Ed

PR Day 8: San Sebastian

A bright and early start for Mayagüez, where we breakfasted at Franco. Franco is the home of the traditional guava Brazo Gitano (literally "Gypsy Arm"), an exquisitely rich jelly roll filled with guava paste. They keep coming up with more varieties than just guava, and had an entire wall packed with varieties -- including several sugar-free ones.

Mayagüez was a two-hour drive. From Franco we drove another hour to San Sebastián to visit family and eat a splendid home-cooked lunch. Then a siesta for some, and the two-hour drive back home.

Puertoricans live in a different state of consciousness from the rest of us. This was brought painfully to mind on the drive home as we drove past mounds and mounds of garbage on the side of the road. Beautiful lush green foliage everywhere, often growing through or over the piles of discarded waste. This wasn't just beer cans and litter, it was washing machines and piles that would have required a pickup truck to dump. All just sitting there because someone thought himself too important to go to the dump.

Selfishness and lack of consideration abound. "Me first" -- or only. In traffic, in stores, in movie theaters, everywhere in public. Yes, of course it's a minority -- but it's a big one and an unstoppable one. They have no shame, no decency, and there's no way to instill shame into them. Say something or even look at them wrong and you're likely to get shot. So nobody says anything, the behavior continues and grows. With my visits spaced 3-4 years apart, it's glaringly obvious how the situation worsens.

Is it fixable? I don't think so, which is why I opted to move to a civilized town in a civilized country. But some of my friends and family think there are shreds of hope. I would love to see them vindicated.