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Irene
While scanning the Internet for a new area to explore in Puerto Ricco, I read about Cueva Arenales and Charco Azul on Tripadvisor, Puerto Rico Daytrips and Puerto Rico as a Local. After some discussion with my husband, who is always concerned about keeping us safe on these trips, we decided to go and we are both glad we did.
We headed to Veja Baha at about 8AM on a Saturday in December. The trail entrance is about an hour from our home. The last half hour is on narrow local roads so take your time around the turns. I noticed both Flamboyan and Tulip trees and other bushes in bloom, so this area definitely has its own micro-climate.
We easily found the home/farm that now provides parking and bathroom facilities to visitors for the small sum of $5. Emmanuel was friendly and gave us a tour of his fruit farm, his father sold us pitoro (moonshine rum flavored with fruit – easy to drink but with a powerful punch) and his brother gave us a lunch recommendation.
When we arrived, there was a tour group preparing to set out. While it is convenient to have a guide, we were glad to not be part of a noisy, giggly group of American tourists. And we did not pay over $100 each to be there!
We set off before the group, glad to have brought our life vests which are highly recommended. The walk down to the river was very steep. (We later met a couple who aborted the trip because the husbands’ knees could not handle the descent.) Coming back up was harder, but it is not very long.
We took a backpack with us which got wet, but our phones were in a waterproof sack and did fine. It was nice to have water and snacks with us.
We overheard the guide tell her tour group that they would clap before they entered the cave to scare away any bats. We did but did not see any bats or evidence of them.
Nature is best experienced in silence – we listened to the flowing water and were awestruck by the power it took to create these caverns. Seriously, go early and on a weekday to avoid the crowds. It is not a large space.
We swam through the caves and hiked the river for a bit then headed back. At that point the tour group was in the caves. The guide showed the group a safe spot to jump into the pool. We did not do this, but we climbed into the upper chambers of the cave and looked down on the bluish green water. It was surreal and exhilarating. There was a giant elephant year plant suspended in the air
It was an overcast day, so we did not have to worry about protecting ourselves from the sun. We both wore rash guard shirts that kept us warm. If you are worried about scraping your legs, leggings are helpful. Wear sandals or sneakers with good treads, the rocks were slippery.
We had guests February 2022 and it turned out to be the rainiest week all year. I had scheduled an activity for each day, and we made the best of it. Ziplining at Toro Verde was a new experience for us, we had never been to the town of Orocovis.
We learned that Orocovis is at the center of the island. It was magical but not surprising that you could see the ocean from the hill tops. The island is approximately 30 by 100 miles in size.
We were concerned that the rides would be closed due to the rain, but we learned that unless it was extremely windy, the place remained open. We opted not to sign up for two fast rides (the Monster or the Beast, because they were very short and expensive. The seven stage zipline was more our style. We opted for an early appointment to avoid the sun, but it was to our benefit as we avoided the crowds as well.
After the rides we stopped at a restaurant to try out the longaniza sausage which is a specialty of the area. It is a Spanish sausage that is similar to the chorizo but favored with black pepper instead of paprika.
I asked Santosh if we could go to La Zanja on Valentine’s Day. This is a 30 minute drive followed by a 45 minute hike through ocean, rocks and woods to get to a “trench.” He was a bit hesitant, but we did it and enjoyed every minute. So blessed to be with a partner who will go off the beaten path with me.
I’ve watched (on FB) my PR neighbors go on road trips together, discovering and enjoying local spots together. It is wonderful that they come together in this way. To my delight, they panned a special trip over labor day weekend with us. Everyone could not join, but 11 of us in two vehicles was a nice group. It was a packed itinerary, I was not sure we could do it all.
First we stopped at Ponce, a city in the southern coast that was founded in 1692. We drove by or visited all of the following:
- The Lions Fountain in Plaza Las Delicias, which is the town’s main square. I was enthralled by the magnificent trees which are called Indian Laurel or Chinese Banyan. I had not thought of the banyan tree in a while, maybe not since my days in India.
- Cruceta del Vigia is a ten story tower on a hill with a view on the city. It sits on a spot that early settlers used to look out for merchant and pirate shapes.
- Museo Castillo Serrallés is a Sugar Cane and Rum Museum. The building was the home of the owner of one of Puerto Rico’s largest rum distilleries built in the 1930 in the Spanish Colonial style.
- The Estadio Francisco (“Paquito”) Montaner is a multi-use stadium that is home Ponce’s baseball and soccer teams.
- Parque de Bombas is an iconic symbol of the city and the first fire station in Puerto Rico. In 1990, the fire station closed and was converted into a museum.
- The Fox Hotel Lobby – fun (air-conditioned) atmosphere with pop art, classic pop music and refreshments.
Then we went to Yauco. Just before the city we stopped and took pictures of the huge sign. We enjoyed a snack made and brought Guzman family. We walked through the town enjoying Yaucromatic – an effort to revitalize after Maria with colorful murals. It was hot, a quick stop for ice cold limber was refreshing.
