Latest links from my Facebook page (2020)

Taking a boat tour of the north coast of Anguilla, 2003

Below are some more recent links to posts on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog

Luther Bryan, who took me out on his boat from Island Harbour to Scrub Island, Anguilla (2003) https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog/posts/10157965739660129

The beach at Negril, Jamaica (2013) https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog/posts/10157945675465129

Enjoying Miami Beach with the family in 2003 https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog/posts/10157915652970129

Placemat with map of the island of Culebra, a small island off the east coast of the main island of Puerto Rico. I visited there in 2007 https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog/posts/10157906931715129

View of the eastern savannah of Colombia from the eastern edge of the Andes (1981) https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog/posts/10157886094160129

The Choo Choo Barn, a massive train layout in Strasburg, PA (2015) https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog/posts/10157865757760129

Hotel Mockingbird Hill, Port Antonio, Jamaica (2013) https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog/posts/10157861280005129

A splendid horse in El Quelite, Sinaloa, Mexico (2013) https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog/posts/10157840170430129

A stairway with a steep descent in the town of Mesitas del Colegio, Cundinamarca, Colombia (1992) https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog/posts/10157833519230129

Antwerp, Belgium (2009) https://www.facebook.com/mikeespositotravelblog/posts/10157827491925129

The Relationship Between My Travel and Our Nonprofit Arts Organization "Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas" (Latin American Cultural Roots)

One of countless performances by our organization Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas (Latin American Cultural Roots)

In an earlier post, I gave some thought as to why I have never had the desire to become a "travel nomad" as many have done, in order to sample the world and experience the freedom that being tied down to a specific place does not provide. While there are plenty of practical reasons related to family obligations and other considerations, one that is especially relevant is that, from the time I started traveling, I always had the desire to bring back what I had seen and learned in my travels to the people back home in the States. This especially took root after I returned from a year of graduate study at the Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia in 1981, under the auspices of the Fulbright program. After a decade of interacting with the Latino community of Philadelphia, I decided to start a nonprofit arts organization in 1991 showcasing the culture of Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean, which we named Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas (Latin American Cultural Roots). Fortunately, I had met a short time before a woman named Yolanda Alcorta who happened to be a co-worker of mine at Wyeth Laboratories and who shared the same passion, so together we started Raíces and worked together nonstop for 15 years until she moved to Washington, DC.

Yolanda Alcorta and I in front of the Raíces banner

The Raíces concept was to showcase several Latin cultures together in a single performance so that the audience could see the diversity. To achieve this end, we reached out to many performing groups and individuals in the Philadelphia area to invite them to collaborate with us, which they did. Ultimately, we presented at least some manifestation of the culture of every Latin American nation, as well as Spain. Groups came and went, but we always had the assistance of several of them when it came time to perform, or deliver a workshop to a school. Such was Yolanda's devotion that she quit her job at Wyeth to become our first full-time Executive Director, while her husband Chris supported their family financially.

Yolanda's mother Elvira Gaitán was born in Guatemala, and as such Yolanda gravitated toward her family in Guatemala and the richness of that country's culture in her travels. She brought back much research material from Guatemala, while I did the same in Colombia while visiting my wife Adriana's family there. We both tried to take in as much traditional culture as we could during our visits. Later, with the assistance of organizations such as Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Pew Foundation, we traveled to other regions, among them Puerto Rico, Spain, and Trinidad to do research to assist us in organizing performances in Philadelphia.

Visiting Seville, Spain in 2006 with Julia López (seated, right), flamenco instructor and then director of the  Philadelphia flamenco troupe Flamenco Olé, to do research on the Feria de Abril (April Fair) and learn more about flamenco. I'm standing with Juan Iglesias and Nancy Hill, one of Julia's students. Juan Iglesias' wife is seated at left.

