IN RETROSPECT: ¡QUE VIVA PUERTO RICO!

2010 has been a great year of traveling, for me especially. I'm lucky to be at a job that gives me the opportunity to visit great places both in and out of the country. I've also been lucky enough to run off on little adventures outside of work, including my recent July 4th weekend trip to San Juan, Puerrrto Rrrico!

I'd never been before, and I secretly expected the natives to be as rambunctious as Miss Puerto Rico is at the Miss Universe pageant. (I was imagining people saying "Puerrrto Rrrico" at the top of their lungs as they shimmy and raise their hands to the sky; a testament to their pride and love for their island. Hmmm... not so much.) Unfortunately, for me, there was no shimmying, no arms raised in the air, and no rambunctious exclamations of "Bienvenidos a Puerto Rico!" What I forgot to realize: PR is still a U.S. territory. So more or less, I was still in the United States... just in the Caribbean. Le duh. No passport necessary, and they drive on the same side of the street. :)

My first impression? Honestly, I felt like I was in Manila. Weather-wise, it was hot and humid like Manila (and like DC, to be fair). The scenery was distinctly Manila-esque: tall buildings, short buildings, affluent buildings next to shanties, palm trees swaying in the wind, and dirty streets. It was wondrous! And the best thing about it -- you didn't have to speak a completely different language! In essence, it was like being in a different country, but not really. Easy-peasy.

Like any island experience, I enjoyed lounging by the beach or pool, swimming, catching rays, drinking and drinking, and - of course - eating like there was no tomorrow. And that is exactly what my friends (Gina, Carrie, Siena) and I did.

I must say that eating in PR was great, especially when we ate native fare. Here are some of our favorites:

Pina Coladas

Yuca Frita

Ceviche

Mofongo Salmorejo

Churrasco con Chimichurri Criollo

The food was, needless to say, tasty, savory, and memorable. And for the very few days that we were in San Juan, it really "did the job." Hopefully the next time we find ourselves in PR we'll be able to do more of the truly local eats - such as driving up to the hills to partake in a roasted pig feast, or to indulge in morcilla - or "blood sausage." In due time, indeed...

(The food featured in this post is from Restaurante Escambrón, very close to the Caribe Hilton - between Old San Juan and Condado Lagoon.)