beachesinpuertorico

[beachesinpuertorico]

BEACH TIERLIST

Ranking the beaches on this blog

S tier: Crashboat, Vieques

A tier: Playa Santa, Buyé

B tier: Mar Chiquita

D tier: Playa Rosada

[beachesinpuertorico]

Introspection 2

“Is everyone, ready? Did anyone leave anything behind? No? Okay?” I accelerate, my one hour fifty-seven minute drive before me. The José de Diego highway, leads me to cruising speed, and my peripheral vision blurs, I focus on the cars around me and not much else. My minds inadvertently wonders to my destination. I contemplate the first time ever laid eyes on the beach I was heading too.

My uncle had taken me, and my cousin a whole week to a hotel in Isabela, the whole weekend was dedicated to visiting new destinations, especially beaches, and Crashboat was one of the places he took me. On that day, we first went to Survival beach, which is also in Aguadilla, and spent the day there. Around 3:00pm, he told us to pack up our beach towels and chairs. When we asked him why his answer was “You’ll see.” we got in his pickup truck and head off. After a while, we took a right at a parish, and started down a winding road with crosses planted on the sides of the road. The scenery confused me, but all was cleared up just as I was about to question my uncle. A view of the coast, revealed to me crystalline, turquoise waters, as a four pm apricot sun shone on it. From the beginning I was enthralled, we parked, and I ran to the shore and dove in head first. The water was warm, and I could feel a sense of relaxation when I got there. It felt like private, secluded corner of the island made just for us. We spent the afternoon there relaxing and talking, crystalizing my memories of the day.

A sudden “How long till we get there?” brings me back to reality “Only an hour left till we reach our destination” I respond. It’s been almost two years since I’ve returned, and to say a lot has changed would be an understatement. My friends, and I decided to come for “Semana Santa” which is sort of what spring break is in Puerto Rico. For this break, everything seemed to a line, I didn’t have to work, and luckily didn’t have any major work for university.

When we took a right at the parish, and went down the winding road, the crosses where gone, which I was totally fine with, but as I would soon find out it wouldn’t be the only change. This time, the sun was in its total blinding apogee, giving everything a white glare. The sun was blasting us, but thankfully umbrellas can be rented, so we rented one by diving the cost between all of us. The umbrella, wasn’t big enough for all of us, but it didn’t need to be. The circular shade it cast on us was sufficiently cooling, to make significant difference for when we needed it. It was installed by a teenaged kid with a yellow electric hand power drill not very well installed, but I feel he did his best. Unfortunately for us, his best meant having to call him twice more to re-install the umbrella, this time digging a hole twice as deep to make sure it wasn’t about to fall on its side again. Really a minor inconvenience, in the grand scheme of things.

Once our blue, and white stripped umbrella had a strong foundation, we could settle our small camp around it, and get to enjoy the rest of the beach. Again, the first thing I chose to do was throw myself in the water head first, this time it was cold. The ocean still absorbing the heat from the sun had not yet been allowed by the sun to release it and warm our bodies. However, cooling was exactly what my body needed at the moment, as the excess heat left my body I felt a calming sensation of arrival, and I stood up and for the first time observed my surroundings in detail.

Past, present and future, three terms that seem to move in a treadmill like manner, with each turn, one becoming the other as we move through time. With a slow circular movement things change gradually, but once in a while a critical incident shakes up the machinery, and when I visited Crashboat in Aguadilla (for which you can read the full review in another post), I observed the treadmill’s gears. When I took in the scene of the beach from the water, an almost dichotomous scene appeared before me, buildings destroyed by hurricane María sunk into the sand, and the beach full of people having a fantastic time. The scars offered by the modern ruins, were still shots of a violent event, however, spliced around it was a movie unfolding without skips. People went to the beach before the hurricane, and would continue to do so after.

