Top Five Things That Let You Know You Are In Puerto Rico

You know you are in Puerto Rico, when you experience the following:

•  You hear the sound of El Coqui -  El Coqui is the native frog with its distinctive sound.
  
•  Everyone is in a festive mood -  Puerto Ricans are very friendly and are always ready to start a party.  

•  The stores are always busy  - No matter what time or day, the stores are always packed with people.
  
•  People honk their car horns  - Puerto Ricans like to honk their car horns for no particular reason.
   
    Last but not least.....

•  When the plane is landing in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican passengers spontaneously applaud. 
  
  
     
  
                               
  
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Trip To El Yunque Rain Forest In Puerto Rico

El Yunque Rain Forest, Puerto Rico

El Yunque Rain Forest, Puerto Rico

I decided to travel from San Juan to visit El Yunque Rain Forest in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.  Upon arrival, I stopped at the El Portal Exhibit Hall to get maps of the area and view a multimedia display.  It was sunny, but I noticed that it was raining at the top of the mountain.  Of course, El Yunque is a rain forest, with an average of over 100 inches of rainfall a year.  Even though I knew there are plenty of shelters located throughout the park, I was prepared.  I took along my rain gear, water, and wore good walking shoes.

Looking at El Yunque from a distance, there appears to be a shape on the mountaintop which, according to folklore, was believed to be the deity Yuquiyu sleeping.  According to legend, the good spirit "Yuquiyu" reigned on his mighty mountain-top throne, protecting the Taino people.

El Yunque is part of the Luquillo mountain range and is divided into four different forests: Tabonuco, Palo Colorado, Palma Sierra and En Las Nubes, which is often shrouded in fog and a remarkably beautiful part of El Yunque Forest with its twisted, stunted trunks and giant ferns.

In El Yunque Rain Forest there are 8 types of lizards, 13 types of Coquis(Puerto Rican tree frogs that sing), 50 types of birds, including the native Puerto Rican Parrot, which is an endangered species.  There are 11 types of bats, the only one type of mammal natural to El Yunque.  Also found, but very rare, are nonpoisonous snakes.  Among them, the Puerto Rican Boa can reach a length of 90 inches.

El Yunque also has abundant flora including: 240 native tree species, 23 of them found only in El Yunque, 88 rare tree species, 50 native orchids, and 150 types of ferns.

I walked along the paved forest paths down to the most beautiful waterfall.  On the way I could see native ferns and wild orchids, while listening to the birds and of course, the one and only Coqui.  I also walked down the steps below the Palo Colorado Ranger Station to the little gazebos below, which have roofs, picnic tables and BBQ grills. I took one of the gazebos next to a calming, rushing stream and enjoyed a picnic lunch.

The tranquility experienced during my visit to El Yunque Rain Forest was nourishing to my soul, and will long be remembered.

El Yunque Rain Forest, Puerto Rico

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Puerto Rican Coqui

The little frog of Puerto Rico with its distinctive sound, El Coqui  as it is called, is found all over the island. The frog is called Coqui, because of the loud sound the males make at night. This sound, is the way the Coquies talk or sing to each other.

Many years ago, I heard a story - don't know if its true- about a Spanish nun who was in Puerto Rico for a short time and fell in love with the Coqui, and decided to take one Coqui with her back to Spain.  Back in Spain, the Coqui would sing every night.  Two weeks passed and the Coqui stopped singing.  The nun wondered if the little frog was ill.  Four days later, the Coqui died.  As the story goes, the Coqui had died of loneliness.  It was singing - talking- but got no response.  Perhaps, if she had taken a pair of the little frog, they would have kept each other company.

Here is a link to images and sounds of the Coqui:




                                                                  

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The Coqui of Puerto Rico

The climate of Puerto Rico is ideal. The island's temperature ranges from 80 F in the winter, to 85 F in the summer. The temperatures can decrease a bit as you travel higher up into the mountains. This weather is perfect for anyone, but it is particularly ideal for The Coqui.

The Coqui, is a small frog native to Puerto Rico. The species is named for the loud sound the males make at night.  The Coqui is a very important aspect to the Puerto Rican culture and it has become an unofficial territorial symbol of Puerto Rico.

Here is a video that captured The Coqui making his distinctive sound:





                                                                     

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