San Juan seduces with nightlife, beaches, architecture, resorts, food

Old San Juan's colorful Boricua is a pleasant place to stop for lunch, stroll the shops, enjoy the beach.

BEACHES, CASINOS, DINING, HISTORICAL LANDMARKS, UPSCALE RESIDENTIAL AREAS, MUSEUMS, STREET FOOD, MUSIC: ALL IN A DAY IN LIVELY SAN JUAN

Stately homes and gentrified offices can be found in parts
of San Juan, which also has modern areas and many resorts.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

SAN JUAN is a vibrant mix of stately buildings, towering trees, lively cafes, posh nightclubs, glitzy resorts, simple street food carts, plazas to people watch, museums, beach life and more. It's an enticing blend.

A major port and tourist destination on Puerto Rico's northern coast, it is separated from the rest of the island by picturesque San Juan Bay and Condado Lagoon. The city was 

Old San Juan offers a mix of stately architecture, welcoming
plazas with benches and shade trees, and sculpture parks.

founded in 1508 by that globe trotting Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León and is the oldest city under U.S. jurisdiction.

YOU'LL NEED a few days to get into the grove.  We suggest starting with a stroll or drive in El Viejo San Juan --  historic Old San Juan, which has several names, and is properly known as San Juan Antiguo. It is home to the San Juan National Historic Site, with buildings dating from the 16th century. You'll want to visit a pair of the Caribbean's most famous fortresses, the San Felipe del Morro and San Cristóbal. We enjoyed a climb on the old city walls for gorgeous views.

You'll see street art throughout the city.

If you like old stately churches, the Bautista Cathedral should be on your list of "must sees."  It houses the tomb of Ponce de Leon in a neighborhood of brightly colored houses which line inviting cobbled streets. We stopped in a shady plaza for a cocktail in a small, colorful bar.  After a rest in our hotel, we returned to Old San Juan to sample a couple of the city's renowned Caribbean fusion restaurants.

IN OLD TOWN, as the sun slides into the horizon,  you'll join older residents out for a stroll and young businessmen and women, relaxing after a day at the office. 

The Bacardi Rum Plant offers tours, tastings
and more at an impressive complex. 

San Juan is an intriguing blend of Caribbean island charm and city hustle, a fine place to experience Puerto Rican culture if you have time for only a day's visit.
The people are friendly, helpful and welcoming to the tourist. We've visited several times and enjoy exploring the vibrant and distinctive neighborhoods-- from the old Spanish colonial buildings to state of the art restaurants and the same major shopping outlets one finds in Paris, New York or Milan.

WE OPTED one day for a self-guided history lesson with a return visit to El Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a 16th-century citadel that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We stopped at the Bacardi Rum 

The Caribe Hilton is a glitzy modern resort.

plant for a quick tour then headed for a cooling dip at Carolina Beach and Luquillo, which attract well heeled, deeply tanned Americans and Europeans. We had arranged to meet friends for a late dinner or we would have considered an after-dark kayak adventure through Bioluminescent Bay. Next time.

Locals perform in holiday garb
at the Bacardi Arts Festival
 coming soon to Old San Juan.

 SAN JUAN celebrates Christmas  beginning in early December.  Holiday programs are specially designed for children, and presented at the Dominica Convent, La Fortaleza and City Hall.  The Puerto Rico Symphony and National Folkloric Ballet of Puerto Rico give special performances and the San Juan Ballet Company performs Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite." 

Sports fans have plenty to watch, with Canadian teams playing with local teams throughout the island in the Puerto Rico Winter League. Boating enthusiasts enjoy the Puerto Rico International Offshore Cup in mid-December, and there are speedboat races with some of the best offshore teams competing.

San Juan is a major port and tourist destination, known
for its culture, nightlife, lively Old Town and beaches. 

FOR HOLIDAY shoppers, the Bacardi Arts Festival is held each year  the first two Sundays of December. It features more than 100 booths, crafts, rides, typical food and of course drinks of rum.  The festival happens at Bacardi's rum manufacturing plant, the world's largest. One doesn't have to go far to see Bacardi's influence.  The logos and bottles are everywhere.  Casa Bacardi offers tours and classes where you craft your own cocktails.  

