As our jeep was climbing up the steep, windy road the air was getting cooler and cooler. The vegetation was taking over the road, the clouds were slowly creeping above us until we were surrounded in them, and the distant sound of waterfalls and trickling water were all around us. We have arrived at the top of El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico. El Yunque Rainforest is the only rainforest in the United States and it is located on the North Eastern side of Puerto Rico, about an hour drive from San Juan. There is gorgeous, lush foliage everywhere as well as rivers and waterfalls. My family and I try to make it to El Yunque for at least one day whenever we go to Puerto Rico. There are tons of great trails where you can hike all over the mountain. The higher up the mountain you go, the less traveled the trails are, and I always try to take the road less traveled. (Get it?) We always drive all the way up to the top and start there. Not many people make it up to the top because the road driving up there gets more dangerous the higher up you go. The overgrown trails at the top are just stunning. Some of the trails are difficult to walk on because they are just “paved” with rocks that can become slippery and muddy when it is raining. My family and I trekked for about 2 hours or so until we worked up an appetite. About halfway up the mountain there is an amazing roadside restaurant called “La Muralla”. They have the best Puerto Rican food. We ordered up just about everything: relleno de papa (mashed potatoes stuffed with meat then fried), sorullos de maiz con queso (corn meal stuffed with cheese and fried), alcapurrias (green bananas stuffed with meat then fried), and tacos with carne (beef) and pollo (chicken). Can you see a trend here… everything is fried. Almost positive that’s why it taste so good but MAN is it delicious. Perfect ending to a wonderful day. If you ever get the chance to go to Puerto Rico, make sure you go to El Yunque and have lunch at La Muralla. Adios amigos!
*All photos taken with my iPhone
Lucky you!!!!
What kind of wine are they making over there?
I would love to join you!!!!!