Puerto Rico the island of enchantment

In September, 2017, Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico. The devastation was widespread. Maria is estimated to have cost the island over 3,000 lives, over 91 billion U.S. dollars in damage and left tremendous swaths of the island's three milllion plus residents without power, safe drinking water and shelter. This scale of devastation has compounded pre existing problems caused by a crushing debt crisis. Recent protests against the U.S. Federal government have also arisen over controversial new laws and it's corrupt governor was also recently ousted.

The purpose of this post is not to lament the controversial and complex political fiascos that have embroiled the island. It is to highlight the island's natural beauty, culture and potent spirit.

Despite (or perhaps because of) these major issues faced by Puerto Rico, the island has been able to showcase its resilience. Instead of devolving into a state of lawless madness, the island has come together to welcome visitors, to lift itself up, to oust the head of its corrupt leadership and ultimately recover.

For sometime after Maria and with the recent removal of its corrupt governor Ricky Roselló, many people have asked: is it safe to visit? The answer is a resounding yes!

Puerto Rico sees itself as a unique mixture from three distinct ethnicities: the slaves of west Africa, the Taino natives and of course the Spanish. This mix has created a unique world of art, recipes, dances, music and of course people. It is an island more blended than what you'll find in the U.S. This mix can be found in big cities like San Juan but also in the smaller ones like Isabela with its monuments to the Taínos or Loíza, a major hub of African Puerto Rican art and culture.

It's easy to get lost in the streets of San Juan. A city filled with vibrance, history, culture and, of course, some of the best food in the Carribean, if not the world. For a bit of San Juan's history CLICK HERE. But if you've got more than a couple days, the island begs to be explored. At the most it takes just a few hours to reach just about any part of the island.

Theoretically, any part of the island is a possible day trip from San Juan but the northern stretch along Highway 22 seems to be the most commonly toured from the city. The inlet beach formation of Mar Chiquita is a great stopping place to enjoy some natural beauty and beach atmosphere.

Travelling west, we find more of the cultural staples of the island at places like Cueva Del Indio, Cueva Ventana and the Taíno museum in Utuado.

The original inhabitants of Puerto Rico were the Taino Native Americans. They were famously gentle and welcoming to the Spaniards. The story goes that many Taino voluntarily boarded Spanish ships heading back to Europe. The Tainos' new European guests decimated the Taino people in Puerto Rico within a generation, partially through disease and partially through violence. According to DNA tests, a small percentage of my own blood comes from the Taino of Puerto Rico. Though the Taino peoples' light has been extinguished, parts of their language, art, food, culture and even just a bit of blood still exist today.

In many parts of the world, especially the "New World", a replaced native population is usually denegrated, mocked or forgotten by the new majority culture. In Puerto Rico the cultural/ethnic mix is not only celebrated but exhalted! The natives and their memory have become cherished in so many ways.

The Cueva del Indio, or Cave of the Indian, maintains many original Taíno paintings while the Taino museum itself offers insight and information about the Taino people's art history. They are well worth visiting if you're travelling through the north stretch of the island.

The Cueva Ventana was a view point favored by the Taino that offers a sweeping panorama over the nearby river valley of Arecibo and is well worth the short guided hike required to access it.

As we continue west to the towns of Aguada and Aguadilla, don't confuse the two or you'll annoy the proud locals. This is the beginning of the famous west coast beaches. My favorites so far have been Crash Boat, Wilderness Beach, Playa Buyé and Playa Sucia. Unlike the beaches of San Juan, you may find yourself with a large stretch of sand all to yourself beneath the palm trees.

As we head to the laid back southwest corner of the island, we reach Cabo Rojo. The birthplace of the legendary pirate Cofresi, this quiet town also boasts the legendary tailor shop of Trajes Gobernador. These tailors have operated their family business since 1928. They have clothed pro-athletes, celebrities supreme court judges and, as the name implies, gorvernors. You should know I'm a huge fan of guayaberas. A fine linen guayabera is appropriate for every occasion and their ability to breath is perfect for the humidity of Puerto Rico. Edgar or "El Gallo" is one of the charismatic operators of the place and will work with you on designing your own.

As we head back east along the south coast of the island, we pass by the colorful town of Yauco. If you've been to the Carribean (or even just a bit of Latin America) you've undoubtedly seen some colorful cities or towns, but Yauco really pops due to its modern color palette and style. Vaguely afro print, the locals take it upon themselves to maintain the neighborhood look. Truly a community based work of art, the locals also monitor activity to let you know which houses have balconies you can perch on. Used as an impressive setting in a music video for Ozuna, the town also has semi regular car shows. The towns paint job makes for a fantastic backdrop and is definitely worth a visit. The earlier in the day the better if you're there for photos. Otherwise its a very brief and easy detour on your trek east or west along the south of the island.

Ponce is Puerto Rico's second city. It is named after the island's very first governor, the legendarily nice Juan Ponce de Leon. Before I offend the cutting edge progressives, it should be stated that he was nice compared to other conquistadors! Though not as impressive as San Juan in scale or history, Ponce is a very crucial piece of the Puerto Rican soul.

The city is home to Puerto Rico's largest and most famous party, the Ponce Carnival. Celebrated in the week leading up to Ash Wednesday, the event involves all the pageantry of Mardi Gras without quite the same drunken reputation. During Carnival, the vejigante, a late medieval demon character, is the star. This tradition is a local evolution of the southern European carnival mascarades but it has taken on a life of it's own. The Vejigante is a character meant to represent the Moorish infidels in the Spanish reconquest. The vejigante has become one of the island's major symbols. These masks are sold in many different places around the island but Ponce is the hub of the paper mache traditional style while Loiza in the northeast is the hub of the coconut traditional style.

While passing through Ponce, we stopped at the residence and shop of Miguel Caraballo. Caraballo is an elderly mask maker and one of a truly dying breed of craftsmen. We had to ask around town for directions to his home in order to find it. To save you the same trouble, the address is 10 Calle Arias. You're welcome.

Those who know me, know I have a fascination with masks. I'll soon be writing a blog post on some of my favorite masks from around the world. This being my favorite, it will certainly be making an appearance in the post once I get around to writing it. The mask I bought from Miguel is still hanging in my home.

On your way from Ponce to San Juan, stop off in Guavate and eat some incredible pork products on Lechon Road. My favorite so far has been Lechonera el Rancho.

In addition to the island's incredible beauty, Puerto Rico also has its own islands. Culebra and Vieques are the most well known. A short ferry ride from Fajardo or an awesome plane ride from San Juan will get you to Culebra in a matter of minutes. From there, your best option for getting around the even smaller island is golf cart. The island life is at its maximum here.

Flamenco beach is the standout attraction of Culebra. One of my world favorites, the beach is pristine, clean sands and extraordinarily blue carribean waters. The most fascinating bits of the island are the slowly eroding U.S. tanks from years ago when the island was a military target sight. The locals have taken it upon themselves to redecorate the tanks in a typically colorful and Puerto Rican way.

This circuit is a list of countless options for traversing this beautiful island. Puerto Rico offers something for everyone and I'm constantly learning more of it to explore from friends. Puerto Ricans from the island have asked us to share the message that the island is ready to be explored!