The beach was heavily battered by the hurricane changing the landscape, and the ruins were reminder of that, but their presence although jarring can’t alter the core of the beach. Beaches are just meant be open playgrounds that we can project our interests onto be it physical activity relaxation or socializing. Their freedom, plasticity, their blank canvas like inherence allows for ruins to be a part of it, unnoticeable even for those that’ll come next. You see, Crashboat had a secret, its main attraction was already a ruin. An old military dock that was built there when Puerto Rico had a larger role for the U. U military is used by beachgoers as a jumping platform. There first time I went I didn’t find time to, the emptiness of the beach made it so that I didn’t even now that was a thing that people did. On my second visit I found time to redeem myself various times. Helping in appropriating this vestige from another era into the beach’s canvas painting my own experience as I traversed it.

The more things change the more they stay the same. On this treadmill, bumps, kinks and full out stops seem to be the norm when you look at the big picture, notwithstanding we seem very capable of handling them. After my observation phase I went on to have one of the best beach days I had ever had. My friends and me played hours of beach paddle, swam, and jumped of the dock more times than I can remember. With each stroke back to shore after the jump we grew more tired, yet more eager for the next one. The heat stopped assaulting us, and started warming us. The gallons of water we bought were depleted by our group as we chowed down on the local pinchos and chatted about our latest problems and happenings. After a short rest from our meal we were back at it again playing some light beach volleyball.

The day was starting to come to a close as the sun returned to its once seen before apricot shade. The water was cold this time, and the beach crowded, but coming back to this place really cemented it as my favorite beach in Puerto Rico. Its relaxing tide, and great atmosphere lead to excellent experiences. Reflecting on the similarities of my experiences on this beach, has made me realize that I will definitely be returning, and how important it is to me.

[beachesinpuertorico]

Crashboat beach in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Descriptions from left to right

A video of us jumping from ex military dock

A shot of the aftermath captured by a friend

The different kiosks were locals sell food, towels and other products

The ruins of a building used by the local fishermen pre-María

A friend of mine holding our beach umbrella while we waited for it to be inserted in the sand

[beachesinpuertorico]

Vieques Collage

Photo Description from right to left.

The Vieques Cargo Ferry on its route sailing from Vieques back to Ceiba.

A local species of mantaray common to the Caribbean, it’s mostly harmless and will probably more afraid of you than you think.

My family and I in front of the Vieques lighthouse. While currently not in working condition, restoration is being planned.

Me posing in front of an arch near el Fortín del Conde, an old Spanish fort that has been repurposed as a museum

El Fortín del Conde

Red Beach, a popular beach in Vieques

My friends and I playing beach paddle at Red Beach

The sunset at Red Beach

All pictures where taken by me, my friends or my family

[beachesinpuertorico]

Encounter

1. What’s your favorite beach? 

         Flamenco beach, because every time I go, it is very pretty and enjoyable. I always have a good time.  

2.    What is your fondest memory of the beach? 

         One time during Semana Santa, I camped at a beach near Santa Isabel and I liked it a lot. Seeing the sunrise and sunset was beautiful. It was a very personal experience having the beach in front of me for the whole weekend.  

3.    Could you see yourself living in place that didn’t have any beaches within a 2 hour radius of it? 

       No, I couldn’t see myself living in a place like that because I am very accustomed to going the beach on a whim, and I don’t think I could let that go, even though it’s not something I do as often as I would like to.  

4.     Beach or Pool? 

      Beach, but only most of the time. Sometimes I just really want to be in a pool since I get tired of the sand.  

 5.    Do you prefer remote beaches where you can be alone or crowded beaches where you can meet many people?  

        I prefer remote beaches where I can be with my group or with another single person.  I think that setting leads to more memorable experiences.  

 6.    Do you follow many blogs? 

        I don’t really follow many blogs, I follow a horoscope blog and an advice blog on twitter and Instagram.  

 7.    Would you be interested in reading weekly column about beach reviews? 

        Honestly, I wouldn’t be checking for a new post weekly, but whenever I wanted to go to a beach I’d check it up and choose one from the blog, if I thought it was good.   

8.    How important are commodities like bathrooms, and places to eat to you when selecting a beach you would like to visit?

  Bathrooms really aren’t that important to me, I’d pick a better beach without bathrooms over a worse beach that had them anytime.       