It goes without saying that traveling to these locations helped us enormously in our mission to render faithfully the cultures we witnessed, as well as create a storehouse of memories and "between the lines" anecdotal experiences that found their way into our events. Attendees would notice these subtleties and sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously, felt an air of authenticity that would have been impossible without our travels. For Yolanda and myself, the events and the audience's reaction provided us with great satisfaction.

A footnote is that our direct involvement in Raíces initially ended in 2006 for Yolanda, and for me in 2009. Verónica Castillo-Pérez succeeded Yolanda as Executive Director from 2006 to 2012, and Mary Rivera from 2012 to 2015. To provide the Raíces Board an alternative to closing the organization in 2015 due to funding issues, I offered to take back the organization's management, which was accomplished in 2016. Yolanda enthusiastically joined me, and since then, we have created events both in Philadelphia and Washington, DC, helped by Yolanda's freelance cultural work in DC since moving there. You can read the story in my article Michael and Yolanda, Raíces Co-Founders, Retake the Reins.

You can follow Raíces more closely via our website , our Facebook pages Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas (in English) and Folklorelatino (in Spanish), and our Twitter account @RaicesCultural .

One of My Favorite CDs: Danzas Puertorriqueñas, Rafael Hernández - Orchestra and Arrangements

Danzas Puertorriqueñas - Rafael Hernández - Orquesta y Arreglos (Disco Hit - DHCD-9173)

Songs (all instrumental):

Luz María, Dos Estrellas, Mi Estrella, Quejas del Alma, Mi Perla, Sin Ti...Jamás, Perla del Caribe, Llévame al Cine Mamá, María Lina, La Bella Margot, Máscaras Alegres, Lluvia de Perlas

Years ago, I ordered a cassette from the Isla catalog, which featured products representing Puerto Rico. Up to that point, I had a hard time finding any recordings of Puerto Rican danzas that featured an orchestra as opposed to folk instruments such as the cuatro. I liked the danza performed on the cuatro, of course, but I wanted to hear a recording that reflected the intent of danzas to be performed at formal soirée dance settings. I found a cassette of danzas by the late Puerto Rican composer Rafael Hernández in the catalog and ordered it. When I received it, I realized that I was sent a cassette that wasn't the same one showing in the catalog. Still, I put it on and to my absolute delight, I fell in love with it from the very beginning. The music and arrangements reveal their origins in what sounds like the late 1950s or early 1960s and are played with an infectious energy and a slightly faster tempo than other danzas that I had heard.

Out of all of these, the only song that is slightly lacking for me is Sin Ti...Jamás because there is, for me at least, a tension between the rhythm and the melody that doesn't feel resolved. The others are sheer delights, with Luz María, Dos Estrellas, Perla del Caribe, Llévame al Cine Mamá, and Máscaras Alegres standing out as my favorites. 

After wearing out the cassette, I had to purchase the music on CD, which of course I did not regret for one minute. This is an album that has given me hour upon hour of listening pleasure.

My favorite Caribbean beaches

For a beach to rate among my favorites, it usually has to have powdery white sand, calm blue or bluish-green waters that I can float in, and a beautiful setting. If it doesn't have one of these characteristics, it can have some other factor that compensates for not having one of the others. I consider myself very fortunate to have enjoyed a number of these, and it's hard to pick an all-time favorite. All of the Caribbean beaches I highlight here have something special to offer.

Playa Flamenco (Flamenco Beach), on the small island of Culebra, which lies to the east of the main island of Puerto Rico, has a dramatic crescent-shaped white-sand beach. Culebra is accessible by ferry from Fajardo, or you can brave a small prop plane from San Juan - the way I decided to go. The waves, at least when I was there, were not conducive to floating, but the panoramic view is incredible, and as there is only one small hotel along the whole crescent, the location is as unspoiled looking as can be expected in our day and age. The sticks in the first picture formed an enclosure where sea turtle eggs were protected.

