The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

When we started planning this trip we thought Puerto Rico was basically considered a part of the USA. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a self-governing unincorporated territory located in the northeast Caribbean. Yeah, definitely south of the border!!

The idea of the trip started off with two Buddy-Passes for standby tickets on Jet Blue. We saved mucho dinero by using these passes and paid with our time! It took us 24 hours of travel, including layovers, flights with no more room, flying into a different airport than planned and renting a car to get where we needed to go.

Day 1: Flew into Aguadilla, rented a car, drove cautiously (HOLY COW!!! These people are insane! I've been to Mexico a number of times and they seem like angels compared to the driving manners of the Puerto Ricans. Lesson #1 in Puerto Rico not really being influenced by America.), went to the El Parque de las Cavernas del Rio Camuy, took a tour, drove to our condo in Condado, ate traditional Puerto Rican dinner (Mofongo y Pollo, chicken sauce stuff over mashed plantains - YUM!), went home showered and SLEPT!

Day 2: Returned the car, played at the Beautiful Isla Verde Beach, had my sun glasses stolen by the ocean - so I'm wearing Cory's golfing glasses, rode some waves, got some sun, ate some crazy pizza (The American? is what they called it. Tomato sauce, cheese, ham, bacon, green peppers, ground beef, and two fried eggs. We tried to substitute the beef for mushrooms, they left off the beef, added canned mushrooms and charged us $2.15 more! Lesson #2).

Day 3: More beach, read a book, Cory studied, played in the waves, watched Scary-Thong Lady, went home, took a long nap (You know? We had a long day at the beach.), ate at Fudd's, etc.

Day4: Rented a car, drove to Fajardo, took the ferry to Vieques (this isn't the ferry, but apparently in PR when something is considered no longer useful, you should just leave it where it is or throw it on the big pile of garbage next to your house!

Lesson #3), saw a dolphin, went on a Bio Bay Tour (I cannot even adequately describe or express how amazing this place was. It's a natural wonder of the world. These little dinoflagellates live in the bay and . . . they glow. They don't glow, but it's a long description with words I don't remember. It was unreal! The pictures from the website don't even do it justice. It was like Tinkerbell dust, truly! The bathroom at the tour place was awesome!), stayed at Bananas Guesthouse and ate there.

Day 5: Rain, chased this lizard around,had some crazy old man walk past me and say, "Callate Bruja!" In other words, "Shut up Witch!" I wasn't even talking. Lesson #4.), walked around El Fuerte Conde De Mirasol,took the very choppy ferry ride back to Fajardo, drove back to condo, went to the Pinones (WOW! Traditional PR food made in these little shacks on the side of the road. We had Ensalada de Carrucho - it's raw conch with onions in a briny liquid, served with plantain chips. I liked it, Cory wasn't a huge fan. He also had a fried thing shaped like a banana, but it was like a seafood corn dog!), walked around Pinones Beach and watched the wicked waves, and got a Coco Frio.

Day 6: Went to San Juan Viejo (Old San Juan) on a autobus, took in the historical sights, melted, walked around the whole city (Twice, I think!), went to Castillo San Felipe del Morro (way cool and super old, started in the 1540's completed in 1787, tons of barracks, secret passageways, and lookouts to explore. This was the Triangular Staircase.), saw the Cementerio Santa Maria Magdelena de Pazzis (All the old influential people of PR are buried here, wish our cemeteries looked this cool! My face is the perfect description of how hot I felt.), walked through the Castillo De San Cristobal, ate in a hole in the wall called Restaurante El Jibarito (Great Comida Criollo, Cory had mofongo and ribs, I had a pork tamale and fried sweet plantains - it was really good.), took the bus home (I casually mention the bus, but it was not casual at all. We're lucky to be alive! Lesson #5.)

Day 7: Flew home!

Overall, the trip was fantastic! We got some much needed, Cory and Rachel quality-time, remembered how adventurous we are when our kids aren't around, and most of all, HAD FUN!

After returning home and trying to get back in the routine, I realize how much a love traveling! I love looking forward to trips, and the memories from them. The girls did great, aside from Tessa being sick, and we missed them so much. Thanks to my parents and Cory's grandparents for watching the girls and Amie for the tickets!

THE END

I wanted this for my souvenier.