Category Archives: Day Trips

Gozalandia and Salto Collazo

For our last day with our friend Sean here in PR we decided to show him Gozalandia. The owner of the property has done some major work with accessibility since the last time we visited and almost all the paths are paved now!

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Path through Gozalandia to each of the waterfalls

We came in January as it happens again so it was much quieter than it can be in the summer months though the water is a bit chillier too. Such a beautiful movie-perfect spot.  

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But the chilly water wasn’t stopping me this time. I decided I was going to swing off the rope into the water.

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Getting ready

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Now hang tight then swing, release… and splash!

So much fun. With a splash I was suddenly under water in the most deliciously cool freshwater ever. I climbed up the  rocks and let the water from the cascade wash over me as a natural shower. The boys weren’t interested in swimming and just enjoyed the beauty of the place.

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Hi from behind the waterfall!

Then we walked to the larger more well-known waterfall. It was interesting seeing it from above and looking down because of the new paths. It really made me remember just how crazy those guys are who not only jump but dive head first from that height! It was also pretty slick and mossy and Sean gave us quite the scare when he slipped on his butt up there! ¡Cuidado!

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Imagine jumping (or slipping) from here!

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I think it is the coolest looking rock face

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Sean enjoying the view


We spent some time talking with new friends we met there at Gozalandia and I was asked again by someone else if I was Puerto Rican! I think that is the most awesome thing that with my Spanish I can “pass” as Boricua de pura cepa as he called it. The final test was for me to yell out “¡Wepa!” which I did loudly and without hesitation and so I passed -haha. Accordingly I am now officially adopted as a Puerto Rican 😉

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¡Wepa!

We stopped in Lares for some lechón, but they were sold out for the day so we had chicken, pasteles and arroz con gandules instead. An employee told Britton we could come back tomorrow for the lechón. They had about 8 spits and walked Britton into the cooler where 10-15 pig carcasses were hung. He told Britton that people from the area raise the pigs and then bring them to this little restaurant to be processed. Very local and fresh pork.

When we left we drove by and then stopped to see Salto Collazo.  This waterfall really isn’t much in comparison to the ones at Gozalandia except on the other side of the road is a huge cliff drop off.

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Little Salto Collazo is right on the road and there is no real pond/pool

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And we ended the day enjoying a wonderful sunset over the mountains

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Crashboat Beach and Harry the Pelican Whisperer

Sean liked our Rincón beach day so much we thought we might take him to another nearby beach: Crashboat in Aguadilla. The last time we were there we were just exhausted and didn’t have much time to enjoy it.

Crashboat
Crashboat from the lookout point

This time we came prepared. We brought our cooler full of cold drinks, chairs, swimsuits, towels and snorkel gear. We also stopped in Aguada at the best little pollo al carbon spot for some awesome chicken and mashed viandas.

Crashboat with Sean
Fun times with our friend

We enjoyed eating, drinking and playing on the beach. There are always a lot more people at Crashboat than most beaches, and it added to the social and good-spirited vibe of the place. People are playing music, bouncing volleyballs around, jumping off the piers into the water, surfing the small breaks and laying in the sun.

Crashboat from the pier
Crashboat from the pier looking toward the coastline

As for us, we walked around for a while, swam, snorkeled and laid in the sun. It was a beautiful warm January day.

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Britton snorkeling

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Before I jumped off the pier into the ~80 degree F water with Britton

Britton and Sean palm tree
Britton and Sean on an island in the sun

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Surfers catching small waves

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And me catching some golden rays on golden sand

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“Hey, look over there!” Says Britton as I get pummeled by a wave

One of the coolest things we saw, however, was a man called Harry the Pelican Whisperer and his friendly flock of pelicans. He has trained these wild birds by throwing them fish and shrimp. This was quite the hit with everyone. They will do various tricks for him like spin in circles or jump up on people’s arms. To hold them he just asks for a donation of your choice or to buy something from him. Pretty cool guy. He knows each of them by name and talks to them in both Spanish and English. Bilingual pelicans! To get this up close and personal with the pelicans was a very cool experience. I pet them a little too. Their neck feathers feel almost like fur and their faces up close look like Dr. Seuss characters.

