"Travel Notes from Puerto Rico" Puerto Rico by gdilieto

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With base in Houston, USA, I have dedicated good part of my travels in 2007-08 to Mexico and Central America but by the end of 2008 I had never been to any Caribbean island. Curious about learning and enjoying a taste of the Caribbean culture, I used my Thanksgiving 2008 vacations to head down to Puerto Rico, the Caribbean place at easiest reach from Houston. On my itinerary, San Juan and Ponce and whatever destination else I could fit in the middle.

"Latin America for Beginners" ... That summarizes in a nutshell my thoughts about Puerto Rico (and I am afraid I am not being original here as I plagiarized the "Asia for Beginners" by a friend about Singapore), a place with the look and the colors but not the flavor of Latin America, a "mild" version of Latin America, Latina America for beginners indeed. Visiting Puerto Rico is an interesting experience if you have traveled already throughout Latin America. It has all the comforts without the discomforts of Latin America traveling, and I am talking about that feeling of overwhelming, uncontested confusion that make many travelers wishing either to escape right away or to settle and stay forever. Traveling to Latin America usually wears me out. After few days, I can't wait to escape and after few days I have gone I can't wait to return. A kind of "neither with you nor without you" psychological conflict I haven't managed to resolve yet. Puerto Rico is easy instead: you get the best of Latin America without the worse ... or the worse without the best. Up to every single individual their own view of the matter.

I have written two specific pages about my travel experience to San Juan and Ponce for further details. Thank you so much for visiting my pages!

The difference, and the contrast, between "Boricuas" and "Nuyourican" culture is something I haven't figured out yet well at time of writing of these notes. The term "Nuyorican" (a blending of "New York" and "Puerto Rican", used to refer to a New York-born person with Puerto Rican descent) has been for long time used with negative connotation by Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico (the "Boricuas") to distance themselves from Nuyoricans according to the stereotype that Nuyoricans had more African-American urban culture (due to the fact that immigrants to NYC and their descents shared the same poor neighborhoods with African-American) than Latino culture. According to Boricuas, despite proclaiming pride in Hispanic heritage through superficial means (the Puerto Rican flag, eating Rice and Beans and other staple Puerto Rican dishes), Nuyoricans actually frown upon Hispanic culture and aligns themselves with Hip Hop culture instead. I have read however that more recently the distance has been shortened and the word has come to be used with more positive connotation to identify a dual identity that recognizes the influences both geography and cultural assimilation have had.

It was the concierge of my hotel in Ponce who, on a Sunday morning, recommended me go to Guavate for a taste of Puerto Rican authentic culture. Guavate is a peaceful community in the Central Moutains that turns into a party town on Saturdays and Sundays, when families and couples flock from all over the island to enjoy the food, the music and the mountain. And in fact Guavate is all about enjoying the cool mountain climate, eating at lechoneras (roadside eateries serving roasted pork (lechón asado) and partying at the rhythm of Caribbean dance-music. So well known is this strand of eateries that the Guavate district has been designated a Gastronomic Route by the Puerto Rican government in a program that identifies quality country food. There are apparently no differences in social status when it comes to enjoying the "Guavate experience" and you will find from the richest Puerto Ricans and Nuyoricans to the local mountain dwellers enjoying the authentic Puerto Rican cuisine and culture.

• Pros:Good Mix of Historical, Cultural, Natural Attractions and Party Life
• Cons:Mild Flavour of Latin America
• In a nutshell:Latin America for Beginners