SIGN UP HERE FOR PPR NATIONALS TRIP!!!! UDATED!

[Candice Burger]

Many have PM'd me and I am recruiting from various places. For my own organizational purposes, so that no one is left out, this is my formal contact information.

Write to me
Candice Burger
Post Office Box 746
Midway, FL 32343-0746
Attention: PR trip

OR Email
candice@pasofino-pr.com
in the topic put "PR Trip"

When you write or email I need:
Your contact information, address, phone, and email. This is confidential and will not be distributed.

I've had a serious crash on my home PC with my personal email account--so I've been off line for over 2 weeks trying to repair it. Right now it's not looking too healthy, so this account above was created today for communication purposes.

I'm more than happy to continue with the PMs, but for a guaranteed response and slot in the travel group--sign up through those two methods above. With the PMs I'm juggling 4-5 accounts and I am can't track who is getting what information.

I'll be compiling what I have already posted in various places into one general info packet that will be sent via the above two routes. Within the next week I'll be designing the travel packets to present with projected costs. By the end of this month a decision must be made as to:

Travel dates
Number of days
Cost of different travel packages

You've seen the survey questions, I'm asking one last time for input--then I'll be contacting the appropriate entities to get pricing for various activities. Some time in May, I will be requesting a confirmation deposit.

[SandyMM]

GReat - that should give us time to plan.. :-)

[SandyMM]

here's a link for a bunch of Ponce-specific airfare/hotel deals.... I read several reviews of the Ponce Hilton - all bad....

but there was a smaller hotel - started with M - Meila... that was recommended...

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Packages-g147323-Vacation-Package-Discount-Ponce_Puerto_Rico.html

[Candice Burger]

Hey Sandy,

If you do the research there's very few hotels that score well and here's why:

Most travelers from the United States have high expectations for the money they pay. Don't--the culture and service is different and be ready to deal with it. If you aren't prepared to "deal" with a different style of management, well, stay home and never travel out of the country. Don't expect consistency in service either. It is dependent on the folks behind the desk at the time.

I took many notes of how the folks in the group this past March accepted the travel arrangements. What I learned is that I will not be able to screen the hotels from the United States. I will be contacting several travel companies in Puerto Rico with the sole purpose that they will check out the hotel accomondations for me. So far I've indicated that this travel group will require: Air conditioning that works, hot running water on demand, and working appliances. So you get the drift....I've yet to travel where cleanliness was a problem or getting clean linens.

I'm waiting for responses.

[Candice Burger]

OK, I'm back and I apologize for leaving everyone hanging for so long. It's taken longer than I thought to get concrete information, but that's the Puerto Rican way.

So, here's the plan at this stage:

The travel package is for 7 days, 6 nights. I will give the itenerary and you may choose to:
1. go a la carte and meet up as you please--everyone is welcome!
2. pick parts of the package for me to arrange
3. do no thinking (maybe a little bit) and I take care of the rest.

If #2 or #3 are chosen, I will be requesting a "good faith" deposit, because prices may change depending on the size of the group. There is no-profit policy and this is simply to cover any costs for reservations that I may have to pay for in advance. Hope ya'll understand.

Package will include:
1. Air Travel
2. Car Rental
3. Hotel
All, part, or none

Itenerary:
Friday, August 25, Travel, arrive in Ponce, PR

Saturday, August 26, Day of rest and fun!, Ponce, PR--there is LOTS to do in Ponce. This was the capital for Spain until the USA took over. There are museums, historic sites, and the town festivities for the show also. Remember this was part of the plantation culture and many great horses were bred by plantation owners--Dulce Sueno for one.

Sunday, August 27, Horse Show of Champions. Only horses that have placed first or second in their respective classes will be shown. Competition will be tough! It's not like our PFHA shows where one horse blows in and wins all the time. Indoors, AC, and I am working to get VIP reception for the group.

Monday, August 28, Hatillo (Parador El Buen Cafe) or Isabela (Parador Villas del Mar Hau). A day of rest for everyone. I think it polite not to expect our hosts to show on Sunday and then entertain us on Monday. Let's give everyone a break. Hatillo is the dairy capital of Puerto Rico and Isabela is known for their horses. Both are on the Northern coast. Either place offers a chance to relax or explore. Arecibo Radio Telescope, Camuy Caverns, many beaches, and yes, there is horse back riding in Isabela.

Tuesday, August 29, Isabela Farm Visits. There will be two farms scheduled. One is Vivian Feliciano, owner of Poema de Altura, an upcoming force in the breeding shed and David Ramos, owner and rider of many great horses. We will visit on farm in the morning, relax at the La Llave del Mar for lunch (overlooking the ocean), and then visit the other farm after lunch. I am trying to get a pinto breeder to bring his horses as well to one of the farms.

