When our family first talked about going to Puerto Rico we really had no idea what to expect. Amanda had been a few times before we were married but this was a first for Dane and I.
We ( well mostly Amanda ) googled every fact she could find. Watched every YouTube, read blogs and talked to friends.
One thing became clear very quick. People had strong feelings about the island. Peoples feelings were either that the island is an amazing paradise, or a drug trafficking natural disaster having horror.
We even have friends that stopped just short of a full blown intervention to stop us from going.
Actually going was still just a conversation. There was no real plan, or dates set.
Then over dinner Amanda asked if we should go for fall break? Well, that was 2 weeks away so….. Yup, I’m in!
The next day we had tickets and a place to stay booked. We didn’t get a car yet because that was my one job, and well, i turned to my computer to do it, there was a page open about Tarpon fishing, I read that.
I wonder if you can Tarpon fish from a kayak? Googling that lead to so many rabbit holes.
Ok so ya I failed that task. But Amanda remembered to book the car the next day. ( my one job was just to remind her, I could never be counted on to actually rent the car)
Two weeks later, and some condoling friends and family we were on our way!
I had no expectations. We have been to Costa Rica, so I expected similar. But the stories of devastation and crime loomed in my head.
We got in after dark and got the rental car. Asking the guy at the car place where we could find some food was our first impression of the island, and her people.
With a huge smile he started going into the closest restaurants, what the best food was at each, how to get there, and every other detail you could imagine.
This guy was great!
The restaurant we went to was ok. To be honest it was a little to commercial for us. We wanted local-er, but it was 10:00 pm and we were downtown city.
What the restaurant did have was Puerto Rican’s. Happy, fun and friendly people. I had never seen service as good.
It was like going to dinner with family. Every person in the building. The experience was incredible.
From there it was time to head to our apt.
Our family is boat people. If you know us you understand. The majority of our time is spent in a marina. So for this trip we rented an apartment at Puerto Del Rey. We were still unsure of what it was like there and decided not to VRBO this trip. ( I would highly recommend a vacation rental now, here is the link to ours Airbnb )
At the marina we pulled up to the entrance gates and were greeted by yet another friendly polite person. We got in after normal hours, so he tracked down our room key, and had another guard help with our luggage. (Only one bag each but he insisted)
Our first breakfast, we just walked down to the restaurant at the marina.
So at this point I should talk about one other great decision we made before the trip. We did not plan or schedule any activities. Our plan was just to go with whatever came up. There was some stuff we all wanted to look into and explore, but no itinerary.
Dane’s entire mission was to make friends with an iguana to the point it would eat from his hand.
Well by the time breakfast was over our waitress had helped him and Amanda also do just that! Even though she was afraid of them lol.
The food was great, the view and the people were the best in the world. This was pretty much the theme of the rest of the trip.
One brunch place we found was a roof top cafeteria. The owner explained every ingredient used. Then actually showed us her garden down below where it was grown. Our entire meal came from her yard.
She told us the story of hurricane Maria. About how her neighbors came to stop the leaks in her house and make sure she was safe. How she was alone and scared during the storm, but so thankful to her friends and neighbors.
Now, this was not the elderly local grandma you might be picturing right now. She was a retired realtor from the states. The neighbors who came to help, and did the work on her house, she had never even met them. People here just care.
At another restaurant the staff had memorized the entire menu. That menu was created by a chef who refused to cook with any ingredient not from the island. The food was the best we have ever had!
One waiter told us the story of his family selling everything they owned to move from New York and live on the island. How now he is able to enjoy boy-scouts and camping with his son and wife every weekend rather than working 60 hour weeks to rent a tiny NYC apartment.
The last mention of a restaurant is one we went to in EL Yunque , The only rainforest in America. This locally owned business used their generators and food supplies to make sure all of the community surrounding them was well fed. For free. It is just what these amazing people do!
For our family there was no choice. We knew we had to make this a part of our life.
So we went shopping.
Driving through a community we saw a for sale by owner sign. The owner was pulling in. We stopped to talk and she invited us in. Told us her, and the homes life history and the next day it was done.
On a hand shake (and some paperwork) we bought the house. Now this part of the story is still not final. We will be a couple months before it is officially final. But to be honest, we were all in when we sat listening to the stories told by our new people.
Thanks for reading