Playa Flamenco, Culebra, Puerto Rico, with sea turtle egg enclosure

Another view of Playa Flamenco, Culebra, Puerto Rico

Pink Sands Beach, on Harbour Island (near Eleuthera) in the Bahamas, has the edge over Playa Flamenco in terms of the calmness of the water, though it doesn't have the dramatic crescent shape that Playa Flamenco has. However, the hues that the pinkish sand and the water form are remarkable. There are a few entrances to the beach but my favorite is between the Pink Sands Resort and the Coral Sands Resort. As you walk down the short hill through lush vegetation, the beautiful beach opens up before your eyes. There are a string of low-key, but expensive, properties that sit on this hill overlooking the beach. (Think location, location, location!) If the accommodations are out of your price range, you can take a day ferry to Harbour Island from Nassau.

Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas

Pink Sands Resort overlooks the beautiful Pink Sands Beach on Harbour Island

Grace Bay Beach, on Provo in the Turks and Caicos Islands, is 12 miles long and also forms a nice crescent. The waters are calm and relaxing, and diving options are available. In spite of the development along its shores, the beach is clean and the water is clear. While at this beach, I heard someone say that she felt that she "died and went to heaven." This view is from the Beaches Turks and Caicos resort.

Grace Bay Beach, Provo, Turks and Caicos Islands

Boquerón, also known as Cabo Rojo, is on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico. It is one of the eleven "balnearios" or public beaches on the island and has changing facilities close by. You're a short drive away from town and the view of the palm trees behind the beach is very nice.

Boquerón, Puerto Rico

Sandals Montego Bay in Jamaica has its own private beach, and what makes it a winner is having the accommodations and the food (especially the pizza!) in close proximity. The waters are definitely calm and good for relaxing. Couples take advantage of the romantic setting to reconnect. Even if you're staying at Sandals Carlyle or Sandals Royal Caribbean, you can take a shuttle to this resort and take advantage of the beach and other amenities.

Sandals Montego Bay, Jamaica

The beaches at South West Bay and Fresh Water Bay, in Providencia, a small island which is part of Colombia, don't have the prettiest sand, but they both have the huge advantage of being on an island that sees very little tourism and seems to exist in another dimension - a truly special place. In fact, when I speak about it to people, many of them don't seem to know of its existence. Add to the fact that you have to take two flights, or one flight and a catamaran, from Bogotá to get there, and it is likely that Providencia will remain tranquil.

South West Bay (Bahía Suroeste), Providencia, Colombia

Fresh Water Bay (Bahía Aguadulce), Providencia, Colombia

You can take a one-hour boat ride from Cartagena, Colombia to the area of 26 small islands called Islas del Rosario. We spent the day on this small beach located on an island in the chain called "La Media Naranja". The waters closest to the shore are crystal clear, and gradually deepen in color. We took a tour where a fresh fish dish was included for lunch.

Islas del Rosario, Colombia

Store Bay in Tobago is a small beach, but it has the added advantages of being walking distance from the airport and the jump-off point for the glass-bottom boats that take you to Buccoo Reef. Tobago is a short hop by air from Trinidad. Tobago is at the southern end of the Eastern Caribbean chain and suffers less from hurricane damage than its neighbors further north. This is another laid-back destination, and one of the locals came up to me to give me good advice, when it was clear that he had nothing to gain personally, and he was just being friendly and helpful.

Store Bay, Tobago

Cabbage Beach, also known as Paradise Beach, is on Paradise Island, Bahamas and easy walking distance from the Atlantis complex. There are waves, so it's not a gentle floating beach, but the nice white sand and the convenience more than make up for that. Atlantis, of course, has a wide variety of activities. There are two smaller beaches to the west of this one, also bordering Atlantis.

Cabbage Beach (aka Paradise Beach), Paradise Island, Bahamas

Shoal Bay in Anguilla has blindingly white sand and striking blue waters - it seems too good to be true.  The island itself is flat and scrubby, highlighting the fact that the true headliner is the shoreline. Anguilla is low-key and its accommodations are on the high end in terms of price. I found the people to be extremely friendly. As one islander put it, "Here on the island, we are all as one." To get to Anguilla, it's best to fly to St. Martin/St. Maarten and take the short ferry from Marigot, on the French side. Remember that crossing over to Anguilla is visiting another country, as it belongs to the UK, and you'll be asked to show your passport.

