Caribbean Vacation

二零零八年•波多黎哥及南加勒比游记

Prologue　前言

　　2008 was quite special for people around the world. It had both successful Olympic Games and earthquake disaster in China; it had stock and real estate market declined but also a new president elected. Whether it was a good or bad year for many families, mine was grateful to have a big vacation ahead at the end of the year.
　　I had planned this vacation in May. In order to avoid from high season of Christmas, the trip was set in early December. It would take 4 nights in Puerto Rico and 7 days Princess cruise in South Caribbean. This was so exciting after a whole year hard working and typically a crazy Black Friday shopping.
　　In the following ten posts, you would enjoy the Caribbean by a virtual vacation trip: the tropical islands, the deep blue ocean, the crystal clear water, various cuisines, the whitest and finest sands, the most colorful houses, and the beautiful local people as warm as the weather. Wherever you were in a snowing city or coldzy suburb, at work or in the bed, I wish this could bring you some summer breeze ...

　　二零零八是奥运幸运年，又是腥风血雨的一年。且不说四川地震的天灾，被花儿街投资家们掌控的美国经济更是“王小二过年，一年不如一年”。美刀贬值，公司散伙，房市疲软，人心恐慌，401K的钱越来越少，商场里的价格是只升不降。一向很自信地认为教育领域在经济衰退时还会好过些――政府和公司都出钱为下岗人员提供再教育培训、好重新上岗。可是今年，整个州政府大大地亏损了一笔。从九月开始，州长天天通知州政府各部门减少开支，节约预算。我们学校也不例外，上周两个同事被裁，接下来可能还会有减员。
　　虽然大家都很紧张自己的工作，但生活还是要继续，更何况早在五月份没头脑就安排了圣诞前的这个旅行：西雅图－扭腰－圣胡安，四天波多黎各和南加勒比的七天邮轮（每人$645 + 机票$481，度假村$498）。以前都是在过节的时候出行，后来发现放假前的票价便宜很多，我们又没有孩子上学的问题，可以说只要工作放得下，任何时候都能出发。经过没头脑的一番调查、研究，终于订下二零零八年的最后一个旅行。
　　眼看假期在望，工作却忙得脱不开身。不高兴也天天加班加点，每个周末算上节日在家还要写程序、查资料。直到感恩节前夜的疯狂购物＋朋友聚会，在家连看了几本闲书，才稍微放松了下来。这几天西雅图天天淅淅沥沥地下着小雨，有点冷，加上大环境的日益恶化，心里既有些忧郁，又有些对这次旅行的期盼。昨天上午还忙着开会，下午硬是提前离开了办公室，去“八戒的”租车行取了去机场的车，又买了两套潜水的眼镜和吸管。到了家，勤快的不高兴还收拾了草地洗了车又开始研究新买的相机。没头脑把行李重新整理打包、过磅称重，上闹钟，终于READY，整装待发了！
　　以下分十个帖子全面介绍这十二天的旅程。也许你已经感觉到了那热情的阳光、轻柔的海风、银白的沙滩、婀娜的椰林，那就和我们一起来畅游加勒比的美丽风光吧！