#interview #beaches in Puerto Rico bipr

[beachesinpuertorico]

On the ethics of cruising: a Crashboat Review

            An all-inclusive seven night cruise is a dream vacation for most Americans and, is currently the fastest growing tourism section. Now, let me convince you that might not be the case for you. Cruises will entice you with this incredible do-absolutely nothing, relaxation barrage extravaganza heaven like week, and for most they can even deliver on that promise. However, not all is magical on these luring Mega ships. It turns out that running this theatre of perfection takes an almost inhuman amount of work hours, and it be impossible to run the ships if the companies were to duly recompense the very workers that make it all possible. Workers are forced to work 40 hour plus work weeks, and if they complain they are punished for it. Most are made to interact with hour-log software with ironic names like “fun-time” where they can’t log in the real the real hours they worked. Injuries are downplayed by cruise doctors, and workers who are severely injured aren’t given the necessary time to heal.

           There are countless accounts of cruise ship’s neglect, yet they avoid repercussions by hoisting the flag of countries with less strict policies on worker safety. Most companies choose Barbados as their exploitation heaven, since it has no minimum wage, others Panama for the reason that they don’t have a limit on the hours that can be worked by an employee. And to make matters worse, corrupt senator have lobbied for laws that make it harder to sue the companies in U.S court. Also, the Filipino courts that these Mega cruise companies love to litigate at are easily swung in their favor with their hordes of capital. These companies exploit their workers in plain sight, and laugh at the inability to be prosecuted where it could hurt their bottom line.  

           You don’t need cruises, no matter how tempting they might appear. A great beach, can be an excellent substitute, and while you won’t get the luxury of a cruise, an exploitation free vacation is its own reward. Crashboat has it all, excellent parking, food and view. My favorite beach on this blog, Crashboat is located in the Northwest corner of Puerto Rico in Aguadilla. It’s the location of a broken down ex-military dock that has been repurposed as a diving board. Locals have really taken back the beach, Jet skis and umbrellas can be rented from them, some sell food and many of them come just to have fun. The dock divides the beach in two, but I think the right of the dock while facing it, is the better one. Anything that can be done at beach, can be done here, and best of all free from cruelty.

Presser, L. (2017, March 21). Below Deck. Retrieved May 1, 2019, from https://story.californiasunday.com/below-deck

#beaches #cruise #binpr

[beachesinpuertorico]

Honesty as a Policy: a Buyé Review

Miami Beach is trashy, ugly, overly windy, and honestly whoever bought a 1 million dollar shoebox apartment just because it over looked it, got ripped off. Buyé, being a normal Puerto Rican beach, automatically is leagues better than any U.S beach because of the island’s climate, especially over the pinnacle of pretentiousness that is Miami “Does it even deserve the title of beach” Beach.  On top of that Buye’s crystalline waters and mellow tides make it an ideal place for swimmers and casual beach goers alike. The shore is expansive and mostly rock free, allowing for many recreational games. Flag football (Yes, the one without concussions), Frisbee, Volleyball, and beach paddle, for example.

Buye’s parking is mostly shit, since you have to parallel park in the street unless you want to pay 5$ to some random guy that just happens to own a plot of land close enough to the beach to call it parking, but at least no one’s going to try to run you over in their Ferrari on your way to the beach. Furthermore, if you aren’t accustomed to bringing your own stuff to the beach you are out of luck here. There isn’t a five star restaurant just around the corner, but the truth is that you won’t need them, for the simple reason that expensive 5 star restaurants are mostly a sham. Homemade sandwiches will do you good, they are quick to eat and digest letting you get back to the sea as fast as possible.

Cabo Rojo’s Buye Beach is an accessible, bare bones, excellent beach a jack of most trades, and that’s fine. Definitely worth visiting, especially since Cabo Rojo has a lot more to offer. Although you’ll definitely need a car to get around, you probably already had one because Puerto Rico’s public transport is trash, visiting the lighthouse and “El poblado” are worthy endeavors after your day at the beach. The lighthouse is a historical spot that’s been around since Spanish times (it has since been renovated), and “El Poblado” has excellent night life and gastronomy.