Shoal Bay Beach, Anguilla

Johnny Key, a short boat ride from San Andrés, in Colombia, has nice sand but very rough waters, which don't prevent people from attempting to swim in it. The rough water, though, is a gorgeous aquamarine color, probably the prettiest color I've seen anywhere. This is a very popular excursion, and you usually will pay one price for both the boat ride and a lunch of fresh fish.

Johnny Key, San Andrés, Colombia

Great Bay Beach in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, the Dutch side of the island shared between the Netherlands and France, was really busy when the cruise ships pulled in. I would go there early in the morning and float in the water, avoiding the midday crowds. This beach has the advantage of being conveniently located close to the restaurants and duty-free shops, though return visitors often will speak more highly of other beaches on the island. Still, because of the convenience, I found myself coming back here. This view of Great Bay was taken near Fort Willem, on a hill overlooking the bay.

Great Bay, St. Maarten

It would be difficult to argue that Negril, Jamaica does not have all that one needs to relax on the beach and in the water. For all its laid-back nature, its delights are well-organized for the visitor. Plenty of eating options, activities limited only by one's budget, and a wide variety of accommodations. Vendors can be persistent at times, but a local's advice to be polite but firm will take care of almost all situations. I didn't experience any major hassle from them, and my stay there was very enjoyable.

Seven Mile Beach in Negril, Jamaica

The Treasure Beach area in southern Jamaica has neither white sand nor calm waters, but there is something incredible about the surroundings that defies description. An air of tranquility blankets the entire region, beckoning you to relax, and resistance to its charms is futile. I allowed Treasure Beach work its magic on me as I walked the surroundings at the Treasure Beach Hotel and its lovely gardens, then stepped down to the beach to take a walk and watch the crashing waves. Actually, the sound of the waves is an integral part of the relaxation experience. There are other accommodations in the area, such as Jake's Place, Sunset Resort, Taino Cove and Marblue, that will likewise take you on the same relaxing journey.

View of Calabash Bay from the Treasure Beach Hotel, Jamaica

Conclusions? I found myself relaxing at all of these beaches at one time or another. I could go back to any one of them and feel content. There were other Caribbean beaches not mentioned here that were also nice. Decide for yourself what you want most. Do you want a place that's convenient and has many options of things to do and places to eat? Or is a quiet place without these frills most appealing to you? You'll be sure to find a beach that suits your needs.

Puerto Rico: Isla Verde beach in San Juan, 2007

There are three beachfront areas in San Juan: Condado Beach at the western side near the bridge that connects this part of the city with Old San Juan; Ocean Park, further to the east; and Isla Verde, which is closest to the Muñoz Marín International Airport and has hotels of every shape and size. The Isla Verde beach, while not the absolute best the island has to offer, is advantageous because it is convenient to the airport and many shops and restaurants.




See my webpage on Puerto Rico at http://www.latinandcaribbeantravel.com/puertorico.html

Other websites:

Caribbean Folk Arts Network (Caribfolk) - Caribbean cultural network: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/caribfolk/

Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas (Latin American Cultural Roots) - a nonprofit organization I founded in 1991 that presents Latin American cultural shows, exhibits, and workshops: http://www.raicesculturales.org/

Raicesnews - Latin cultural events in the Philadelphia area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/raicesnews

Puerto Rico: Beach at Loiza, 2004

In 2004 I had the opportunity to return to Puerto Rico after 20 years, this time with a group of people. It was a short but very intense visit, as our purpose for being there was to document the Fiesta de Santiago Apostol (Feast of St. James) in Loiza, which takes place at the end of July of each year. This research trip was part of my activity with the group Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas ("Latin American Cultural Roots"), and our purpose was to gather information that could be used to teach the dances based in Loiza to students in Philadelphia's Latino community. I had been in New Haven, Connecticut one week before to see their version of the same festival, and one of the participants in that festival also was in Loiza.

