Lots to do in December

Thanks Rey!

We are planning to be on the island from December 18 - January 8th. Wooohooo!! 

You are welcome, however you will need to dance a lot so you do not gain too much weight during the holidays.

I can already smell the lechon asao! 

Con batatas and guineitos

Heading down in a week!

I am looking forward to the Christmas music. Going to listen to the trovadores music. Enjoying a drink at a neighborhood bar. This time of the year some of the neighborhoods bars will bring local singers to play. And is always nice to spend time with the family. Some of our parents are older and we want to spend time with them before is too late.

lgustaf wrote:

Heading down in a week!

You will then get a lot of the festivities

Most of my family is protestan, but some do sneak in a beer or pitorro once in a while if I coast them.
Holidays are great specially when one has young kids, mines are woman and men now so some of the magic is gone. But yes to the music and the lechón and viandas and arroz con gandules

I'll definitely be able to takein the Boat Parade and go aboard the Spanish Galleon..

Rey, Thanks for this! We are coming in on the 16th for a few weeks and cant wait to take in all the festivities!

Party hard.

There are runs, walks, dance, music (contemporary, Christmas, jibara), kiosks, artesan vendors, free food on some. Lechon cooking competition. A little of everything in the above links.

Make time to participate, have a designated driver, you can easily get wasted.
Rey

There's plenty to do in VSJ. and I can just walk home. So waste me away.

I was just reading an article about an application for iPhone and Android related to night life entertainment where you can find what is happening around you in PR.
However I can not find it in the Apple App Store, maybe someone can check the Android App Store.
It is called:  Sal! Night

Sal basically means get out.

Correction: I found it, SAL! Night by APEX Technologies Inc.
https://appsto.re/us/ab5z-.i

This is the iPhone version

Main site at http://www.salnight.com

ReyP wrote:

There are runs, walks, dance, music (contemporary, Christmas, jibara), kiosks, artesan vendors, free food on some. Lechon cooking competition. A little of everything in the above links.

Make time to participate, have a designated driver, you can easily get wasted.
Rey

Rey,

The wife is my designated driver!! 

adlin20 wrote:

ReyP wrote:

There are runs, walks, dance, music (contemporary, Christmas, jibara), kiosks, artesan vendors, free food on some. Lechon cooking competition. A little of everything in the above links.

Make time to participate, have a designated driver, you can easily get wasted.
Rey

Rey,

The wife is my designated driver!! 

Mine is the other way around.

Dia De Los Reyes Article
http://flip.it/lP5ryg

Most towns will have a parade with the theee kings giving candy and presents to the kids. My town, Guayanilla will have a party at the children's castle. This time of the year you can see the castle illuminated from the highway, it is between the towns of Ponce and Yauco.

Artesans, Castillo San Cristobal, San Juan December 10-11 from 9 am to 6 pm.

San Juan Christmas Boat Parade in front of peer 6, this Saturday starting at 6 PM.
Last year they had 59 boats all light up

Lots of free activities, if you are bored, you know who to blame!

Go see the lights in your town or failing that watch this video about Guaynabo https://www.facebook.com/puertoricodesd … 523771888/

Here is something to do this Christmas and year round in PR.
http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/waterparks/
Take your kids.

Go to Ponce check out the boardwalk La Guancha http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/la-guancha/

This weekend is the festival del peyote in Sábana Grande. Lots of topical foods, music outdoor activities. Check out the Sabana Grande group in fb.

Do they also have some good peyote to chew and make tea with?

I would not like their electric bill or try to sleep anywhere close by.
https://www.facebook.com/tmcaribe/video … 635255691/

ReyP wrote:

Do they also have some good peyote to chew and make tea with?

Not the mexican peyote Rey! 

Every Sunday regardless of the time of the year, there is a bunch of activities in the island. Here are some activities for today as an example”

1. Christmas Concert - Starts at 4 pm,  Teatro Raúl Juliá- Banco Popular, at the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (MAP). Dirección: Avenida De Diego, número 299, Santurce. FREE, but need find parking.
2. Faire in Hato Rey - Rides, games, food, lots of music, mini circus. Being held at the Parking of the Hiram Bithorn in Hato Rey. Tickets via Ticket Center or at the gate.
3. Crhismatt Parade - Cabo Rojo, starts at 5 PM from the Convention Center and run over the principal streets to the Plaza de Recreo Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances y Alacán. Many Cultural, school, and social clubs of Cabo Rojo and surrounding areas will be in the parade. Music everywhere.
4. Family Sunday at UPR in Rio Piedras (History Museum Anthropology and Art) From 1 pm to 4 pm there will be art classes related to Christmas. At noon you can signup or your kids for the classes, spaces are limited.
5. Party time! - A Lechon Fest in Dorado 11 AM to 7PM. Many Lechoneras will compete on Lechon and Typical plates. Live Music (Sonora Poncena). Location - Parque Agroturístico, Ecológico y Recreativo “El Dorado”, Carr. 165, Dorado. Tickets: $5. Kids under 12 free.

Many more activities including Choirs

Get out of the house, Sundays are not just for church.

Not getting any comments via PM or inline about any of the above so I am not sure if you like me to continue or just let the dog lay. If you are in the island and please let me know if I should continue or not.

Please continue Rey, I am having trouble deciding!

Rey,
Your information is always appreciated. 

Check with your local Catholic church for special services. Some open at 4 am for a 5 am service. Miss de Aguinaldo are a special service with a lot of singing and music that dates back to the time of Spain in the island these run from about a couple of days ago to the 24th.

As an example in Gurabo in the Navarro sector at capilla de la comunidad San Francisco Javier del Sector Parcelas, the celebration started two days ago and about 26 well know Puerto Rican artists will be in attendance with their music. Father Pedro Rafel Ortiz is running it.
Starting monday, 19 de diciembre, Andy Montañez, pianist Juan Carlos Vega and the singer author Chabela Rodríguez. Also on Monday but they probably meant Tuesday, Los Andinos y Renacer Campesino. On Wednesday, NG-2 will be visiting; Thursday de Atabal and  Tito Auger. Friday, last day of aguinaldo service  de Aguinaldo Victoria Sanabria y Juan Carlos Rodríguez will be present.

While you did not grow up with this music it is the music of the country you now live in and as I stated before, becoming part of the culture is how you learn to enjoy all the island has to offer, it is not just a warm place with beaches surrounded by other English speaking friends, PR is a lot more, learn and enjoy.

This is an old article but hope the places listed an phone numbers still work. Learn Salsa, some are free http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/salsa-lessons/
Check places and numbers toward end of article.

Here is something you can do that is free, go to the Botanical Garden and spend several hours there relaxing and observing nature. Not sure about rules about dogs, likely not allowed. http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/jardin-botanico/

The Puerto Rico version of Groupon is Gustazos.com. Go to the website and sign up for the email notifications.

If you want to learn square dancing the next series of lessons starts this January in Rio Piedras Heghts on Monday evenings.  They are free.  Class at 5pm, regular group meets at 6.

Thanks Frogrock