We have been back to exploring the island. We prefer the west coast because we can make a day trip out of it and be back before dark and Aeden’s bedtime. I don’t know how we missed Combate Beach in our explorations, but it is definitely one worth checking out. Near the lighthouse area of Cabo Rojo, it’s hot and dry and the water was a welcome sight! I loved how still and flat the water was -perfect to bring a baby! It was also nice that at one end of the beach there was a restaurant/bar if you needed any refreshments. On the other side there is an extensive natural reserve that you can walk or bicycle! Pretty hot for too much physical activity out of the water in the summer, but maybe this winter we can check it out some more.
Nothing like a huge chair to make you feel like you have been shrunken!
Now that we have settled back into our life and routine and mowed all the property after the summer rains and sun caused everything to grow like crazy, I have some time to collect my thoughts on my first trip back to Colorado since we moved here. I can’t believe it had been nearly 6 years since I had been back. In some ways it was very easy to step back in to our way of life, and in other ways I feel I have been profoundly changed by my experience and life here in Puerto Rico. Here are some things I noticed about the differences. Of course everything that has a “pro” also comes with a “con” -that’s just the way life is.
Mofongo in Puerto Rico
Food
One of the most obvious differences from Colorado to Puerto Rico is the food. In Puerto Rico there aren’t a whole lot of choices especially on “la isla” outside of the metro area. Most people eat at home and if you go out, it’s for “picadero” or just light meals. There are of course some restaurants around, it’s just not such a big deal as it is in Colorado. The main meat choice is almost always chicken with pork coming in 2nd and then beef 3rd. The main starch is usually plantain.
Mexican Food -Chicken Chimichanga!
In Colorado there are a lot of choices, and in our area of Northern Colorado, it’s mostly Mexican food and beef. I hadn’t had a real steak if you don’t count the occasional churrasco in nearly these 6 years! Every time I went out to eat I found myself wanting to say “Buen Provecho” to other people eating and had to bite my tongue. I was also amazed at the restaurant service and how often they would fill up our water glasses and rarely if ever asked if we wanted bottle water like they do so often in Puerto Rico. Also, I liked how the Mexican food restaurants always kept bringing back more and more free chips and salsa as we waited for the entrees to arrive. No wonder we got so chubby in Colorado!
Free unlimited water refills and chips and salsa at all Mexican restaurants in Colorado!
We ate sooo much food on this trip. I had forgotten how much food we don’t get in Puerto Rico. I enjoyed Pho, snow/king crab legs, peaches, a huge variety of hot peppers, sweet corn, Arbys, Dairy Queen, pizza with toppings like artichoke hearts, Colorado craft beers, spicy Mexican food, salad bars and more that I hadn’t eaten in a LOOONG time. I had forgotten how much going out to eat is such a part of the culture in Colorado. It’s just something to do! And there is so much to eat! Serving sizes are too big in Puerto Rico (maybe double what they should be), but in Colorado, they are about 3 times too big! Part of the trip was to eat as many foods as we could that we haven’t had in a long time…and in the course of the trip I think we achieved that!
Pho and Fajitas
Hot peppers and sweet corn!
Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake and Peanut Buster Parfait!! Mmm
Arby’s and Waffles!
Soo much food everywhere! Tons of produce and varieties of things like Trisquits!
I haven’t had cinnamon bears forever! And Roma pizza -our old hangout!
Steakhouses and Brunch
Colorado Rockies
Climate/Landscape
The next most striking thing was the climate. I had forgotten how dry, dry, dry it is. And everyone was talking about how unusually humid it was. We had to buy eye drops and skin lotion. My hair went from soft waves to super flat and staticky just like that. We also had a bit of altitude adjustments. The roads are SO flat and straight and well maintained it was crazy. Where are the potholes?? There are so few trees in Colorado. Even in the summer when it is beautiful and green it is still such a muted color compared to the vibrancy of Puerto Rico. And COLD! I haven’t truly been cold in nearly 6 years and yet I actually woke up shivering one night while we were there.I noticed that chips/crackers would go stale in Colorado if you leave a package out whereas in Puerto Rico they get moist and weird. There was also an odd scarcity of bugs and sounds everywhere. It was cool to see some different wildlife like squirrels and deer, but overall, it was so QUIET compared with the loudness of nature and the party-vibe of the island. It was also weird seeing so many old things in such great condition. Things that if they were on the island would rust out, break down and become dust in 2 years were still like brand new after 20-50 years in storage. No rust, no mold, no corrosion. It was amazing!