Next we headed to a sunflower farm in Guanica. Our first visit to a farm in Puerto Rico was pretty cool. There were other crops like plantains, pana and pomegranate. There was a fruit stall where we bought some delicious guava.
Finally we headed to La Parguera. We stopped at a busy spot right next to the bio bay with a lot of small stalls and restaurants. We did not get to see much of the area, I’ve since seen videos of its beauty. Once we had a lovely dinner, our car decided to head home (over 2 hour’s drive) since we were tired after a packed day. Unfortunately, we missed the live music which the rest of the group enjoyed.
When we bought the house for winters, vacations and retirement, I hoped I would be able to extend my trips by being able to work from Puerto Rico. The power grid is not 100% reliable and the internet is dependent on having power. However, experience has shown us that remote work is, well, workable.
There definitely are intermittent connectivity issues but we both can use our phones as backup. One of the more challenging aspects is the background noise as we keep the windows open all the time. There is always the buss of activity – power washing driveways and roofs, testing generators and weed whacking during prime working hours.
We have all the office necessities at home, from monitors to headsets to keyboards to ensure we are productive. I would like a standing desk, as I find it is cooler to stand than to sit in warm temperatures. I typically work in the dining area while Santosh claims the bedroom. I enjoy the outside view of the backyard and the atrium garden while I work.
Post pandemic, employers are more willing to allow remote work. I am glad I am part of the digital workforce who can deliver amazing products from anywhere.
March 2021 update – We were shopping at Costco and found a standing desk at a great price. I am now in the process of setting up my office in the “foyer.” We do not use the front door so this space is unused. It is bright, next to the window and the perfect size. Best of all it is out of the way! I need to find a solution for all the chords and decorate the space. I will have that worked out for the next trip.
Finca is Spanish for farm. My fruit farm continues to grow each time I visit Puerto Rico. Most of my plants come from a local nursery or jardinera. It is adjacent to the owners home. I love that place and really wish I was fluent in Spanish so I could share more stories with the owners. I now have all the fruit trees they always stock. We have used Facebook local to acquire some plants. Once we made a trip to the west coast to visit a tropical fruit farm. And there is also the amazing orchid store owned by an Asian couple, introduced to us by Neftali. They just happened to have a Longan and Rambutan.
More recently I have just gotten lucky at Home Depot. Home Depot has a fairly small plant section with a small table of tropical trees. And on the random times I am in the store, I escape the boring aisles Santosh spends much time studying, and make a beeline to the plant section. More often than not I have been pleasantly surprised to find the exact tree I have been looking for!
So top of my list has been Custard Apple/ Cherimoya/ Sugar Apple/ Sweet Sop. And I found a decent specimen!
I also found a second Lychee variety named Mauritius Lychee. Previously I planted a Brewster Lychee. I decided to make two bets having a fruiting tree, so we have one on each side of the house. We created a shade for this tree also to protect the tender leaves.
I planted a Valencia orange tree. Fresh squeezed orange juice sounded good to me so I added it to the finca. I also added another papaya tree to the mix. So far there has been a lot of flowers but no fruit. I’m hoping I now have the right mix of male and female plants.
Despite all the pretty pictures, we spent a good portion of our last trip working and completed some significant projects. Buying and installing a dishwasher. Installing additional shelves in the master closet. Improving the ventilation of said closet. Replacing all the slats in our bed. Buying and building a standing desk. Increasing the strength of the Wi-Fi. Getting rid of stumps, pruning and weeding. Planting and moving plants and trees. Protecting a new tree from wind.
All of the above was good and productive work. Unlike the morning I spent with the water company. And got nowhere.
It goes back to when we bought the house. I opened an account and put down a deposit to get the water turned on. We had water and were happy. I did not get a bill for water usage. I kept checking online as I was not sure when I would get a bill, then I forgot about it. About nine months later, we went to the house and there was no water. There was a note at the door saying they turned it off.
Our neighbor Isaac was working in Florida at that time, was kind enough to loan us his water. Santosh was able to connect a hose from Isaacs’ house to our house, and water was available everywhere. Very nifty.
We had to go to Caguas, which is about 45 minutes away and wait in line. We learned that we were being fined $1500 for inappropriately turning on the water. They agreed to turn on the water if we paid all the unpaid water bills (which they never sent me), and an additional deposit. I contested the fine. I was given no indication that anything was amiss with my water account. They asked me to send a letter with all the particulars. I sent a certified letter with all the details. It came back because no one picked up the letter from the Post Office. I resent my letter via email.
The next step was to receive an in-person appointment to appeal the fine. COVID happened and I heard nothing.
Then in Jan 2021, I checked my bill online and found that $1500 had been added to the bill. I tried calling but was unable to get through.
So on this trip, I again went to Caguas to speak to someone. After several hours spent in wrong, socially distanced lines, I was able to speak to the receptionist. She took my phone number and registered me for a online meeting in “several days” I left, frustrated with the experience but willing to add it to the cost of living on the enchanted island.
