Puerto Rico: ‘International’ Trip (Taylor’s version)

It had been 15 months since Patrick and I crossed international borders together – other than the ones in our own mind, of course.  And yes, technically Puerto Rico is not an international trip but the denotation of Taylor’s version really demarcates where we were as a society. And also how we felt about it as a trip. We were going international! Post-Covid!

Technically it’s not international but “First intercontinental trip post Covid” didn’t have the vibe I was going for.

It was an impactful trip that happened over Thanksgiving when we were both able to travel and get our feet whet/wet with the thrill of a foreign country (Taylor’s version). Foreign language, foreign food, foreign sea, you get it, she gets it.

Speaking of thrill, I took the red eye. Landing at 4am and “sleeping” on the floor of the airport for 2 hours (I had read it wasn’t safe to sleep on the beach in the dark) until the sun came up at 6:35am when I took an Uber to the water and, for $20, rented the below chair and umbrella for a full day until Patrick arrived. Traveling to the destination is an entire activity when you purchase cheap tickets. 

Here, I slept for 4 hours because I’m a budget traveler who didn’t get a hotel room. That’s all my stuff in that backpack.

Not a bad gig, sure. I did have to wake up every hour to move my chair back into the shade of my umbrella because the sun kept moving. And, at 12:30pm I drank my first of (dozens of) piña coladas too fast to take a picture. I don’t know if I just haven’t had a piña colada in two years or if that was seriously the best piña colada I have ever had.

How many piña coladas do you think we averaged a day?

Here’s a haiku:

Peaceful paradise
Puerto Rico’s island charm
Piña colada.

Puerto Rico felt soo safe! I loved it. Besides sleeping on the beach, they required everyone to wear masks at all time and to show proof of vaccination.  Best place I’ve ever been to at wearing masks, who would have thought? Give them statehood! (if they want it! Which they seem to!) If you wanna travel but haven’t been anywhere exotic — I’d recommend Puerto Rico! We described it as two notches above Jamaica.

Happiness comes in waves. And in the form of no private beaches around the entire island!

Where we woke up on Thanksgiving morning: Sunrise in El Yunque National Park.

Forecast calls for: Best friendship and rain!

I mean, how did you spend Thanksgiving 2021?

We traveled all over the entire island exploring everywhere we could.  Seeking out vegetables for every meal – though we only found them once – ironically at a bakery.  We left each restaurant feeling stuffed with reasonable okay things to eat. The food was not a highlight, I wouldn’t visit Puerto Rico for the cuisine.

Nature, never going out of style.

Thanksgiving day feast for two with nary a vegetable in sight! (But not for lack of trying.)

When your best friend poses you for a fantastic pic

We tried to find the best food in Puerto Rico and I’m *pretty sure* we found it.

On a hike where Patrick pointed out WILD MANATEES!!!!!!!!

San Juan, the capital city, at sunset.

Forever grateful

¡Viva Thanksgiving (Taylor’s version)!
Let’s travel together again soon?!
‘mi