The event, which lasted six days, started with a parade through the town that started at 4:00 AM. We went to the municipal building and met some of the participants, attended religious devotions, met a visual artist at his studio, and filmed the parade that featured dancers, musicians, and floats.

The way that Loiza is designed, the beach does not seem to be the focus of activity. It seems to be more designed to face the Loiza River. As such, it is remarkable that this beach is still relatively undeveloped. There have been documentaries that have filmed performers of folk dances on the beach.



See my previous post on Loiza at
http://latin-caribbean-travelblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/puerto-rico-coastal-road-to-loza-1984.html


Also see my webpage on Puerto Rico at http://www.latinandcaribbeantravel.com/puertorico.html


Other websites:

Caribbean Folk Arts Network (Caribfolk) - Caribbean cultural network: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/caribfolk/

Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas (Latin American Cultural Roots) - a nonprofit organization I founded in 1991 that presents Latin American cultural shows, exhibits, and workshops: http://www.raicesculturales.org/

Raicesnews - Latin cultural events in the Philadelphia area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/raicesnews

Puerto Rico: Coffee fields between Maricao and Yauco, 2007

In Puerto Rico, there are plenty of coffee fields in the cooler highlands. When I was driving the route, the temperature in Mayaguez, on the west coast of the island, was 95 degrees, and in the hills went down to 77. This picture was taken while I was on the road between Maricao, considered one of the principal coffee towns of Puerto Rico and home to a coffee festival in February, and Yauco, which is closer to the south coast slightly west of Ponce.

In the picture the coffee plants are the dark green patches, with the bananas and plantains in light green (bananas and plantains are often planted in the coffee fields).

Puerto Rican coffee is strong; it reminds me of espresso. It's widely available in stores in the Latino neighborhoods of Philadelphia, which has the third-largest Puerto Rican population of any city on the US mainland.


See my webpage on Puerto Rico at http://www.latinandcaribbeantravel.com/puertorico.html

Other websites:

Caribbean Folk Arts Network (Caribfolk) - Caribbean cultural network: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/caribfolk/

Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas (Latin American Cultural Roots) - a nonprofit organization I founded in 1991 that presents Latin American cultural shows, exhibits, and workshops: http://www.raicesculturales.org/

Raicesnews - Latin cultural events in the Philadelphia area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/raicesnews

Puerto Rico: The Coastal Road to Loíza, 1984

From San Juan there is a coastal road that goes east and eventually winds up at the town of Loíza, which is known for its Afro-Puerto Rican traditions. One of the best known of these is the feast of Santiago Apóstol (St. James the Apostle), that takes place at the end of July. There are various religious practices that take place during this feast, such as prayers and a parade that features masks and costumes called vejigantes and the performance of an African-inspired dance and music tradition called the bomba.

Back in 1984, when I first visited Loíza, the road from San Juan was a narrow lane of asphalt that ended at the river with a hand-pulled ferry. The ropes extended across the Loíza River and the workers pulled furiously at them to move the metal ferryboat across the river. Since that time the road from San Juan to Loíza has been widened to two well-marked lanes and the metal ferryboat, known as an ancón, has been retired and replaced by a bridge.

See my webpage on Puerto Rico at http://www.latinandcaribbeantravel.com/puertorico.html

Bermuda: An "Unscheduled Stop," 2006

In September 2006 I was on my way to Trinidad, with the first leg of the trip being an American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to San Juan. We were an hour into the flight, roughly at 10 AM, when the pilot announced that the plane had a problem with its electrical system and that we would have to make an emergency landing on Bermuda.








