Our San Juan excursion was to El Yunque National Rain Forest. Being a ‘National’ Forest means anyone working for the forest is working without pay due to the government shutdown. Also today is Epiphany or the 12th day of Christmas, a holiday in Puerto Rico so much, including parts of El Yunque are closed. We drove into the rain forest and saw some pretty waterfalls and flowers but, on the whole, the trip was disappointing. Returning to the ship, however, we enjoyed a proper afternoon tea complete with scones and small sandwiches and cakes. To our delight our resident strings duo performed during tea as well. And then the ship departed. I really love watching us sail out of the harbor in the evening with the darkening sky and all the lights, preferably from our balcony with the wind in my face.