Visit The Coqui

Cattlemen’s Caribbean BBQ Competition 2009

Coqui — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:53:17 +0000

Are you are BBQ lover? Will you be in Puerto Rico June 27-28, 2009?

If yes to both, then why not check out the second annual Cattlemen’s Caribbean BBQ Competition and Outdoor Festival that will take place at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan on June 27-28, 2009. Teams and professional chefs will be competing over the two days in various types of BBQ, including Puerto Rico’s very own Lechon. There is even a competition for kids teams.

Saturday June 27, the three main events will be:
Lechon Asado competition
BBQ Chef challenge
Children’s Hamburger Challenge.

Sunday June 28, will see all other competitions taking place such as: Sauces, Pork, Beef, Poultry, Open, Desserts. There will also be a 1 hour cooking demonstration by local chefs

During both days there will be live music, outdoor exhibitions and games / events for children.

To get a feel for the Caribbean BBQ Competition check out this video of last years event.

Full details are available at Cattlemenspr

What: Cattleman’s Caribbean BBQ Competition 2009
When: June 27-28, 2009
Where: Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan
Map It: Puerto Rico Convention Center

You might also like:
Lechoneras in Guavate
San Juan Attractions
Puerto Rico Food Basics

Fee Free Weekends at Old San Juan Forts

Coqui — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:20:01 +0000

Perfect timing for Fathers Day…

The National Parks service is offering three summer weekends with zero cost entrance fees. In Old San Juan, this means that you can visit El Morro Fort and San Cristobel Fort for $0 (normal entrance fee is $3 per fort or $5 for a ticket to both El Morro and San Cristobel).

During the summer the Fee Free Weekends will be:
June 20-21, 2009
July 18-19, 2009
August 15-16, 2009

In addition the entrance fees to the 2 forts will also be waived on National Public Lands Day, September 26 and Veterans Day, November 11, 2009. So add these dates to your diary.

Weekend Activities at San Cristobel Fort include:
Tunnel Tour at 10:30 am with a maximum number of 15 people, lasts about 1 hour
Outworks Walk at 2:30 pm with a maximum number of 30 people, last about 1 hour
Short informational talks that last about 20 minutes are also available every hour on the hour

Weekend Activities at El Morro Fort include:
Short informational talks that last about 20 minutes are available every hour on the hour

Don’t forget:
The grounds in front of El Morro Fort are a great place to have a picnic and to fly a kite. Also on Tuesday evenings you can see the Le Lo Lai festival at the San Cristobel Fort. This festival highlights Puerto Rico’s culture through music and dance.

In addition the National Parks service is now offering an ‘Evening Sunset’ orientation talk which takes place at the San Cristobel Fort outside plaza (ramp entrance on Norzagaray Street) on Mondays at 6:15pm. The talk highlights the areas to visit around Old San Juan when the forts are closed and the sun is setting; San Juan Gate, grounds of El Morro, City Walls and Paseo del Morro

Finally if you are not here in Puerto Rico during the National Parks Fee Free Weekends, the National Parks service has produced a list of parks taking part in the Fee Free Weekends.

What: Fee Free Weekends at El Morro and San Cristobel Forts
When: June 20-21, 2009, July 18-19, 2009,August 15-16, 2009 also September 26 and November 11, 2009
Cost: FREE

More information: 787-729-6777

Resource: National Parks Service
Photo: Flickr CC

More ideas here:
Walking Tour of Old San Juan
Flying Kites at El Morro
Map of Old San Juan Attractions

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Coqui — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:23:55 +0000

Yes, It’s old and yes some areas are in need of some tender love and care, but without a shadow of a doubt Old San Juan is a MUST SEE for any one visiting Puerto Rico.

Old San Juan offers something for everyone: Awesome views, beautiful architecture and sculptures, historical sites, museums, plazas (great for people watching), restaurants for all tastes, bars and nightclubs to dance the night away. Kids can even fly a kite on the grounds in front of El Morro. You certainly won’t be stuck for things to do.

