Puerto Rico - There's a Shrimp In My Pants!

The highlight of the trip had to have been kayaking through a mangrove swamp to see the bioluminescent Laguna Grande. Our guide, Nestor, warned us that shrimp would jump into our boat as we navigated through the swamp, but he had one jump into his pants! No kidding! That gave us something to laugh about, but the glowing plankton-like creatures (they give off light when the water is disturbed) gave us something to be in awe over. It was just a once-in-a-lifetime experience, as these bioluminescent waters are rare around the world. We even had a shooting star to top off the excursion.

Another highlight was definitely our tour to El Yunque (pronounced "junk-ay") rainforest. I had never been in an environment like it, and it left me breathless. I thought I was living in the Jurassic Park book. The palm fronds were bigger than my best friend and me combined!

To be honest, the best thing about the trip was having a birthday in the middle of January, with my best friend to help me celebrate, but still being able to wear SHORTS!

Quick Tips:

Something I didn’t know is that cab fares in Puerto Rico are set by region. The ride from the airport to the Wyndham Condado hotel was , from the hotel to Old San Juan .

Booking a tour through the hotel concierge cost a little more than booking it through the tour companies directly. But now I'm saving you some money! We had the best tour to the El Yunque rainforest with Puerto Rico Tropical Tours, and you can reach them at 787-649-8057. It'll save -10.

What's the weather like in Puerto Rico in January? We traveled January 17-20 and it was warm, probably 80 degrees or more each day. The first two days, it was more cloudy than sunny (but it's not supposed to be all that sunny in a rainforest). The last two days were really sunny and warm in the morning and then partly cloudy in the afternoon. The weather moves from east to west, rather than west to east like in the U.S. I found "partly cloudy" to be accurate. But it would be cloudy on one section of the beach and completely sunny halfway down the beach ahead of you

Best Way To Get Around:

With all the construction going on in the Condado area and all the traffic, I wouldn't recommend walking, though it could be done. The easiest way to get around in the city would be to take a taxi (see quick tips above).

I also don't recommend renting a car and driving to see sights that are a bit further afield. The traffic is pretty bad and pedestrians don't seem to care that there are cars coming when they cross the road. Take an organized tour. By the time you rent a car, get the insurance, get the gas, pay the entrance fees, etc., you've spend more than the tour would cost. PLUS, with the tour, you get a guide to answer questions, give you interesting info, etc.

If you want to stay in any of the Wyndham resorts on the island, I recommend signing up for Wyndham’s free Wyndham By Request program. The reason for this is that it makes check-in easier. You present only your membership card and ID at check-in, and your key is ready for you. No taking prints of your credit card number, no waiting for all the information to be taken down. You’re in, you’re out, bada-bing! Other perks include free upgrades (we were upgraded from city view to ocean view – a $60 difference), customized rooms (you enter your preferences when you join: we had M&Ms awaiting us), etc.

My second suggestion is this: I searched both the discount hotel websites and Wyndham’s site for room pricing. As it turns out Wyndham’s site was more expensive. However, when I called, I mentioned the rate that I found on Expedia.com (which charges a fee for its service). Wyndham matched the rate and I didn’t have to pay the Expedia fee, so I basically saved about $50 on the reservation.

Now for the hotel information: The rooms at the Wyndham Condado look like every other hotel room I’ve ever stayed in, just with brightly colored art and bedspreads. Not that that’s bad, but it’s just nothing special. However, the service was top notch. My room upgrade was requested and handled lickity-split, extra towels delivered pronto, etc. And everyone was really friendly.

The pool area was very well kept and you could walk right onto Condado Beach, though I thought the beach area was a bit on the small side – there was 50 yards of beach, tops. But, the beach area was protected by some rock formations, so it was conducive to swimming. There were three pools – one was a saltwater pool – and a HUGE jacuzzi. The one drawback is that each day you had to get a different-colored wristband and wear it at all times at the pool – or risk scolding by the wristband police. Who wants a wristband tan? Pool-side drink and food service were available - though a bit pricey.

