Rincon

Breakfast together at 09:00 at the hotel and day planning. Checked out and on the road about 10:30. Drove (caravanning in two cars) to Dorado to try to find a small museum of indigenous culture but even the police didn't know where it was. followed a costal road back out to the main highway (Rte 22) and followed it west to Barceloneta where we turned off on another costal road to Arecibo. Very narrow road with no shoulders but only moderate traffic. topped at a small beach to stretch our legs on the dark sand. Turned out this was a nesting beach for turtles and signs everywhere advising to not disturb their nests. This wasn't the season so no nests. On into Arecibo to pick up the main road (now Rte 2) and started to look for somewhere to eat.

We'd been told (by locals and the guidebook) to sample the food trucks that were set up along the highway. From Arecibo on the road was heavily trafficked with weekend drivers and built up with commercial establishments along its length. We hit a few spots of rain but nothing significant. We'd spot a possible food truck but were moving too fast to make a turn in. Finally pulled in to one place and had good tacos from a truck. The problem with the trucks is there is no bathroom! The local Walgreens, though, had restrooms and we did a bit of grocery (mostly liquor) shopping before continuing. At the turn to Isabela, we stopped to take in the indigenous face carved into the rock - not ancient but interesting. back on the road toward Rincon.

The area has stores and malls all along it with familiar names that you'd recognize from any mainland town (all the fast food chains and big box stores like Subway, Wendys, McD's, Chik-Fil-A, Burger King, Home Depot, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, etc., etc.). Except for the chaotic traffic, it could be any strip mall in the mainland. Turned off the 2 into Rincon and wound our way to the house we're renting - arriving about 17:00.Read more