Some of the Luquillo Kioskas
More Kioskas #2 La Parrilla (only one non fried seafood) has grilled food
DLEE was craving fresh Coconut juice (yummy!)
Look at the delectable coconut meat
Lizard we saw out of many during the walking tour with the Ranger
Flowers within Yunque
Signage for La Mina Trail (sturdy shoes with good grip recommended)
La Mina Falls (depending on which hike you take it will take about 20-30 minutes one way)
More signage for La Mina Falls trail
One snail
Reception area for the Palmas del Mar Four Points
Yohaku Tower
Friday, October 12, 2007--First full day in Puerto Rico. We all get up and ready for our day at the Yunque Rain Forest. We are told it is north from where we are and about a 45 minute drive away. We know we want to do a little hiking and get the park ranger walking tour too.t
We start off wanting some breakfast. We initially check out the options in the hotel but do not like them. (Parking with the Valet Parking is $15 and we are in the middle of nowhere too. The previous night we drove and drove lost finding our hotel. Even trying to get around the Palmas del Mar area was filled with new developments and we were so lost with lack of accurate signs to the hotel. The old San Juan Sheraton did not know how to get to Palmas Del Mar Four Points (literally steps away from the beach) in Humacao. So we decide to find our breakfast on the busy street we drove around the night before. We spot a small store/bakery/deli called Las Delicias for breakfast. We all got something to eat. I got the two deli meats, cheese and egg sandwich with a guava drink for under $4. (What a bargain!)
After waiting for some time for my pressed sandwich, it was missing the eggs. I made sure to have said eggs. They remade my sandwich for me and delivered it to the table too. This trip really does make me practice my Spanish but DLEE speaks it more fluently than moi. Then again she had lived a few years in Columbia. It was nice to have someone who fluent in Spanish with us.
We head off on the highway to Yunque. We notice they charge alot to use the highways (we pay alot of 50 cent tolls). En route, I noted the Luquillo Kioskas (I was pleased as I head read about them in the guide book on the plane ride to Puerto Rico.) These kioskas (50 of them at least) and Luquillo is located very close to the Yunque Rain Forest. (The only Rain Forest in the National Park System!)
We drive up to go to the Visitors Center at the Yunque Visitors Center. We are under the notion we could probably hit the 10:30am Ranger tour. (We realized that it would take a bit more of a drive and the next English walking tour is at 1:20am). One person in our party GChen saw colleague here. What is more coincidental, this person was on our plane ride to Puerto Rico too! How serendipitious! By consulting the person working at the desk we decide to use the map and do the La Mina trail to see the La Mina Waterfalls, visit the Yohaku Observatory Tower and other stops we deem interesting. True to being a rain forest (raining upwards 80 inches of rain a year) we had moments of intermittent rain and sun the rest of the time while in the Yunque Rain Forest.
We first saw a small waterfall-La Coca Falls and snapped a few pics. Then we kept going up on the mountain (we really were pushing the rental car to its limits---thanks 謝謝 to CCHAN and GCHEN for driving the whole trip!) Next we went to the Yohaku Tower. We experienced a bit more rain but were overall ok. We went up to the Tower and it was very misty. We could vaguely make out the buildings in Luquillo from our vantage point. But while puttering around, we managed to see a very fast tiny bird (we later learned it was a humming bird!). Also prevalent throughout our trip we heard the coqui frog (aka tree frogs --I had heard them while in Bermuda too!) and they love to live in very moist humid areas which are perfect for them! No wonder they are in the rain forest and in the Caribbean! We meet a guy who has a huge hat fashioned from some leaves so the guys decide to take a pic with it on their heads! (Very funny!)
We are doing well getting parking spots at each stop (as there are limited spots) and none more so than the place where we stop to take the La Mina hiking trail .7 miles to the La Mina Falls (30 minutes each way). It is fine going there (going down) but hiking back up I needed a bit more time as it was steep. Just stay on the trails, don't stray, have sturdy shoes/sandals, gear for rain and you are all set! Food and drink are not widely available and it is wise to bring some with you.
After talking down to the base of the La Mina falls, CCHAN decides to take a dip. He would have gone to the falls itself but he cannot swim and there was a gap with the rocks underneath so he did not go over. Alot of people did hang out by the water. (It was hot and humid easily with temps rising over 90's F.) When we hiked back up, I went ahead (everyone in our party likes to take photos----btw I am looking forward to seeing everyone's pics. I took the most pics of the food whereas there are more arty pics from the others). I needed to take that extra bit of time, as the others hike more often than myself. Once done, I got a big gatorade and guzzled it down. Then we signed up for the 1:30pm tour ($5 each) with only 15 minutes to spare. (Not bad with our time management skills here!)
For the next hour or so we are slowly making our way on a very easy light stroll in the rain forest learning about the eco systems and how the weather, temperature and other factors create the ideal breeding ground for animals and fauna living within the rain forest. We got a rare chance to see a "super tiny air plant---orchid!". The ranger had to have an eagle eye and use her magnifying glass to show us (I correctly guessed what the flower was too!) We learned about air plants, lizards, parrots, the frogs - in particular the coqui, while traipsing in the rain forest.