The room itself was nice. The beds (2 queen) were pretty comfy. I was impressed by the firm pillows! There was a hairdryer provided in the room, and the towels were beach towel sized. There was also a closet big enough to sleep in, with two luggage stands, ironing board, clothes bags, etc. The luggage stands came in handy and saved our backs from all the bending.

The hotel also had a casino on the mezzanine level and my friend won $60 on nickel slots (the Chinese Fortune Cookie game). They had lots of slots and a few gaming tables in the center. And a smoke-free slot area!

I’d say my stay at the Wyndham Condado was a pleasant one. I’d rate it about a 7 or 8 overall. It’s definitely a good choice for the deal we got.

I have this tradition of a steak dinner for my birthday, so we did some investigating and decided that we’d go to Morton’s in the Carribe Hilton just down Condado Beach from our hotel.

The funny thing is that I’d never even been to a Morton’s in the States, so it was an entirely Puerto Rican experience for me. We didn’t have a reservation, but they treated us well just the same, seating us quickly and making us feel at home.

The waiter took our drink orders (water) and brought us this huge loaf of onion bread and butter. It was very yummy, but a bit unwieldy. It wouldn’t cut very well and who wants to rip into it with their hands at this fairly swanky establishment.

We took a look at the menu – I knew right away that I’d be getting the filet mignon. But we let the waiter sound off with the specials and so forth. He rolled a big cart over to show us all the different things we could order. The New York strip, the pork chops, the filet and – oh yes – the lobster. This is when I noticed that this huge lobster on the silver platter was moving! Scared the bejeebers out of me! We all got a big kick out of the surprise, but I mostly felt bad for the lobster. His claws were all bound in blue rubber bands, but I took solace in thinking that he was just the display lobster. The next time the cart rolled by, however, there was a lobster with different colored bands on his claws. Thank goodness I’m allergic to shellfish.

As for the meal, it was quite good. As I mentioned, I got the filet mignon and it was cooked just right (well done, please, not burnt). I got a side of mashed potatoes, which were very creamy and delicious as well. My (traitor) friend had the lobster bisque, which she enjoyed, and also the filet. Hers was a bit underdone, but mostly good. We shared the birthday dessert of chocolate soufflé, which was served with a big dollop of whipped cream. Quite sinful, but the good kind of sinful.

The price wasn’t nice, though -- our bill was $100 for two of us. But we knew that going in, and hey, it was a birthday dinner. I feel if you’re going to pay that much, the food has to earn it. And I’d say Morton’s succeeded. The service was a 10, the food a 9, and the atmosphere an 8, only because I wanted to free the lobster the entire night.

Using the concierge desk at our hotel, we purchased a trip through Puerto Rico Tropical Tours to spend half day at El Yunque (pronounced "junk-ay") Rain Forest. The cost was $66, and included transportation and all entry fees. Note for reference: You could purchase the trip directly through P.R. Tours and save yourself $5-6 (they’ll still pick you up at your hotel). Their phone number is 787-649-8057.

Our tour guide, David, was extremely personable, and knew a lot about the rainforest and the island in general. You have to pass through Las Vegas and Barcelona to get there! (The two small towns at the foot of the rainforest.)

Even as we drove through the entrance, we were immersed in Rainforest 101. David educated us on the plants and animals of the rainforest – both native and not native. The most popular inhabitants of the rainforest are the Puerto Rican parrot and the Coqui frog. We were informed that the Coqui frog was named for it’s mating call (ko-kee, ko-kee) and sings mostly after it rains. David told us that if we saw the parrot, he’d give us all some money and we’d play it at the casinos because it would be our lucky day – they’re endangered. There are about 300 of them and the rangers use an aviary on top of the rain forest mountain to help bring their numbers back up. We saw neither the Coqui frog nor the parrot – as a matter of fact, we didn’t see any wildlife except for a tiny two-inch lizard that was very camera-shy.