We sat on the runway for two hours while the mechanics tried to fix the electrical problem. We knew little of what was going on, and as it turned out, one of the passengers and one of the flight attendants got into an argument and a woman from the Bermuda ground crew had to board the plane to calm things down.

Shortly afterwards, we were let out of the plane to occupy two waiting rooms in the Bermuda airport. We were given sandwiches and sodas to calm our hunger. In the meantime the flight crew was flown out of Bermuda, roughly at 1:30 PM, and the rest of us waited for a new plane and a new flight crew to arrive.




When the last flight left Bermuda at 3:00 PM, we were allowed to occupy the second floor as well, and the snack bars and shops were left open. We couldn't leave the airport to enjoy Bermuda, but we were given meal vouchers, were able to access the Internet if we wanted to pay for that service, and of course shopped. We had to content ourselves with looking out the window to get a sense of Bermuda's beauty.

Finally, at about 7:30 PM, the flight arrived to take us to San Juan and make the necessary changes in our flight itineraries. (We were made to go through customs in San Juan because we left US territory in our brief stay in Bermuda's airport.) As we left Bermuda, the Bermudian airport employees, in their British-sounding accents, said that they would remember this "diversion."

Visit my webpage on the Caribbean at http://www.latinandcaribbeantravel.com/caribbean.html

Puerto Rico: Exploring the Interior, 2007

Some of Puerto Rico's tourist booklets encourage the visitor to "explore beyond the shore." One of the ways to explore is by taking some of the twisting mountain roads. The "Luis Munoz Marin" panoramic route, named after a former governor of the island, crosses the length of Puerto Rico from west to east, and would take a few days to cover well.

I started on the western side near Mayaguez and continued to the areas directly north of Ponce, which was manageable in an afternoon. For me, the highlights of the trip were the cute churches and other buildings, the quiet, the abundant plant life, and the occasional view of coffee fields and valleys.
I even ran into a young man on horseback.

I stopped at a local bar in the area between Maricao and Yauco and was told that a great time to visit Puerto Rico is during Christmas time, when the whole interior explodes in music and celebrations.

See my webpage on Puerto Rico at http://www.latinandcaribbeantravel.com/puertorico.html

Puerto Rico: Culebra, Flamenco Beach, 2007

This has to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Pictures don't do it justice. Flamenco Beach in Culebra is a huge arc featuring white sand and blue water, and the occasional sea turtle nest (see picture).

Culebra is a small island off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. It and its sister island of Vieques are often called the Spanish Virgin Islands. Each one is considered a municipality of Puerto Rico, in addition to the other 76 municipalities on the main island. You can get there either on a small plane from San Juan or by ferry from the town of Fajardo. Part of Culebra, once a practice ground for the US Navy during World War II, is a wildlife preserve.

The island is known for its mosquitoes and doesn't have luxury accommodations, so many people decide to go there for the day taking the ferry from Fajardo. If you still want to stay there, you can get accommodations at the Flamenco Beach Villas on the less crowded end of the beach. There are less expensive accommodations in the main town of Dewey, though I heard complaints from one group that their air conditioning wasn't working.

Culebra tends to be crowded on weekends, so I've read, though I didn't encounter large crowds on the Sunday that I traveled there. Bathing on Flamenco Beach definitely is worth it, mosquitoes and all.

See my webpage on Puerto Rico at http://www.latinandcaribbeantravel.com/puertorico.html

Puerto Rico: The Panoramic Route, 2007

In February 2007 I took my rental car and drove on some of Puerto Rico's twisting mountain roads. There are some areas along the Luis Muñoz Marín panoramic route that crosses the island from east to west where you can see both the Atlantic and Caribbean coasts, as well as some of the island's tallest mountain peaks.

This view faces the city of Ponce to the south and the Caribbean Sea in the distance. I met a Puerto Rican family who was taking in the same views, and they told me that relatively few Puerto Ricans visit this area compared to the populated coast.

See my webpage on Puerto Rico at http://www.latinandcaribbeantravel.com/puertorico.html