OLD SAN JUAN lights up right after Thanksgiving, becoming a "White Christmas" with lights, decorations, holiday music and at booths in the windows and plazas. Tourists enjoy life-size nativity creches beginning on Thanksgiving weekend with the 

The influence of Bacardi is seen
throughout the island, here at a 
fast food stand where hot sauce
for roasted chicken on a paper plate
with hot sauce in the rum bottle.
 
 

lighting of a giant Christmas tree in Paseo La Princesa in Old San Juan.

For more information on hotels, tours and what's happening through the holidays: 

www.sanjuanpuertorico.com/visitors-information-tourism-offices/

bacardi.com for information on tours and tastings

From American favorites such as this rare steak and fresh
veggies, to exotic international fare, we sample Thanksgiving
on the road in next week's column.  Please tune in. 

UP NEXT:  Thanksgiving is right around the corner, Nov. 28.  We've spent many Thanksgivings at various cities, villages and islands on the road, looking for fun and memorable ways to give thanks for a life of travel. We take readers to the Canary Islands, to Greece, Hong Kong and Barcelona for a look at specialty foods and taste treats for every budget.  Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly at: www.whereiscookie.com

  

Puerto Rico's gorgeous El Yunque Forest: lush acres and a special frog

The El Yunque Rain Forest is one of the smallest, yet with a most diverse "repertoire" to behold.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers at El Yunque Visitor Center.

--Henry David Thoreau

WHERE NATURE IS REVERED: El YUNQUE

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

FORESTS HAVE for centuries have captivated writers and poets.  The beauty,  enchantment, tranquility, and ecological richness of forests is a soothing balm for the traveler and local alike.

The unique coqui frog does not have webbed
feet, like most frogs. The males have an
enchanting song they sing all day.

Puerto Rico's famous El Yunque Rain Forest weaves lush foliage, unusual wildlife and a beautiful modern visitor's center  to create a symphony of nature. We admired waterfalls, beautiful flowers and century-old trees, with background music of a unique frog, taking a page from Thoreau's book, if only for a day. It was, in a word, captivating.

The showy heliconia, or lobster flower,
has a place of honor in the rain forest and
in the garden of El Yunque's visitor center.

We had a wonderful day in this magical place.

Various snails make their home
in the rain forest. Guides take
guests around for close-up views.

THE 29,000 acre rain forest is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. Although it is one of the smallest national forests, it is also one of the most biologically diverse with a charming and unique frog, the coqui. The small tree frog is Puerto Rico's national animal and has a  charming if persistent  song.  Choruses of male coquis can be heard from dusk until dawn all over the island. The  coqui (pronounced ko-kee) is a small arboreal frog that can be brown, yellow, or green. Its scientific genus name --  try pronouncing eleutherodactylus -- means “free toes” because, unlike many frogs, the coqui doesn't have webbed feet.
 THE PARK's diverse ecosystem also boasts hundreds of unique plant species. These are described at the impressive El Portal de El Yunque, the main visitor and information center in the forest.

After the feeling of ancient wonders as we drove through the forest, a striking modern building comes into view to welcome visitors.

Bruce Keller admiring the fan ferns in the rain forest.

Our guide was proud of the trees whose roots
spread out hundreds of feet in the forest.

It features an elevated walkway through the tree tops, educational displays, a short wheelchair-friendly interpretive walking trail through the lower forest, a counter-service restaurant with tasty Puerto Rican sandwiches, some beautiful “selfie spots,” and a small gift shop.  We recommend a stop at this modern, interesting visitor center which besides its beauty and eye-catching architecture, gives an informative grounding for first-time visitors to El Yunque.

