Puerto Rico Day #4 - Caraboli

This is probably Keagan’s favorite day trip of the week. Some people vacation for rest and relaxation, and we do that, too, but there has to be something new, something exciting, something fun. What teen boy doesn’t like the combination of mud, water, and ATVs? Keagan loved today’s adventure! Evan didn’t really wake up until an hour into the ride, as seen in this photo,

We took ATVs down muddy trails through the rain forest and stopped several times to soak in the views and swim in the river. 

The rain forest is breathtaking! I wish I could enjoy the smell of the flowers and nature. 

One stop included fresh passion fruit juice and chicken on a stick. This was great because it had been 90 minutes since Keagan’s last meal and it was time for him to refuel. 

I wish we would have had this pic taken with no masks, but masks, unfortunately, are mandated here in Puerto Rico. 

We had tacos for lunch, picked up pastries at the panderia for dessert, and returned home for a siesta, reading, and FIFA. 

A night cap of coquito, a distant fireworks show, and all is well. 

Merry Christmas Eve!

Puerto Rico Day #3 - San Juan

Today’s travels took us to the city of San Juan. I loved it here because of the combination of the Taino Indian influence, the Old World European Charm, and the modern buildings and outdoor eateries. The brightly colored buildings were Caribbean-esque, and Puerto Rican pride was evident on every street.

The boys took a couple of shots on the Carmelo Anthony Court that overlooked the water.

We toured both of the castles, El Morro and San Cristobal, and climbed to the top for gorgeous panoramic views. We took so many beautiful pictures; it was hard to choose just a few.

We grabbed lunch at a food truck, and took my friend’s suggestion to eat fried cod. (That hair. Wes kindly told me today I needed a refund on my shampoo because the anti-frizz promise is not holding up in this humidity.)

Keagan loved the bacalaito and surullito so much he went back to buy another round for an afternoon snack. 

After we dropped Makinley off at the airport (she’s off to spend Christmas with her family), we headed to the beach to drink Jarritos and watch the sunset. 

We were pleasantly surprised after dinner by a parade of decorated golf carts and bikes that took to the streets of the neighborhood. People played music, dressed in costumes, and danced. So fun! 

Puerto Rico Day #2 - El Yunque

Day 2 and we were up bright and early (for teens anyway) to hike El Yunque rainforest. First up was Juan Diego Creek and waterfall. 

The boys went in for a swim. It was too cold for Mak, though. I don’t blame her. I sat this one out, too. 

From here we hiked up a slippery, steep mud trail to the top of the falls.

We made it down safely with no torn ligaments, rolled ankles, or muddy backsides - even though we had some close calls. It was an adventure for sure that left us all covered in mud.

Next we climbed the lookout tower called Yokahu for panoramic views of the coastline and forest. I might be on vacation but I can still use my teacher voice. To the dismay of the fam, I tested it out today. 

Our third stop was Coca Falls. No hiking was needed this time; just a pull over for a picture. 

By this time, we had worked up an appetite, so we stopped for lunch at a questionable shack that probably had the best food we will eat this week. 

Keagan ordered his drink with rum and then Wes overruled him. Good try, Keagan. I ordered mine with a double shot - one for me and another for me.

Our adventure continued to the local fruit stand for fresh pineapple and vegetables to go with our dinner. According to Keagan, you aren’t on vacation if you don’t hear a foreign language or have the ability to stop and shop at roadside fresh fruit stands. He’s so bougie. 

The hottest part of the day was spent napping under the palm trees at the beach.

And going for swims in the salt water. Can you spot the boys?

Perfection! 

Puerto Rico Day #1 - Bio Bay Fajardo

After a two year hiatus, we are returning to our Christmas vacation tradition. There’s nothing better than traveling to new places, experiencing new things, and eating new foods. We left home on Monday afternoon. Mak was so nervous about flying that she researched the planes (737 and 737 Max) we would take to get to San Juan. She spent one hour looking out the window observing the men at work. 

Unfortunately, the flight to Miami was very turbulent. She was a nervous wreck gripping the arm rests while the guy next to her tried to reassure her that the plane was safe because it had back up engines in case one malfunctioned. The adventure had just begun. 

We finally landed at 1:00 am and then had to wait for a team of airport workers to unload the luggage. Meanwhile, Evan decided masks were not necessary even though the local government said otherwise. This was the beginning of murmuring bad words because no one dislikes wearing a mask more than my 19 year old. Next we headed to the car rental office where we got to play Tetris with the six bags, five people. and the guitar case in our economy car rental. We were all tired, all cranky, and all saying bad words at this point. 

We made it to our house at 3:00am and crashed. Except Keagan. He unpacked and organized his closet.

Because who doesn’t do this?

At lunch time, we woke up to this! The beautiful blue sky, 83 degrees, and the rain forest in the background. 

We spent the afternoon at Coco Beach.

We drove to Fajardo for dinner of mofongo, sky fish, conch, and shrimp.

And then we kayaked through a mangrove forest in a lagoon to the bay to experience bioluminescence. 

Keagan got to partner with me in the kayak, and true to form, we had the very best experience turning 180s in the water. 

This was not done on purpose but due to someone’s bad sense of direction. It was like we were in traffic circles in water. I told him it was all on purpose to add some excitement to an otherwise calm and peaceful ride. Sadly, I’m not sure he viewed tonight’s adventure with the same eyes. 

And it’s only day one! Six more days of this family fun is sure to be had by all!