My family has always loved road trips. Up and down our home state of California we’d drive, or on towards the golden cornfields of Nebraska or the wide blue skies of New Mexico, racking up the miles on childhood summer vacations. Nestled in the back of our green ford windstar mini van alongside my sister … [Read more…]
I am expecting to hear a melody of coquis, the noise a species of frogs native to the rainforest of Puerto Rico are rumored to make. But as we enter the screening room at the El Yunque National Forest visitor center, the first sound I hear is the voice of actor Benicio del Toro. After a short … [Read more…]
My feet sink into the crisp, tan sand on Vieques Island and carry me out into crystal water. As the water reaches mid-calf, its hue deepens into a soft blue that matches the sky, and by the time I reach the rest of my family who are all blissfully wading waist level, the water is … [Read more…]
Our feet glide across the blue cobblestone streets of Old San Juan as we follow Natalia, a guide with Flavors of San Juan Food and Culture Tours, on an afternoon deep-dive into Puerto Rico’s history and cuisine. Smiles form across the faces of all members of my family as we reach our first stop and … [Read more…]
Long before visiting Puerto Rico, the concept of the island came into my consciousness when I was a fourth grader at Guadalupe Elementary School in California’s Bay Area. The year was 1998 and the island, a territorial commonwealth of the United States, held the third referendum in its history to vote on its political status. … [Read more…]