YOU'LL LEARN that the island's national flower is thespesia grandiflora, a hibiscus like beauty known as maga, also referred to as Maga Colorada ("Red Maga") and Puerto Rican hibiscus. It is a tree in the family Malvaceae of the rosids clade endemic to Puerto Rico, where its flower is celebrated as the national flower
of the archipelago. You'll also see gorgeous orchids, ginger plants, plumeria, anthurium, birds of paradise, and the showy heliconia, 

also known as lobster flower.
THE PEOPLE of Puerto Rico have long 
had a deep-rooted connection with its native flora. 

From the indigenous Taíno people to the country's modern-day inhabitants, native plants have played a significant role in shaping Puerto Rican culture, traditions, and even spirituality. The unique relationship Puerto Ricans have with their native plants goes beyond aesthetics or ecological conservation.

A reverence for plants and growing things is an integral aspect of their identity. Medicinal plants and botanical remedies can be widely found in herbal displays and health stores. I replenished a few of my favorites.

A climb up Yokahu Tower is a fine way to view the rain forest from above.

 WHILE YOU are so near a spectacular place, don't miss the opportunity to stop at Yokahu Tower, and climb to the top.

It is right off the road, with a large parking lot.  The view is worth the climb. There are 96 steps to get to the top, but don't be intimidated. The steps are wide and you can go at your own pace to reach a marvelous view of the woods below.

We stopped several times to gaze out the windows and let others pass us.

The 69-foor concrete tower leads to an observation deck where you can literally see the forest for the trees. We had a remarkably clear day so we could even see the ocean beyond the tree-top canopy.

Cookie strolls one of the charming
walking paths at the El Yunque
Visitor Center, a lovely new space.

Constructed in 1963, the tower was built by forest supervisor and director of IITF, Frank H. Wadsworth. The tower is one of the two observation towers located in the park and sits at an elevation of 1,575 feet (480 m). The other tower in the El Yunque is the Mount Britton Tower, which friends say is equally engaging. We've vowed to see it on our next visit.
Many tour companies offer everything from food to nature excursions. We had good luck with Bespoke, which we booked when we reserved our week with Hilton. We used Bespoke for several tours. They have a relationship with Hilton, are pleasant and accommodating to work with in the booking process, and they picked us up at the hotel.

More information:   

 https://bespokeconcierge.com/

 www.viator.com

 www.fs.usda.gov/elyunque

www.discoverpuertorico.com

www.puertorico.com

San Juan offers a blend of old and new, relaxation and high
energy activity and touring, beaches, Old Town and a lovely bay.

UP NEXT:

From rain forest wonders, to seductive San Juan as we cap our Puerto Rico series. Fortresses, parks, sculpture, night life, street food, glitzy casinos, elegant resorts and a lively old town mix with live music and sunshine for an intoxicating time. Old San Juan offers history and beautiful architecture. The beaches are among the best in the Caribbean and there's a historic site in the fortresses. We also recommend a cruise along San Juan Bay. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly.

Book a terrific time on a fun, educational tuk tuk tour in Lisbon

Enjoying a tuk tuk ride in Lisbon, from left, Bruce Keller, Jane Milder, driver Tomas Neves,
Christene "Cookie" Meyers, Rick Cosgriffe.  All aboard for a fun tour of this lovely Portuguese city. 

TOURING LISBON BY TUK TUK YIELDS HISTORY, STORIES, FRESH AIR, FUN TIME

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Lisbon's seven hills stretch from the city center to the sea,
with architecture typical of one of the world's great cities. 

WE LOVE LISBON! It's a favorite European city. So we wanted to show off "our town" to my brother Rick and his partner Jane during our two weeks together in southern Europe.

We did it in style, by tuk-tuk, that time honored transportation mode invented in 1879 and offering close-up views along with a few fun bumps.

LISBON OFFERS a wealth of architectural wonders and sea views making it a perfect city to explore by this three-wheeled cart, originally pulled by a person. My dad told lively stories of traveling by  rickshaw during his Army days in post WWII China.  He became fast friends with his trusty driver, as we have with Tomas Neves, who has shown us around his native city several times.

Miradouro das Portas do Sol is Lisbon's most
 photographed wiewpoint, a central location
near the cathedral and castle. Here Rick and  
Jane enjoy the view as we photograph them.

