Flamenco Beach, Culebra

Leave a comment February 25, 2015 This is Life in Color

Flamenco Beach is rated second best in the world by Discover Channel and is by far the most popular beach on Culebra Island. Tripadvisor rates it at a well-deserved 5 stars!

We drove approx. one hour from San Juan to the Fajardo Ferry Terminal early in the morning. The key to purchase ferry tickets before they are sold out is to arrive at least 2 hours before the first departure time of 9:00 am. The ferry ticket cost is $2.25 each way and you must choose your return option at the same time of purchase. The ferry from Fajardo to Culebra Island takes approx. 1-1.5 hours. It can be a choppy ride, depending on the weather conditions. Upon arrival, taxis are on port and for as low as $3 per person they will take you directly to Flamenco beach.

For the first time, we experienced a true replica of a magazine beach cover photo! White sand, transparent water and the exclusive setting make this beach absolutely incredible! Play the video below to see for yourself! Also, click here to visit the gallery and see more photos.

Guano

Leave a comment February 24, 2015 This is Life in Color

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk through a cave in the middle of nowhere? Well, let me clarify. A pitch-black setting filled with bats, cockroaches (3x bigger than normal ones), spiders, and one or two snakes? Needless to say, this wasn’t really one of my lifelong dreams. In fact, I am frightened of any and all living insects/animals in such spaces. My anxiety and fear, related to things of this nature, is quite overwhelming. Most people laugh when I’m scared, or ignore me, without realizing how sincerely difficult it is for me to cope. Quitting has crossed my mind more than once already while in the Caribbean from merely mosquitos, but I refuse and choose to accept the challenge. So, ready or not, sweaty palms, heart racing, head down…I walked through the cave.

In Puerto Rico, there are a few caves and caverns that are highly recommended by locals and are rated quite high on things to do during your stay. You can easily plan a day trip and visit every one of these locations if time permits. My husband and I had a late start and decided to visit only one: the Window Cave (Cueva Ventana). This particular cave is located in Arecibo, Puerto Rico and is approximately one hour from San Juan. The (somewhat hidden) entrance is located directly off the PR10 freeway and next to the Puma gas station. The parking lot is located on top of a small hill on the left. The entrance fee for the Window Cave is $10 per person/plus tax and includes parking and gear (helmet and handheld flashlight).

The 20-minute hike up to the cave is easy. There are a few steps along the way and informative boards that provide neat facts about the surroundings and wildlife. Getting into the cave however was a bit challenging for rookies like us. There are a few downward steps on uneven ground/rock with only a rope and vines that assist and lead to the pitch-black entrance.

From a distance and in the dark, we heard a voice that was telling us to head down carefully. Luckily, we didn’t fall on the way down. The creepy voice happened to be the tour guide that walks you through the cave and explains everything you are hearing, smelling, seeing, etc. I remember thinking: is this necessary? Can’t we just run across this thing and see the window already? After all, there were only four of us that day. The truth is, the cave tour was interesting and this guy knew so much about everything. The problem: He made us stop about three times along the way to provide insight and reminded us not to point our flashlights toward the bats above our heads. How does anyone pay attention to this guy? As he was talking I could hear bats flying above our heads. It was awful! You could see and smell Guano (bat droppings) everywhere. The minute I focused on the wings flapping above my head and saw a critter cross my path, I held on to Enoc so tight and begged him to get me out of there. He said we were almost there and asked me to relax, as if that were remotely possible.

In the end, this was so much more than a rewarding view and I am happy we did it. Cueva Ventana was stunning and provided a neat experience. The cave itself is less than a 5-minute walk before the window (light), but it seemed like a long and dreadful hour to me. My suggestion to the tour guide was to save the lecture for the end and perhaps invest in a zip lining business that would allow visitors to strap on and head to the bottom instead of walking back through the forsaken cave. Joke of course, but I would consider it.

We hope you enjoy the video below and don’t forget to visit the gallery to see more photos.

