Tag: messysuitcase

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Touring the Roman Baths in Bath, England

We visited the Roman Baths while in Bath, England, for our oldest child’s graduation, and gazed upon 2,000 years of history. We also gazed upon a few naked Romans! But Bob was upset that they wouldn’t let him soak in the medicinal water. The Roman Baths are one of the finest historic sites in Northern Europe, according to the Baths’ website, romanbaths.co.uk/.

“Once the site of one of the great religious spas of the ancient world, the people of Roman Britain came to the site to worship the goddess Sulis Minerva and bathe in the waters of the natural thermal springs, which still flow with hot water today,” says the website. “Today visitors can explore the Roman Baths complex, walk on the original Roman pavements and see the ruins of the Temple of Sulis Minerva.

“The museum collection, located next to the bathing complex, includes a gilt bronze head of the Goddess Sulis Minerva, and other Roman artifacts.”

The cost per person was about $23, and you buy your tickets in advance for a timed entry.

Enjoy Bob’s irreverent take on this ancient site!

Phots from the Roman Baths

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Coamo Hot Springs: The Fountain of Youth?

We Found the Fountain of Youth! (Why don’t we feel any younger?)

Tucked into the verdant hills on the southwestern side of Puerto Rico are the Coamo Thermal Baths (Aguas Termales de Coamo, in Spanish). Local legend says these springs are the ones that Juan Ponce de León’s declared Fountain of Youth, though I don’t feel any younger. 

The hot springs are supposed to help ease a number of physical conditions, including diabetes, gout, circulation problems, respiratory issues, and joint pain. We came for the mental health benefits, to sink into the hot water and soothe our anxiety way.

The Health Benefits

The price was unbelievably cheap – $5 a person (or $2 if you’re over 60). Bring your own bath towels; none are provided.

The facility is small, just a small store, locker rooms, a shower, and two thermal pools – one hot and the other hotter. You’ll also find lounge chairs and tables under large umbrellas around the pools, and there’s a spa offering massages. There’s supposed to be a café but we saw no signs of it, though you could buy cold drinks in the little store.

Words of Inspiration from Coamo Hot Springs

Nestled amid the shrubs and flowers are inspirational sayings to help soothe your mind.

We can only defend ourselves when we love ourselves.
Things are not always as we want them.
With great power comes great responsibility.
When you smile, everything changes.
Be the change you want for the world.

The drive up through the mountains from Ponce was lovely. Coamo is also the home of the renowned Coamo Half-Marathon, and the town itself has abundant recreational trails. It’s definitely worth a half day of your time if you’re seeking relaxation. 

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Navigating Car Registration in Puerto Rico

Once you’ve shipped your car to Puerto Rico – or bought it on the island – it’s time to register it!

The process is a lot more complicated than in the States, particularly if you don’t speak the language. But Bob will walk you through the multi-step process you need to go through – within 30 days – to make sure your car is legal. Good luck!

Info: Cesco Cesco has multiple locations across the island.

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A Private Tour of the PR Governor’s Mansion

Bob recently scored a private tour inside La Fortaleza, the Puerto Rico Governor’s Mansion, which is located in a prominent spot at the edge of Old San Juan, with dazzling views of the Bay of San Juan. The oldest Executive Mansion in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere, La Fortaleza is the main residence and the office of the Governor of Puerto Rico.

The name means “The Fortress,” an apt title because La Fortaleza, along with the later fortifications of Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San Cristóbal, and San Juan de la Cruz (El Cañuelo), along with a large portion of the original San Juan City Wall, was built to protect the city and the bay. La Fortaleza was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Read all about its history and importance here.

Enjoy the tour!

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Map 

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Cataño: Bacardi, Love Locks and a Fun Ferry

We took a ferry from Old San Juan to Cataño, across the bay, to see what’s there besides the Bacardi Rum Factory. Turns out, lots! Including shout-outs to autism, love, and love is love.

We strolled along the Boardwalk to Puente Rosado or the Pink Bridge, a pier recently created to give visitors a place to lock their padlocks and leave a piece of their love in Puerto Rico, and pledged our troth amid crashing waves. (Please don’t throw the key in the sea.) On the way, we discovered the Muelle del Orgullo (Pride Pier), vibrantly designed with the colors of the rainbow to honor the LGBTQ+ community, and the Muelle Autismo (Autism Pier), painted in bright colors and puzzle shapes to celebrate neurodiversity and the autism community. As the parents of two queer, neurodiverse adults, we were happy to find this level of love and respect on our adopted island!

Across the street from the ferry, we found several bars and restaurants with water views that specialized in cocktails from the legendary rum maker. Of course, we had to try one!

But the best part was really the short ferry ride, offering expansive views of Old San Juan, El Morro, the container port, the cruise port and the mountains beyond. Lisa considers it the Staten Island Ferry of San Juan. Find out why in this fun video!

Enjoy Photos of the Day!

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Puerto Rico Ferry
Cataño Destinations
Themed Piers
Cataño Waterfront Promenade
MAP to Puerto Rico Ferry Terminal 

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Tour of Old San Juan, Part 1

No trip to Puerto Rico is complete without at least a day in Old San Juan, a mélange of Old World elegance and vibrant 21st-century Caribbean culture. It’s so interesting, we had to create two videos!

San Juan was built for walking, so we’ll start out by heading to our favorite parking garage, Dona Fela, so you don’t waste an hour looking for a place to put your car. Then we’ll visit the cruise ship port and explore the narrow streets, nooks and crannies of beautifully preserved Viejo San Juan, which just celebrated 500 years.

There is so much to see and do, for every age and stage: explore history, culture, shopping, eating, drinking, praying, gallery hopping, even flying kites!

Check back in a couple of days for the second half of our video.

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Old San Juan 
Maritime Museum (Museo del Mar)
Book Museum (La Casa del Libro)
Map to Old San Juan
Map to Dona Fela Parking Garage 

Visit Messy Suitcase’s Old San Juan Playlist to see our other videos.

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Where Does Chocolate Come From? Touring a Cacao Farm, Part 1

We visited Finca Hekiti on an “Airbnb Experience” to learn where chocolate comes from. We learned so much more about the conservation of the forest and the life within it, that we are releasing this video in two parts. It’s long, but if you are interested in chocolate, and in forest sustainability and diversity, take the time to follow Finca Hekiti’s Co-Founder & Co-Director Ricardo Albarracín on this tour of the nine-acre farm in northwest Puerto Rico.

This is how the Airbnb Experience we signed up for (at a cost of $35 each for 3.5 hours), entitled “Educational Farm Tour in a Cacao Forest”,  was described:

“We will receive the guest, walking through the cacao forest, learning about the farming practices when it comes to fine grain cacao, learn about the importance of agroforestry, permaculture and nature conservation. Depending on the tree production during the time of your visit, you will have the opportunity to view the cacao fruit, taste the fruit fresh from the tree and perhaps have the opportunity to harvest or plant cacao. We end the experience tasting the cacao fruit pulp and artisanal chocolate tasting.”

But Finca Hekiti is much more than a chocolate farm. It’s a passion. Hekiti Eco-Agroforestry Education Organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit agro-ecological farm focused on the conservation and management of existing forests and their biodiversity in the Las Marias and Añasco mountains. It’s dedicated to education in agroforestry, agriculture, tropical fruit varieties (primarily fine grain cacao), forest inventory, fauna and flora. Oh, and chocolate! Come learn with us!

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Airbnb Experiences Link 
Map 

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