OUR FAVORITE Lisbon tuk-tuk is electric and driven -- not pulled -- by the amiable Tomas. It is  manufactured in an Amsterdam factory, where most licensed electric auto-tuk tuks or rickshaws originate. There are many types of tuk-tuk treks offered by Tomas and a host of other outfits. 

With over 500 tuk-tuks in Lisbon, tours range from gardens to restaurants, churches and museums.  Enthusiasts may concentrate on the oldest part of the city, the Alfama, or the narrow lanes of  residential districts. One may also "tuk-tuk" to Lisbon Castle and other popular destinations including Lisbon's famous Cathedral,  the Convento da Graça, the National Pantheon, Jardim São Pedro de Alcântara and the lively Thieves' Market. 

Tomas took us to the Graça Viewpoint at the Igreja, where Rick and Jane enjoyed the view and took selfies.

Most tuk tuks accommodate two to four people but some
such as this one are larger and can accommodate six or seven. 

OUR TWO-HOUR tour focused on Lisbon highlights, with Tomas providing entertaining commentary and stopping wherever we saw a photo opportunity. Because it's a city built on seven hills, its neighborhoods spread out from the city's historic center, blending into one another, to the Belém area near the water.
Some tours focus on history, others on architecture, others on food. So you can tailor your tour to your interests.

Lisbon's famous Cathedral, the Se de Lisboa,
is one of the stops driver Tomas always includes. 

The tuk tuk is a wonderful way to savor a city. On an earlier tuk tuk tour, we sampled flavors of Portugal, with typical sweets and chocolate cups.

 Lisbon's sights are muted and lovely on a sunset cruise.
A tuk tuk tour then a relaxing cruise are a fine pair.
 

Typically, the two-hour tuk tuk tours focus on a specific area of the city, usually the Alfama and historic area.

A half-day tour allows one to see more of the city 
and get more detailed information about the main attractions.
A full-day tuk tuk tour will cover most of the major attractions, most likely taking passengers to Belem which is a bit outside the center.

The longer tours also give time to go inside museums, churches and gardens rather than just driving by, which we did this last time.

Lisbon is a city of majestic architecture and many fountains.

During themed tuk tuk tours, you’ll visit the main landmarks of the city but with a special focus. Passengers can choose from desserts to art to national heroes, museums and more.
WHETHER YOU see Lisbon by tuk tuk or walking tour, or taxi ride, you won't want to miss Mosteiro dos Jeronimos. As one of Lisbon’s must-see sights, it is Belem's undisputed architectural showstopper, an impressive honey-stone Manueline cloisters inside a UNESCO-listed 1495 monastery. On the nearby riverfront, another famous sight is the tower, or torre of Belem. It's an imposing fortress which epitomizes the excess of the Age of Discovery. We climbed to the top for splendid views over the Tagus River.  

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers took
a tuk-tuk tour then hopped on a sunset cruise,
 framed by Lisbon architecture. 

OUR GUIDE Tomas knows where to find the best views for photos. He drove us to historic places, waiting patiently and helping us plan the next stop.  As one of the oldest cities in western Europe, there are more stops than possible in a single tour. So Tomas helps narrow the field, describing how his city has evolved through various occupations, wars and conquests, asking which aspects interest us most. 

HE EXPLAINED that the region was home to the Celts -- founded by well traveled Phoenicians around 1200 BC, making it 400 years older than Rome. These educated people established a settlement called Ulissipo, and became successful merchants, traders and colonizers until they were conquered by the Greeks and Carthaginians. 

TOMAS IS rightly proud of Lisbon.  As Portugal's thriving capital city it maintains its strategic geographical position at the mouth of the Tagus, the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. After a tuk tuk ride, we recommend Tagus Cruises, which takes it name from the famous river.

Consider Lisbon by boat and tuk-tuk. For tuk-tuks, contact Tomas Neves: tomasneves95@gmail.com

TripAdvisor offers many tuk-tuk tours.

