I didn’t do much sketching on the islands since time was limited and we were always on the move. When the Celebrity Eclipse docked in Puerto Rico, we hiked from the cruise ship towards Castillo San Filipe del Morro. There was a path, called Paseo del Morro, that followed the shoreline. 20 foot high cliffs covered with foliage were on our right and the rocky shore of San Juan Bay was on our left. Kites were everywhere, their strings winding among the vines, lost in the foliage. A fortress wall was at the top of the cliff. The path lead us to the foot of the fortress but there was no way to get up to it. We had to hike all the way back and find another route through Old San Juan. We eventually did explore the fortification. Cannonball shrapnel was still lodged in the walls from a battle hundreds of years ago.
In St. Martin, we rented a jeep and Terry drove around the whole perimeter of the island. We drove up to Pic Paradis, the highest point on the island then got lost in the city of St. James. This sketch was done when we stopped at the beach. We sat under an umbrella and a local immediately asked us for $10. Rather than pay, I walked back to the shade under a tree to sketch and Terry went for a walk on the beach. I sketched quickly to try and finish by the time she got back. When the sketch was done, we went to a beachfront bar and ordered Pina Coladas. Terry had things she needed to say. I was speechless. The waves crashed and the gorgeous aqua water sparkled behind the bright yellow umbrellas.