Farewell to My Island Once Again
Once again the time has come where I end my time here on the island- leave my little room with the mattress worn through with my body's weight concaved into the center and return to my other life in the states. My entire life I have lived divided between these two places (my mother in the states and my father on the island) yet leaving either one has never gotten any easier - in fact, it has become slightly more difficult each time the older I get...
These little red flowers will forever be such a significant part of my childhood memories in Puerto Rico. My cousins and I would pick them and pull out the super fine thread-like inner stem in the center of the flower and drink the droplet of juice that came out- over and over again. Then we would take one flower's empty stem and insert into the now empty center core of an other flower and make a delicate, natural chain of flowers we could use as crowns or necklaces.
What laying back at the beach looks like. I have traveled to Europe, Greece, Hawaii and Mexico and gone to beaches in all of those places and never have I ever experienced any beach like those of my Puerto Rico. The warm, clear ocean water envelops me in a way I have no words for- only sensation.
Paseo de la Princesa - The Princess' Path - every year I visit I walk it - either alone or with fam- this year was no exception.
Saying Goodbye to 'Hershey' a local, wild, free and perhaps abandoned dog (sadly like so many others) that I befriended.
Some Supermarket Spices- thankfully there are still native industry products made.
Getting inked at home by my brothers personal tat artist. In this pic you can see my beaded arm and hand being held by that of my cousin's hand while I get inked with a Taino petroglyph of the sun on my foot. Three of the Nuyorican cousins visiting for our cousin Jazmin's wedding got inked that day.
My niece Chami and I - who didn't give me a moments rest while I was in Puerto Rico but who at this moment along with my dad- I miss the most and am finding it most difficult to balance out and justify being away from.
This will be the last Puerto Rico post for a while and stay tuned because while I was away my amazing husband worked his magic on the chicken coop and just you wait until you see that gorgeous thing!- Ciao Amarettogirl
Reader Comments (5)
That was beautiful. Everyhting you wrote was just...amazing. You realy showed your connection to P.R. I'm glad you had a really nice time. :) <3
oh man, you look glowing in the picture of you and Hershey. Plus, I love the story with the flowers. I want to make flower crowns and chains! we should do a midsummer's night dreamy outdoor dinner! Now, i have to go to the PR beaches! the pictures are pretty, but your opinion of them convinced me more.
I love this post, makes me miss PR and your family even more!!!! Hopefully we can walk the princess path together soon...
Loved these final thoughts on your time in PR. Hope you'll post a pic of your tattoo soon!
These pictures are awesome!!!!!! I'm so glad u had a good time! I can't believe u got another tattoo haha. I can't wait to see how the chicken coop is coming....not to mention the chickens :)