Getting to Old San Juan:
If you are not staying in Old San Juan the easiest way to get there from Condado / Isla Verde is by taxi. If you decide to drive, there are a couple of multi-storey car parks and an open air car park near the cruise ship piers, as well as an underground car park close to El Morro Fort. This map of Old San Juan details the locations of the car parks, along with the major sights to see.

What’s the best way to see the city?
A walking tour of Old San Juan is by far the best way to see the city. You will find it relatively easy to walk around the narrow cobbled streets, though being built on a hill and in the tropics it can get quite hot, so make sure you take plenty of fluids during your tour.

If you don’t feel like walking all around Old San Juan, then let the free trolley service take the weight of your feet. You can take the trolley up to both forts (just make sure you take the trolley marked El Morro). If you are feeling a little bit more adventurous, but still do not want to walk every where; then take a segway tour of Old San Juan

How long should I spend in Old San Juan?
How long do you have… You can easily spend a couple of days exploring all that Old San Juan has to offer, but even with just a few hours you can get a taste of this beautiful city.

What are the highlights of Old San Juan?
Must sees include:
The 2 forts El Morro and San Cristobel (if you are short on time then pick one. El Morro is my personal favorite)
San Juan Cathedral
Paseo La Princesa promenade (which leads to the San Juan Gate)
Cristo Street
South Forlazela Street

The list goes on and on. Here you will find are more extensive list of attractions in Old San Juan

Coqui Tip:
On weekends and when cruise ships are in dock Old San Juan is busy and you will find lots of local artisans selling their products as well as local musicians playing their music.

Photo resource: Customs House and El Morro

Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern in Puerto Rico

Coqui — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:59:52 +0000

A couple of months ago the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern visited the island of Puerto Rico to film an episode for the current series.

On June 9, 2009 at 10pm EST you can see Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern in Puerto Rico on the Travel Channel.

On his tour of Puerto Rico Andrew, discovers the flavors and history of the island; ‘from the deep-fried treats brought in by Africans to the roasted pork made popular by the Spanish’.

So where did Andrew go on his culinary tour of Puerto Rico?

Old San Juan
Here he visited one of the oldest bakeries on the island and one that is popular with locals and a MUST for any one visiting Old San Juan; La Bombanera. Here he tried a local favorite Mallorcas (a Spanish pastry) and Cocas which are similar to pizza, with vegetables and sardines.

While in Old San Juan, Andrew is joined by his friend and chef Wilo Benet. They tour Old San Juan on Segways annd enjoy a Tripleta. A sandwich made with ham, chicken and beef with mayo, ketchup, fries and lettuce and tomato

Rio Piedras
At Plaza del Mercado de Rio Piedras he meets chef Maira Isabel and checks out the local market where he tries: Mavi , a drink made from sugar and tree bark, Corazon, a fibrous fruit with a creamy flavor and Caimitos (star apple)

Guavate Area
Bizzare Foods with Andrew Zimmern would not be complete without tasting some Pork and Puerto Rico did not disappoint. In the Guavate area (home of the lechon) the show stopped off at El Rancho Original, where Andrew tried some of the local favorites: Roasted Pork, Roasted Pig Ears, Roasted Pig Tail, Roasted Pig Leg, Roasted Pig Nose.

San Lorenzo
Here they stop at a food stand and sample some Rabbit, more Roasted Pork and some White Rice with Salt Pork

Arecibo
At El Nuevo Guayabo he samples some Ceti Empanadas, which are tiny fish mixed with corn, plantains and pumpkin

Lares
The small town of Lares is known locally for it’s Ice Cream shop. As well as regular flavors the shop also sells some strange flavors. In Lares Andrew tries several including Sesame Seed Ice Cream, Cod Fish Ice Cream, Garlic Ice Cream, Corn Ice Cream and Sea Grape Ice Cream

Pinones
Pinones is located just east of San Juan and here Andrew samples some Mofongo from one of the roadside Kiosks

Toro Negro National Forest
After hiking in the rainforest the show stops at a local families house where Andrew samples a home cooked meal that includes: Gandinga (a stew made with pig heart, liver, kidneys and lungs), some Guinea Fowl, some Deep-Fried Pork and some Morcilla (blood sausage)

Pikayo Restaurant
At Pikayo Chef Wilo Benet serves up his own take on Puerto Rican cusine with dishes such as Pigs Feet Stew and Alcapurria with Land Crab

So don’t forget to set your DVR for 10pm EST on the Travel Channel. Here’s a quick clip

Resources: Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern

Related Articles:
Lechon in Guavate
Puerto Rico Local Food

Puerto Rico to host 2009 FIBA Americas Championship

Coqui — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:48:00 +0000

Basketball fans in Puerto Rico can celebrate as they will be able to see teams from South America, North America, Central America and the Caribbean take part in the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship.

