Travels and Adventures: 2003

Mojito Madness

The good folk at Bacardi recently hosted us on a trip to Puerto Rico to see their new visitor's center, but that wasn't all we saw.

On our first evening we had an incredibly good dinner at Ajili Mojili, in San Juan, where bartender Raoul muddled up some wonderful Mojitos for us.

Raoul at Ajili Mojili

Next day we were whisked off to the Rain Forest where our fiend, er, friend, Richard Carlton Hacker, of Robb Report fame, tried to catch mongeese. Or is it mongooses? Okay, he tried to catch one mongoose, then he tried to catch another. (The old jokes are the best.) Worried for his safety, though, Gary followed him closely to make sure he came to no harm.

Gary in the Rain Forest

Strangely enough, there were no bars in the rain forest, and it was well after noon before we had our Mojitos that day, but it was well worth the wait. Orlando, at The Parrot Club--Old San Juan's hippest bistro--made spectacular drinks for us, and the food there was nothing short of dazzling.

Here you can probably just barely make out our new friend, Gerrie E. Summers, in the doorway of The Parrot Club.

Gerrie at the Parrot Club

And here's Orlando Velazquez making our Mojitos.

1. Orlando Muddles	2. Orlando Shakes	3. Orland Serves

That evening we were taken to the spectacular Water Club. A very hip hotel where there's water, water, everywhere, and lots of cocktails to drink. Gary muscled his way behind the bar, and made a Margarita-style drink using Bacardi 8-year-old instead of tequila. Pretty yummy.

Gary at the Water Club

And finally, on our third day in Puerto Rico, we visited the Casa BACARDI Visitor Center. What fun! And so very high-tech.

Here are pictures of the bar at the Visitor Center (it's a replica of the company's prohibition era executive bar in Cuba which was graced by the likes of Errol Flynn and Spanish Royalty during the 1930s), and the Bacardi Bat that graces the entrance.

The Bacardi Bat	The Bacardi Bar

Below you can read more information about the plant, but first we must mention something about Puerto Rico itself: Run, don't walk. Heaven knows what's gotten into the people in the service industry on this idyllic island, but whatever it is, we want some. Service, food, and drinks, everywhere we went on this trip, were exemplary. It's inexpensive to get there (try JetBlue--it's a great airline), you can spend U.S. dollars, and everyone speaks English. It's seldom we give travel trips, but we were very impressed with Puerto Rico.

Here are a couple of smiling souls who looked after us at the Water Club.

Smiles all around at the Water Club

If you do take our advice, and visit Puerto Rico, your trip won't be complete without a trip to Bacardi. We'll leave the descriptions to the good folk who built the place:

Casa BACARDI Visitor Center

“The new Casa BACARDI Visitor Center represents the very spirit and soul of Bacardi,” said Ruben Rodriguez, president, CEO and chairman of the board of Bacardi Limited. “Through this magnificent attraction we share the fascinating history of a family, a brand and a company. And, though Bacardi is a worldwide brand, we have chosen the 240-acre distillery in Cataño, Puerto Rico, as the ‘spiritual’ home for Bacardi.”

BACARDI Visitor Center

Visitors to Casa BACARDI will be guided through seven exquisitely designed and historically accurate rooms created to engage visitors as they experience the sight, smell and taste of BACARDI rum. Following ambient sounds that transport visitors to another time and place, the compelling story of the Bacardí family, the Bacardi company, and the intricate process of premium rum production is explored through attractions including:

Nosing booths that invite visitors to ‘nose’ up and take in the delicious smells of eight BACARDI rums.

Learning of the secrets of the Bacardi rum making success, including the secret strain of yeast isolated in 1862 and still used today.

Demonstrations by professional bartenders making BACARDI classics such as the Cuba Libre, Mojito and Daiquirí from the Company’s “Golden Cocktail Age,” which occurred during prohibition when visitors flocked to Cuba to enjoy a then-American taboo.

State-of-the-art technology allowing visitors to send e-video messages to their friends from Puerto Rico against a backdrop of a tower composed of more than 375 bottles of BACARDI rum amid a five-screen presentation of the brand’s current commercials from around the world.

Inside the Bacardi Visitors Center

Casa BACARDI is located just outside San Juan on the campus of the Bacardi distillery in Cataño, Puerto Rico, the world’s largest premium rum distillery. The destination highlights the creativity of renowned architects Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Félix Candela, who have designed key facilities for the Company worldwide. Casa BACARDI, overlooks the breathtaking view of El Morro Castle and reaffirms the Company’s long-standing commitment to Puerto Rico’s tourism.

Touring the Bacardi Visitors Center

Casa BACARDI is expected to attract thousands of guests to the region each year. Audio guides, available in both English and Spanish, are available to lead visitors through the approximately 90-minute tour of Casa BACARDI. A virtual tour of Casa BACARDI will be accessible in the near future on their website.