It was a great rainy day to go to the sliding rock and that is what six of us did! I have the sore back to prove it...
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Weeks ahead...
It sure has been crazy down here! I finished a six day stretch of working yesterday and I will start a four day trip tomorrow! I have been doing lots of OT lately. When I return from work on Saturday my cousins Ben and Sobha will arrive in PR for a few days, it should be very fun! The day that they return to Wisconsin I plan to go to Venezuela with one of my friends that went to Panama with me...that should be an interesting time! "Abajo Chavez!" t-shirts are on order...
Saturday, March 24, 2007
La Policia
Just a quick update...I just got pulled over in Puerto Rico for the fourth time and no ticket! #1 Forgot to turn lights on at night...(well lit area) #2 no idea! #3 registration check (it was ok) and tonight's #4, almost hit a motorcycle cop who was driving right next to me...oops.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
I'm working again!
Tonight I'll be in St. Thomas, on the 22nd I'll be in St. Croix, 23rd, Grenada, 24th in Puerto Rico, 25th in Bonaire, 26th in Puerto Rico again (then repeat it all over again)...like a whirlwind...I'll be everywhere!
Monday, March 19, 2007
A year old video...
http://www.youtube.com/v/ycTqB-L2lQA
This is about a year old, but I just found it on our family computer, it is somewhere over Puerto Rico north of Ponce, PR on the way back in to SJU.
This is about a year old, but I just found it on our family computer, it is somewhere over Puerto Rico north of Ponce, PR on the way back in to SJU.
Back to being a legal driver...(oops).
Well I am in Maryland for a few days to visit my family. Evidently I have been driving illegally for a year or two now, since I have never bothered to change from a North Dakota drivers license. Today I got a new Maryland driver's license. I figured it might be hard to explain in Texas when I move there why I have four or five different IDs and they all have different addresses. I don't know why, but being "illegal" is kind of an excitement to me, like a thrill.
Here is a picture I found on the family computer of my brothers in Wisconsin at my uncle's farm. I can't wait to go up there as soon as it is warmer.
Do you think it is wrong that when they asked me during the registration if I was of hispanic origin I said, "yes"? Here are some pictures of our cat that we call "Sapphy" short for Sapphire.
Sapphy really is worthless and me and her don't really get along, but on this trip home she is being nice to me so I declared a truce between us.
Here is a picture I found on the family computer of my brothers in Wisconsin at my uncle's farm. I can't wait to go up there as soon as it is warmer.
Do you think it is wrong that when they asked me during the registration if I was of hispanic origin I said, "yes"? Here are some pictures of our cat that we call "Sapphy" short for Sapphire.
Sapphy really is worthless and me and her don't really get along, but on this trip home she is being nice to me so I declared a truce between us.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Coral Beach
View from the beach, I live in the building to the left.
Most of you know that I have recently moved to a new apartment, which happens to be exactly where I used to live...well, I love it and I'm back! I just took all of these pictures this morning when I returned from my nice 3 hour flight that began at 6am...ughh.
Next door to my apartment building is the Intercontinental Hotel and the other direction is a beach bar and Water Club hotel. The apartment is a two bedroom on the 5th floor. I have a roommate, Mark, who has one room and I have the other. We also have a girl who is a pilot here in San Juan also, but 90% of the time she flies C-130s for the Texas Air National Guard, so she pays some money to have a bed in the corner of the living room and is never here. We all get along great.
View to the west, we have a playground (for all my children) and a BBQ grill.
View to the East, more palm trees and grills.
Our pool where(when I'm not sick) I now swim 100 laps a day.
The view from deck. I can stay here for hours just watching and thinking.
View to the South from our deck, hotels and small shopping center are close by.
My surfboard, mountain bike, and plant I really need to water...oops!
My flight bag, including Panama sticker and all!
My room, kinda girly but it is a fully furnished apartment...shut up!
Kitchen, laundry is behind the clock on the wall.
Our living room, normally my Ipod is on playing Johnny Cash or Jimmy Buffett.
Hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of where I live. However, I am usually not home...the beach is my home!
Most of you know that I have recently moved to a new apartment, which happens to be exactly where I used to live...well, I love it and I'm back! I just took all of these pictures this morning when I returned from my nice 3 hour flight that began at 6am...ughh.
Next door to my apartment building is the Intercontinental Hotel and the other direction is a beach bar and Water Club hotel. The apartment is a two bedroom on the 5th floor. I have a roommate, Mark, who has one room and I have the other. We also have a girl who is a pilot here in San Juan also, but 90% of the time she flies C-130s for the Texas Air National Guard, so she pays some money to have a bed in the corner of the living room and is never here. We all get along great.
View to the west, we have a playground (for all my children) and a BBQ grill.
View to the East, more palm trees and grills.
Our pool where(when I'm not sick) I now swim 100 laps a day.
