! Cool, fresh, and smooth!
So good that I had two!
That's when it happened. I was Shanghaied by Two Tainas! That's right! Seduced and held captive and forced to work for my food and water. Tortured in ways you can only imagine. Removed from all modern conveniences including Internet capability! It was horrible.
My only consolation - I was occasionally allowed to visit other exotic Caribbean islands.
It wasn't easy but I eventually found a way to escape from my captors.
That's another exciting post - please come back and read that tale!
Anyway, I'm back! I'm free! And I'm full of stories!
But number one my "to do list" was to discover who/what were these voracious "Tainas" that were able to snatch me from reality and take me deep into a world of fantasy and make believe.
I came home and immediately did research on the meaning of Taina.
From what I could find -
TaÃno Indians were thought to be a subgroup of the Arawakan Indians (a group of American Indians in northeastern South America), inhabited the Greater Antilles (comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola [Haiti and the Dominican Republic], and Puerto Rico) in the Caribbean Sea at the time when Christopher Columbus' arrived to the New World. (follow this Link) The origin of the TaÃnos was not proven until 1950 when scientists were able to trace them through their unique white-on-red pottery. Their origins are in the Orinoco and Amazon River basins - what is now Venezuela and Guianas. The TaÃnos began their migration, in waves, through the Caribbean Islands in approximately 900 BC. Their origins have been traced to the Village of Saladero in Venezuela. (follow this Link)
So a Taina is a female Taino.
Legend has it that they still walk the earth today and sometimes they travel in groups of two or more. They have a pack mentality and have great strength in numbers. It's said that they have special powers over men and women traveling alone. They prey on the strong and feed off of their power. They sometimes will sacrifice one Taino to separate a potential victim from the group. Once they are isolated, there's usually no escape. So be careful out there. Stay in your groups!
For some reason I'm feeling a bit thirsty.