Day 1 to Puerto Rico, Dec 3 – On the fly
波多黎哥第一天，12月3日：机场惊魂

　　Scheduled on 4am but I got up at 3. Had breakfast and checked everything once more, we left at 5 for airport. It might sound crazy for many things of travelling by plane in today's US. But it proved soon that everything could happen before landed in destination. After checked in American Airline, the computer automatically printed boarding pass but it showed departure time 10:20 instead of 7:45 am as we booked to JFK for next connection to Puerto Rico. We luckily noticed it and asked quickly to chase back the luggage in time. Otherwise, our clothes would enjoy their own vacation in New York for this Christmas.
　　早上和妈妈说好了四点起床，让爸爸和不高兴睡到四点半，因为女人的动作都比较慢啦。不知是兴奋还是怎么回事，不到两点半没头脑就醒了，本想多躺会儿，但是在床上烙了半天饼，还是睡不着，干脆三点就起来了。
　　五点准时离开家，快到机场时，先拐到99号边上加点油，然后还车。本以为五块钱够了，结果加完油眼见指针没到位，又折腾到另一家加了一块多钱，这才放心地开到机场还车。收车的老大爷给了个收据，一看，多了十块钱。虽然我常常没头脑，但对钱还是算得比较清楚的，不占别人便宜，但也不能给别人当大头。一理论，老大爷才发现给的是别人的收据。大冬天的，还不到六点，这老大爷的工作也不容易啊。
　　废话少说，四个人背着六个小包：两个相机，笔记本，手包，背包，和一个装吃的的提包。到了检票处，本来昨天已经从网络上打印了登机牌，但因为要托运两件大行李，还是重新打印了一下。服务员帮着把行李托运了，我们高高兴兴准备去安检。不高兴突然说，你不是说我们是07:45的飞机吗，为什么10:20才登机？喔特！没头脑一查，果然是时间不对！难道晚点呀？俺看特比离佛一特！！怎么没任何通知啊！赶紧回去一问，真的是去纽约的飞机推迟了，电脑自动就印了新的时间，可他们是才知道，正踩着桌子挂告示呢。那我们怎么办？肯定要赶不上下一班转机了。接待我们的空大爷说没问题，马上能调整到其他航班。可我们的两个大包五分钟前已经上了传送带，正傻了呼叽地往扭腰跑呢！空大爷说，你们等着换票，我这就去追！
　　I could not believe that such modern system had no knowledge or database to understand some passengers' need to catch up next flight. How came it was so smart to change departure time automatically but without giving passengers a simple warning for such delay? An experienced traveler could not trust in any systems, from using credit cards, hotel reservation, booking tickets, boarding pass, to flight connection and carrying baggage. And everyone should prepare for one's own food and drink, even a pillow and blanket in case being dropped at nowhere due to delay, weather, or any situation.
　　旁边一位挺有风度的空大姐帮我们查找去波多黎各的航班。不高兴悄悄说，她以前可能是空姐吧，看起来和其他的大嫂们不太一样。嘿，同志哥，没看俺忙着吗，居然乘机看别的女人！瞧俺怎么收拾你LATER！——手续一会就办好了，这次是九点从西雅图飞达拉斯，晚上十点到圣胡安，比预先订的还早了二十分钟。虽然要在西雅图多等俩小时，总比错过航班强。在焦急的等待中，空大爷也把我们托运的行李找回来了。重新贴转运单，好了，总算可以去安检了。
　　办手续的时候我说，幸亏我们到机场稍晚了些。如果不是加油耽搁、早十分钟到了，行李托运走了，甚至进了安检再发现时间不对，估计都来不及换航班了。最寸的是，我们刚刚托运了行李，服务员才接到通知说那趟飞机晚点。等我们重新办手续时，航班晚点的牌子才贴出来。不高兴很感慨，现在出门也太不保险了，只要还没上飞机，一切均有可能发生。就像爸妈从韩国转机的航班也是临时改的，要不是我一再查看确认，差点耽误他们回来。真是可恶啊，都确定了N次机票了，最后这一哆嗦还是吓俺家不高兴一身白毛汗，俺爹俺娘也急得不行，什么事儿啊！
　　过安检，一切正常。笔记本和大包里的相机都要拿出来，脱衣脱鞋脱帽......到了候机厅，不着急了。没头脑开始把笔记本拿出来乱敲了一气儿，记下这第一天早上的惊险；爸爸拿出本杂志开始看；不高兴教妈妈怎么用单反相机。教了半天，妈妈说，我还是不知道怎么用呀。不高兴很不高兴但也没脾气，只好靠着没头脑睡觉。

　　没头脑呢，写完了准备去逛逛，用挣来的星巴克卡买杯摩卡。说到这个卡，是不高兴参加他们公司摄影展得的。荣誉归他，奖品给我；合理分配，各得其所。:)
　　以为这回安安稳稳地上了飞机，就艾威兴一丝饭了。谁知接下来发生的事，是不高兴白毛汗的升级版，俺爹俺娘和俺也来了一身白毛汗――吓的。