Jacobs, A. (2007, July 24). I Think You're Fat. Retrieved May 1, 2019, from https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a26792/honesty0707/

#binpr #beach #review

[beachesinpuertorico]

David Lynch Deserves to be an Adjective: a Playa Rosada Review David Lynch is a great director of unenjoyable movies. It’s not to say that his movies can’t be revered or are void of any aspect where joy is to be found, there are plenty of places to discover it in his work; his directing, composition, and dialogue are all things where joy can be found in appreciating their craftsmanship. Nonetheless, the very essence of Lynch’s films produce uneasiness, confusion and unsettlement. Lynchian is a word originally coined by David Foster Wallace. Foster’s Original definition:
“Refers to a particular kind of irony where the very macabre and the very mundane combine in such a way as to reveal the former’s perpetual containment within the latter.“ 
Encompasses it in such an elegant way that along with the you just know it when you see it feeling the word has, ensured that it persisted in popular vernacular. Through this persistence the word was added in to the Oxford English dictionary in October 2018. The OED defines it as “Characteristic, reminiscent, or imitative of the works of David Lynch.”. Along with, “Lynch is noted for juxtaposing surreal or sinister elements with mundane, everyday environments, and for using compelling visual images to emphasize a dreamlike quality of mystery or menace.” David Lynch deserves to be an adjective, for his contributions to art, film and being able to capture a feeling. 
Playa Rosada inspired a very much lynchian response in me, not at first, but gradually as I began to question the very nature of its existence. While not directly macabre enough to be overtly lynchian, the uneasiness it caused was enough to ponder weather is was. Upon my arrival everything was normal, people talking and walking around, nothing really out of the ordinary. As I kept walking, I saw a rather sad shore with some people wallowing in the shallow water, but this wasn’t playa Rosada’s main attraction. The contraption, that was referred to as playa Rosada was a wooden square floating above the water with mesh walls that reached to the sand, ineffectively making a pool like structure, where you could get in. It wasn’t a beach, and it wasn’t a pool, and I’d argue it had the worst attributes of each. It still had fish in it, rough tide, its depth changed, and it had an overbearing life guard. Playa Rosada’s true offense is that it doesn’t manage to be for anyone. It isn’t for kids because it is too deep, it isn’t for adults because you can’t bring in drinks or have much space. The macabre engineering and the overbearing mundane activities that were allowed by the space made it the worst spot I visited for this blog. Wallace, D. F. (2012, October 19). Shipping out. Retrieved May 1, 2019, from https://harpers.org/archive/1996/01/shipping-out

[beachesinpuertorico]

01001000-01101001: a Vieques Review

Sometimes disconnecting from the bustling cities and stresses of our daily lives can be an insurmountable task. So when the opportunity presents itself we need distance from where the occurrences of our daily lives unfold. An advantage that Puerto Rico has is that it’s surrounded by other islands which allows you to escape the very ground your day to day is in without having to go too far. Vieques is one of those islands, and while yes there are many beaches in Vieques, going to one is an experience that is impossible to separate from the experience of going to the island itself. There are only two ways to get to Vieques, through the state sponsored ferry or by purchasing an airline ticket. The state sponsored ferry, sets sail from the Ceiba Ferry Terminal, and has trips about 9 trips per day. You can buy the tickets for the ferry online, nevertheless, this service is new and has only a limited amount of tickets to purchase from. Tickets will cost you about 2.00$ per person, and while the tickets are best bought online, the limitations discussed make it so there is a very real possibility you’ll have to buy the tickets in person. The airline’s problem is that it can be expensive, compare 198$ round trip to 4$ on the ferry per person, and all the planes will be small which can be a problem for people that don’t usually enjoy airplanes.  The terminal is a hassle and the planes small, however these annoyances shouldn’t discourage you from visiting this marvelous island. Vieques is an incredibly fascinating island filled with interesting landmarks and attractions. Spanish Forts and lighthouses are scattered through the island, which can be found in various states of decay. Wild Horses roam the island, and can be seen just about anywhere you go. There is a giant Ceiba tree over 50 feet tall, a type of tree from which the indigenous people used to build canoes. Also, there are many leftover American military bases on the island, since it used to be used for target practice by the navy. Furthermore, Vieques is home to the world’s brightest bioluminescent bay. Which alone attracts thousands of people from all over the world. The best way to experience Vieques is to rent a car, and stay at least a weekend. The multiple beaches, and restaurants on the island are all easily found on google maps. Letting you wake up and choose where you want to drive to that day. There is a supermarket on the island to stock up on supplies for the week end and emergencies. Despite the fact that Vieques has all these faculties, don’t think it’s a bustling metropolis. Not many people live on the island, and there is one of almost everything. This helps in making the island an ideal get away. There is a sense of reclaiming simpler times when you visit, it always inspires introspection when I visit.

