Update from Wednesday, February 17th

It was another sunny day in Puerto Rico – a day filled with outdoor activities.

We woke “late” today, with a wake-up call at 7:00 am. After a quick, continental breakfast, we suited up and boarded the bus to head to the beach. We took a scenic drive through Pinones, taking in the beautiful Atlantic Ocean views.

We arrived at Luquillo Beach around 10:00 and had over two hours in the sun and surf. This beach is considered one of Puerto Rico’s finest – and it proved true. There were no spindly sea urchins to prick our feet, as a few has experienced at other beaches. It was soft white sand and lovely blue water. We had a great time – with Brian, our lifeguard, busily counting 36 bouncing heads in the gentle surf.

We bought our lunch at the beach food stand -- with lots of delicious offerings, Puerto Rican style! Some splurged on frozen beverages and other sweets -- while others applied, and re-applied, layers of sunscreen to guard against the power rays of the Caribbean sun.

After our lunch, we boarded the bus and headed off to Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve. What a place! Seven eco-systems are alive and well in this protected natural area on the far eastern end of the island. We walked a boardwalk through the mangroves, saw phospherescent creatures that are usually only visible in the dark of night, and climbed atop a lighthouse, providing a 360 degree, panoramic view of the island and surrounding sea.

We hurried back onto the bus to get back to San Juan in time for showers -- The students were eager to "dress up" for dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was a fun evening, with a more varied menu than the traditional chicken, rice and beans that have been offered at most of the eateries.

Enroute to the hotel after dinner, we congratulated the kids on a great adventure thus far and gave them an hour of free time to visit and play on the two floors of our hotel. It was an energetic hour -- In the words of one student, it was an "epic" evening -- To be fourteen and with all of your classmates in a hotel in Puerto Rico! Epic, indeed.

As their chaperones, we have been working round-the-clock, literally. Brian gets the award for the least amount of sleep -- he's been up late into the night and again early in the morning. He has taken those who have wanted to run out for a morning, and just as willingly, he has helped the hotel staff unclog toilets in our students' rooms. Dana and Maria have been busiest with first aid kits -- our biggest challenge being students who stepped on sea urchin spins at two different beaches. Dana and Maria have also helped with sunburn care and other general issues, but overall, we have been very fortunate that no student has experienced any significant health issue. And Marco has been the "herder" -- rounding up students who walk more slowly than the group, or need a little time for a quieter conversation. This is a wonderful group of chaperones and I believe it's fair to assess that we have all felt extremely fortunate to get to know students in a new way, as Puerto Rico travelers. Oh yes -- my role -- I've been the photographer, and that's been great for me!

We have had some trouble finding the time to be on the computer, since access to wireless networks has been difficult. We'll try to write on this blog one more time, before we board the flight to Philadelphia tonight. Today, we head off to Old San Juan for a full day of sightseeing.

We look forward to reuniting with families at home tonight. Until then, have a great day! We will!