Wednesday, August 30, Farm Visits. We will leave Isabela and travel towards San Juan to Luquillo and Juncos. The El Yunque Rainforest is also in this area. Some folks may want to break off and visit the rainforest in the morning or afternoon and perhaps see only one farm. This is your trip so, let me know. We may stay in San Juan or in Luquillo depending on what accomondations I can find in Luquillo. Moises Avreu is in Luquillo and Reuben Reyes, owner of Salamero is in Juncos.

Thursday, August 31, Travel. If we are in San Juan there may be time to do a little sightseeing before boarding the plane. If we are in Luquillo, I wouldn't push it.

Air Travel:
The package will include air travel from Atlanta/Orlando to Ponce, Puerto Rico leaving Puerto Rico from San Juan to Atlanta/Orlando. Arrangements to Atlanta/Orlando must be made separately by each individual participating. Cost range: $335 to $375 round trip. Prices vary on destination and on airline used.

Island Travel:
Not yet arranged until I get a head count about who wants to rent their own car and who wants to go as a group. A waiver will be signed to hold no liability against the driver(s).

Hotels:
Expect to pay about $100/room/night. If single travelers are willing to share a room, let me know. Rates may be lower depending on the number of people traveling. I'll be talking to a travel agent this week to get rate estimates.

Food:
Some hotels will have kitchens, some may not. Let me know if you really need/don't need this PLEASE! Expect to pay for your own meals. Puerto Rico is very civilized and shopping for typical food items will not be a problem.

What to wear:
It's summer down there, sun protection will be a must. Travel casually and travel light. I packed a backpack for my last week in PR and did a little laundry as I went. It was easy and I was ready to go in minutes. Culturally, stay well groomed out of respect; you can look like a beach bum if you want but I advise against it. When in Rome....

Other stuff:
Insurance--there will be no insurance coverage except what is typical for this type of travel. Waivers will be signed alleviating any participant of liability if an accident occurs. Ride at your own risk at these farms.

Weather--yes, it's hurricane season, as my part of Florida has already had a close call. Travel at your own risk. I never really thought about hurricanes while I lived in PR and went through a few, but each has their own risk factor. We will not be staying in any mountainous regions that will afford some cooler weather. Prepare accordingly. It is usually warm when it rains, so a light jacket should be enough.

Phones--if you must have 24/7/365, then bring a cell phone with you. Check your coverage carefully!!!! Not all networks cover PR and you may wish you had a prepaid phone card instead because lost calls or roaming charges. I carried both on my last trip to PR and used both. Pay-as-you go cell phones are great too.

Edit
Money—Cash, Credit Cards, and Traveler’s Checks work well. There are plenty of banks to cash Traveler’s Checks and that is where I usually exchange them. Puerto Rican currency is the US Dollar.

Grooming items—I have it on my list to ask about irons, blow dryers, etc., but don’t count on the hotels supplying them. If you are into looking glamorous 24/7, just don’t stand to close to me! I’ll be the one with my hair combed back in a pony tail, boots, cowboy hat, and no make-up.

Language—any attempt to speak Spanish is appreciated, but not necessary. I rarely try because I hate my southern Spanglish accent. Really gnaws on my ears, but even that is welcomed. Don’t be shy to reply in English only and don’t be shy to ask for interpretation. I hope to have several bilingual folks to help us disabled linguists.

Car rental—if you want your independence, reserve a car BEFORE arriving in Puerto Rico. I made the mistake thinking that I could just amble up to a car rental desk at the airport and get one. I ended up bumming a ride from some new-found friends for a day before getting a car.


Other incidentals--maps are nonexistant, but Amazon.com has some decent maps of PR or you may wish to get one while in PR. Either way, they will not help much. Locals get lost, so I don't expect any of us to do better. However, I advise a map, compass, matches, flashlight, magnifying glass, and flagging tape for those who dare to rent their own car. Experience speaking here. And don't worry, we'll find ya.

Last, bring a good sense of humor. Be flexible and enjoy the experience!

I will provide possible one or two more info posts, but I am begging everyone who is interested to email me at this address for formal arrangements. I cannot maintain multiple sites for information.

candice@pasofino-pr.com

P.S. For those who sign-up and haven't received a complimentary magazine about the PPR, please let me know and you will get one--Paso Fino, A Puerto Rican Breed. It has information about some of the people, farms and horses you will see.