Since I was in Caguas, I decided to check out a local plant nursery. It was a huge one. As I was walking around, I started receiving texts, Amadisse was ready to talk to me. Daniel was ready to talk to me. However no one was calling me. I was very confused as there was no info to call either.
So I finished shopping and went back to the water company. Another receptionist (who was miffed that I did not speak Spanish) said someone would call me. I did end up speaking to someone who unfortunately did not speak English. Since it was late in the day, they said someone who spoke English would call me the next day. No one did. I gave up.
I did learn how to use the online request system, so I will try again from PA. As I said, it is not all fun in the sun.
Fajardo is about 45 minutes away on the north east tip of Puerto Rico. It is known as a watersports hub. We have taken a few tours (fishing, catamaran and mini boats) from the marina. I went to Seven Seas beach for the first time when I came house shopping with girlfriends. The water is usually calm and you can just chill in the water with a drink in hand. Even a snack.
Today, our goal was to snorkel. We put on our gear and struggled to get out in out flippers. What a sight. We followed a tour to the snorkeling spot which is about half a mile out and marked with a buoy. Once we got past the sea grass, and reached a reef, we saw some interesting fish. But not much at all. And it was a lot of work. We decided it was not worth the effort and headed back. Fifty feet in, Santosh yells, “There’s a large school of fish here!” I head over and it’s another reef with a lot more fish. I try to take a picture but do not succeed. iPhones in plastic sheaths don’t work that well. We spend another half hour in this spot before heading out.
Exhausted but happy with the snorkeling, we head to the car with visions of arepas in our minds. Pescaderia Don Candi is our favorite lunch spot in Fajardo and has the best arepas. Unfortunately, we find an expensive parking ticket on our car. Bummer! It’s a lesson we should have learned by now, just pay for parking, it’s safer!
We head to Don Candi and enjoy some fabulous arepas. This little cafe with outdoor dining is usually packed pn weekends. Today it was empty. We enjoyed our arepas stuffed with shrimp and crab with a ocean view. It was a mighty fine day!
I thought we had identified all the trees on the property worth keeping. There was a tree in the far back corner, that I definitely thought was a “weed.” Santosh asked me to save it, just in case. Since it was in the far corner, I let it be. This trip I was clearing out the corner which still holds the flamboyant stump and related debris and I noticed the mystery tree had fruited! Now that I am familiar with Puerto Rican local fruit, I was able to identify these strange looking fruit as guanábana. Also known as soursop. In India, it is known as RamSita or Ramfal. Per Wikipedia, the fruit has a creamy texture, an aroma of pineapple, the a flavor of strawberries, apple, and sour citrus. Guanabana is a popular juice here. I think I need to eat more of this fruit before I can start to appreciate it. Because the inside is very similar to another fruit, I was disappointed on my first taste of the fruit.
I did not realize I had this tree, so I planted one two years ago. So now I have two. Fun.
In the two years of gardening on the island, I’ve learned a few lessons.
Don’t pay for what can be propagated. You can stick a cutting in the ground and it will take root. Especially in the shade and rainy season. (Like the croton above, which would have cost at least $3 in a nursery.) If I knew I would be here for a month, I would be a propagation queen.
The sun is really hot here. I thought the snake plant would be able to handle the afternoon sun in the front of the house, but they look really sad. So I moved them all to the shadier side yard.
All bromeliads are not sun worshipers either. They lose their color and shrivel up. I moved some of these around as well. Since I cannot control the sun or rain (and I am not here to augment the lack of rain), the only parameter I have is location.
Mint thrives anywhere, or so I thought. I planted mint next to a afternoon sun only, downspout hoping for a endless supply for mojitos. It’s been an uphill battle, so now they have a new, shadier location.
I am working on creating more shade. Which is rather odd, as in PA, shade is for people and boring ground cover.
The weed-whacker is a plant’s the worst enemy. It has no respect when it goes after straying grass and weeds. I use short PVC pipes to mark and protect my plants from the well meaning whackman. That works on my tiny papaya, but not on this prickly century plant.
Orchids take patience. Our very first pair are flowering annually but I’m not investing any more money on them till the next eight orchids I purchased bloom.
While it seems to rain all the time, most times it is short. I don’t think the plants get a really good watering. But they seem to survive and thrive.
When a plant is happy it takes off like its on steroids! A neighbor gave me two gandule seedlings to plant. Also known as pigeon peas, it is a local staple. I planted them in the sunny backyard. They grew into 8 foot bushes with a base of 6 inches in diameter. And when the bean pods dried, they looked awful. I got rid of those plants. You have to eliminate the plants that are not quite what you expected, ruthlessly. This applies to all gardens. I am also a ruthless pruner!
Here is another plant that has exploded in size – lemon grass. Enough to make a lot of Thai soups and curries. I’m letting him go for now, as he is not in the way and looks interesting.
One challenge is the leaves of the fruit trees are prone to sooty mold. I keep spraying them but have not figured out how to eliminate this problem.
My papayas are not fruiting despite looking healthy and flowering. I think I have the right combination of males and females now, let’s see what happens.