Colorado Flag
Language/Culture
It took me a minute to reset my brain to English as the default language. When we needed something in a store for instance I had the tendency to want to ask in Spanish. If someone sneezed I wanted to say “Salud” instead of “Bless You.” Flags were Colorado and American instead of Puerto Rican. Even when I talked with my Spanish-speaking friends, it was different to hear the Mexican Spanish again and I had to change back some of my vocabulary. People in both Colorado and Puerto Rico are super friendly, but it’s different. In Colorado there is an assumption of everyone following the rules and therefore everyone will get along. In Puerto Rico, there is an assumption that there are some rules that just don’t make sense, so we will all break them together and get along (waving people into traffic for instance when the roads are congested). In lines in Colorado hardly anyone spoke to each other, whereas in a fila in Puerto Rico you stand there so long, you know the other person’s life history! Hardly anyone commented on Aeden, whereas in Puerto Rico babies are so loved. Everywhere we go we hear “AY QUE LINDO” “QUE COLORA’O!” and “Dios Lo Bendiga/Cuide.” Also I have forgotten how many HUGE trucks and SUVs there are in Colorado. There is no way these vehicles could maneuver the tiny roads of the island. People in Colorado also dress much differently. We saw a lot of cowboy hats and boots!
Huge trucks in Colorado
Versus a tiny truck with a goat in the front seat in Puerto Rico, no really we just saw this -haha!
Order/Rules
Everything was just so orderly. If there were more than 2 people in a line at a store, another register opened up! If the roads had a little damage, they were being repaired. There are so many sidewalks and bike lanes! Once I sat down on a wall waiting for Britton to get something from concessions at a concert and was told to get off the wall -this would never happen in Puerto Rico! People obeyed all the traffic lights. I saw no one get into their car with an open beer. And the bathrooms. Let me tell you…they were impeccable even in the seediest of places. Every bathroom in Colorado had HOT running water, lights that worked, toilet seats, emptied trashcans, and there was toilet paper. There was always hand soap and often a sign reminding you to wash. Paper towels AND hand driers in case you wanted both! AMAZING bathrooms! haha I also did not see anyone peeing outside and I have gotten quite used to peeing in some of the most random places! It is so orderly there, that even at a parade was hardly any noise! It was like a parade on mute! People playing charade parade! No noise, no disruptions! Not even if you’re having a party. Where was the music, speakers and blaring sounds? After living on party island so long, this was very, very strange.
Alcohol was also strictly monitored and they even gave limits at the bar so as to not over-serve. Over-serving in Puerto Rico would mean spilling a drink! haha AND in Colorado there is pay-at-the-pump! Oh how I had forgotten about that! And the police in Colorado were like strict authority figures whereas in Puerto Rico, they are just like you and me and will even stop and have a chat with you and ask about your day. Overall, I was just taken aback at how obedient, fear-based and orderly everything was. I missed the fun chaos and randomness of life while I was there. It all seemed very planned, correct and straight in comparison to la isla.
I had forgotten how into guns people are in Colorado/America
Puerto Rico “sample” of a drink was a full-sized super strong mixed drink as we waited in line to check out
In PR I won a chance on the roulette wheel after buying some stuff and was told to just basically choose my prize (that would never happen in CO)
Buses full of people “chinchorreando” going bar to bar to party in Puerto Rico
Random thing to see on a roof of a house driving around in PR
And of course hammocks are everywhere instead of porch swings!
We saw so many friends and family!
What I was reminded the most about our trip back to Colorado was how much I miss my friends and family. We have met so many beautiful souls in Puerto Rico, but there is nothing like family and friendships that you’ve had since you were a kid. I also know that even though everyone is very friendly to us I will always be an outsider here in Puerto Rico and that makes life a little harder. Overall, I am so grateful for the experiences I have been given in both places that are so near and dear to me no matter how far I roam.
Colorado and Puerto Rico. We can make comparisons but they are both two places that will always hold pieces of my heart!
Powerful image of a protestor in San Juan (credit FB)
After Hurricane Maria, the island took up the chant “Puerto Rico Se Levanta!” which means “Puerto Rico Rises!” This past week, the phrase has taken a whole new meaning as the island rises stronger and louder than ever in protests over corruption in the government with the current governor, Ricardo Rossello, taking the main fire with chants of “Ricky Renuncia” which means “Ricky Resign.” Today, one of the main thoroughfares in San Juan was filled with protestors stopping all traffic with estimates of over ONE MILLION people! There are only a little over 3 million people in Puerto Rico so for almost a third of them to show up in person and march for him to leave is not insignificant.