Cassie and Harry the Pelican Whisperer
Harry, Me and a Pelican

Pelican close up
Friendly pelican

Cassie and 2 pelicans
I was able to hold two at a time! Their web feet are so weird to feel

Some people were a little afraid, but I think since we have chickens and turkeys we are less intimidated by birds.


Harry and the Pelicans in action

Crashboat beach
Playa Crashboat

Later on that evening back in Rincón we played music with the band and then at around 11pm stopped by Surfer Spot for The.Best.Cheeseburger. Ever! So, so good. Now I understand why Jimmy Buffett wrote a song about a cheeseburger. Seriously. A fantastic day.

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Quick Stop at the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse

I’ve been wanting to stop by and see the Cabo Rojo lighthouse (Los Morillos) and Playuela for some time. We haven’t been since our honeymoon over 10 years ago! So we decided spur of the moment to go check it out. Unfortunately we got there just a little too late to go inside (it closes at 5pm), so we’ll have to come out another day. But because we arrived later, it wasn’t nearly as crowded and we got to see a beautiful sunset and the stars glow as dark descended. Southwestern Puerto Rico is a much harsher and drier environment compared with most of the rest of the island. When we were there the wind was pretty intense but the views were just incredible.

Cabo Rojo BK CK
In front of Faro Los Morillos in Cabo Rojo. I love the green shutters

Playuela
Looking down at La Playuela at dusk. During the day it is a hugely popular beach. Just behind are the sea salt flats

Cabo Rojo Lighthouse
Faro

Cliff at the end of the world
Cliff at the end of the world

Cabo Rojo Lighthouse Sunset
Sunset and the faro

 

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Puerto Rico on Ice: Outdoor Tropical Ice Skating

Ice skating outside…in the tropics. When we first heard about this we thought it was a joke…but nope, the municipality of Mayaguez in warm and tropical Puerto Rico decided to create an ice skating rink right in the middle of the town plaza. You never know what you might find in Puerto Rico and this was one of those crazy things that we just had to check it out.

Tropical Ice Skating
Set amidst palm trees and ferns: an ice skating rink

We met up with our good friends Missy and Ben and their great kiddos and headed to downtown Mayaguez. It was a little chaotic and hectic getting through all the paperwork waivers and getting all set up, but it worked out in the end. It was completely free including the ice skates and we could skate for a 20 minute session at a time. They will be doing this through Christmas I believe.

With the kids ice skating
Britton and me and two of our favorite little people -getting our skates on

We had to wear pants which would be understandable in normal ice skating situations, but here, we were just sweating from the heat of the mid-day sun. The refrigeration units were working hard to keep all that ice frozen, but it was still a little watery and super slick.

Refrigeration unit
The beast behind the whole operation

Britton skating
Britton skating on the slick wet side

Ice skating
The sunny parts that weren’t covered with the tents were even slicker!

Cassie and Jul Mayaguez
What a beautiful place to ice skate!

Although not very practical it was super fun! I haven’t been ice skating in a very long time. There is actually a large indoor ice skating rink in Aguadilla, but we haven’t checked it out yet. It’s so funny…if you can think it, it can and probably has been done regardless of feasibility or budget crises!

After our skate session we walked around the plaza for a little while and admired all the Christmas decorations.

Alcaldia Mayaguez
Mayaguez Plaza and Alcaldia

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Checking out the alcaldia Christmas display 

Nativity Scene in Town Hall
No pretense of separation of church and state here! Nativity scene right inside of Town Hall

Afterward we ran some errands around Mayaguez on the busy Sunday afternoon. It was starting to get late and so we decided we would go back and check out the lights in the plaza. Mayaguez has one of the better displays. There may not be any snow on the ground, but Puerto Rico knows how to light up with the Christmas spirit…including this patinaje sobre hielo. It was a gorgeous end to a winter wonderland day.

Lights in Mayaguez Me and Britton
Lights of Mayaguez

Mayaguez lit up at night

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