[Candice Burger]

For the independent or “no thrills” traveler: As you look over the costs and number of days, you may decide you can’t go for as long or afford the whole trip. I say that’s ok by me. Join the venture when and how you can. If you want to go down just for the show or just for the farm visits, please feel free to plan accordingly. My role is coordination and planning, not to become a professional tour guide and make a buck. If you don’t like those strings attached to it, well come on anyway. The Puerto Rican paso fino experience is delightful no matter how it’s defined. I will be working on detailed directions and other logistics as I can. My main concern is getting the word out about the Pure Puerto Rican paso fino and to encourage those who don’t want to travel alone to join the tour. I do ask, however, that if you want to participate with the group at the show or farm tours, to please email me so that I can inform the show hosts and farm owners the number of people to expect. That’s just a courtesy.

Informative Links

About Puerto Rico
http://welcome.topuertorico.org/exploring.shtml
http://www.gotopuertorico.com/index.php?language=english


Maps
http://www.travelmaps.com/Index.html
http://www.metropr.com/comersus/store/comersus_index.asp (Available through Amazon.com)
http://maps.google.com (Google for town of interest like “San Juan, PR”)


Hotels
Ponce http://www.foxdeliciashotel.com/
Isabela http://www.paradorvillasdelmarhau.com/
Hatillo http://www.elbuencafe.com/
Luquillo To Be Announced
San Juan To be Announced

Airlines
Jet Blue http://www.jetblue.com
Spirit Airlines http://www.spiritair.com/welcome.aspx
American Airlines http://www.aa.com/
Delta http://www.delta.com/home/index.jsp
Notes: Spirit and Jet Blue are discount carriers; it’s like a packed bus with wings. If you have problems with this, better let me know before I make your reservation. These airlines offer the best services to Puerto Rico.

Travel
Orbitz http://www.orbitz.com/
Expedia http://www.expedia.com/daily/home/default.asp?rfrr=-483
Trip Advisor http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g147319-Puerto_Rico-Vacations.html
Notes: Most internet travel sites “hit” the same database for reservations and prices will vary according to their fee matrix. These two seem to be the best at refreshing their information more frequently so availability is more reliable and giving the best price overall. Trip Advisor is great for comparison shopping and will query the entire internet, just remember what it brings back is nothing different than if you checked each travel site yourself.

Regards, Candice
candice@pasofino-pr.com

[dana]

Sigh! why can't i be retired? i would love to go!

[Cathy]

We finally have our flight arrangements made. We leave on the 24 back on the 29. They'll be three of us. We would love to meet up with the group once we get there. Where are most people staying?

[Candice Burger]

In Ponce, either at a Franchised hotel like Holiday Inn or a parador in the town of Ponce. It's a toss up because neither really offer the full effect. Of course you could go high-end and spend about $150-$200/night. But that's not my style unless I can get the rooms cheap.

Holiday Inn types are near the water but more expensive. The paradors in town are cheaper, have convenience (and history) but no beach. Beaches are close enough, but still have to drive to get them.

Towards Isabela it's a toss up between three paradors. Two are on the water but may not have enough AC and the one in Hatillo, I know of personally and it's very nice, clean, near the water, but not on the water.

I'll be sending a survey out very soon to those that have replied to get further input.

For Juncos and Luquillo, it looks like somewhere in San Juan with easy access to the airport for those leaving from there. I've looked at places in Luquillo to give some the opportunity to break away and see El Yunque rainforest, but so far haven't found anything that is appealing. Looking for suggestions on that if you have any.

Either way, San Juan is close enough to the farms that the travel is not bad.

As you may surmise, I'm perfectly happy camping out in a tent in the summer to save the $$$ and get to see and experince as much as I can. Prefer to spend the bucks on cuisine, excursions, etc.

[motorgypsy]

We still tent but considering our geezerhood we now limit it to under 80 degrees at night and under 90 during the day plus shade and only intermittant rain before we'll tent. Oh - over 40 at night too! :lol: :lol: :lol: We just so soft now it's pitiful! :roll: :roll: :roll:

[Candice Burger]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm a fair weather child of nature too!!! Done the other on a had-to basis or because I get cheap.

[Privatetreaty]

:cry: :cry: :cry: I wanna go :cry: :cry: :cry:

[motorgypsy]

We also tent to spend on cuisine and also about every four days we like to spring for a B&B or someplace really different. We stayed in an Inn in The Gaspe Penninsula in Quebec that had an indoor riding arena, had guided trail rides AND had "gastonomie" sp? once week in their restaurant with all sorts of phenomenal dishes - AND it was relatively cheap!!! We thought we'd died and gone to heaven. When we traveled in South America we always booked at a francise hotel for the first night and then used our guide books to go look for a B&B or an Inn that locals liked to stay at. Cheaper, better food and really interesting people. Admittedly a cotton mattress an inch thick isn't wonderful, nor is a cold water shower, but it was still great!

[Candice Burger]

Hey Helen.

Get your schedule worked out, save those coins and let me know
WHEN