Today we decided to escape from the boundaries of Old Town and rented bikes for some exploration. These weren’t just any bikes. They were bright yellow, heavy duty single speed cruisers, with emphasis on the heavy. Since we were biking away from Old Town, it was mostly flat so the single speed was adequate, but as we tortured our way up the few hills we had very strong empathy for Keenan and his Swedish bike adventure.
We set off through the traffic and managed not to fall over as we got used to using coaster brakes again for probably the first time in forty years. It was a little disconcerting to be riding in narrow streets with lots of hurried drivers, but they were amazingly respectful of us and usually would not pass unless they had a completely clear lane going the other direction. Or maybe the sight of us on those yellow bikes was just too intimidating.
A first priority was to find lunch, of course. We tootled along the road until we found a small bar/cafe in the big hotel district. While the main road was lined with large resort-like hotels, there was really very little else along the road. We had expected a lot of shops and interesting restaurants, but it was actually quite dull. So we were pleasantly surprised by the quality and variety of the chef’s special tapas plate. It included several different grilled meats, making Tami happy, fried queso, and very interesting birds nests of shredded plantains, all served with a trio of tasty sauces.
Now well fueled, we managed to continue on and explore a couple of different beaches along the coast and see some of the local neighborhoods. A rest break in a park under the palm trees was particularly picturesque, although we did wonder if we should keep our helmets on, judging by the number of coconuts on the ground around us. It was yet another warm tropical day, so we were not entirely ambitious, but who needs to be when on vacation?
Returning to Old Town, we turned in the bikes and surprised the rental guy with how far we’d gone, but he probably says that to everybody! We walked along the waterfront and enjoyed the sight of a reproduction Spanish Galleon that had recently docked and appears to opening to the public this weekend. It certainly makes one think of when this port was teeming with such ships at the height of the Spanish period in the Caribbean. This was the first stop for ships arriving from Europe.
Another walk along the city walls is always a very pleasant thing to do here. Various vendors were setting up, preparing for the coming weekend. We also saw many pelicans flying over the bay and lots of locals enjoying a Friday afternoon. We passed through the wall and into the town proper at the old gate where important people used to arrive directly from their ships. There are ramps leading from the shore through the gate, and it’s not hard to imagine some pomp and circumstance surrounding an arrival through that gate. We, however, received none of it. Well, maybe in our minds we were!
After brief respite in our room to cool down and rest our feet, as well as recover from climbing those three flights of stairs again, we headed out for yet another excellent meal. This time it started with two kinds of ceviche. One was shrimp with lime and coconut that was very different and a most wonderful combination (put de lime in de coconut…) the other was an octopus ceviche that was also very nice. We followed with coconut shrimp and a crab and lobster gnocchi dish that was uber yummy. And a big ol’ pile of sautéed spinach because, well, we just haven’t found many veggies here!
Returning to Da House we saw that they were having an All the Mojitos You Can Drink party on the roof for $10. It was mighty tempting, but after that dinner and some wine with dinner, we just couldn’t do it. So after another trudge up the stairs to gather the blogging materials, we sit here doing our technology thing in hopes of entertaining all of our dear friends. But it’s not so rough as we listen to various strains of music filtering in through the doorway. We just have to make it up those stairs one. More. Time. Tonight.