Or contact Lisbon's tourism office at: www.visitlisboa.com/
For a fun cruise: taguscruises.com 

Puerto Rico's El Yunque Rain Forest is a tropical treat.

UP NEXT: We continue our look at Puerto Rico, where the government has stepped up its tourism in the last year and is spending millions to attract us. It's more than coffee, casinos, rum and beaches. After leaving Ponce recently, we headed into the El Yunque rain forest, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. Then, a visit to seductive San Juan, with adventure, night life, fine dining and an inviting old town and gorgeous hotels and resorts.

'Jewel of the South': Ponce's pleasures delight all year through

 

A stately mansion in Ponce, Puerto Rico, is said to have ghosts.   Castillo Serrallés (Spanish for Serrallés Castle) was built by a rum baron and is now a museum and events venue. Each October, part of it is transformed as a ghostly gathering entertains visitors. It's apropos, because many haunted places around the world are castles. 

Ponce revelers take to the streets on Halloween.

SECOND LARGEST CITY WELCOMES VISITORS WITH ITS GENTLE CHARM, ART AND HISTORY

PLUS A HAUNTED HOUSE IN ITS FAMOUS CASTLE TO CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER


PUERTO RICANS enjoy life. And they make the most of holidays -- including Halloween. As an unincorporated U.S. territory, Puerto Rico celebrates most of the same holidays as we in the mainland do -- All Hallows Eve included. Puerto Rico also celebrates the Day of the Dead "Dio de los Muertos" -- a holiday traditionally celebrated Nov. 1 and 2. In Puerto Rico, it is not as "big" an event as in other Latin countries. But both are celebrated -- often combined -- as family and friends gather to remember loved ones who have died. Like most Puerto Rican gatherings, food is served and the graves are usually visited with food and flowers.

Ghosts welcome visitors
to Ponce's Serralles Castle. 

 

Ponce's architecture
frames this reveler
on Halloween, 2023.

No place in Puerto Rico can compete with Ponce's famous haunted castle for the "fright prize."  Ponce offers top ghostly enthusiasm in a haunted manor at Serralles Castle. 

KNOWN AS "the house that rum built," the imposing castle is a well preserved reminder of the countries glorious "rum days."

Ponce is an attractive, clean city in southern
Puerto Rico, quieter and cheaper than San Juan.

Every year to celebrate Halloween, the Castle becomes a scary, haunted mansion. The holiday "redo" fits its design perfectly.

Built in Spanish Colonial Revival-style building, it was technically advanced for the 1930s. It is a lovely, antique filled place, including a Japanese garden and butterfly nursery. What a treat to visit the castle and town. We took a couple days side trip to Ponce, renting a car in San Juan for the 90-minute drive south through the center of the country. We booked two tours: one of the castle and one of the city, enjoying two perspectives on explorers, the rum industry, and the city's architecture, art and history.  

Ponce encourages murals and street art, to entertain tourists.

WE ENJOYED the two tours -- first the Castle, then a lively guided walking tour of city center. Ponce's recorded history dates to 1692 when the famous Juan Ponce de León sailed into the island. As Puerto Rico's second-largest city, Ponce is often overlooked by tourists.  But it's an easy trip from San Juan for a pleasant day or two, with a more apparent "village" feel than  its larger, bustling  resort oriented sister. 

CASTILLO Serrallés  -- Serralles Castle -- is imposing both by its grandeur and because it overlooks Ponce's downtown.  It was built during the 1930s for Juan Eugenio Serrallés, son of businessman  Juan Serralles, who founded Destileria Serralles. It structure sits on a 2.5-acre beautifully manicured property. We saw a wedding rehearsal the day we visited. That's a huge part of the building's appeal, our guide said, as she focused on the building's past, the rum industry and the impact it had on Puerto Rico's economy.

Ponce is a favorite destination for
weddings, and encourages romance
on its Paseo Amor, street of love.

Ponce's parks and squares are
well manicured and inviting.

DESTINATION weddings are a big draw to the mansion, our guide explained, and many sun seekers take a break from busier San Juan to enjoy the more relaxed ambiance of Ponce.