        The beaches in Vieques are calm and some can even be deserted, when I visited Vieques for this review I walked along the beach with my friends, played games and talked all day. It’ll just be you and your group. When night fell, real grandeur revealed itself, the lack of light pollution facilitated the reveal of the stars. Electricity helped us conquer the night, but in that victory something great was lost. Staring at the sky for some reason always makes me think about my life, and thinking about life long enough always leads to death. Death can be powerful tool to think about in the right context. Knowing you’re going to die reminds you to not waste your opportunities.  On the other hand, death isn’t a motivational tool for the majority of us. It’s almost always a reminder of our fragility rather than our potential. And while Vieques reminds me of simpler times, death in the future is changing. With the technology that we have today, it’s not a question of if death will change it is a matter of when. Roman Mazurenko a Russian influencer, proposed an idea on Taigas. Taigas were a new kind of cemetery were the dead would be buried in biodegradable capsules designed to fertilize trees. Even though Mazurenko’s idea to revolutionize death with Taigas didn’t come to fruition, his own untimely death sparked up conversations about the topic. Mazurenko’s friend built a chat bot that armed with the millions of text messages from his friends and family, could replicate his own texting patters. Some called it inhumane, and others, like his family, called it a fitting homage that helped with their grief. 

I tried to interact with the Mazurenko bot for myself, just to be met with a message that read “Roman isn’t ready yet.”, and that made me wonder whether it was Roman that wasn’t ready or if it was us.  Ready for our won deaths, ready for the changes to those deaths, ready for the moment where technological minds surpass human ones. Although at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if we are ready or not, progress is inevitable, the real challenge is making sure we do progress right. Finally, no matter how much things change I hope places like Vieques with their history, charm and beauty that let us retreat, and think of simpler, less stressful times, never cease to exist.

Newton, C. (2016, October 06). When her best friend died, she used artificial intelligence to keep talking to him. Retrieved March 29, 2019, from https://www.theverge.com/a/luka-artificial-intelligence-memorial-roman-mazurenko-bot

[beachesinpuertorico]

Sun, Sand and Some Caution: a Mar Chiquita Review

Manatí is home to Mar Chiquita, the subject of today’s review, a beautiful crescent shaped beach with a single aperture towards the sea. Mar Chiquita which is Spanish for small sea, is an alluring siren of sorts. Mar Chiquita’s beauty lures you in, and its currents, exacerbated by its unique feature, make it quite dangerous. The singular point of entry for the tide causes strong underwater currents that have even claimed lives. I strongly recommend that you check the weather before choosing it as your destination, and making sure everyone in your party knows how to swim.

Now, this doesn’t mean I don’t want you to visit Mar Chiquita, on the contrary I highly recommend it, but some caution is needed. Pay attention to your group at all times, drowning isn’t an obvious act of cataclysmic thrashing and screaming. Like the beach itself, the peril is much more subtle, and is why life guards need a good vantage point and training to identify a person that is drowning. Lateral movement of the hands and a bobbing like motion of the body without the face clearly reaching the surface are good markers to watch out for. It turns out that most dangers we face are met with cool demeanor rather than panicked screaming. Fire fighters in Columbus, Ohio have reported fires at bars where people will be casually drinking their beers, responding “We’ll be just fine” as smoke fills the establishment (Ripley, 2008).

With that out of the way, this beach can be an excellent spot to visit. With accessible parking, and clear blue skies (because you’ll check the weather to make sure of that) you’ll be poised to have a great time. The essentials here are sunscreen, food, water, and good company. The beach doesn’t get that crowded unless its spring break and offers ample room for relaxation in the sands. Moreover, for those of you interested in light hikes, the rocks that border the coast make for a nice trek that leads to an amazing view, just don’t go barefoot. Overall, with the information I’ve given you and the essentials I’ve recommended you shouldn’t encounter a problem at the alluring Mar Chiquita.