Look at the sheer number of people! (credit FB)
The rage felt toward Ricky Rossello is an outward expression of the inner trauma we are still all dealing with from Hurricane Maria. In chat messages that were exposed after people in his political circle were arrested on corruption charges, the public learned that he mocked those affected the worst, withheld aid when it would make his party look better, made deals that would further his agenda at the cost of the people and generally did not stand as a light in the literal darkness we went through during the long, difficult months after Maria. He has yet to step down, but the people are only getting louder and louder in wanting him to resign. I don’t know how any representative of people would want to “govern” those who clearly do not want him anymore.
On land, air, internet, by sea -Ricky should get the message -The people want him out!
When (and I think it will be soon) he resigns, will it change the culture of corruption that has been in the Puerto Rican government for many, many decades (in both parties)? I am not sure. But I certainly hope it will. After so much that this island has gone through with school and hospital closures, austerity measures and then a hurricane on top of it all, Boricuas have proven the tenacity that only hard times will unfortunately bring out. And this is the proof. I love that people here have gotten so fired up. It has been a long time since I have seen this kind of power of the people. Thoughts of the Occupy Movement come to mind. But the sort of fervor here is unlike even that. It would be as if 100 million people showed up in New York City and shut the city down. There is a camaraderie in this movement that says “Enough is enough!” Basta, ya. Renuncia, ya! The last time a protest near this size occurred was to stop the bombings in the small island of Vieques, and it worked!
To read more about protests and strikes, here’s a pretty good breakdown. And for those concerned about visiting the island, there is no worry. It has overall been a very impressive, and yet peaceful outrage. Perhaps avoid Old San Juan until it is resolved if you are concerned with crowds or have small children, but come, visit. Support this beautiful island with a spirit forged in fire and storms.
Here in our town of Rincon, there was a protest and signs around say “Ricky Renuncia”
PS: Even Ricky Martin, Bad Bunny, Residente (Rene from Calle 13) have all gotten involved. Check out their new (not for kids) song: Afilando los Cuchillos (Sharpening the Knives).
We had a great time in Colorado and while we were there we took the extra effort to go down south to the Colorado Springs area. This is about a 2 hour drive from where we were staying in Greeley, so it was worth it to book a night in a hotel so we could spend more time touristing around. We had two things on our mind to see: The Garden of the Gods and the Royal Gorge. We ended up seeing three because we also saw the Cave of the Winds. All of these I highly recommend if you are in the southern Colorado region. The landscape changes to be a little drier the further south you go and more and more juniper bushes become interspersed throughout the red rocky area.
Waiting to see the Cave of the Winds. Tickets were about $20 each but Aeden (children under 5 I think) was free
My mom and her first, and so far only, grandbaby
A lot of dinosaur fossils are found in this area so there are some museums and places that showcase it
The canyons in this area are insane!
When we first arrived to Colorado Springs!
The train was a huge part of how “the west was won”
We carried Aeden through some tight spots and steep stairs in this cool cave
Colorado flag flying proud. The yellow circle in the center of the C represents the sun
Fun in the Cave of the Winds
A fun cave with tight spots, but easy enough to do holding a baby
He seemed to enjoy it too!
While we waited for the tour I tried out my spelunking skills -haha
After the tour there was a beautiful rainbow over the canyons
Look! We caught a leprechaun at the end of a rainbow 🙂
So many photo ops!
On the drive back to the hotel from the cave we checked out the Garden of the Gods! So incredible and always FREE! This was the balance rock area
Such incredible formations!
Love these impressive backdrops!
Say cheese!
The next day we drove another hour to Canon City to see the Royal Gorge. We were there at the right place and time because it is normally $28 to cross
The ziplines and gondolas looked fun, but we just walked it
Tourist pose at the top checking out the HUGE suspension bridge we would be walking across
Fun with my mom. It was pretty cool, but wouldn’t be worth $28 just to cross in my opinion
On the other side of the bridge
There’s only so much you can do on a bridge, so I did a bridge! 🙂
Walking the 1/4 mile across and back
I looked for the PR flag, but there were only state flags there
