Finally, the Caribbean: Puerto Rico Meet Up gets started, yay!!!

This flight was full, so no possibility of having the whole row for my own and I chose window, since it'd be a short flight and I was so tired I was just thinking about taking a nap. After the departure I wore my sunglasses and fall asleep, well for 1/2 hour, haha. People next to me were a sweet couple, who reminded my grandma and grandpa, hehe. They haven't been in Peru, but love Peruvian food and I started to tell them how we cook their favorite dishes, haha. The man was telling the lady: "I told you so, I told you so" haha. They both were Cubans leaving in Florida, but with relatives in Puerto Rico. So, when I told them this was my 1st time there, they started to give me some tips. Thanks!!! But I'd have the perfect host / friend waiting for me :)

Wow! San Juan looks very nice, a large bridge crossing the sea, the blue water and blue sky. .. perfect. It didn't take me long to leave the airport. Time arrived a bit early and I even took my time to walk. I didn't have baggage to claim and didn't have to clear customs again, how sweet! I crossed the door looking for Francisco and when I was about calling him, I saw his huge smile! 1st of all the big hug!!! It was so good meeting him again. Awwwww. He didn't lie when he told me there would be a TB Van. Well, it wasn't a van it was his car, which became the TB car, with decoration and everything.

We'd have to go back to the airport to pick up Mark, who was arriving in a couple of hours. So better, not going far away. Francisco had an accident the day before. Fortunately it wasn't too bad, although he had an injury. Ok, first stop the clinic - where he also works - to get new bandages and clear the injury. I met Francisco's colleagues, who already knew about the Peruvian, lol.

It was 1:30 approx and was getting a bit hungry. Francisco didn't have breakfast either, but didn't want to eat much since we might be eating dinner early. Ok, let's get just something light. We ended going to "Pollo Tropical" which is a franchise, with locations also in FL. This place is about chicken, but the special thing is that the sides they serve are Puerto Rican ones, hehe. When I ordered a salad, Francisco almost killed me, hehe. But I got "tostones" as side, which are made of plantain - delicious! He got chicken, with rice & beans and tostones. Lunch wasn't as light as expected, haha, but was tasty. I had my first experience with Puerto Rican food: tostones ;)

Ok, it was getting late and we might start going to the aiport to pick up Mark. But we still had some time, or at least we thought so. Francisco was giving the final touchs to the TB car and we were just making fun of it. Then we went into the car where Francisco found 4 missed calls in his cell phone. They were Mark's. He had already landed, OMG! Francisco called him and he told us, he was at Wendy's enjoying the air conditioning and we shouldn't worry. "Take your time, Francisco" So sweet. No worries, no way! Francisco drove as fast as possible and we arrived there shortly.

I left the car and went into the restaurant to meet Mark. He smiled and said: "Yadi!!!" By the way, I was wearing proudly my Inca Kola shirt, haha. So fun meeting him in an American Restaurant in San Juan, haha. We came out and Francisco was waiting for us. Mark found his car hilarious, well who wouldn't do it?

The only foreigners of the day would be the 2 of us, so we could leave the airport and go to the hotel to check in, leave our bags and start the Puerto Rico adventure :)