Vamos a Guavate

Leave a comment February 24, 2015 This is Life in Color

It was a beautiful day in the island in spite of the rain. From what we’ve experienced, rain does not stop the party here. Our friends and tour guides, Jossie & Juan, would tell us that we should not leave Puerto Rico without visiting the Lechoneras in Guavate and Sunday evening turned out to be our lucky day. It was about an hour drive through the city and into what looked like the rain forrest with hills on a curvy and narrow road. Early on, you start noticing kiosk after kiosk on both sides of the road claiming to serve the best Lechon (Roasted Whole Pig) in town. The scene was beautiful and the Anthony Bourdain in us was awakened. Each Kiosk had their Lechon on display along with all the side dishes like the puerto rican classic Rice with Pigeon Peas and the delicious Yuca. Yuca is a potato like root that is cooked in oil with onions, garlic, and who really cares what else…haha. It’s just that good! Juan decided to stop at the Lechonera “El Rancho”. This place was not just a place to eat. There was loud live music, a dance floor, people enjoying drinks, others placing bets on mechanical mini horse races, and if all that was not enough the sitting area was alongside a gorgeous river with the soothing sound of water crashing into the boulders of rocks. Jossie was right! Guavate is a must-see when in PR.

A Day in the Forest – El Yunque

8 Comments February 13, 2015 This is Life in Color

If you ever visit Puerto Rico and do not make a stop at El Yunque, you are definitely missing out! This Forest is without a doubt one of the highlights in Puerto Rico and is located northeast of the island near Luquillo. In fact, it’s considered a main attraction for the United States too. El Yunque is the only national tropical rain forest in the United States and has many visitors throughout the year. For those of you that are interested, the forest is open daily from 7:30 to 6:00 pm and it is FREE (so long as you don’t stop at the visitor center, otherwise it’s about $3)! This spot makes for a perfect family day trip when visiting the island. Click on this link for more information.

The Forest consists of many hiking trails and depending on how adventurous you’re feeling, you have a few options. The trails seem to be simple to moderate, but we were only there for one day and can’t really speak for every trail in the forest. You should know however, that we heard something interesting from our brilliant tour guide (you know who you are). Apparently, there have been many cases where people are lost in the forest and at times never found. Hence, the early closing time. This is just a little something to be mindful about.

We took a day trip to El Yunque and made a total of three stops along the way. Sidenote: There is a map on this post mostly because I am more of a visual person and so, thought some of you may appreciate it. Our first stop was La Coca Falls. There is plenty of parking available and makes for a great picture opportunity. This is a beautiful setting and is an easy stop since it’s just past the visitor center. It must have been a good day because we were told it normally gets really crowded. I started climbing upward, through the rocks and closer to the waterfall for the pictures of course. After all, everyone was doing it. Got a video, couple selfies and we were off to the next stop.

Our second stop was the Yokahu Obervation Tower. The top of the tower offers spectacular views of the forest. You have to make the small sacrifice of going up the stairs to reach the top, but the view is definitely worth it. We were lucky enough to be there on a clear day and could see the Luquillo coast, Fajardo, Culebra Island and Vieques Island from the tower. Such a peaceful place and yet, can be stressful when crowds begin to get in the way of your selfies. Nevertheless, you can’t help but feel inspired when you see something as serene as this. After some great photos, we were back on the main road.

There is really only one main road in the forest, so going on a hike or two while you are there maximizes your time to take in the beautiful plant life you are surrounded with. We decided to make our last stop at La Mina Trail and do a 35-45 minute hike down to La Mina Falls. The nice thing about this hike is that you are rewarded at the end with a lovely waterfall and can go for a swim if you’re up for it. The hike down is partially paved and trails along the river stream that leads to the waterfall. If you listen carefully, you can hear many unique sounds throughout the forest: different bird species chirping, lizards crawling, water flowing, faint raindrops, and the coquí (“ko-kee”). The coquí is a tiny tree frog with a loud, high pitch sound that can be heard from far away. This is considered the Puerto Rican mascot. I didn’t get a picture of coquíes in the forest, but we hear them at the house everyday from the patio. Click play on the audio clip below to hear the unique sound of the coquí.

Once we reached the bottom, we were quite relieved that it wasn’t overcrowded. We were prepared with swimsuits, set camp on a rock (as most do) and enjoyed the transparent and ridiculously cold water. It was literally taking my breath away, but it was worth every second. The way back up was much harder than the way down (especially after a swim). The trail is not even a full mile, but there are steps and areas with steep terrain, which you overlook on the way down because you are so impressed with all the other stuff.

