Snorkleing and Rainforests

For the first time we tried some authentic Puerto Rican food and to everyone's surprise we all loved mofongos, which is made with smashed plantains and a type of meat in the center. Our server was extremely nice and we even had the pleasure of listening to some live jazz while we ate. It was a lot of fun and we are all hoping to try some more before we leave.

Yesterday, we woke up bright and early and went snorkeling. The first place we went was a deserted island with very shallow coral reefs. That was our "bunny slope" for snorkeling. There were tons of fish and we even saw an eel. Most of us made it out alive with only a few battle wounds. Next, we went to a larger reef with deeper waters. From here we could see the meeting of the dark waters from the Atlantic Ocean and turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. There were larger schools of fish here and we did not have to worry about thrashing up against the coral reefs! The ship's crew were all extremely nice to us and told us the best places to snorkel and helped us in becoming more proficient in our Spanish speaking abilities.


Today, we went to the only rain forest in the United States, El Yunque. Our bus driver gave us a tour from the bus as we drove through the winding mountain roads. We began to embark on the trying endevor of hiking through El Yunque to the amazing waterfall La Menina. Here, we were able to swim in a pool created by the waterfall. This was an experience none of us had even imagined. The sights here were magnificent and we wished we could have stayed longer.

Tomorrow we are going to visit the local university and having a chance to mingle with the locals. Until next time...que tenga buena noche. =) =)