Author Archives: Cassie

Puerto Rico Adventures and Home Life: Guajataca, Aguadilla, Baby Birthday and More!

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Beachside in Guajataca

We have been staying busy exploring the great outdoors whenever we can and appreciating our daily life routine. Things aren’t quite back to ‘normal’ but it feels good to get out and see the real world instead of ‘doomscrolling’ and reading about all that’s not right.


Mountainside in Yauco

There is so much more that is not just good, but awesome! So we’ve gone out to explore them whenever we can. Here in Puerto Rico, we’ve had a couple of yo-yo policies opening up, locking down (for some reason they really didn’t want us going out on Sundays for a few weeks) and now back to opening up, so we try to just go with the flow of it as much as possible. When we can go to the beach we do, and when we can’t we go explore other places.  Here’s a few adventures near and far from home we found recently!


Fun day exploring the Guajataca River by kayak and Guajataca Beach with our friends Heidi and Pedro


Fun day trip to Camuy and Hatillo


Lots of fun and improvements on the farm. New concrete pad, new plants, flowers, and even new ponds for aquatics plants and fish!


Went through Tropical Storm Isaias and Laura


Short Excursions around Rincon, Aguada, Mayaguez, Anasco areas


New Waterfall Blue lagoon we found in San Sebastian


Amazing day in Yauco exploring a coffee finca


Exploring more of Quebradillas and its amazing cliff views!


In Aguadilla we finally found the “Secret Stairs” of Survival Beach! We’d been looking for them forever!


Our little boy turned TWO! I can’t believe it! Felicidades!

 



A wonderful day for a swim under a rainbow in Rincon!


Our little jungle boy!

Overall, life is good! We’re staying busy trying to remember that the best way to appreciate life is to LIVE it. Hope you are all doing well! Remember if you want to see what we’re doing more regularly, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our Youtube Channel where we make videos weekly!

Horseback Birthday Adventure and Tropical Storm Isaias

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Uncertainty has “certainly” been the name of this year. And while things aren’t back to “normal” and the arbitrary and confusing rules change practically every other week, things are at least a little more calm around here. And meanwhile in the midst of the chaos that 2020 is shaping out to be, another year of life has gone by and so we did our best to celebrate my making it another trip around the sun.

I have always wanted to go on a horseback tour here in Puerto Rico, so we thought if it was available we’d try to book a tour.

There’s a great company in Rincon called “Pintos R Us” but I know the trail and area they take so well that I wanted to go on a tour of an area that I’ve never seen. We decided to go with Tropical Trail Rides in Isabela. It was a great experience. After dropping Aeden off at daycare, we drove up to Isabela and met up with new friends Kristie and Hernan there. We checked in, paid (discount is given if paying cash), got weighed and a horse assigned to us. We wore face coverings to check in, but they weren’t required during the actual ride which is literally always a horse-length away from anyone haha. The views were wonderful and it was a different perspective to see everything a little higher. Such a connection with the animal when you are on her back too, almost like being one creature.

We rode through the back side of Villa Montana Resort and then onto Shacks Beach and finally all the way to Survival Beach in Aguadilla and back. We mostly walked and trotted on the horse.

Afterward we met up with a few more friends for a nice meal and drink at Villa Montana. It was a great, chill way to celebrate my birthday.

On the day of my actual birthday we just went out alone to explore the black sand beaches of Mayaguez on the litoral. This beach is often ignored because the dark sands are considered dirty by the local people there even though they are just the mineral colors of the sand and I found it to be incredible! We walked up and down the beautiful coast and took pictures before having a nice simple meal at Carbon de Palo, a sweet little seaside restaurant.

There’s a lot that is out of our hands right now, but our own happiness always is. And that’s what I’m focusing on right now. To another solar cycle! Hope everyone is staying safe and happy as well!

We also recently went through a pretty major Tropical Storm (Isaias) and thankfully we didn’t suffer any damage though some of our friends did have landslides and flooding unfortunately. You can watch the video of our experience here:

Quebradillas Adventure to La Ventana, Puente Blanco, El Merendero

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Quebradillas: Behind-the-scenes making of the video

A while back before the lockdown began we had the opportunity to meet Heidi Aviles at an open house for her butterfly collection.