Our first stop was at La Coca Falls. While not the biggest falls in the rainforest, it’s the easiest to get to (right off the road) and is still quite photogenic. We sampled some rainwater pouring out next to the falls – yes, it was drinkable and quite cold.

Next was the Yokahu Tower, a little further up the mountain. Climb to the top for some spectacular views. (This is a good spot for a bathroom break as well -- the bathrooms were very clean.)

We piled back in the van and went up in elevation a little more (now the temperature was about 75 vs. the 85 at the bottom) to hike on the rainforest’s easiest trail. It was a 20-minute hike, mostly level except near the end where it was downhill. It was a pretty easy trail. That’s where we passed the home of the Chupacabra. He’s quite the infamous creature, very rarely seen. He’s the goat-killer – using two puncture wounds to the neck to drain their blood. I’m kind of glad we didn’t run into him.

On the way down the mountain, we stopped at a little food stand and enjoyed what were by far the best pina coladas in Puerto Rico. But then, with all the tower stair-climbing and hiking, we’d earned it.

I highly recommend seeing El Yunque if you have more than a day in Puerto Rico.

Using the concierge service at our hotel, we booked a kayaking tour to the Laguna Grande, just outside city of Fajardo on the northeast section of Puerto Rico. I’m not the kind of person that goes kayaking without a purpose. In this case, it was to see the bioluminescent (glow in the dark) plankton-type creatures that can only be found in about 10 locations around the world. That meant we were going to be kayaking in the dark. Yikes! What were we thinking?

It took about an hour by van to get to the kayak spot. The plan was to take a two-person kayak about 50 yards across a bay, into a mangrove swamp, and come out on the other side in the Laguna Grande. Just let me say that for first-timers, it was easier said than done.

The mangrove swamp was curvy, with the big mangrove roots on each side. We got used to hitting the mangrove roots with our kayak. It was pitch black: the only light being from the blinking lights attached to each kayak on the tour. At one point, we were turned sideways, stuck between two sets of mangrove roots, unable to turn around. We got the giggles and finally called the guide back to help us. In addition, there were shrimp jumping into our boat! Not to mention the iguanas jumping into the water from the trees.

As we reached the lagoon, we also had a nice giggle over the fact that our guide was standing up in his kayak trying to get a shrimp out of his pants. (I’m completely serious). Our guide, Nestor, gave us the rundown on the creatures, the lagoon, etc. These bioluminescent creatures (dinoflagellates) are like plankton. They’re very small, but very concentrated in these waters. Any movement in the water makes them glow. There are a few theories as to why. The one that made the most sense to me is that they were telling the other dinoflagellates not to swim that way because it was likely they’d get eaten. One of our kayakers went for a swim amongst them and it was amazing. You could see his legs and arms glowing as he was treading the water.

We had perfect conditions for viewing. There was no moonlight (the darker the better and most of these tours don’t go during a full moon), so the creatures were easier to see. If you got tired of seeing glowing plankton, you could be mesmerized for hours at the night sky. There was even a shooting star!

Our kayaking skills having developed, our trip back through the mangrove trees was much easier. And we enjoyed watching our oars glow as we paddled back towards the shore. Despite the fact that I was scared to death of falling in the water (I don’t know why, it wasn’t deep in the swamp), I’m super glad we took the chance to see this amazing sight.

Of the shops in Old San Juan, I’d say that The Butterfly People was the most original and certainly the most enjoyable.

If you’ve never taken the time to admire the art that is a butterfly wing, you’ll certainly recognize it when you walk into this shop. The Purington family began collecting and mounting butterflies when their daughter was born in the 70s -– the artwork will take your breath away.

