Today The Rum Diary, starring Johnny Depp, opens across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico, where the movie was filmed in 2009. Based on the Hunter S. Thompson novel about his own real-life boozy existence in San Juan in the 1950's, The Rum Diary stars Depp as Paul Kemp, a young American journalist working for a floundering English newspaper in San Juan.
The movie was filmed in Old San Jaun, Fajardo, at the former U.S. air base Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, and in the rainforest of El Yunque. ]]>
Yesterday morning, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the western coast of Puerto Rico, causing immediate panic for locals and tourists. Luckily for Puerto Rico, this event was not anywhere near as deadly and destructive as the 7.0 earthquake that decimated areas of Haiti in January.
For travelers heading to Puerto Rico, no flights have been cancelled and there have no reports of injuries or structural damage to hotels and resorts in Aguadilla, Anasco, San Sebastian and Mayaguez, all cities close to the epicenter in Moca. They have actually been very lucky with this, although geologists warn that this earthquake is only a warning for a much larger one to follow. But they always say that; California is way overdue to sink into the ocean as it is. Just check out this world map of earthquakes within the last week—they're happening constantly! ]]>
If chocolate and a cheap stuffed animal won't cut it for your valentine this year, try whisking your baby away to Puerto Rico for a last-minute Valentine's Day vacation.
Travelzoo is offering a deal where you'll get four nights at a hotel and round-trip airfare for $399. But you have to jump on this, since the sale ends today at midnight, EST.]]>
Sweet ride! Johnny Depp gets carted around in style on the Puerto Rico set of "The Rum Diary," in which he stars as a young newspaper reporter. That's costar Aaron Eckhart in the car with him.
Neither Depp nor Eckhart would need an International Driving Permit to take the wheel of that sweet convertible -- a US driver's license would suffice. But if they wanted to island-hop to, say, Antigua or Jamaica after shooting, an IDP would come in handy. Even if a local car rental in one of the 155 countries that accept it doesn't ask for it, it can't hurt to be covered for the price of $15 and 2 passport photos in places where an American driver's license isn't accepted.
Besides, this may be the last year it's that easy to drive around the world: The IDP was set up back in 1949 by the UN, which is expected to revisit the regulations at a road safety conference in November. (Host country Russia also accepts the IDP, but take it from us: don't drive there.)
Related Stories:
· Application for International Driving Permit [AAA.com]
· Victoria Beckham Parties At That Hot LA Club DMV [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Faded Youth Blog]]]>
It's cold and wet in New York today, the first day of winter, and the mind wanders to thoughts of warm tropical paradises. A trip to Puerto Rico sure would be nice. Icy rum cocktails, gentle turquoise waters, soft white sand, and the constant threat of attack by hordes of diseased monkeys. Did somebody say beach party?
Too bad the Puerto Rican government wants to capture and kill all the monkeys. According to local rangers, the monkeys are an invasive species - having originally escaped from a secret research facility nearly forty years ago - and they pose a serious threat to native flora and fauna, agriculture, and even people.
That's right, some of these randy primates have herpes and hepatitis. Fun! ]]>
Why, in Puerto Rico, of course! World famous bachelor George Clooney took some time out from filming his new movie "Men Who Stare At Goats" to play a pickup basketball game, complete with the mustache he (or someone) has apparently chosen for his character. Looks like nose hair gone wrong, right?
Clooney is also co-producing the film, which is using the Rio Piedras neighborhood (where a campus of the University of Puerto Rico is located) as a stand-in for the Middle East.
The movie costars Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges as US military officers trying to find strategic applications for paranormal powers.
Related Stories:
· Clooney and Cast Arrive in Puerto Rico [Clooney's Cookie Crumbs]
· George Clooney Grows a Mustache [Telegraph]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: PopSugar]]]>
While we normally leave the hotel chronicles to our big sister site, we couldn't leave you without mappin' and recappin' the hotel scene we encountered on PR.
The basics? You have plenty of options: full blown resorts, upscale hotels, mid-range hotels and plenty of brand name chains.
The short video above is of El Conquistador in Fajardo, and after the jump we've got a bunch of one-line hotel reviews. To find out where exactly these places are, hit up our Puerto Rico Travel Map. We'll leave the heavy lifting to HotelChatter, which should have full reports in the coming weeks.]]>