By Maddy Payne
Looking back on the trip, I realized there was never a dull moment. Our tour guide and driver were both great and made sure we experienced Puerto Rican culture first hand. I tried street food – shrimp empanadas – in Luquillo at Los Kioskos, and I dined at La Mallorquina in Old San Juan, the oldest operating restaurant in the Americas. I met with the famous Puerto Rican painter and sculptor Samuel Lind. I explored the Cueva María de la Cruz, a historical cave archeologist Dr. Ricardo E. Alegría discovered in 1948. I took a day and explored the city of Caguas, where I was given the opportunity to watch women hand-make Puerto Rican cigars. The list goes on, and everyday was filled with something new and exciting to experience.
This trip gave me the opportunity to be more than a tourist. I was able to immerse myself in Puerto Rican culture and learn a significant amount of information in only 10 short days. I am thankful for what I learned on the trip: self-sufficiency, flexibility and an appreciation for differences. Although there were some challenging times on the trip, I definitely made lasting memories. On the plane ride back to Houston, I sat next to a nice man named David. He is from Isabela, Puerto Rico, a region on Puerto Rico’s northwest coast, and he told me there are 78 different cities in Puerto Rico. Unfortunately we didn't get to that many cities this trip, so I guess I'll just have to go back and keep exploring.
WORDS: 256
Los Kioskos in Luquillo, Puerto Rico.
Samuel Lind, Puerto Rican painter and sculptor, shows us his art pieces.
Exploring la Cueva María de la Cruz.
Check out:
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/samuel-lind.html
http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/luquillo-kiosks/
http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/loiza-cave/
Email:
maddy.payne@ou.edu
Website:
maddy.payne.weebly.com
Twitter:
@maddypayne397
