Puerto Rico (Part 3)

I researched the size of Puerto Rico. From memory based on what I read, the island is basically 100 miles by 30 miles. We all had different things we were interested in. For me, it was important to me to see all of the island we could. Truly, I was surprised at the vastness and differently rich terrain in Puerto Rico. There are mountains and forests. You have the Atlantic on one side and the Caribbean on the other. You also have El Yunque National Forest, a tropical rain forest. Make sure when you visit there to get your pass ahead of time. It’s very, very reasonable. Don’t be surprised if it is wet. I mean, seriously; it’s a tropical forest. Visibility might be an issue. Regardless, it’s a beautiful place that’s worth the drive. Yokahu Tower seems like an endless spiral staircase (it’s not). It offers a great overview once up top. El Yunque offers waterfalls as well; we saw one on our trip. It was obviously beautiful. Don’t be surprised by the costs at the cafe. You could always pack snacks and be fine. Some of the roads were tight, so just beware.

From San Juan, we took time to drive around southern and western parts of Puerto Rico. We headed to Ponce, on the Caribbean side. We visited the Don Q mansion. Beware that there are no pictures allowed. You’ll find yourself driving up this winding road all while seeing houses that overlook Ponce. We did see a Ferrari behind a locked gate of one home if that helps you imagine the surroundings. The tour is worth it. Language is not an issue for English speakers. We watched a short film before being led on a tour of the grounds and mansion. Beside the overlook, my favorite place had to be the wooden one. People spent as much time handcrafting that room and the furniture in it as they did the entire mansion! There is a gift shop, and rum, yes, is available for purchase. Know, too, if you have children, the rum tours weren’t available. If one is 18, rum and alcohol is purchasable. The rules around alcohol seemed very laid back in all of Puerto Rico. Again, I definitely recommend speaking to locals and genuinely offer appreciation to them. They consistently do a great job!

From Ponce, we rode along the coast to Aguado and the Columbus Cross. I think I was surprised at how lackluster it was to be an historic place. Columbus discovered this point around 1493. The town itself was quaint although we really didn’t explore it much other than the coastal area and beach. It was a bit rainy that day, but it was still worth it. Aguado made for the furthest west point for us that we visited.

From there, we drove to Aricebo. I didn’t know it at the time, but this is the site for the massive telescope seen in shows and movies such as X-Files and James Bond. It collapsed at some point, so it’s not fully in tact. The drive was interesting. We did see a Chick Fil A. We also noticed panhandlers on the streets at stoplights a few times. We saw various stadiums on this long day of driving, too, from Ponce to Aquado and on to Aricebo. San Juan has its stadiums as well. The road to get to the beach in Aricebo where the caves, Cueva del Indio, were.

While I was not for exploring caves in which I know zero about, this place was absolutely representative of God’s good work. Parking can be tricky, and ultimately, we just parked alongside the narrow road. Beware because there is a ton of traffic moving at decent speeds. We made a short walk to the area, and the beaches were rocky and jagged, very sharp. Just a gorgeous, peaceful place. It can be difficult to traverse; however, if you take your time, you should be fine. You might see some oceanic wildlife that wash up on the shore, too, like sea urchins, so be careful. Atop the high points, it is just a stunning view. One of my family members spent time breaking open a coconut on the jagged beach. Be warned, for that person experienced the “benefits” of coconut milk later on. We caught the sunset there. Just a beautiful place, really. It’s hard to describe. You might see some folks chilling in one of the pools or fishing from the high points. There is an art structure visible as well.

From there, we drove back to San Juan. It was an interesting drive, too, because we watched two resourceful scooters for several miles. One was either out of gas or had some issues, and the other used his foot to “push” the one broken down. Seriously, this went on for a while. We tried to give them space and provide additional lighting for them or even a buffer from other vehicles. To be small roadways, they were very busy.

So, with the adventures on Culebra and that scenic day of driving, we saw the compass points of Puerto Rico. Truth be told, we filled up our rental twice, once during the trip and once before returning it. I’m not an island guy, but I absolutely enjoyed Puerto Rico, its people, its history, and its culture. I wear my “take me back to Puerto Rico” shirts fairly often. It was such a relaxing, beautiful time. I can’t imagine celebrating our 25th anywhere else. So while I may not be able to go there, I can wear my shirts in memory and keep that mindset from this wonderful place.

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