Puerto Rico Necesita Nuestra Ayuda

We don't have much Latino population compared to most American cities but what's around is active. There is a modest annual Hispanic festival that took place last weekend.

These men were raising money for relief of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Texas and Florida need our help, too, but Puerto Rico is as American as either of them and in far worse shape. There's nowhere to go inland. The whole island lost electric power and, except for the few places with generators, it may be months before it is completely restored. One end to another is running out of food and water. All of the Isla del Encanto, the enchanted island, is devastated.

I chatted with these men briefly about our one trip there. Mrs. C and I went for our anniversary some years ago. We remember the charms of Old San Juan, the point on the spine of the island where you can see both the Atlantic and Caribbean and the fascinating Arecibo radio telescope. (I'm a long-time participant in SETI At Home, in which people donate their unused computer capacity to analyze Arecibo data for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence.) It took heavy damage. Lots of people in the U.S., Caribbean and Mexico have suffered greatly in this season of disasters.          

La Puertorriqueña

In a glade a short distance away from the stage we've been viewing, a Puerto Rican woman sang, danced and told stories.

We visited Puerto Rico once a number of years ago and enjoyed it. However, the island has fallen on hard times. The economy is bad, the government can't pay its debts and, since they are US citizens, droves of the residents are moving to the mainland.                   

El Yunque Forest

The cloud forest in El Yunque National Forest, near the eastern end of Puerto Rico. Got home Tuesday night. Back to the routine.

There are many more pictures of Puerto Rico on my Flickr site. Click here.

TOMORROW: Thursday Arch Series

Beach at Bosque Piñones

The beach at Bosque Piñones Pine Woods) Park, a forest preserve east of San Juan, Puerto Rico, on a drizzly day. I like the layers of color. Below, the plams behind the beach glower on a dark day.

TOMORROW: El Yunque

Dia de Juegos

Dia del Juegos - Youth Day. A group of school children on a field trip in Old San Juan. As they marched down the sidewalk, a teacher called out a Latin dance beat: cha-cha cha-cha cha, and then, on the last beat, the children shouted CHA! and jumped in the air.

You might be able to see Dia del Juegos written on the red shirts.

Puerto Rico and the Ocean

The city wall of old San Juan, looking north and, beyond, the Atlantic Ocean. Do you like it better in color or black and white? Each has its merits.

Aerial photo of picture location in Old San Juan

Thursday Arch Series

After a year of posting weekly photos of the Arch, I sometimes feel I have nothing else to say about it. Then I go by on a Sunday afternoon and there is something a little different. In this picture, shot with a 17 mm lens, a woman takes a picture of her husband and son. The Arch is so much much taller than it looks in this shot.

TOMORROW: I have no idea but let me tell you a little story:

When I was low to middle two digits of age in New York City, the most popular kids' program on local television was the Soupy Sales Show. He at was as least as popular with high school and college students as he was with tykes. The show was on at noon on weekdays and all of us who could get to a TV tuned in for his surrealist, absurd sketches. The characters were way over the top (click here and scroll down a little). Almost every bit ended with Soupy getting a cream pie in the face. It was all done live and there are very few archives.

On January 1, 1965, Soupy was upset about about having to work the holiday. He started a crazy improv. This is how I, 14 years old atthe time, remember it:

Soupy looks into the camera and says something like, "Hey, kids, I'm starting a collection of presidential portraits! I need to get a whole set. Now, your mommy and daddy got in real late last night and I bet they're still asleep. Tiptoe into their bedroom, find daddy's wallet, look for some of those portraits of Washington and Lincoln and Jackson and Grant in it and send them to me. And if you do that, you know what I'll do for you? I'll send you a postcard from Puerto Rico!"

The station suspended Soupy for a week for that one. I remember TV news showing hundreds of college students picketing the station demanding his return.

So, here's the bottom line: I'm going to Puerto Rico today. Would you like a postcard?

My wife and I are going down for a few days for our anniversary (34th, thank you). Photos sure to follow by Saturday. Stay tuned and keep your picket signs clean.

Aerial photo of picture location, looking straight down on the top of the Arch.