The shop itself is small - you'd miss it if you weren't looking for it. (It's longer than it is wide.) The blue facade reveals nothing about the colorful art inside. Once you enter, however, there are lucite boxes with swarms of butterflies all over the wall. Some are small -- less than a square foot. Others could hang over your living room couch! The butterflies look like they're just resting, which makes you approach carfully as so not to make them flutter away! The shop also sells butterfly kites that are hanging on the wall and butterfly magnets (man-made). There's not much room on the inside, but the walls are filled to the brim with art.

The butterflies are raised in a butterfly farm and when they fall to the earth (not killed), they are saved and used in the unique art pieces.

I just couldn’t get enough of looking at these butterflies. There were blue ones and yellow ones, swallowtails and monarchs, and the shop owners know the name of every one.

These pieces are for sale and range from $5 to $1500. After much deliberation, I chose a one-of-a-kind piece with a small white butterfly and a larger blue butterfly with intricate wing details. When the shop owner put it in the box, she wrote down the names of the butterflies and their native homes. I was now the proud owner of an Appias Sabina from Malaysia (the small white one) and a Charaxes Smaragdalis from Africa (the blue one). I was given care instructions (don’t drop it and keep it out of direct sunlight so the wing colors don’t fade) and given a 10% discount (the whole shop was on sale). The total cost was around $30, a bargain for a one-of-a-kind piece of butterfly art.

Even if you don’t buy the art, stop in to just take a look at the swarms on the walls and be prepared for a goose-pimply experience. Note: Photographs inside the shop aren't allowed.

Our first impression of Old San Juan was formed by the San Sebastian festival. (San Sebastian is a saint that had something to do with the liberation of Puerto Rico from Spain, if my research is correct.) The festival takes place on its namesake street every January, and according to the locals we spoke to, officially ends the Christmas season. During the day, there are processions of masks and such. At night, it’s one big PAR-TAY! That’s when we went.

The cab driver rolled her eyes when we told her that we wanted to go to Old San Juan. She knew what we didn’t, that it was crowded and traffic was a bear. But she took us (the cab ride was $10 from our hotel) as far as she could before we were just stopped in the backup.

The streets were packed full of people. You could barely move through some of them. But there was spirited music, and bands of musicians would skip through the streets playing their cowbell or drum or tambourine with the locals alongside clapping and yelling and "woo woo"-ing to the beat. There was one main stage area with local bands playing, and we set up shop there and tried to decipher the Spanish lyrics. (We think one song was about the many colors of tomorrow, but we couldn’t be sure.) While the locals salsa danced, we just moved to the beat. Meanwhile, we took a look around at the amazing Christmas lights that were still up (this was Jan. 17). It was a bit odd for me to be in shorts looking at Christmas lights! We also did some browsing at the tables set up by local artists selling their wares. Mostly, we tried not to lose each other in the crowd and get swept away into some bar.

The festival was a great way to take in some of the local culture and just immerse ourselves in the vacation spirit!

We got a hint of the architecture of Old San Juan the night we went to the San Sebastian Festival, but we went back to take in the old city in the light of day. Our morning started at the McDonalds on Fortaleza Street (we had an Egg McMuffin craving). We did less of a walking tour of Old San Juan and more just walked through Old San Juan and found things sort of by accident. Our goal was to get to the El Morro fort and it wasn’t too difficult using the map our hotel had given us. Along the way, we passed the most beautiful buildings that were brightly painted in terra cotta, bright blues, bright greens and yellows. The iron banisters reminded me of a New Orleans feel, but the Madonna and child were painted or represented in mosaics on a lot of the buildings.

We walked through the Plazuela de la Rogativa, which was a little square that overlooked the water. (I learned that Old San Juan is an island in itself, connected by bridge to the big island.) There was a beautiful iron statue there, which I later learned commemorated a religious procession after San Juan held off the British in 1700. We meandered past the Cathedral of Old San Juan, just so white against the bright sun. I marveled at the architecture, and looked it up when I got home. It was called "New World medieval."