The event was originally to be held in Mexico, but the organizers decided that a new venue was needed for this years competition.

The FIBA Americas Championship is an important competition in International basketball as it is a qualifier for the 2010 FIBA World Championship, that will take place in Turkey.

This years event will be held at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan between August 26 to September 6, 2009, with the top 4 teams advancing to next years World Championship

Teams that will be taking part in the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship include:

South American Sub-Zone (ABASU)
Argentina
Brazil
Uruguay
Venezuela

North America
Canada

Central American and Caribbean Zone (CONCENCABA)
Cuba
US Virgin Islands
Mexico
Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico

Note:
There will be no USA team, as they have already qualified for the 2010 FIBA World Championship after winning the 2008 Olympics in Beijing

What: 2009 FIBA Americas Championship
Where: Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan
When: August 26 to September 6, 2009

Tickets should be available from the usual ticket agencies here in Puerto Rico, so keep checking:
Ticketpop
Ticket Center Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Events in June 2009

Coqui — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:33:23 +0000

As we are already into June, I wanted to provide a quick run down on some of the events happening here in Puerto Rico during the month.

Jun 11-14, SoFo Food Festival, Old San Juan

If you love food and music then you will LOVE the SoFo Food Festival. SoFo is short for South Fortaleza Street in Old San Juan and during the festival the south end of Fortaleza Street is closed to traffic and transformed in to an out door street party with great food and great music. Many of the restaurants in the SoFo area take part in the festival.

What: SoFo Food Festival
Where: South Fortaleza Street
When: June 11 - 14, 2009
More Info: 787-723-7080

June 19 - 20, Inflalandia Adventure Park

Looking for something to keep the kids happy? Then head to the Puerto Rico Convention Center for the Puerto Rico’s largest inflatable adventure park. Inflalandia is suitable for all the family and a great option if the weather decides to be uncooperative.

What: Inflalandia Adventure Park
When: June 19 - 20, 2009
Where: Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan
More Info: Ticket Center

Jun 23, Saint John the Baptist Eve

Local Patron Saint Festival here in Puerto Rico. It is said that if you walk backwards into the sea at midnight, you will have good luck for the rest of the year. In San Juan you will find people celebrate at Condado Beach, Isla Verde Beach and Ocean Park Beach. For the rest of the island, just hit the nearest body of water.

What: Saint John the Baptist Eve
When: Midnight June 23 (celebrations start early evening on the 23rd)
Where: Condado Beach, Isla Verde Beach and Ocean Park Beach in San Juan and all around the island

Jun 26 - Jul 5, Aibonito Flower Festival

This is the annual flower festival where you will find displays and sales of local flowers and tropical plants. As usual with festivals here in Puerto Rico there will also be great food, great music and local artisans.

What: Aibonito Flower Festival
Where: Aibonito (Route 722)
When: June 26 - July 5, 2009
More Info: 787-735-4070

Photo Resource: flickr cc

Puerto Rico Tourism Company Discriminates Against Island Residents

Coqui — Wed, 27 May 2009 01:22:03 +0000

BIG THRILL SMALL BILL is the latest offer from The Puerto Rico Tourism Company. It is valid on bookings made between May 1 and June 30, 3009 for stays between May 1 and December 20, 2009.

First of all let me say that if you are a USA resident, then the ‘Big Thrill Small Bill’ vacation deal being offered by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company is pretty awesome (4th night FREE, $200 instant discount, $100 credit card for use in Puerto Rico and a book of discount tickets).

