The man says, “It’s unbelievable this place is still here.” But it’s really what isn’t on Vieques that’s amazing. Even now, nearly a decade after the Navy stopped bombing the island, there are no chain stores. No fast-food restaurants. No golf courses. “It’s like the whole island is 50 years behind,” he says. He pauses, glances around the otherwise deserted beach, and reconsiders. “Or maybe it’s 50 years ahead.”