PONCE's OLD town is a colorful place, with plazas, churches, and colonial homes.
Public art is encouraged and subsidized and Ponce has several large public art installations. Ponce's city market  

THE CITY's Plaza del Mercado at Ponce -- 

Bespoke Lifestyle Management
Management offers lively
tours, here with Melina Aguilar.
our talented Ponce guide.

known by older residents as Plaza del Mercado Isabel II -- is a huge indoor street market in the heart of town. Many of its shops and vendors have been there for decades. Locals know it has the freshest vegetables and fruits for a fair price. Traditional foods, candy, art and lottery tickets are offered in more than a dozen stands. The goods come from local farms, confectioners, and artists.
Nearby Mercado de las Carnes was the first building in  

Ponce's Plaza del Mercado offers bargain prices
on locally grown fruits and vegetables in more
than two dozen shops inside a renovated building. 

Puerto Rico to mix social and architectural
elements in its pedestrian mall.  The historic art deco  structure dates to 1926.

Bruce Keller enjoys a
Ponce Ice cream. 

Another enticement: charming hotels are half the price of similar inns in San Juan. Expedia, airbnb and many other options offer everything from lavish estates to simple apartments.

More information: discoverpuertorico.com
bespokeconcierge.com

Enjoying a reunion and a tuk-tuk ride with friend Tomas
Neves are Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller.

UP NEXT: We explore Lisbon's marvels on a tuk-tuk.  Four of us adventuresome sojourners climbed into a tuk-tuk to traverse this historic Portuguese city and enjoy its famous landmarks -- from cathedrals to street markets. A tuk-tuk ride in Lisbon is a must, for getting close-up views and learning a lot in a few hours. Our guide has become a friend through several trips. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, nature, family, performance and more:  www.whereiscookie.com and please share the link with traveling friends: www.whereiscookie.com

The Bard's "the bomb" as Shakespeare in the Schools charms hundreds of kids across Montana and Wyoming

Montana's talented Shakespeare in the Schools actors play multiple
roles.  Here are two of the cast in a scene from the delightful touring
production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Left, Samantha Potrykus
 plays Hippolyta and Titania, Queen of the Fairies, and Calvin Adams
plays both a disgruntled father, and Nick Bottom, who takes on another
 role in the play within the play. Quick costume changes are demanded. 

SERVING BELOVED  PLAY BY THE BARD  WITH A WESTERN TWIST AS MONTANA TROUPE DELIGHTS SCHOOL KIDS AND CHILDREN OF ALL AGES

Many regional and touring companies across the
United States offer theater in rural schools. Here
students enjoy Montana's Shakespeare in the
Schools, which is touring 50 small towns. 

                                           

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

HOW DOES ONE make Shakespeare palatable to groups of fidgety youngsters?

Montana Shakespeare in the Schools has the answer and is sharing it with thousands of kids in small towns across two states.

  Make it lively! Have the actors don eye-catching costumes and speak distinctly so kids can understand the lines.  Throw in physical humor and dance steps to keep things moving. Share the spirit of fun. 

Avery Johnson, left, plays Lysander, and Francis
Flute in the play within the play, to Isa Guitian's
Puck, who delights the kids with music & antics. 

 WE JOINED a packed house recently at Tippet Rise Art Center recently for a rollicking version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The troupe had just played Hysham and Hardin and was enroute to Rapelje and Red Lodge, then a string of Wyoming towns.

The beloved Shakespearean classic -- about love, nature and magic  -- is getting a lively "retelling" as Montana Shakespeare in the Schools makes an ambitious two-state tour.

The 2024 production by Montana's beloved Shakespeare in the Parks is touring more than 50 schools in Montana and Wyoming with the same high quality production values that mark the company's rigorous summer schedule.

Eight actors are charming
audiences as they tour. 