Since then we have stayed in contact and found that she is also an avid explorer of Puerto Rico and we made plans to meet up when things settled down a bit. Last week was our opportunity. We have done a little exploring of Quebradillas, but Heidi said there are even more treasures in this Pirate town!


These are a few videos from previous adventures to Quebradillas!


Cute little gazebos they call bohios, each with the name of a famous Cacique or Taino Indian Chief


Look at this cool “Octopus Tree” – it really does look like an octopus! Even has “eyes”

Our first stop was Parque el Merendero just beneath the Mirador that overlooks Quebradillas on the highway. I was impressed with how nice the trails and views were. I would definitely go there to stop for a picnic again as the name implies (Merendero means a place to snack/eat). The trails even led all the way down to the beach!

Next up, we went down the road where Heidi had found a “window” hole that looked through on both sides to the sea! It reminded me a little of Cueva de la Ventana except instead of a river/valley view it was the ocean! A really cool little hike through the quebradas and then up the cliff side to a spectacular vista!


Just spectacular!

Something I love about Puerto Rico is that these special gems are just hidden in plain sight. In other places of the world they would be turned into tourist attractions -and some are, like Cueva Ventana in Arecibo, but most are still raw and just there for everyone to find and enjoy!

Our final stop on our tour with Heidi was to the Puente Blanco. This bridge at one point in time was used for passenger and sugarcane transport train travel. From the top it looks like nothing special (besides the view), but beneath it you can see the wonder of architecture that it once was!


At El Puente Blanco in Quebradillas


View from the top of the bridge with our friend and guide, Heidi

We are already planning more explorations of the island with our adventurous new friend! Please subscribe to our channel on YouTube to see the latest adventures and updates to the farm. I’m also trying to use Instagram a little more if you’d like to follow along and see some fun pictures.

Back to the Beach and other Adventures as Puerto Rico Reopens

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Can you tell I’m happy to be back at the beach?!

After a very long lockdown, Puerto Rico is now officially back open for business. It is not quite “back to normal” but for all intents and purposes, we are finally coming out of lockdown. That is not the same as having a pandemic end, but at least the self-imposed torture of “quarantine” seems mostly over.


Masks are the newest fashion! haha Masks for Britton & my neighbor/friend Omayra

Poco a poco Puerto Rico has loosened the restrictions to the point that besides the masks and some rules in certain stores (checking temperatures, not allowing children inside) the happy island I know and love is pretty much back. We have been appreciating our newly returned freedoms by going to the beach, hiking, checking out new waterfalls and spending time with friends in small groups again. How much we have missed these simple pleasures of life. Where the hurricane days stripped away the physical comforts of electricity, communications, and even water service, during the lockdown we were fully connected to those things but lacked and very sorely missed our social and nature connections. The lockdown was like an inverse hurricane. I’m not sure which was worse, but I don’t wish either on anyone!



Beachside days


Fun in Rincon


Flamboyan season has been soo beautiful this year!


Aeden’s first school photo. Daycare will even be starting up again in July! yay!


Good times once again


Gozalandia falls and El Ultimo Brinco in Rincon


Fun trip to Adjuntas-even saw a blue flamboyan (jacaranda)!

We had a nice time in Adjuntas visitng Charco El Mango, a suspension bridge and some other sights until Britton suddenly felt ill and we had to return home. Turns out his car accident a month earlier and a genetic disposition for blood clots was not a good combination. He’s doing much better now thankfully!


Quick stop at Playa Tres Hermanos on Father’s Day


Our little boy is growing up so fast!


An easy waterfall that turned into an adventure: Salto Collazo


Just off the side of the road, but waaay down below we found the tallest waterfall we’ve ever seen. Salto Dona Carmen


Overall, we are very grateful for every day we get on this beautiful island and in this strange life of ours. Hope everyone else is doing as well.