达拉斯机场二次惊魂

　　If you thought SeaTac had given us enough surprise at beginning of the trip, you should wait to see how we were frightened by this flight when it was landing in Dallas, our rearranged concourse to Puerto Rico. It was 2:30 and the flight was 20 minutes earlier in the air of Dallas. We were all glad there would be plenty of time for the next flight at 3:05 to our destination. As we landed, the whole airport seemed belonging to American Airline only, not seeing any other signs than AA logos. Our plane ran for a while but stopped in the middle of the runway. It was still far from the gate. And the pilot broadcast to passengers to be patient and wait.
　　等了近一个半小时，全家上了去达拉斯的1050号航班。这趟飞机是九点出发，02:50到达拉斯，从达拉斯到圣胡安的飞机03:05登机。没头脑一贯一手抓大局，一手管细节，这回也不例外，登机前又跑到服务台问我们是否有足够的时间换乘下一航班，被告知“挠扑不乐母”。心终于放下来了。上了飞机，大家开始昏睡，都累了。
　　迷迷糊糊听到机长广播，还有二十分钟就到圣胡安了。提前了二十分钟，听了很高兴。本来怕转机行李来不及，这回多了二十分钟，一定是没问题了。
　　The time passed quickly and we started to worry about next connection again. Although I had confirmed with American Airline's service counter at SeaTac and they told me “no problem” for the next flight, I still had doubt if the luggage would be with us on the same flight. I thought I had not travelled enough to understand how each airline handled such situation, or I would not take any extra baggage next time. Eventually, we fled out of the gate at 2:45 and rushed directly to another gate. Now this time we were in time because the flight to Puerto Rico was delayed too.
　　飞机下了跑道，像个大轿车在跑道上开呀开呀，就是不停。妈妈说，为什么飞机不往空港开，而是越来越远了？可不是，这是怎么回事？这时机长又通知了，现在没有空出来的位置，我们要稍等一下。等就等吧，反正我们也是早到了。等啊等啊，不对啊，已经都02:40了，就算是准时到也该下机了。除了我们的飞机，旁边也有一架停着准备进停机坪。好像达拉斯是美洲航空的大本营，看到好多AA的飞机。妈妈在旁边等不及了，开始念叨说赶不上下一班飞机了。我想人应该是没问题的，登机口离的不远，我们跑两步就到了，但托运的行李怎么办？如果行李赶不上的话，我们就惨了。西雅图是冬天，四十多度，出来穿的都比较多。而波多离哥有七八十度，带的夏天的衣服都在托运的行李里，如果出点纰漏，我们到了终点，没衣服换，这不要命吗！想到这里，白毛汗开始往外冒。
　　又等了五分钟。这五分钟简直比五个小时还难熬。脑子里一幕一幕过着如果怎么样，那该怎么样的假设。还在担心紧张生气的同时，让妈妈照了一张掉在达拉斯停机坪上的两个行李的照片。不知是哪个倒霉的旅行者的。这两个箱子就那么孤零零地躺在地上，半天才有个人开车来把它们扔到车上。对机场的工作人员的工作态度有了点看法。
　　终于，我们的飞机开始挪动了。02:45，我们才下飞机了。一挤出人群，没头脑健步如飞，在前面狂走，后面紧跟着不高兴。爸爸走的也比较快，妈妈一路小跑跟着。到了下一个登机口，远远地看到有很多人在那里等着，好像还没有开始登机。一问，果然是晚点了。太好了！――真是不厚道啊，没办法，不是什么时候都能不自私的。现在有时间了，可以好好看看达拉斯机场。我们是第一次来，看着一切都很新鲜――德州风情一下子浓了起来：信息处的工作人员都戴着牛仔帽，快餐店里的装饰和西雅图的不一样。

　　等了三十分钟，上了飞机。四个小时漫长的煎熬和打盹，到达圣胡安国际机场。一股温暖的湿气扑面而来，零零星星下了点雨。都是我们的错，把西雅图的天气带来了。
　　After 4 hours, we landed in San Juan. It was 9:40. The airport was like in the States except the air was warm and wet – now we smelled the vacation. After we rented a car in Carolina, it was already 11pm and we still had one-hour drive to the resort. Per the map, we had to take Highway 3 to east, find the U-shape Highway 66, and then back to No.3. Even though I questioned the need to Hwy 66 but it was better to follow the direction in the evening. Later we found out that there was $3.00 toll on Hwy 66 but it would skip many traffic lights. If there was no hurry and in the midnight of a weekday, Hwy 3 is slower but not bad at all. However at that night, saving 10 minutes was worth for a tired family.
　　这里看着和在美国本土一样，领行李出机场都很顺利。到马路边等去租车的中巴，大概五分钟就来了一趟。到了租车行，柜台服务人员吓唬我，要买车的保险，每天二十美元。我坚持说我的运通卡上保的已经够了，她说那如果出事，除了卡上保的金额，我们就会让你再出一千美刀。听了这话，我心里也是一哆嗦，但又一想，也不是第一次出门租车了，老革命了，还是相信自己一把。就坚持着没买保险。这回是一个灰色的起亚。比较小，窗户还是要自己摇的那种，不过，价钱在那儿摆着，不能什么都占全了不是?!
　　Driving and driving, in a dark evening, everything seemed curious and mysterious. The familiar store names proved to us that we were still in US territory. But a sudden short tropical shower reminded us the weather we left behind in Seattle and a new rainforest adventure was waiting for us to explorer. The humidity and roadside village buildings were somehow similar to southern cities in China.
　　平时租车还是以廉价为主，人生地不熟的，小车虽不宽敞，但很灵活。有时在「八戒的」或「逗乐儿」也能选到较好的车。这次「恩特不来事儿」的车座位还行，后箱稍显小了点儿。凑合吧。晚上十一点多，开车朝着度假村开去。一出车行，只见高速上的标志都是西班牙文。没头脑的西班牙语可忘的差不多了，除了Salida（傻立达――俺一个朋友的名字:）是出口的意思，其他的都是会发音，不明白什么意思。好在有不高兴这个活GPS，在他的一路指引下，我们顺利地到达了度假村，登记，入住。
　　As we drove into the resort area, the singing of frogs and unnamed creatures was like welcome and happiness in a paradise. The moist became much cooler and such quietness in peaceful noises accompanied us for the first night in Caribbean.