Visit Puerto Rico

With September in full swing, summer is about to be over and so is your opportunity to take a well-needed vacation. Fortunately for those who like it hot, the place featured in this issue of B&A newsletter rarely gets cold, so you might want to check out Puerto Rico or la isla del encanto (island of enchantment) as it is affectionately called by Puerto Ricans. This Caribbean island has relatively mild temperatures and is perfect for a family getaway, a romantic escape, or those just looking for an enjoyable vacation. The island is a hybrid of cultures including European, African, Amerindian, and more recently American. Having lived there for a year, I have had the pleasure of seeing the real Puerto Rico beyond tourist traps and packaged deals. I’ll share with you a little of both so you can have a truly memorable vacation experience

Best time to go
If the possibility of a little hurricane doesn’t scare you, I suggest you visit the island during low season between late May and early November. Prices are quite lower and you avoid the crowd. Anytime after Thanksgiving until early May will be costly as snowbirds flee to the warmth of the tropics.

Points of Interest
An obvious must is Old San Juan, the oldest city under the U.S flag. It still has an old-fashioned feel with narrow Spanish style cobble stone streets and colonial buildings. To really enjoy all the sites in Old San Juan, you will need two days and a good pair of gym shoes. In La Princesa (the princess) which houses the Puerto Rico Tourism office, you can find maps, brochures, and other helpful travel information.

The University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras is my current alma mater and the largest university in the UPR System located in San Juan. On the campus, you will find the famous clock tower “La Torre” (The Tower) named after Franklin Delano Roosevelt for his help in constructing the University. Inside the tower is a beautiful bronze circle with the coat of arms of the American nations.

Fort San Felipe del Morro-El Morro was once used to guard the San Juan bay, now a national historic site.

El Conquistador Hotel is located in Fajardo just 40 minutes from San Juan metropolitan area. Although the hotel is extremely expensive, it is worth staying at least a day to explore the beautiful town of Fajardo. Fajardo is a popular launching port to Culebra, Vieques, and the American and British Virgin Islands and offers many water recreational activities.

La Fortaleza (The Fortress) is the current official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico and first defensive fortification built for the city of San Juan.

Recreation
Café Rouge is a quite elegant spot located on Luis Munoz Rivera where you can share a glass of reasonably priced wine with friends and locals.

Plaza Las Americas – the largest mall in the Caribbean. I guarantee no matter what day of the week you go to this mall, you are sure to find an enormous crowd. You’ll find that many Puerto Ricans go to the “Plaza” just to browse and people watch.

El Castillo in Rio Piedras is a Dominican owned bar where you can get inexpensive drinks and food and enjoy dancing to meringue and bachata music. Every Friday night there is a bachata contest for cash prizes.

Vidy’s and El 8 de Blanco are two bars in the Rio Piedras area of San Juan heavily frequented by the nearby University of Puerto Rico students. You will also get the opportunity to mix and mingle with many local residents and large Dominican population.

Weather
Leave all your winter wear at home, as Puerto Rico enjoys an average temperature of 80 °F (27 °C) and the seasons do not change very drastically. You may want to bring an umbrella and a light jacket for unexpected showers.

Travel
The Metropolitan Bus Authority (AMA and Metrobus) operates in the San Juan Metropolitan area. If you plan to take the bus, make sure to give your self a reasonable amount of time to get to your destination because buses are often VERY overcrowded. Look for the stops reading Parada. Most bus lines run from 5:30am to 11:00 pm. Another option is to rent a car. Many of the major car rental companies have locations in Puerto Rico and you can reserve a car online before you get there. US citizens just need a valid driver’s license and a Spanish-English dictionary handy to read road signs, since they are all in Spanish.

Customs
If you plan to go to Puerto Rico between early December and mid-January, you will have the pleasure of experiencing a Christmas celebration like no other. The most unforgettable tradition is the Puerto Rican version of Christmas caroling called “parranda” A parranda is when a small group of friends gathers together and goes from house to house surprising sleeping neighbors and friends. Most play some sort of Puerto Rican instruments and everyone sings. Carolers arrive at the destination, quietly gather by the front door and at a signal, all start playing their instruments and singing. Parrandas usually begin after 10pm in order to surprise and wake sleepers. They are invited in and enjoy refreshments, music and dance. Afterwards, everyone including even the owners of the house, leave to go to the next house. I myself have not participated in the activity but it sounds exciting and I plan to spend Christmas there this year to see what all the fuss is about.

Puerto Ricans appear to be very family oriented. I have seen some moms and daughters hold hands while walking and families seem to spend lots of time with one another. College students either live with their parents or go home every weekend to wash clothes and bring back food. This was somewhat peculiar to me because it seems more common for American young adults to want to be independent from their parents as soon as the reach the age of eighteen.

After living in Puerto Rico for a year, I think I know why World Values Study determined that Puerto Ricans were the happiest people on Earth. On the island, some kind of holiday is observed every month of the year except for August, so expect to always have an exciting experience no matter what time of the year. Many Puerto Rican customs and traditions revolve around food, music and drinks. Whenever something calls for a celebration, it is guaranteed there will be plenty of Puerto Rican food, drinks and music. The most commonly heard music on the island is Reggaeton and Salsa. Baseball, basketball, and cockfighting, not soccer are the most popular sports on the island. FYI to those who are learning Spanish and wish to practice; Puerto Ricans are extremely fast talkers and sometimes hard to understand because they seem to omit the letter s and pronounce the letter r as an l, and the d in words ending in –ado, -ido, or –edo is often dropped.

Languages
Both Spanish and English are the official languages of Puerto Rico, but Spanish is undeniably the dominant language, as the majority of the people in Puerto Rico are not proficient in English. Puerto Ricans are taught English as a second language from kindergarten through high school, but communicating in English can be a little difficult at times. Due to Puerto Rico’s relationship with the United States, English has heavily influenced Spanish on the island. In fact, many people use certain words almost exclusively in English when speaking in Spanish. For example, most young individuals use the English term “roommate” and almost never use “compañero de cuarto”. In my experience there are many people who speak and understand English, yet are reluctant due shyness. Nevertheless, you won’t have a hard time finding someone who understands English.

Now you have enough information to ensure the most memorable vacation experience ever. I guarantee anyone that chooses this tropical island for their next vacation will not be disappointed. The only thing left to do now is pack those bags, run to the airport, and find out first hand why Puerto Rico is called the Island of Enchantment. Buen viaje!