UNFORTUNATELY this offer is NOT available for any one currently living in Puerto Rico.

OK, no big deal you may think as it is meant to be a tourism offer after all; a way to attract people to the island. Well if that is the case then:

1. Why is it only available to USA residents. Surely the island needs to attract visitors from other countries (especially Europe).

2. Does the Puerto Rico Tourism Company think that local residents do not take vacations.

In the current economic situation that the island is facing, many Puerto Rican families and residents are probably contemplating vacationing on the island more now, than ever before. But give me one good reason why a local family should plan to stay at a local hotel, when they will be charged more than $400 more, than a family traveling from the USA.

This is how it roughly breaks down (obviously prices will vary depending on the hotel)

So lets say the room rate $150 per night

Total for 4 nights is $600

USA Residents:
Free 4th night ($150)
$200.00 credit given at booking time
$100 Gift card (can be used for anything here in Puerto Rico), given at check-in.

That’s $450 in savings.

Taking into account all of these discounts and offers the USA family will actually be paying $150 for a 4 night stay at a participating hotel in Puerto Rico (and there are plenty of hotels to choose from; Major Chain Hotels as well as the Small Inns & Hotels of Puerto Rico).

Puerto Rico Resident
No Credits or discounts
Cost is $600

This works out to be $450 more for the Puerto Rican family / resident.

Why should I have to pay $450 more for the same room, just because I already live on the island

Is that FAIR?

Please let me know what you think in the comments below.

Note: I did contact the PRTC about this offer, but as of the time of writing I had not received a reply

For those USA residents out there, the Big Thrill Small Bill offer can be purchased through the following sites Cheap Caribbean, Classic Vacations, Expedia, Libgo, Orbitz, Pleasant Holidays, Travel Impressions & Travelocity. If you prefer to stay in one of Puerto Rico’s smaller hotels, then you will need to book the offer directly with them. For more information on the Big Thrill Small Bill offer, as well as a list of the Small Inns & Hotels that are participating see here.

Update May 27, 2009
I received this reply from the PRTC
‘Thank you for taking the time to express your concern in regards to the Big Thrill, Small Bill offer.

It is customary of all travel destinations to offer exclusive vacation packages customized to each market’s needs and tastes so as to stimulate the demand for travel to the destination. This is a standard practice within the hospitality industry and not an exclusive practice of either PRTC or the Puerto Rico hospitality industry.

Many local hotels promote and advertise a variety of offers and packages for local residents which aim to promote tourism within the island. These offers are marketed by each property individually and valid only for Puerto Rico residents. Many of these packages are published in local Sunday’s newspapers within the travel section and many include meal plan or stay-an- x amount-of-nights-get-one-free-offers. There are also various Paradores offers which are geared towards the local market exclusively.

PRTC also promotes Puerto Rico in Europe and Latin America and the travel offers and specials which the Company utilizes as marketing tools are used exclusively for these international markets. The specifications of the promotional packages vary between these two markets and many times from country to country as to appeal to each particular segment of the population.

Once again I thank you for your time and for allowing PRTC to answer your concerns’

Sincerely,

Marta S. Albanese Bras
Public Relations
Puerto Rico Tourism Company

Photo Resource: xctmx

Coors Light Indie Rock Music Festival 2009

Coqui — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:23:38 +0000

alignleft" />This years Coors Light Indie Rock Music Festival will take place at 3pm on Saturday May 23, 2009 at the Rafael Hernandez Aiprort, Aguadilla.

This is a major event in the indie rock calendar and this years headliners are Los Fabulosos Cadillacs from Argentina. As well as the Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, bands from the States as well as Puerto Rico will be performing.

I’m really not up on the local indie music scene, but if you are and you are in the area, this should be a great event.