Finally, we asked the policia the easiest way to the fort, which was only a block away. There’s a long pathway up to the fort, which looks like it sits on the edge of the world. (Well, it is on the edge of Puerto Rico.) There’s a big cemetery at the bottom level and then a gorgeous pink dome on another level and views every which way you turn.

On the way back from the fort, we were walking down Calle San Fransisco when we came accross these way cool tables that were designed to look like -- and with -- dominoes. We sat a while to rest our feet before venturing down the street and in and out of the various souvenir shops along the way. Our favorite shop, called the Butterfly People, is featured in another journal.

I’d say you could take an organized walking tour or just get lost in Old San Juan. Either way, we were glad we didn’t miss out on seeing the beautiful old city.

Luquillo Beach is on the northeast shore of Puerto Rico and is one of the most popular beaches on the island. The main reason is that it’s a lagoon and the waves break way off shore, making the surf manageable on the beach. It’s been named by a variety of sources as THE beach in Puerto Rico.

We stopped at Luquillo Beach as part two of a full-day tour that we had booked. The first part of the tour went to the El Yunque rainforest, about 10 minutes away from the beach. (See the El Yunque journal.)

The beach is open between 9am and 6pm. It’s pretty crowded on the weekends, or so we were told. However, there was a festival going on in Old San Juan (see Old San Juan journal), so many of the locals were there and it was actually not bad.

All of the beaches in Puerto Rico are public beaches and Luquillo is no exception. There was a parking fee, but all our fees were covered in our tour cost. The best piece of advice I can give is to splurge – pay the $2 to use the private changing area. The public restrooms are really, really bad. The $2 fee gets you a changing area, nicer bathrooms, and a locker for your personal items.

I estimate the beach to be a mile long. There’s plenty of sand to sit on and a lifeguard station every quarter mile. It’s an Atlantic beach, so don’t expect the white sand and clear water. (I was a bit disappointed in that regard.) The water was a pleasant temperature, however, and it isn’t hard to swim in the water. I really enjoyed walking along the beach, picking up little shells (a couple in front of me found a huge conch shell -- I was jealous), watching the little waves, and taking pictures of the different angles along the shore. There are small stands on the beach as well that sell drinks, food, and such, and a souvenir shop where they had a sale of 3 T-shirts for $10.

I prefer the Caribbean beaches, but this one was a nice alternative. How can I complain about being at ANY beach in January?

The El Morro fort sits on a cliff overlooking the entrance to the San Juan Bay in Old San Juan -- and it was built to protect Spain's "gateway to the Caribbean." It's also one of the largest forts built by Spain in the Caribbean.

The walk up to the fort along a gravel path offered spectacular views. There was a beautiful pink dome against the green lawn and white stone fort. There was also a beautiful cemetery at the base of the fort.

Entrance to El Morro, built in 1539, was $3. (A little tip: if you want to visit El Morro and its sister fort San Cristobal, admission is $5 for both. The forts are on opposite sides of Old San Juan, so it's a bit of a walk between the two.) El Morro Fort is open every day from 10am-5pm. There are guided tours available every two hours starting at 11am (in English). We chose the self-guided option.

After exploring sentry posts (it did not smell good in there) and taking pictures with a cannon-eye view (all in the very hot sun), we watched a short 20-minute movie (in the very nice air-conditioned theater area) about the history of the fort and all the attacks that were made on it. The fort wasn’t so much successful at defending the island, as the attackers were bumbling idiots and luck was on the side of Puerto Rico. Even Sir Francis Drake attacked the fort unsuccessfully. He staged a brilliant night attack, but lit all the boats in the bay on fire, which helped the soldiers in the fort see his location. What's up with that? The fort finally succumbed to the Americans during the Spanish-American war.Now both the Puerto Rican and American flags fly in this U.S. Park Service National Historic Site.

The MAIN reason to go, in my opinion, is the view – it is out-of-this-world! Just look at the pictures!