After we left the forest, we ended our day at Luquillo beach and enjoyed some delicious food at the Luquillo kiosks. It doesn’t look like much, but this strip of food stands is a MUST stop for an authentic taste of Puerto Rico. Hiking, Waterfalls, Beach and Food Stands…what more can you ask for?

Check out the video below and don’t forget to visit our Puerto Rico gallery to see more pictures.

Video: Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Video 4 Comments February 13, 2015 This is Life in Color

Los Tomateros de Culiacán

3 Comments February 10, 2015 This is Life in Color

Turns out we arrived in Puerto Rico during “La Serie Del Caribe”. La Serie Del Caribe unites the best teams in the Caribbean for an annual baseball competition, similar to the World Series in the States. We were lucky enough to attend a game with Jossie. And it wasn’t just any game. The game was Mexico vs. Dominican Republic and I must say, Mexico played better than we anticipated. Despite the fact that there were not many people in attendance that evening, as opposed to the Puerto Rico vs. Dominican Republic game, the energy was high and made for a great experience as we were there to support Mexico.

Unfortunately, Mexico lost it in the bottom of the ninth-inning and Dominican Republic advanced to the Semi-Finals. One this is for certain, we were quite outnumbered that night. Check out this short video clip that took place during the ninth-inning:

For the record: Mexico played Dominican Republic once more in the semi-finals and won the game, which allowed them to advance to the Final against Cuba.

Puerto Rico: First Impressions

11 Comments February 10, 2015 This is Life in Color

Puerto Rico is treating us well! We have been embracing the local lifestyle at our Airbnb (recommended). Side note: Airbnb gives you an opportunity to stay with a local host in your desired country and rent anything from a sofa to a private room, or an entire house. The options are endless; it really just depends on your budget. Our host, Jossie, happens to be the best in Puerto Rico (I may be a little bias since we are quickly becoming BFF). Jossie, along with her husband, are a beautiful couple and after nearly one week with them, we feel like we’ve known them for years. It’s nice when you feel so comfortable in someone else’s home.

Now, before I go on about our adventures this past week, I should clarify something…Puerto Rico is part of the United States! Big surprise, I know. We have run into many tourists who feel a sense of entitlement when they are visiting and also, speak to people as if they are in a foreign country. In fact, it’s common for visitors to ask where the nearest currency exchange office is located. Do your research before you go on vacation please! Although to be fair, it can be a bit confusing due to the political, economic and social compromise. In fact, Puerto Rico is not considered a State, but rather a commonwealth. This simply means that PR has local independence and can display their local flag publicly. Nevertheless, Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. (I apologize for the lecture).

On the day of our arrival, we were so excited to feel the warm 85-degree Caribbean weather. After Jossie picked us up from the airport and we settled in at her house in the San Juan area, the heat became progressively worse. It really wasn’t bad, but we San Diegans tend to be a bit sensitive J. Luckily there was a Wal-Mart with Air Conditioning nearby, so we picked up some snacks and water before resting up to tour the city.

In the past few days, we have explored quite a bit and met some wonderful people along the way. We didn’t have a rental car at the time, so we spent the first couple days walking everywhere! We saw many familiar spots (Starbucks of course) and enjoyed new sites such as, the theater of Bellas Artes and the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. We took breaks along the gorgeous beaches of Condado and Isla Verde during our walks and enjoyed the view. God’s creation is so beautiful! I can’t help but feel a sense of peace and gratitude every time I am near the ocean.

The National Historic Site of El Morro

Public transportation, or the “guagua” as locals call it, has not been an issue for us. We have been to the old San Juan area a
couple times now and have enjoyed sightseeing and trying great food. For those of you that don’t know, we are quite passionate about food and this blog will certainly illustrate that J. Old San Juan reminds us a bit of Verona and Venice in Italy. The vibrant colorful shops and the cobblestone roads give this area such character. Some of our highlights in this area: The National Historic Site of El Morro (breathtaking), La Catedral de San Juan el Bautista, Café Puerto Rico, and Pirilo.

