El Yunque is one of my favorite places on earth. I struggle to find the words to describe this magical place. It is nature at its finest – layers and layers of foliage, some large and others in miniature, some low to the ground, others soaring high into the sky. So many shades of green. Rivers, streams, slow drips and majestic waterfalls abound. Mountains that take you up to the clouds and reward the courageous hiker with spectacular views.
I have only seen a small fraction of this magnificent forest. Many of the trails are still closed after Hurricane Maria. And beyond the mapped routes, there are hidden hikes and pools to discover. Imagine getting lost in El Yunque!
Interestingly, based on the rainfall and time of year, the flora and fauna does vary. I plan to learn as much as possible about this amazing place that is just 30 minutes from home.
You feel small and insignificant in such a spectacular theatre!
A window with a view!
On top of the world!
Our quiet town of Cannovanas is next to three busier areas. To the west, Carolina for shopping and a bit further, San Juan for restaurants and night life. To the east, more touristy areas of Rio Grande and Fajardo with their restaurants. Other than quick lunch spots, we did not know any dinner destinations in our town. Until our last trip when our neighbor introduced us to Zimple which is 11 minutes from the house. Zimple is a hip restaurant that serves beautiful and tasty Puerto Rican food. The first time we went I had mofongo stuffed with lobster and Santosh had red snapper stuffed with lobster. That was so much lobster, done to perfection. We took Reena there and then we went back again ourselves and enjoyed some lamb. The staff is great and the chefs so accommodating. A local gem!
Stuffed Tostones 
Lamb Chops 
Red Snapper with Lobster 
Shrimp Mfongo 
Lobster Mfongo 
Red Snapper with Lobster
Reena joined us for 10 days in during our Nov 2020 trip. It was over a year since her last visit and it was fun showing her the improvements to the house, new places we discovered and introducing her to our friends. Like us, she worked during the day and made the most of the evenings and weekends. Both daughters are talented artists and before long she had the itch to paint. She started with one plant, then added a new colorful and graceful plant each day.
She even let me help.
I now have a beautiful indoor garden. She says it is unfinished, like any other garden, there is more to come. But unlike the garden outside, I am glad I will not return to find jungle weeds and vines in this vibrant garden.
I love being organized and ready for fun. About 10 years ago, we would frequently picnic at Peace Valley Park in Doylestown, PA. I had a picnic basket filled with everything we needed – utensils, napkins, bug repellent, band-aids, etc. We just had to pack food or pick it up on the way.
Well, in this house I decided to create a nook, which I call Beach Central to keep all the paraphernalia associated with going to the pool, beach or the rain forest. Santosh and I built the shelves, Reena and Dom stained them on a subsequent trip. The beach chairs hang on hooks.
We are slowly accumulating fun gear – hammocks, floaties, hiking sticks, fishing rods, umbrellas, etc.
Most times, we keep towels and swimsuits in the car, so we can stop at the beach for a dip anytime. This is the spontaneous life I would like to lead one day, everyday. Beach hair? Don’t care!
I have a tall Morringa/drumstick tree and several dwarf ones. The leaves make a delicious albeit slightly bitter side-dish. The tender leaves are better. It does take a while to remove the tiny leaves off their stem. I am going to try and use a herb stem remover next time – stay tuned.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1/4 cup diced onions
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 4 cups moringa leaves, separated from stems and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup grated coconut
- Salt
- Heat the oil in a frying pan
- Add the mustard seeds. Give them a moment to pop.
- Add the red chilies. Give them a moment to roast.
- Add the onion and curry leaves. Saute till the onions become soft and translucent.
- Add the turmeric. Give it a moment to cook.
- Add the leaves. Give it a mix. Cover and cook till the leaves are tender.
- Add the coconut and salt to taste. Cook for a couple more minutes.
Two months into Covid, the island was in lockdown. We were not allowed to go to the beach or the rainforest. There was a $5,000 fine for any offenders. I was anxious to just see the ocean, so we did a drive by at Luquillo. The ocean looked amazing. We decided to ride higher into the mountains (past Rio Mar) and enjoy a birds-eye view. As we passed Rio Mar we noticed cars turning right and decided to explore.
We drove past several developments all with a beautiful ocean view. We started descending and it started to feel more like a NJ beach town. Homes of all sorts next to the beach. Some large, others smaller and even some ship container homes.
Finally we started seeing some beach access. We followed a car down a muddy road that lead to the beach. There were a handful of people enjoying a beautiful calm beach. We took a risk and enjoyed walking in the water since we did not have our suits. No photos on social media please, said my husband.
