Puerto Rico will heal
By November 2014, my nose and backside were almost perpetual Popsicles. Yet, I raided the summer clothes clearance racks anticipating a twoweek reprieve. We were on our way to Puerto Rico!
The island lies in the northern section of the Caribbean. Before the recent hurricanes, the mountainous island was robed in palms, flowers, dense jungle and scenic shores. The name means “rich port” after the sheltered harbor that welcomed traders. The port itself has been guarded by an ancient fort, Castillo San Felipe del Morro, since the 16th century.
The old fort is now a world heritage site. We hiked all over the fortress from the pill box lookouts to the dungeons and barracks. It was used actively during World War II to defend against German submarines but became a museum in the U.S. National Park Service in 1961.
Storm damage, economy
Since hurricanes Irma and Maria hit Puerto Rico in quick succession, it will be awhile before they’re ready for tourists again. There is no electricity up and running anywhere on the island, and entire villages have been flattened.
Though ballots have suggested that Puerto Ricans want to become a U.S. state, the financial problems before the storms likely will continue to prevent that. Unemployment was already over 50 percent for able-bodied men and public assistance is more the norm rather than the exception. Household income is lower by half than the poorest state in the nation. Earlier this year, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico entered a bankruptcylike financial legal status, then owing over $72 billion.
So though the storms have turned everything upside down on the island territory, the resulting rebuilding could see better employment and wiser governing as the island starts over. Before the storms, they had less than half the tourism income than any of the 50 states. Many waterfront properties seemed very rundown or haphazardly built.
Leisure activities
Yet the island is a tropical paradise! The condo we rented like an Airbnb was comfortable and clean and reasonably priced. The airport in the capital city of San Juan is modern and easy to navigate. The cobbled streets of Old San Juan are lined with quaint eateries and touristy offerings.
One evening, we took a kayak tour to a bioluminescent bay. We paddled over a smooth bay with a marina and into a mangrove forest. As the sun descended over the western edge, the channel grew dark. We switched on a red light on the back of each kayak so that we stayed in a chain behind our guide.
It was fully dark by the time we got to the bioluminescent bay. Tiny organisms live in the seawater that light up whenthey're agitated. They’re too tiny to see individually, but as the paddles pass through the water, their path alights like the Milky Way. Fish cannot hide as their gentle movement stirs the living water. Splashing Jeff’s sisters and their husbands was just too fun to resist when the shower sparkled and glowed.
Another day, we hiked to a jungle waterfall in the El Yunque National Forest. It is the only tropical rain forest in the USA. The waterfall provided a thorough drubbing on our heads, but the cold water felt delicious in the hot November morning. We swung on vines like Tarzan on our way up the trail and proceeded to a lookout tower with terrific jungle and coastal views.
Cuisine
Along the highways there are stretches of open-air food stands, most selling mofongo, the quintessential Puerto Rican food. It’s fried mashed green plantains mixed with onions and meat and other savory flavorings. There were more deep fried traditional offerings than a county fair. The food generally is similar to Cajun with lots of tomatoes, onions, peppers and beans. Traditional meats are pork, chicken and seafood.
Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so its natives are U.S. citizens. The difference is that they pay no federal income taxes and do not vote in national elections. Citizens can travel freely between Puerto Rico and any part of theU.S. without a passport.
The Puerto Rican landscape has been damaged. But nature will find a way and the island will heal. Its nickname, “The Enchanted Island” will apply again and she will once again be clothed in flowering jungles. Hopefully the Rich Port will be better than ever.
Only in America. God bless it.