Puerto Rico

July 7-17, 2022

By Hector Gonzalez

September 7^th, 2022

It was my first time back in Puerto Rico since 1989. I had no idea to expect. Even in my best case scenario, though, I didn't think it would be as wonderful as it was.

We started in San Juan, where we rented a house near the old castles.

Flying kites is a requirement. I think ours was defective, though. It was the only one that didn't want to stay in the air.

And we walked around the old city. Some of us liked posing.

We went to a restaurant where everything has chocolate in it, including my old-fashioned.

We drove all the way to the western end of the island. If you look on the horizon here you can see Isla Mona. I didn't take many pictures, though, as we were mostly on the beach and sand plays hell with cameras.

We did stop by Mayaguez, which was lovely. And a nice water park, though again I didn't take pictures 'cause water.

We stopped at the Taino cultural center in the mountains, where we saw some cool ancient stuff. If I ever get a tattoo, it will be of that bird.

The southern city of Ponce had an amazing heyday in the late 19th and early 20th century, but today it is quite sad. Beautiful, though, and ready to be revived.

We ended our trip near my old stomping grounds in Luquillo. Beach, rainforest, fresh seafood. We offered the kids ten dollars if they could climb that tower.