8.26.16~Rain Forests and (Rainy) Beach Days

Hello everyone! Today I’m going to share with you some stories from my latest adventure- a trip to El Yunque National Forest in Rio Grande followed by a stop at Balneario La Monserrate in Luquillo. This was the first of the many outings I’ve been invited to participate in as a member of the International Students Association in my university. These weekly excursions are free for all of the foreign exchange students, and I think they’re an amazing opportunity for us to get to know each other and explore the beautiful island we’re living on.

The group all met up at the university promptly at 8A.M. From there, we dispersed onto two buses and were on our way. We drove out to Rio Grande and then took a windy, bumpy road up the mountain. Once we finally reached our destination, everyone piled off the buses, put on their bug spray, and then we began our hike.

We walked, and walked, and then we walked some more. Throughout the trek we encountered beautiful trees, trails, and streams of water.  When we stopped, we had arrived at one of the many beautiful waterfalls that El Yunque has to offer.

Some of the group dove into the freezing cold water, but I was not that brave. The majority of us sat on the rocks taking pictures and letting the mist of the waterfall cool us down. It was amazing and wonderful. We stuck around there for about an hour or so, and then we were moving again. Another stride, and we were back at the buses.  It started pouring rain as soon as we got off of the trail, and suddenly everyone was racing each other to get onto the bus. Now, we were off onto our next adventure: Luquillo Beach.

First, we stopped for some lunch at one of the many kiosks located on the beach. There’s a variety of food options, most of which are typical Puerto Rican cuisine (lots of fried food! yum!). I went with the Pizza Empanada and Papa Relleno (which is mashed potatoes, stuffed with meat, and then fried, but the recipe varies based on which Latin American country you visit). I’d have to give it an 11/10. Then we indulged in some (virgin) pina coladas, and we were back on the bus to visit a different part of the beach. Luquillo Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Puerto Rico, and when we got there it was pouring rain. POURING. The weather was not inviting, but I was not leaving without seeing Luquillo Beach. So, I got off the bus, changed into my beach gear, and off I went. It was still raining by the time I walked onto the shore, but not nearly as hard. I got into the water with the majority of the group, and we had a blast. The water was warm, the rain was light, and we had an amazing view of palm trees and mountains. Even with the bad weather, the beach was still breathtaking. In fact, it almost made it even more of an adventure. We happily swam in the light drizzle for about twenty minutes, and I enjoyed every second. Then the thunder began to roar, and the lifeguards kicked us out of the water. As we were getting out of the water, it started pouring again. I don’t think I’ll ever forget running up the beach and across the parking lot in the pouring rain, trying to get back onto the bus before inevitably getting soaked.

On this excursion I learned that these adventures are what you make of them. The hike was lengthy, but the waterfalls, the rocks, the trees, and all of the other beauty made it so worthwhile. I also realized that even a rainy beach day can be an amazing one if you just embrace it. Long story short, it was an amazing experience. I can’t wait to return to Luquillo on a sunny day, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the excursions being offered this semester.