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| Cabo Rojo Lighthouse |
Puerto Rico is HOME. I have had
the opportunity of visiting a lot of countries, yet I can honestly say, “there
is no place like home”. Puerto Rico, “Isla del Encanto” (Island of
Enchantment), a 100 x 35 Caribbean Island full of natural wonders, amazing food
and great people. I remember my elementary school years where it was taught to
us that we originally were a mix of three races: Taínos, Spaniards and
Africans, now greatly influenced by the North American culture. For such a
small Island we have a lot to share with other countries.
Our Island is the home of famous
and talented people like singers Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin,
athletes like J.J. Barea and Carlos Arroyo, illustrious people like Eugenio
Maria de Hostos and Julia de Burgos, six Miss Universe and great contributions
to the scientific world as well as other multidisciplinary areas.
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| "Mofongo" with seafood |
If there is something I will
always defend until the ends of times is that Puerto Rican food is the best of
the best. A little “sofrito” and some “adobo” will provide you with a perfectly
seasoned meal, not to bland, not to spicy. Usually our traditional meals are
associated with holidays, but the truth is we eat them a lot more often than
you would think. Christmas time is probably when we go all out with our
traditional food. Rice and beans with “pernil”, “lechón a la vara” (pork),
“pasteles”, “jamón con piña” (ham and pineapple) and every type of salad you can imagine. “Coquito”
is the beverage that goes with this feast, a coconut milk and rum mix. You
don’t have to wait until Christmas to eat all this; there are plenty of
restaurants that serve this traditional Christmas food all year round as well
as other delicacies like “Mofongo” and “tostones” (plantain made), “bacalaitos”
and “alcapurrias”.
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| "Jamón con piña" (Ham and pineapple) |
We take our holidays very
seriously and they usually serve to reunite all the family, which includes
parents, grandparents, uncles, cousins, the cousins of cousins and the “adopted
cousins”, in other words, our celebrations are big parties and usually get
louder as the night goes on. You could say our traditional music is salsa,
“bomba and plena” and in the modern times reggaeton. The first and last are
usually the ones played at parties.
Last but not least our natural
wonders. El Yunque National Rainforest is home to a great biodiversity of flora
and fauna not found anywhere else in the world. Our beaches are world-renowned and
one of them, Playa Flamenco in Vieques is one of the top three beaches in the
world. As for the five or so bioluminescent lagoons of the world, Puerto Rico
has three of them.
If you are ever in Puerto Rico, I
invite you to get immersed in our country. Visit our beaches and our historical
landmarks like El Morro, taste our food and chat with the locals, we are all
very friendly. Visiting Puerto Rico is an amazing experience and one you will
not regret. I am proud to say: “Boricua, pa’ que tu lo sepas”.
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West coast, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Playa Azul |
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