Finally, I am not one to dwell on the negative. However, I realize this is all part of the experience and so, I must mention it for documentation sake. Three things have caused me to feel conflicted. The first, and most challenging for me, being away from the family. Yes, I have been on vacations that have lasted much longer than this, but it’s not the same. There is no return ticket waiting to be printed in my inbox. It’s a little different and requires adjusting. The second, mosquitos! Why is it that mosquitos follow me everywhere I go? Enoc is bitten and nothing happens. I am bitten and they swell up like cherries and are hot to the touch. Let it be known that I am facing one of my fears with this particular one. We are told that any repellent with deet does the trick, so I am testing the theory. Lastly, no toilet seat covers over here. Enough said.

Scroll down to see all the delicious local food we’ve tried. Also, don’t forget to visit the gallery where you can view photos and videos.

Mofongo: A fried plantain-based signature dish from Puerto Rico. The mofongo can be filled with your choice of meat or seafood. The one in the photo above is a chicken mofongo from our new favorite spot Cafe Puerto Rico in Old San Juan. This is a must try when you are in town.

Fried Squash filled Ravioli topped with goat cheese and pesto from a local rustic pizzeria that was highly recommended in Old San Juan named Pirilo.

Pirilo Pizza Rustica in Old San Juan. On Yelp and Tripadvisor, this place has 4.5 starts and we certainly approve. The photo above shows a half greek and half Margherita pizza. Tip: the small is enough for two with four large slices.

We were honored to try a home cooked dinner and signature Dominican Republic dish by Juan’s (Jossie’s husband) mother.

Sancocho (also known as a “cocido” to many of us): A hearty meat and vegetable stew.

This dish was delicious!

“Just Go”

8 Comments February 5, 2015 This is Life in Color

Photo taken upon arrival in PR

The expectation was simple. You grow up, get a job, get married, buy a house and have kids. In our culture, as it relates to many others, this is considered the “perfect” life. To many, this may very well be and that is respected. According to the majority, my husband and I were on the “right” track given the purchase of our first house and the time invested in our professional careers. You can imagine the surprise when we first made the announcement about selling our house, leaving our jobs and traveling the world. Who are we kidding? It sounds ridiculous. Incredibly awesome, but ridiculous nevertheless.

Now, we would be lying if we said this decision happened overnight and we were planning delightfully until the date we took off. Quite the opposite, in fact. It was much harder than we ever anticipated it would be. Some days, we questioned the whole idea and prayed we would wake up without such a desire. I remember crying myself to sleep thinking I was crazy for wanting to do something like this. We loved our house, our jobs and the wonderful people we worked with. Saying goodbye to family and close friends was nearly intolerable. In the end, my husband said it best. “We believe God honors the desires of our hearts, so we have to trust that he gave us this desire in the first place.” Through it all, we saw this as an opportunity of a lifetime and we decided to do whatever necessary to make it happen.

For me, the desire to do something like this started a few years ago during my graduate program. I still remember the first time a professor, whom I highly respect, told me it was critical to see the world in order to gain wisdom. I thought the idea seemed unreachable and completely unrealistic. I began to mention the barriers as to why this would not work. My job, my fiancé’s job (at the time), my education, my family and the list went on and on. In an arrogant and rather poised tone, he said, “Just go. Stop making excuses. All of that will still be there when you return.” The idea still seemed illogical but yet appealing. After all, he had done something like this at one point and was now a worldwide respected professor who taught me more than any other teacher ever did. So, I began to contemplate it.

Are you familiar with a yearning desire to do something so bad, that you wish it would go away because it takes more energy from your mind and soul to continuously dwell on it? I certainly am. Through it all, I believe God put that professor in my life to plant a seed. A seed that has been growing and molding me for the past few years. The fact that my husband shares the same desires and wants to pursue the same dreams is not a coincidence. It’s perfect (there goes that perfect word again). God’s timing is perfect and I know he has something special planned during our travels. I don’t know if it will be for me, for my husband, for us, or for someone else, but I am looking forward to it and plan on enjoying it and living this journey to the fullest.

Despite the status quo, the truth is, you don’t have to be perfect. You simply have to be brave enough to live a whole-hearted life and fulfill your dreams. Being perfect means finding beauty in every color of life. Hence, our blog name. I hope you are inspired through our journey and follow us along the way.