Puerto Rico's Central Mountain Region
The highest point in Puerto Rico is about 4,500 feet above sea level which is not very high but provides great benefits regarding the weather as it drops the temperatures a couple of degrees with a great mountain breeze in the area. Most of the towns are found between the mountains at about 2,500 to 3,000 feet high which is why I like to call them hidden jewels in Puerto Rico.
Many of the residents of the island have started to acknowledge these areas as great opportunities for what they call “internal tourism” as the economic difficulties have made travel more challenging for families in search of vacations out of the island. Therefore, most look for bed & breakfasts that we call “Paradores” to stay for short periods of time around the island with many in the central of the island. However, even these businesses have struggled which have made them less accessible or no longer available to most.
Another trend is for groups of friends and family to get together in caravans or by renting a larger van or bus with a designated driver(s) to drive thru the central region and stop at local establishments for drinks, food and/or shopping. This has been so famous that a slang word was invented to name the activity: “chinchorreo.” These local restaurants or bars are called “chinchorros” which is what the activity is named after as groups have established now popular routes across the central region in search of these places where great food, drinks and music are found to celebrate sharing with groups of friends and family.
I remembered these places as I drove thru the mountains today for a meeting as saw the amount of advertising and decorations that have been done in the last couple of years given the huge popularity. Sorry for the driveby photos as I needed to catch a flight and was later but I drove by what was one of my father’s favorite places to go when he was alive, “La Sombra.” They specialized in most local cuisines but are famous for their spanish style sausages that they sell by the pounds for both eating there and taking out. It was still closed since it was early but I recall them buying land nearby just to accommodate more parking for customers. Given that the majority of these establishments are on the side of the road, traffic builds heavily as customer look for parking where there is only one way in each direction!
As I headed back down to the airport to get my flight back home, I was able to see how communities have rebuilt after the devastation of Hurrican Maria last year. While most places still have the lingering impacts of the storm, most have been able to rebuild and get back to normal. In these experiences, I am able to appreciate the things we take for granted. For example, I did quite a bit of driving these couple of days here and I barey saw any roads that had lightpoles working or even present. Roads have suffered as potholes have been created and landslides have eaten lanes in very popular routes. Traffic is worst that I can recall but you get the sense from people that they are still so much better now than after the storm that they are happy. However, we sometimes argue when we lose cable or internet for a couple of hours or if a road closes down for construction. This trip provided me with some well needed perspective as seeing family and friends getting by a year after is truly a sign of grit and optimism. Most say that it is the cost of living is such a beautiful place and that mother nature creates beauty from destruction! I was humbled by the efforts of many families still making it work day to day despite the ongoing challenges the island faces.
Sitting here at the airport feels like a different world from that that I experienced this morning in the mountains but it also allows me to reflect on how blessed I am to have these opportunities to live these experiences and share them with my family. I thought it would be good to try and get some reflections here as I have continued to be inspired to share experiences with the community as we continue to grow as an ecosystem. I look forward reading your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.
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Great memories for sure!
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Wow, I really appreciate this post. My first boyfriend was from Puerto Rico, and I got to know a lot of his family the years we knew each other. They always spoke of it as a place they left for the opportunity they found here. But now I’m coming to think of it as a beautiful place I simply must visit. Perhaps I’ll take an immersive Spanish class there. I recall my ex doing that when he decided he couldn’t stand being a Puerto Rican who didn’t speak Spanish any longer. So I know they have those there.
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Many have left to make lives better given the challenges there for education, health and security. The hurricane last year made the exodus worst but I have to admit that I saw some positive changes while there this week that I will be paying more attention to for sure. There is a growing fintech community there and many are attracted to blockchain and cryptos.
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