FOR THE 32nd season, eight professional actors from across the U.S., are enacting a lively 85-minute rendition of a classic to more than 12,000 middle and high-school students -- and a few lucky adults.  This year's tour travels from Kalispell to Plentywood, Bozeman to Hardin and Sidney, dipping down into Wyoming to Cody, Powell, Meeteetse, Worland and Buffalo. The intent is to debunk the myth that kids don't "get" Shakespeare. In so doing, the production makes the language and story appealing and understandable, with a western twist and country music. 

Actors Abigail Nakken and Avery Johnson in a scene
from "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Nakken  spoke later
about the importance of making Shakespeare approachable
to young students, to awaken their interest in the classics.

In a post-show "talk back," actor Abigail Nakken explained, "Our hope is to make Shakespeare come alive for kids -- to make it approachable and fun. Not something that adults tell them that they won't understand because it's over their heads."

WITH ACROBATICS, fun props, enchanting costumes, an accordion, guitar, and precise diction, the company did just that at Tippet Rise, in one of the tour's early shows. The long run extends through mid-December with stops in small communities that seldom host performing arts, let alone a professional theater company. The endeavor -- supported by Montana Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts and other arts backers -- targets smaller communities, where the arts are often short-changed.

So students in Lame Deer,  Box Elder, Belt, Ronan, Polson, Ennis, Harrison and Belgrade all among those recipients of an impressive production.

High energy, music
and colorful costumes
mark the production.

It's a pleasure to watch kids smile, laugh and applaud lively antics, quick dance steps, acrobatics, sword play and lots of physical humor. 

Shakespeare in the Parks delights, too

The compact set for "A Midsummer
Night's Dream" collapses and folds into
the back of a car during the long tour.

DOING THE show again and again, day after day, demands energy and commitment. The young, enthusiastic cast delivers that in spades, with imaginative direction from Shakespeare in the Parks veteran actor Kerry Bishé Her career spans stage and screen, from AMC and ABC productions to New York's famed Roundabout Theatre Company. She made her professional debut with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks in 2004 and chose actors from several thousand thespians across the country during January auditions. Most of them had not been west of Chicago or St. Paul, so they're enjoying the immersion and beauty of the landscape. 

SO HOW do the actors transport that charming "woodsy" set from school to school?

It collapses and folds up, like a giant box of LEGOs!

To inquire about the next season of Montana Shakespeare in the Schools: 

https://shakespeareintheparks.org/menu/shakespeare-in-the-schools

For more on Shakespeare programs around the U.S.

www.arts.gov/initiatives/shakespeare-american-communities

Ghost, goblins and a famous haunted house await visitors
to Puerto Rico's "Pearl of the South," the town of Ponce.

UP NEXT: Ponce, Puerto Rico, is a great place to celebrate Halloween. It's not as well known as San Juan, but it's a lively and historic city, a pleasure to visit any time of the year. There's even a famous haunted house awaiting visitors. The "Pearl of the South" is known for its historical and cultural attractions as Puerto Rico's second-largest city  and as an unincorporated U.S. territory, it celebrates many of the same holidays as the mainland does -- All Hallows Eve included. Join us for a spooky visit, remembering to explore, learn and live. Please share our website with like minded friends:www.whereiscookie.com

Celebrity Cruising: 15 ships offer splendid itineraries, stylish traveling

We boarded Celebrity's Eclipse for an exciting 15-day cruise from Buenos Aires to the Antarctic.
Here, we joined fellow cruisers to board our bus for a shore excursion and spectacular wildlife. 

CELEBRITY'S FLEET SPANS THE WORLD, WITH CLASSY STATE OF THE ART VESSELS

Celebrity ships are easily recognized by the
trademark "X," here on the line's Edge.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Celebrity's shore excursions include a wide range of activity,
including biking. "Cookie and Keller" enjoy a ride in Vietnam.

THE GREEKS have long been good travelers.
So it's no surprise that Celebrity Cruises owes its heritage to the Greece based Chandris Group, which launched the company in 1988-89.

We're Celebrity fans, dating back to the year the line was founded by the Greece-based Chandris Group with its first ships, Mercury and Meridian. The respected Chandris organization established the cruise line's reputation as an up-market big-ship operator. 