While we were walking around, I had to ask some important questions---related to food of course! Talking to our ranger, we found out it was a Puerto Rican holiday celebrating Columbus Day (we had celebrated it already on Monday). But luckily for us, businesses and other visitor sights are just business as usual. I got down to business asking where to get fruit (Las Flores Fruteria) very close to the entrance of Yunque and en route to the kioskas (yeah!). Of course, I had to ask about the kioskas, she recommended Kioska #2 Parrilla due to the variety in the menu and grilled meats. All the other 50+ odd kioskas are various versions of FRIED FRIED seafood! (Great tip I must say! When in doubt, always ask a local!)
After our nice walk, we head back to the Visitor Center to look around the second level exhibits (we totally bypassed during our first visit.) We learned watching some videos about various natural products, ecosystems in the rain forest (more of visualization of what was told to us by the ranger) and a much needed pit stop.
We decide to have an early dinner as we want to go to Fajardo ((fah-HAHR-do) Fajardo is known as "La Metrópolis del Sol Naciente" (the city that guards the sun of the Caribbean). Fajardo was founded in 1772. It was originally named Santiago de Fajardo. *welcome.puertorico*) to do kayak in the bioluminiscent lagoon. (CCHAN said ideally you need a moonless night to really have a great experience!!) So we go to La Parrilla for dinner first even though it is still early almost 4pm. When I envision food stands I envision you needing to stand around to consume the food! But these stands alot of them sell beer and have tables and seats! La Parrilla has a patio in the rear and nice beach view (more water than beachy view) and we noticed some horseback riders riding around too. (CCHAN is inspired to want to horseback ride too after dinner to squeeze it in, I doubted we will have enough time to do it!) We get a variety of food and it was a hodge podge of flavors! Our dishes ranged from paella, stuffed fish, grilled mahi mahi, shrimp, fish stew, arepas-coconut and pizza, fried plantains, and mofongo ( Mofongo is a popular Afro-Boricua dish, made from fried green plantains seasoned with garlic, olive oil and pork cracklings, then mashed. Mofongo is usually served with a fried meat and a fish broth soup.*wiki* )
Though we thought we had alot of time in the end we just had enough time to get to Fajardo. (Before we had dinner, I had to write down good directions to the place to do the kayaking. Especially after having non existent directions last night to the beach resort, Mandy (GCHEN's gps) and my online directions were not 100% foolproof.) We put up a reservation for our party of four and because it was a holiday we got a price break of $5 discount from every person to make it only $40. We got there within 30 minutes.
But we found we could not find our vendor! For a second we thought we were in trouble (I had put down my credit card number) but since we did not leave phone number, we did not get the notification that they were running late. Luckily after walking around we found people waiting to go out with the same company we used to make our booking. (It was the perfect night!) We decided to opt for no cameras (only if you don't mind almost losing them and getting wet). We paddled round trip almost hour or more (I did not have my watch with me).
CCHAN was forewarned that I am not good at kayaking (my one other experience with Mil was funny - turning around around in circles). So not keen on Kayaks. We had CCHAN be the steerperson and the front seat was me. But I had to deal with the brunt of the mangroves (I did not see them clearly but they were heinous!). I was excited about the bioluminiscent organisms (we later learned only five places in the world has them---4 in Puerto Rico and 1 in Japan (someone had taken it there). The mysterious blue-green light is created by micro-organisms which thrive in an environment uniquely suited to their needs. A trip into the bay on a balmy night is a magical experience. Fish flash by in the water, and a swim is like floating through stardust. *amigos.puertorico* Very cool!
I must admit it was a trying experience. My several years of dragon boating DO not come in handy while kayaking. It is hard for me to "lightly paddle" and not to "dig" or not to "use effort while paddling". We were the last kayak out of five and we always were not right behind the one in front of us. 1) It was very dark 2) Hard to be straight when entering the mangrove to get into the lagoon is very windy 3) we kept hitting the mangroves (ok I bore the brunt). Eventually we got better at paddling back and our eyes adjusted better once on our return trip.
The bioluminiscent light was amazing and a bit surreal. We put our hand into the warm water and there was a light glow suffusing the outline of our hand. The fish that were swimming around were lit up. It was purely a sight to behold and no wonder it is an eighth natural wonder of the world!
Luckily CCHAN and I had some bug spray so we were spared the bug bites. Our friends were not left off that easily! (I would later get mosquitos attacking me later on in the trip.) We were all wet and did not feel so great wearing wet clothes driving back to the hotel.
Later at around 11pm, we go over to our friend's room to have some papaya and avocado! I learn that CCHAN does not like to eat raw fruit. (He has sensitivity and I learned he can be a self jokingly described "diva/princess") It was stupendous and delicious! The avocado was much better than any I had in Boston. The papaya was nice and sweet!
I end the night watching something on Brad Pitt and also wrote some postcards too.
MORE PHOTOS of YUNQUE:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=17734&l=3bbac&id=575810425
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