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East of San Juan, a boardwalk and walking/jogging trail runs along the shore line of Puerto Rico. It would be an exaggeration to describe the views as “stunning,” but they certainly qualify as picturesque. The beaches aren’t wide enough to attract the interest of big hotel developers, but the sand is clean and the views more interesting than anything you’ll find along the crowded shores of the Outer Banks.
When the Bacon family and friends visited Saturday, the beach-side promenade was little used. The action was concentrated near clusters of open-air restaurants specializing in fried and barbecued food and blasting out catchy Latin music. The roads and parking lots were clogged with locals. But it was evident that the island had seen better days. Many establishments abutting the boardwalk looked abandoned and dilapidated — a consequence, I suppose, of Puerto Rico’s shrinking, debt-ridden economy.
I often fantasize about relocating the Global Command Center of Bacon’s Rebellion from Richmond to some sunny locale where the temperature rarely strays from 75º. I wonder if there are some bottom-fishing opportunities in Puerto Rico. I find it astonishing that just a couple of miles from one of the largest metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, properties fronting the boardwalk and trail are being abandoned. My friends (not to mention my wife) think I’m crazy. Puerto Rico still has a long way to fall, they say. The territory’s massive indebtedness will lead to a deterioration of infrastructure and services, and even more people will immigrate. Wait until the next recession when the tourism industry takes a hit, and beach-front property will go for a song.
I suppose that’s good investment advice. I feel badly for the Puerto Ricans, though. They are a welcoming and friendly people, and they have a beautiful country. It’s a shame that their government and ruling elites have served them so poorly.
Note to readers: We’ll be boarding a cruise ship this afternoon, and I refuse the pay the extortionate $40-per-day Internet charge. I’ll try to blog if I can find free Wi-Fi on shore. But, then, I may have better ways to spend my Caribbean vacation hunched over a laptop at Senor Frogs.
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