Some of the bands taking part in the 2009 Coors Light Indie Rock Music Festival include:

From Argentina
LOS FABULOSOS CADILLACS

From the USA
PASTILLA
THE DEATH SET

From Puerto Rico
LA BANDA GANADORA DEL CONCURSO ‘PROYECTO INDIE’
ADAM ZOOM
ATHAXIA
CIRCO
DAVILA 666
HÁBITAT
IAN
LAY OFF
MIMA
NEGROS VIVOS
POLBO
SINTONIA RETRO
SOMVAZIO
DJ WIWI (Vocalista de LA MACHA DEL JARDIN)

Tickets are available at Ticketpop or at the gate on the day

What: Coors Light Indie Rock Music Festival 2009
Where: Rafael Hernandez Aiprort, Aguadilla.
When: Saturday May 23, 2009 @ 3pm
Cost: General Admission $24, VIP $46
Map It

Virgin Atlantic Direct Flights London to Puerto Rico

Coqui — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:29:07 +0000

For any one considering traveling from the UK to Puerto Rico (or Puerto Rico to the UK), you currently have 2 main options:

1. Fly Puerto Rico to the USA, then USA to United Kingdom (several major airlines offer this)
2. Fly Puerto Rico to Madrid, then Madrid to United Kingdom (Iberia offer this route)

From Nov 2009 (at least for the winter season) that will not be the case; there is going to be a third option. Virgin Atlantic will start weekly flights from London Gatwick (airport code LGW) to San Juan, Puerto Rico (airport code SJU). The flights will operate via Antigua, so they are not direct in the true sense of the word, but if the price is competitive, then it will be a great option for UK travelers or Puerto Rico travelers wanting to visit the UK.

Currently flights are scheduled to start around November 7 and will operate every Saturday during the winter season. Flights will leave London Gatwick around 9:25am, with the return flight from San Juan departing around 6:35pm. Flights will be with one of Virgin Atlantics Boeing 747’s that are configured for: 14 Upper Class, 58 Premium Economy and 379 Economy seats

As of writing this, the new schedule to Puerto Rico has not been added to the online site.

Condado Culinary Festival 2009

Coqui — Thu, 07 May 2009 23:20:37 +0000

The 6th annual Condado Culinary Festival will take place on May 21 - 24, 2009. As in previous years, restaurants from the Condado area of San Juan will be showcasing their cuisine during the festival. The event will take place along Ashford Avenue, as well as at La Ventana al Mar and Plaza del Ancla.

Condado Culinary Festival Schedule:
Thursday 21 and Friday 22 starts at 7:00 pm
Saturday 23 starts at 5:00 pm
Sunday May 24 starts at 3:00 pm

If you are looking to sample some great food then this is your opportunity. As usual here in Puerto Rico, where there is food, there will be great local music. Some of the restaurants taking part in the 2009 Condado Culinary Festival include:

Ajili Mojili (Puerto Rican) 1052 Ashford Ave, Condado, 787-725-9195
Ambassador Grill (International) Hotel Radisson Ambassador, 1369 Ashford Ave, Condado, 787-721-7300
Antonio (International), 1406 Magdalena Ave, Condado, 787-721-2139
Bangkok & Bombay (Asian) 58 Caribe, Condado, 787-721-1470
Café del Angel (Puerto Rican) 1106 Ashford Ave, Condado, 787-643-7594
Dannys International Café (Pizzeria) 1351 Ashford Ave, Condado 787-724-0501
Di Parma (Mediterranean) Ventana del Mar, 1049 Ave Ashford, Condado, 787-721-7132
Jam (International), 1400 Magdalena Ave 1400, Edificio Casabella, Condado 787-721-5991
Kali (fusion), 1407 Ashford Ave, Condado, 787-721-5104
Miro (Seafood) The Chart House, 1214 Ashford Ave, Condado, 787-723-9593
Tijuana (Mexican) 1350 Ashford Ave, Condado, 787-723-3939
Ummo (Argentinian) Ashford 1351, Condado 787-722-1700
Waikiki Seafood & Oyster Bar (Seafood) 1025 Ave Ashford, Condado, 787-977-2266
Wasabi (Asian), 1372 Ashford Ave, Condado, 787-724-6411
Yerba Buena (Caribbean) 1372 Ave Ashford, Condado 787-721-5700

What: Condado Culinary Festival
Where: Ashford Avenue, La Ventana al Mar and la Plaza del Ancla in Condado, San Juan
When: May 21 - 24, 2009