Hostels in Puerto Rico!

So what's it like to stay at a hostel in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico? Here are some pictures to help you visualize the surroundings.

A view of the hostel from Plaza Colon

Every floor has a balcony, this is the view of Calle 'San Francisco' from the right side.

The view on your left where 'Castillo de Colon' sits. If you smoke, you'll spend a lot of time here hehe Smoking is prohibited inside the building but balcony is fine. 

In most rooms, depending on what you choose, you'll be sharing bunked beds. Every room has a nice fan to fight the humid heat and Puerto Rico's number one beer, Medalla!

Expect to find tons of catholic saints throughout the building. Don't worry, no need to take your hat off or anything.

Every floor has a small kitchen with stove, microwave and fridge. The 6ht and 4th floor also have bending machines. If come shitfaced at 5 am after having a blast in San Sebastian, the Ramen Noodles are only $.60.

Night Vision! 

As you probably expect, being one of the oldest cities in Latin America, it's made up of Spanish colonial architecture. If you're interested in learning more about Old San Juan, check out http://www.topuertorico.org/city/sanjuan.shtml.


Now that you're familiar with the setting, we'll get into some of the stories that took place here. Please subscribe to win prizes and don't forget to leave a comment if you have any questions or comments!

Staying in Puerto Rico!

Dear Readers!

After a few struggles with video codecs, here's the footage I promised you! These are two awesome clips captured in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. It's a dance called Bomba Plena. For more info about where it originates, check out: http://www.npr.org/2013/01/10/169078368/latin-roots-bomba-y-plena

Lastly, this weekend I'll be sharing more details about the hostel I talked about a few days back so make sure you drop by!

Hey readers, followers, visitors!

Writing a blog takes tons of time, especially when creating content from scratch. I originally intended to post a number of clips from Puerto Rico but I was only able to edit two :( And only one is ready :( 

Yes, FAILED. But listen, I have something good on the back burner. Just to share a little bit, during my time in Puerto Rico I stayed at this amazing hostel made up of all kinds of characters. I will break 'Guy Code' just for you. This means, I will go beyond my blogging duty just to give you special access to what happened before, during and after dark. 

Stay tune, I plan to share a different story every week!

Sincerely,

Hec Mo B 

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Culture, perfect weather and amazingly cordial people, that's Puerto Rico. Here are a few pictures of my trip: 

I also had the pleasure to record the famous dances known as Bomba and Plena. On my next blog, October 14, 2013, I will upload some of the clips so stay tune!

Machismo or Mariachi?

Can you believe the first two letters of Mariachi were taken from the word Machismo??? Don't. It's my silly attempt to get your interest :) Still with me? Good. While it's true that this genre has been dominated by male figures, artists like Chabela Vargas, Lola Beltran, Lucerito and others have dared to claim a spot. Today it represents pride, not just a sign of masculinity. And as evolution does its magic, this tradition continues to expand its horizons. 

In his "Reyna del Mariachi" contest, Pepe Aguilar, son of the great Mexican artist Antonio Aguilar, searches for the next queen of Mariachi in the US. This competition is made up of hundreds of women whose objective is to be the genre's next ambassador. (You can find out more about it at www.lareinadelmariachi.com).

I came across "Reyna del Mariachi" at the celebration of Mexican Independence in City Hall San Francisco. Two young sisters, Xochilth of 15 and Perla of 18, proudly sang songs like "Mexico Lindo y Querido," "Paloma Querida" among others. After they got off the stage, Perla shared about the contest and asked for my support. It's clear she wants to win the competition but her sister is in it too. With that in mind, I was a bit confused--who should I vote for?

You be the judge!

Perla Aceves: 18 years old; 13 years singing. Aspires college degree to be a role model to her younger siblings-- sings at Children's Hospital, nursing homes and Churches. 

Favorite artists: Pepe Aguilar, Alejandro Fernández, Rocío Dúrcal, Aida,Cuevas, and Juan Gabriel.

Link: http://www.lareinadelmariachi.com/contestants/perla-aceves/

Xochilth Aceves: 15 years old; 10 years singing. Plans to study music in college. She's proud of her Mexican heritage and enjoys bringing smiles through her singing.  

Favorite Artists: Aida Cuevas, Pepe Aguilar, Alejandro Fernandez, and Rocio Durcal.

Link: http://www.lareinadelmariachi.com/contestants/xochilth-aceves/

Vote before October 4, 2013. Support other contestants at www.lareinadelmariachi.com