787 PUERTO RICO

     "HIDE AND SEEK" is the most exiting game you can play in Culebra Island and discovering all the beaches with your family is such a thrilling adventure. With around 10 beaches, 8 lagoons, and 24 cays, among other attractions, Culebra is undoubtedly one of the most colorful town of Puerto Rico. Our mission in Culebra was to visit as many beaches as possible in only three days. Of course we did not discover all of them, but the moment we discovered one, we wanted to stay there all day because every one of them has something special.          There are several ways to travel to the island of Culebra and we choose the Cargo Ferry which leaves dock at 2am. That was a big mistake! The only benefit was that now I can at least visualize what the Spanish conquistadors experienced in their travels across the Atlantic Ocean. But the moment you step on the island of Culebra you forget about everything bad... sort of like the experience of giving birth.                  

        Piedra Escrita               Every time I think of Jayuya, I feel like it was the place where I let go of my sadness, my fears, and failures. The moment I opened the balcony door of that modest guest house in Jayuya, I threw away my tears in the river. I saw, in the currents, a sack I was carrying full of emotions that were inhibiting me from the free life I was longing for. I knew that if I continued to look back, I would keep making the same mistakes and I would never get out of this crossroad in my life.               It was my first trip away as a single mother. I was tense and, to be honest, I thought that I was not able to achieve a trip alone with the girls. Like any other trip, I started out all excited and showing off my freedom. I wanted to demonstrate that I was not that super mom that has everything in control.  But that morning while I was driving up the mountain, taking curves and driving up steep descents for hours, I reached the moment where m

At first sight to me Puerto Rico looks stressful and confusing. We come with this idea of paradise, of relaxing beaches and landscapes that submerge us into an ideal eternal heaven. But sometimes we wake up, and must face heavy traffic, hot weather, narrow roads and intermittent rains that can end with your patience. So, when you become the host of the exotic family holidays, these tasks can be exhausting if you do not know the dynamics of the country. You must learn to pack less and be more spontaneous. Take advantage of the morning to visit beaches and outdoor activities. Go shopping when everyone is working. Go into the rural zone in the evenings and spend the night watching the stars swinging over a hammock. You learn that if you are looking for a relaxing vacation away from the crowds, the perfect months are the off season. But if what you want are exciting activities full of adrenaline, then the high season, offers a wider variety of events and act

It has been eight years since my brother visited the island and twelve years since we have been able to share time together. We finally had a family reunion, and this might have been the last we will be able to share with our grandmother. She has terminal cancer, and even though the doctors have warned us for years that her time is near, she surprises us by keeping a positive attitude year after year.      She always says: “One more time, please! I want to celebrate my birthday one more time!”. So, for the past ten years we have fulfilled her desire to go all out on her birthday with themes such as: Spring Party, Tea Party, Garden Party, Pink & Gold Party, bringing in Mariachis, and of course Trios (traditional romantic old fashion music). We will continue to celebrate her birthday for as long as we have her, for it has given us the perfect excuse to stay together and celebrate together.                Hacienda Don Jando in the town of Quebradilla was the best pl

        When I left the island of Puerto Rico I had no plans of returning back. There was too much I wanted to forget and too much I wanted to experience. I knew there was a stony road ahead filled with uncertainty and challenges, but I also knew there were pleasant memories to collect and surprising experiences I had hungered for all my life. It was ultimately the road that would forge my character and ignited the passion to live fully every single day.         It is said that when we travel and live aboard we come  to the realization that "there's no place like home". But that was not my case! I was fascinated with my life and new experiences. As an anthropology graduate, discovering new cultures is my passion. I was energized from noticing how that which we deem exotic is not so different from the norm.  There's always a connection that unifies us across borders, and finding that "click" that connects us as groups or individuals fascinates me to my c