Legend:  There was a blonde woman, attractive, interesting and cheerful, pure Puerto Rican who was known as Fini-Ana. She lived in the contours of the rock and through the mountains, she walked along the edge of the great rock by the sea. She wore an original bathing suit, jet-black, that contrasted with the white of her nacre-like skin.

 She liked to plunge into the shallow pools, but on one miserable occasion she slipped on the wet rock and fell into the sea, where she could not ask for help. Her strength lost, she was about to perish, with no hope. At the very last moment, an astounding seismic tremor shook the earth. The great rock split in two, leaving an opening. The torrent of water that flowed in, dragged Fini-Ana to the shore, leaving her on the sand and miraculously saving her.

 A few days later, Fini-Ana returned to the spot and, astonished, saw that the thrust of the waves, rushing through the opening, undermined the sand and formed a Small Sea. There she could swim at her whim, without any danger. (CallejeandoPR , 2015)

References  

CallejeandoPR . (2015, 2 3). Mar, Chiquita Manatí.  Retrieved from CallejeandoPR:  http://www.callejeandopr.com/callejea/mar-chiquita-manati

Ripley, A. (2008). The Unthinkable: Who Survives  When Disaster Strikes And Why. New York: Three Rivers Press.

Aerial photograph from: https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/locales/nota/declaranamarchiquitareservanatural-2225044/

#beach beaches in Puerto Rico binpr MarChiquita

[beachesinpuertorico]

The comforts of fun: a Playa Santa Review

 Before arriving to one of Guanica’s most locally used beaches, you encounter a rather comfortable, two lane street with parking spaces at both sides[1]. Walking down the street leads you to two local businesses, La Ancla Flotante and the Mojito Beach bar, all shadowed by the towering Playa Santa Centro Vacacional apartment complex, and finally to the white sands of Playa Santa. Playa Santa strikes a balance on the commodities it provides. You have access to good parking, places to eat, and an accessible bathroom, however, once you walk to swimming part of the beach you are disconnected by a short, but significant walk. No one is going to be waiting around to be asked for another refill on a martini or to schedule a customer’s next dinner reservation. You have to bring your own towels, chairs, and entertainment. Because of the aforementioned restaurants and some others you could get away without bringing food, but I’d recommend bringing your own water and snacks minimum. If you are looking for a micromanaged, worry free, do absolutely nothing experience I’d recommend you look elsewhere than on any beach that isn’t hotel owned.

 Playa Santa is going to be filled with locals, and fellow vacationers, you’ll see people of all ages, not just decrepit bodies in various stages of disintegration[2]. The water is calm and clear, nice enough to snorkel, although I would recommend this beach it that’s your whole purpose, excellent for calm talks with friends and a nice swim. The shoreline is expansive for setting up your spot or playing beach paddle. The area where the waves crash has algae growing on the bottom, but if that bothers you don’t fret, as soon as you swim a few feet forward you’ll be fine. Warning the sand can feel a little weird in the deeper parts due to the ecology of the area. I would describe it as soft, and silly putty like, but it shouldn’t hamper your experience if you expect it.

 When my friends and I arrived at the beach, we were greeted by the coastal winds and showering sun[3]. Waddling through the sand with a cooler in my hands, we arrived at our ideal spot[4] and laid down our towels. The beach’s people all quite nice looking, everyone in their own little world except for the two ladies annoyed at our beach paddle playing.  After a while I decide to get in and swim a little, the water cools my skin and reminds me of how hot it actually was. The beach is great no opulence or sybaritic elements needed. I recommend this beach for those that don’t like having their hand held, but aren’t yet ready to be a participant on Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid.

  [1] Park here if you have the chance. It’s closest to beach and you have to pass through here anyway. If it isn’t a major holiday there should always be free slots around this area.

[2] It impossible to promise all views will be pleasing in this department, but at least the majority won’t remind you of your probably untimely and inevitable death.  

[3] While there are parts with shade, you most likely won’t want to be there or they will already be occupied. Therefore I recommend sunscreen and, an umbrella if you are sun aversive.

