Whoa, it's a Honeymoon

I promised I would talk about my honeymoon, so here goes...

We got into Puerto Rico, made it fairly easily to the Avis, and took our shiny red Kia on the road to Ponce, a city on the south side of Puerto Rico. I think I might have slept a little, as I usually do in the car, but the view as we drove down the highway was pretty... mountains on all sides.

We stayed at the Ponce Hilton, free of charge thanks to Nate's Hilton points. The first night we just hung out and relaxed. A few of the highlights in Ponce were: La Guancha: a nice beach with a boardwalk that we hung out at a few times... we learned the value of good bug spray there from some locals (how did we forget about bug spray?): Snorkeling in La Parquera, a small town near Ponce... my first snorkeling experience with the prescription goggles... it was amazing actually being able to see underwater. After getting over the claustrophobia, it was really neat. I held a starfish AND these spiky things that if you held them too tight they would sting you... I was freaked out but it was awesome. Oh yeah and I touched a sea cucumber and saw a blower fish thing (the fish that blows up if they are mad): Swimming in the bioluminscent bay... okay we were swimming in water with micro organisms... when you move in the water it looks like diamonds are flying everywhere... it was crazy: hiking in a dry forest, seeing cacti among trees, it was pretty whacked out and cool: eating at the Blue Marlin, right on a cool bay over looking mountains and a large animal food processing plant!: touring Ponce and getting my hair totally chopped off by a woman who spoke no English: attempting to go dancing and to gamble, but never actually doing it: Gilligan's Island! most beautiful tropical place I've ever been.... white sand, mangrove trees, and shallow clear blue water to float around in.... oh, even in the rain it was paradise.

So we eventually left Ponce and made our way up the east coast. We took our own little short cut up the mountains, through dinky towns, and along some killer roads. I was really glad we were in a rental and not my Honda. Anyhow, I am forgetting the name of the town we stayed in, but we stayed in a little hostel for $70. We ditched Hilton for one night, and it was pretty sweet. The room was small and dark, but the sheets were clean. The food was great too, I had paella with a half lobster in it, conch, shrimp.... yum!. Earlier that day we had hiked in the rainforest, El Yunque. We liked it so much that we came back the next day and hiked to the top of El Yunque Mountain. Straight up, but it was so beautiful in the rain forest. We saw a bunch of lizards, pretty flowers, and trees unlike any here in the states. We finally summitted, and then it started to pour... I see why it is called a "rain"-forest. I think I have never been so wet while fully clothed.

After El Yunque we made it to San Juan in the North. We stayed in yet another ritzy Hilton. We toured the old fort, shopped along the streets, tried to eat at Morton's (but they wouldn't let us in, sigh), and hung out. The morning we left, we decided to read the paper outside and get a little sun. I ended up burning my legs with the worst burn I have ever had. It's been about three weeks since that date and I have just begun peeling large sections of my skin off.

Anyhow, it was a really fun time. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and would go back there anytime. We still haven't explored Central and West Puerto Rico, nor have we gone to Culebra or any of the wildly celebrated snorkeling/scuba diving spots. I'm sure we'll end up there again for a second honeymoon : )