Puerto Rico: Travel blog

Author: Manasi Gandhi

Photo Credit: Sameer Mishra

About me (author- Manasi Gandhi): Manasi is an MBA in Finance from Willamette University, Oregon and has work experience with companies like Intel and General Mills as a Financial Analyst. She is passionate about writing blogs and poetries and is currently pursuing writing as a full-time hobby.

Puerto Rico is a hidden treasure. Let me unravel a few bits and pieces of this trip that amazed me the most. The island is a big entity in itself. Although it looks like a small piece of land as compared to the giant mass of land occupied by the USA, when it comes to the area, this island is big enough to take you a minimum of 8 hours to get from one end to another. Thanks to the highest number of signals and rash driving in some parts, driving might not be your biggest joy here. However, the place is marvelous and untouched which makes it worth visiting. Its impeccable placement on the world map gives it a pleasant weather throughout the year. While rest of the world is cold in winters, you will still enjoy the sunshine in Puerto Rico! The tropical goddess has blessed the island enough to bestow an unmatchable climate in every season. The history of Puerto Rico is rich and this island which was a country in itself was taken over by the United States in the late 1800's. Though a part of United States, this island still has its own flag and the locals call themselves Puerto Ricans instead of Americans.

El Yunque was on our top list of places to see in Puerto Rico. It is the only tropical rainforest in the United States and probably provides the safest trekking experience. In this vast expanse of dense jungle, we sure expected some wild animals. To our astonishment, this place boasts about not having any wild animals which threaten human existence. Not even a garden snake which for sure would be common given the density and weather conditions of this forest. We started with the big tree trail which is the most regarded trail given that it leads to Mina waterfall. The moment we stepped on to the trail we were greeted by a unique fragrance which might be very difficult to describe in words. The closest description would be a combination of French vanilla and the rain which floated around us throughout the trail. The weather in the forest changes in the fraction of a second. For a moment, we saw the bright sunshine glistening through the barks of the trees and within seconds we could feel droplets of water bang against our heads. The trails are narrow and tiptoeing our way into the dense jungle was a mesmerizing experience. If you close your eyes for a moment, you can hear the raindrops fall in a tantalizing rhythm forming a synchronous melody with the occasional chirping of birds. This forest is a feast of eyes for any nature lover.

San Juan streets at La Fortaleza have delicately painted houses which are a visual treat. The meandering streets of varying elevation are made with engraved stone to stunningly suit the surrounding colorful houses. You will get a bird's eye view of San Juan city and the sea from the La Fortaleza fort. We were lucky to see few kites flying along the fort which gave a perfect landscape for avid photography. Puerto Rico has a couple of surrounding islands which have amazing beaches and are known for water adventures. We visited Flamenco beach on Culebra island which is about 1.5 hours from Fajardo port at Puerto Rico by a cruise. Flamenco is one of the most stunning beaches and falls in th

e top beaches in the world. Sparkling clear blue water and tropical mocktails form a perfect combination. You could idle away the entire day just looking at the vast expanse of blue water under beach umbrellas or get into the water to float with the gentle waves. Puerto Rico is a blessing for any travel addict and highly recommended. Wear your travel boots and take a mystic ride into this Caribbean island!

Pictures:

Picture: La Fortaleza Street