The view from deck. I can stay here for hours just watching and thinking.
View to the South from our deck, hotels and small shopping center are close by.
My surfboard, mountain bike, and plant I really need to water...oops!
My flight bag, including Panama sticker and all!
My room, kinda girly but it is a fully furnished apartment...shut up!
Kitchen, laundry is behind the clock on the wall.
Our living room, normally my Ipod is on playing Johnny Cash or Jimmy Buffett.
Hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of where I live. However, I am usually not home...the beach is my home!
Update on laundry stalker...
So last night at work I told my story to some people and I have gotten mixed reviews, some say that I can never go back to that dry cleaners, some say I can't even leave my apartment, but a few people told me that I am probably ok and don't have to worry about the "galker" (my new name for a gay-stalker). One person told me that the reason it probably takes me usually two days or so to have my clothes ready is because this guy probably takes them home to wear for a day or two...SICK!
And this is the worst possible timing...for the next week I'll be seen hanging out with two guys (my brother and his friend). GREAT.
And this is the worst possible timing...for the next week I'll be seen hanging out with two guys (my brother and his friend). GREAT.
Friday, March 09, 2007
NOW I GOTTA DO MY OWN LAUNDRY
So I was just getting ready for work again and guess what...
I have been going to a dry cleaners (for my uniforms) for one year above a supermarket called Pueblo. The way that they identify their customers is by phone numbers, ok here is my story of the past 5 minutes. My phone rang and it was a PR number, I usually don't answer but this time I did...here is what happened:
Me: "Hello."
Gay dude: "Hi Luke, this is whatever from the laundromat."
Me: "Oh...hi"
Gay dude: "I just wanted to call you and see if you are around tonight"
Me: "Um, no i'm leaving for work...why?"
Gay dude: "Well, are you busy tomorrow?"
Me: "Hey, I'm just curious...what is the purpose of this call?"
Gay dude: "I don't know, maybe this call is out of line?"
Me: "You know I like the ladies....right?!?"
--insert long pause here--
Gay dude: "of course"
Me: "Well, are you calling on behalf of the pretty girl that I usually say hi to?"
Gay dude: "No"
Gay dude: "I'm sorry"
Me: "I'm just curious, what is the purpose of this call?"
Gay dude: click
This all makes me wonder...DO I LOOK GAY OR SOMETHING???
I have been going to a dry cleaners (for my uniforms) for one year above a supermarket called Pueblo. The way that they identify their customers is by phone numbers, ok here is my story of the past 5 minutes. My phone rang and it was a PR number, I usually don't answer but this time I did...here is what happened:
Me: "Hello."
Gay dude: "Hi Luke, this is whatever from the laundromat."
Me: "Oh...hi"
Gay dude: "I just wanted to call you and see if you are around tonight"
Me: "Um, no i'm leaving for work...why?"
Gay dude: "Well, are you busy tomorrow?"
Me: "Hey, I'm just curious...what is the purpose of this call?"
Gay dude: "I don't know, maybe this call is out of line?"
Me: "You know I like the ladies....right?!?"
--insert long pause here--
Gay dude: "of course"
Me: "Well, are you calling on behalf of the pretty girl that I usually say hi to?"
Gay dude: "No"
Gay dude: "I'm sorry"
Me: "I'm just curious, what is the purpose of this call?"
Gay dude: click
This all makes me wonder...DO I LOOK GAY OR SOMETHING???
Spring Break
So how cool is my job? I have a four hour break between flights and since I live 4 minutes from the airport I just came back from the beach and pool! (and today is a work day!) Now I have a three hour flight to Port of Spain, Trinidad and return tomorrow to meet my brother Isaac and his friend and welcome them to Puerto Rico for the week. Last night I was in St. Thomas and since the captain I was flying with is a crazy texan, we rented little scooter/mopeds and drove them around the island in the middle of the night!
If we are never heard from again here is where you should search: the El Yunque Rain Forest. We are going to climb to the top no matter what it takes...I think the other plans are to go to Culebra, all the good beaches, and just have fun and relax. I think I may have to "be sick" for work later in the week....adios!
If we are never heard from again here is where you should search: the El Yunque Rain Forest. We are going to climb to the top no matter what it takes...I think the other plans are to go to Culebra, all the good beaches, and just have fun and relax. I think I may have to "be sick" for work later in the week....adios!
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
French Organized "Labor"
So yesterday I was doing an overtime flight to Ft. De France, Martinique, scheduled for a 1240 departure from SJU and returning at 1720. Let me give you a brief history of airline service to the french islands of Martinique and Guadaloupe.
1) Guadaloupe has in the past dumped bananas across the runway to prevent aircraft from taking off or landing...
2) Ft. De France has seized an American Eagle ATR and refused to let it return home (until the US State Department got involved)...
3) Ft. De France has been on strike for various reasons three times since I have been in the Caribbean...