[4] Not too close to the shade of the palm trees or too close to the shore.

Wallace, D. F. (2012, October 19). Shipping out. Retrieved May 1, 2019, from https://harpers.org/archive/1996/01/shipping-out/

#Playa Santa #beaches in puerto rico #beach

[beachesinpuertorico]

Exploration and Meditation

Exploring through life’s mysteries is one of the finest activities it has to offer. To journey through the insurmountable amount of thoughts, relationships, experiences and places available to us is what gives cohesiveness and enjoyment to this world. However, most of the time, we can catch ourselves looking down to make sure we don’t trip on our own issues, and missing out on the wonder around us. I sometimes forget to look up, and when I finally do it has been so long that the sky above can seem too bright and unreachable, the light burning my eyes. I have to fight the sting, but every time I overcome the sensation the reward is incredible. To be able to see through doubts of acceptance letters, deadlines, and stress makes me feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest, and I can breathe again. The breath of fresh air transports me to the beach, where I can rest and reflect without clouding thoughts of negativity. The sun shines bright, but no sunglasses are needed. The beach is a place to return to and explore.

I think of myself, a twenty-one year old college student in a biology mayor, as I recline the first thing that comes to mind is my appearance; overly pale for someone who likes the sun, and too blonde for a Puerto Rican, a tourist probably. I remember people speaking broken English to me as an attempt to sell me something, ask me a question or to just say hello. I don’t blame them, but being seen as the outsider and never the local bothers me so I always answer back in Spanish as if to defiantly say “Soy de aquí”. Sometimes they are surprised, and other times they just refuse to acknowledge my Spanish, yet I never perceive it as out of spite. This propels me to want to be the local, a guide, anywhere I can. The university comes to the forefront of my mind’s eye and how I always want to show people new places to eat around campus or a new spot to relax and talk. When someone tells me about a class they are taking that I have already passed, I always ask them for their contact information so I can send them anything I have on the subject. I enjoy forwarding information, especially when it was given to me in the first place.

A sudden saline breeze caresses my face and brings me back to the beach, sand beneath my feet. I wonder how exactly I got here, but don’t question it, I know where I am. I’ve been here before, and I think of my family. My mom always supportive, my dad with all his wisdom, and my sister always by my side. They know me, even since before I was myself. My dinosaur encyclopedia I read every night before bead when I was 8 materializes in my hands. I flip through the pages and land on the stegosaurus, marveling at the plates on its back harkens to a simpler time when learning was just a pleasure. It is getting dark now, the stars will show themselves, unbothered by the usual light in the city. I wish I had my telescope, the first thing I ever bought with my own money, to see them with. The memory of 10 year old me visiting the discovery channel store and picking out the telescope flashes before me. I had received money for my birthday from my family members, and as soon as I had it my hands I was ready for this moment. The cashier asked me what I was going to do with it, and I remember answering that I was going to see the moon. The craters on the moon, looked vast and glowing from my point of view, the telescope facilitating my fixating gaze. Despite its initial novelty, my telescope felt outdated as 14 year old me saw Jupiter through a remote control software enhanced telescope. The accuracy of the science drawings I had seen of Jupiter still amazes me.  I tell everyone I know, about the planets and their characteristics until 10th grade comes around and they all hear about the parts of the heart. My first exposure to anatomy and my path was set to where I am now 21 year old biology major student in the beach at night.

The shoreline has eroded since I arrived, the water now reaching up to my ankles. It’s time to go, I can sense it, the clock is ticking, and it doesn’t wait for anyone. I pack up my things and come back. The keyboard feeling sticky as I continue typing on it. What is it that I want to accomplish?  Simple, to guide you, yes you to your beach. I want to guide you to a place where you and all the other people you’ve been can come together, share perspectives, and reflect on the course your life has taken. Here an opportunity can be had for closure even with your twelve year old self. And there is no better place to start finding your beach than at a real physical beach. This time the local, and not the newcomer I hope to explain what places might resonate with you and how easy they are to access. My final mission that through this blog you find a place to cast that negativity, to look up from the ground, and feel that weight lifted off.

#beahes #reflection