We have been back several times since that discovery. Unfortunately the last time this particular beach was full of trash. Sad. We moved to another smaller spot and enjoyed the waves.
Playa Las Picuas – In front of Blue Paradise Resort
Coordinates : 18.412092, -65.776960
When I am asked “Where is your home in Puerto Rico?,” I say it is between the San Juan Airport and El Yunque, set in the island by about 20 minutes.
After we bought the home, we tried to figure out what the absolute closest beach access was. We are on the border between Cannovanas and Rio Grande. (Actually our home is in Cannovanas but the Post Office is in Rio grande which results in lost and returned mail.)
Luquillo Beach is the most popular nearby beach. It is about 30 minutes away and very popular with both the tourists and locals. It is a beautiful crescent with soft sand, palm trees and turquoise water. However it is very busy with restaurants, people, cars and music.
The closest beach is quiet and serene. Initially there was no commercial activity but the last time we went the abandoned restaurant was operational over the weekend. Disappointing but turns out their Mojitos are pretty good.
I call this spot Bahia Beach since it is near the beautiful St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort. From our home, head towards Luquillo Beach, then turn towards the ocean on Route 187. Once you pass the resort, you go over a bridge. Make the next right, which will swing you back to a parking area. The Rio Herrera meets the ocean at this spot.
The area/town is Vieques on the eastern most tip of Loiza. I don’t call it Vieques because it would be confused with the island.
If you walk along the beach towards Loiza, you will see abandoned shacks. Sometimes I see families picnicking in these areas. We find a nice palm tree and rock and spend a few hours enjoying an empty beach.
One evening I was sitting on this beach with my friend Heather, enjoying some happy hour cocktails and cheese. All of a sudden a man with a machete walks by. We were a bit startled but he was just going after a coconut. Another time, a wild horse ran onto the beach. He saw me and bolted. I love these surprises!
We visit Puerto Rico every couple of months. And the beaches are never remain the same. Sometimes there are uprooted palm trees, a treasure trove of shells, a lot of seaweed on the beach or in the water and even a lot of trash. Things constantly change around here and we go with the flow.
Coordinates: 18.423254, -65.829680
In Puerto Rico, our windows are open all the time. If it is extremely warm, we close the bedroom windows and turn on the AC. But most nights, the windows are open, and we can hear the sounds of the night. These sounds include cats fighting, dogs barking, rooster’s crowing and last but not least coqui’s chirping.
The coqui (pronounced ko-kee) is a tiny frog that is native to Puerto Rico and is the national symbol of the island. These small frogs produce a loud chirp at night, up to 90 decibels. These calls are made by male frogs to attract females and fend off the competition. After the rain, male coquis are highly active and loud.
It does take a few days before you can sleep though this cacophony. My son claims he has PTSD from the experience.
My husband is not a fan either. A few coqui decided to seek refuge (or play hanky panky) in one of the new AC units. And they managed to fry some of the circuitry. The unit was still under warranty, but we had to pay for the service call.
To me, they are an intrinsic part of the island. Sometimes, from PA, when I check on the house via the webcams, I turn up the volume and listen to the unmistakable sound of the coquis calling me back home.
Decorating the bedrooms was fun! Once I decided on paint colors, I looked for bedspreads to match in each room. Bedspreads, because comforters are of no use in Puerto Rico. It is never cold. And we never plan to air condition like they do in Florida.
I went all tropical, which is interesting because only touristy homes in Puerto Rico are decorated like that. I wanted to create a tropical escape both inside the house and outside. While there are some beachy decorations like shells, I steered away from the beach theme.
Decorating is an ongoing task, until you decide you are done. And my plan is that the rooms are minimalist, given they are not that big. In January, the primary colors were determined by wall color and the bedspreads. In March, Supriya and I bought artwork for each room. Since we put fans with lights in most of the rooms, it turned out I did not need lamps in every bedroom. But I did get a set for the master bedroom. They have bottoms that I will one day fill with shells.
The master bedroom is green. The bedspread is mostly green leaves with blue-gray, pink and white. The windows were covered with a lace curtain to allow the light and air to flow in. We keep the windows open all year.
Once the air conditioner was installed above the bed, I added some home made acrylic pour paintings.
(These pictures need to be updated.)
The second biggest bedroom is in the front of the house and is pink. It has a wall of closets that is mirrored making the room feel even bigger.
The third bedroom is blue. This is the IKEA bed that triggered our first fight in the house.
The fourth bedroom is mustard and holds a full and twin bunk bed. We decided not to install a ceiling fan as it would have been safe for a child in the upper bunk.