Yesterday it was my turn to have it directly affect me. The air traffic controllers are now on strike until the end of April and about one plane every fifteen minutes is accepted into their airspace by the ATC management. We left out parking spot in San Juan yesterday a little early and just before takeoff we were told "taxi to holding spot G, and await departure slot". 1 hour and 15 minutes later we were told to expect takeoff in 15 minutes...we finally left. So now we are airborne and the whole flight is a mess, horrible weather in Martinique and airplanes holding until the weather improves.
To make a long story short I was supposed to make 4 hours of overtime on this flight and I made over 7 hours. In my opinion the ATC people in France should get what they want...more money. Then, for the next few years, deduct from their pay all the money that they caused other people to spend on their behalf. Anyway, the french controllers are horrible anyway...we typically say "bonjour", announce our intentions and position, then keep going on our planned routing since they cannot be understood anyway.
I am leaving on a four day trip with overnights tonight in St. Lucia, tomorrow in St. Thomas, then in Trinidad. I will return Saturday morning to welcome my brother and his friend to Spring Break Puerto Rico!
1) Guadaloupe has in the past dumped bananas across the runway to prevent aircraft from taking off or landing...
2) Ft. De France has seized an American Eagle ATR and refused to let it return home (until the US State Department got involved)...
3) Ft. De France has been on strike for various reasons three times since I have been in the Caribbean...
Yesterday it was my turn to have it directly affect me. The air traffic controllers are now on strike until the end of April and about one plane every fifteen minutes is accepted into their airspace by the ATC management. We left out parking spot in San Juan yesterday a little early and just before takeoff we were told "taxi to holding spot G, and await departure slot". 1 hour and 15 minutes later we were told to expect takeoff in 15 minutes...we finally left. So now we are airborne and the whole flight is a mess, horrible weather in Martinique and airplanes holding until the weather improves.
To make a long story short I was supposed to make 4 hours of overtime on this flight and I made over 7 hours. In my opinion the ATC people in France should get what they want...more money. Then, for the next few years, deduct from their pay all the money that they caused other people to spend on their behalf. Anyway, the french controllers are horrible anyway...we typically say "bonjour", announce our intentions and position, then keep going on our planned routing since they cannot be understood anyway.
I am leaving on a four day trip with overnights tonight in St. Lucia, tomorrow in St. Thomas, then in Trinidad. I will return Saturday morning to welcome my brother and his friend to Spring Break Puerto Rico!
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Friday, March 02, 2007
Panama..."I Shall Return"
Let me start by saying that Panama is the most friendly country that I have ever been too...the people there are great! I felt more at home there than here in Puerto Rico. I am going back soon! It is an easy trip to do from San Juan, even with only two days off it would be possible.
I am a subway using the internet, I arrived back in Puerto Rico very early in the morning from Panama City, Panama. I only have 10% of the pictures that were taken, so in the near future look for lots more posts about this trip. All I can say right now is that I love Panama!
We had an amazing time. From the Panama canal to practicing spanish (all we talked was spanish for the whole trip). The spanish outside of Puerto Rico is actually spanish (slower, more prounounced, and more elegantly spoken) and I actually did very well at it I think. I made some friends in Panama and now I am writing them in Spanish too! That is proving to be way more difficult. But, now my motivation to learn is 110%.
Look for lots more updates and stories soon! I do want to apologize to my friends in North Dakota for not making it back in time to come up there.
This policeman was awesome!
This Church was down the street from our hotel (which cost $40 total)
My Jungle Hat...kept me from getting Malaria!
We spent a couple hours at this lock watching ships go towards the Pacific Ocean
Stratton, Luke, and Mitch "Somos Gringos desde Puerto Rico"
"For safety reasons, no sitting on the rail is allowed"
View from the Copa Embraer 190
I am a subway using the internet, I arrived back in Puerto Rico very early in the morning from Panama City, Panama. I only have 10% of the pictures that were taken, so in the near future look for lots more posts about this trip. All I can say right now is that I love Panama!
We had an amazing time. From the Panama canal to practicing spanish (all we talked was spanish for the whole trip). The spanish outside of Puerto Rico is actually spanish (slower, more prounounced, and more elegantly spoken) and I actually did very well at it I think. I made some friends in Panama and now I am writing them in Spanish too! That is proving to be way more difficult. But, now my motivation to learn is 110%.
Look for lots more updates and stories soon! I do want to apologize to my friends in North Dakota for not making it back in time to come up there.
This policeman was awesome!
This Church was down the street from our hotel (which cost $40 total)
My Jungle Hat...kept me from getting Malaria!
We spent a couple hours at this lock watching ships go towards the Pacific Ocean
Stratton, Luke, and Mitch "Somos Gringos desde Puerto Rico"
"For safety reasons, no sitting on the rail is allowed"
View from the Copa Embraer 190
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