ONE CAN easily spot a Celebrity ship with the line's signature "X," displayed on the funnel. It's 

Close-up communion with king penguins was a highlight of our recent
 Celebrity Antarctic cruise from Argentina, a wondrous 15-day voyage. 

the Greek letter chi for "Chandris." If Chandris sounds familiar, you're old enough to remember Chandris Line, a Greek shipping company founded in 1960 by popular ship builder and developer Antonios Chandris. His began operating ocean liners between his native Greece, to Europe, Bermuda and Australia. Chandris initiated the "X" tradition on its funnels, paying homage to the first letter of  Chandris in Greek: Χανδρή. The chi was the logo for Chandris then for its successor,  Celebrity Cruises.

CELEBRITY IS rightly  proud of its ships "bells and whistles' and modern venues, including state-of-the-art cabins, restaurants, bars and attractions geared towards R&R. Its Edge is touted as "revolutionary -- designed to raise the bar of cruising."
It features a trend-setting outward facing design encouraging guests to feel connected to the sea. An expansive terrace pool deck provides spectacular views as the ship sails between ports. 

Heading out to explore aboard Celebrity 
for a thrilling wildlife adventure in Antarctica.

The resort deck offers a beautifully tended rooftop garden with an urban “playscape,” unique to Celebrity. An  asymmetrical pool also faces the sea. Comfy seating encourages a picnic while watching a movie in the garden.

Celebrity Cruises operates 15 vessels. We've cruised on 7 of those, including two trips on the line's dowager ship, Celebrity Millennium, which is nearly 24 years old and still a favorite. A highlight of our 155 cruises was a spectacular itinerary through Asia, with Bali's breathtaking landscapes and gorgeous sails into Hong Kong and Singapore.

MILLENNIUM also goes to India and South Korea and smaller ports in Malaysia.

Cookie and Keller on Celebrity,
enjoying the scenery in Halong
Bay off the coast of Vietnam. 

 Celebrity doesn't rest on its laurels, coming out with a new ship every two years. It typically keeps vessels for around 20 to 30 years before retiring them.

Several Celebrity ships offer art classes, here
glass blowing classes and demonstrations.

We were fans in the line's busy period between 2000 and 2002, when Celebrity launched four ships: Millennium, Infinity, Summit and Constellation -- all carefully chosen names carrying on the sentimental naming tradition of Chandris, who came up with Romantica for an early ship.

Writer Christene "Cookie" Meyers gives a
reading aboard Celebrity Millennium. 

These larger, modern Celebrity ships carry 2,200-plus passengers -- still reasonable compared to today's largest ship, Icon of the Seas, with 7,600 passengers.  We like Celebrity's sizes and its all-glass elevator banks, lively art lectures, stunning onboard art collections, variety of inviting, relaxing areas and a focus on culinary experiences.
THE LINE also initiated a series of programs and enhancements designed to improve onboard experience, including glass blowing among the  expanded adult enrichment program, afternoon tea and a spa cafe dinner option. This is Blu, open exclusively to passengers staying in AquaClass cabins. We've also sampled Celebrity's 98-passenger Celebrity Xpedition (a delightful 48 passengers) which gives a wonderful close-up view of the creatures and landscape of the Galapagos.  The ship, in fact, helped put Celebrity -- and Darwin's famous islands -- on the map. For Celebrity's 2024-25 itineraries, discounts and more: celebritycruises.com

School children across Montana learn to enjoy
Shakespeare thanks to inventive direction and
fine acting of Montana Shakespeare in the Schools.

ON TAP: In the next weeks, we romp with dolphins, try a tuk-tuk tour in Lisbon and join lucky kids enjoying Montana Shakespeare in the Schools. Fortunate students are enjoying a spirited offering of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" now until mid-December. Find out how your school can book a regional touring company.  There are many across the U.S. Then soon we head to Gibraltar's famous bay which offers a view of two continents and splendid sea life.   Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, performance, nature, family and more: www.whereiscookie.com