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  There is a song from the musical West Side Story in which the first lines (sung in a languid voice) go: "Puerto Rico
Unfortunately, that musical was the beginning of a wave of bad public relations for the island - primarily due to the mainland inner-city barrios of poor and uneducated Puerto Ricans, some of whom added to the West Side Story gang image. Anyone who's lived in New York City knows this. But the immigrants who came to these cities were, for the most part, looking for a better life. And like so many other American immigrants, they struggled, worked hard, and improved their lot. The Puerto Ricans who stayed in Puerto Rico, however, didn't have to experience that underdog thing in Yankee America. Not apparent on the island is the hard edge of living in tough industrial cities. In its place is a very happy, warm people who seem to always be up and wanting to have a good time. You'll notice this as soon as your plane lands at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and the Puerto Ricans on the plane burst into applause. And then there is also a very sophisticated and cultured element here, as well as a thriving middle class. Puerto Rico is a big island, roughly the size of Connecticut. There are 3.9 million people, a major metropolis, a diverse economy, mountains, rain forest, miles of beautiful beaches, the hip- swaying beat of salsa, and Ricky Martin. Being a Commonwealth of the United States, the American influence is very pervasive - from every conceivable fast-food and convenience chain (there are over fifty Burger Kings on the island) to the huge pharmaceutical and high-tech companies. This is unfortunate but inevitable. Yet the culture is still Latino and the language is still Spanish, though most Puerto Ricans speak English or at least understand it to a degree. Governor Pedro Rosselló reinstated the policy that Puerto Rico officially has two languages - Spanish and English - to encourage bilingualism among the populace and inch the island toward statehood. More often than not, however, you'll hear and marvel at the hybrid, commonly known as "Spanglish." Most visitors who come to Puerto Rico see only San Juan, a city of over 1.5 million people (residents are referred to as sanjuaneros). This is where most of the big hotels and casinos are located. San Juan is also the second-largest cruise-ship port after Miami. The combination ensures lots of tourists, especially in places like Old San Juan and the Condado area. But San Juan is a big city, and with it comes the best nightlife (both straight and gay) in the Caribbean. If you want great restaurants, big and lively casinos (without the Las Vegas tackiness), pulsating nightclubs, and to mix with some of the hottest men and women you'll ever meet - look no further for your next vacation spot. If you're single, you're crazy not to go here. But you must like Latinos and Latinas (you're even crazier if you don't). And Puerto Ricans are very Latin when it comes to romance. If you haven't had a Latin lover, we'll be the first to tell you - they invented the words "heat" and "passion." There's an ad slogan that says "Puerto Rico Does It Better." There should be another one that says "Puerto Ricans Do It Better"! But there is much more to Puerto Rico than the throbbing beat of San Juan. There are beautiful mountains and lush valleys, and small seaside towns with lots of character, like Boquerón and Guánica. There is Puerto Rico's second city, Ponce, which has undergone a restoration similar to Old San Juan. There are the twin resorts of Dorado Beach and Cerromar Beach with some of the best golf and tennis in the Caribbean. There are the extraordinary Camuy Caves - huge natural caverns several hundred feet in the earth. There is great windsurfing off Rincón on the west coast. There are the unspoiled out-islands of Culebra and Vieques. There is the Caribbean National Forest, "El Yunque," which is an easily accessed rain forest. There are deserted beaches on all sides of the island. But you're never more than a two-hour drive from San Juan or far from a cash machine and a Big Gulp from 7-Eleven. Puerto Rico gets all kinds of tourists and travelers. There are the convention and tour groups who come for a purpose as well as to play in the big casinos and on the beach. The cruise ships attract that unattractive element of middle America that always seems overweight and devoid of fashion sense. (Don't these people read W, or the food labels for fat content?) There are lots of European tourists, especially Germans, and South Americans up on shopping sprees. Of course most of the visitors here are American. Then there are the independent travelers who dive into the culture and countryside in search of the real Puerto Rico, and the long-weekenders down for a dose of sun and fun since San Juan is so easy (and cheap) to reach. For both the independent visitor and the long weekender, Rum & Reggae's Caribbean 2000 will provide all the info you'll need for a great time in the land of salsa and heat. |
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hile Puerto Rico is our heart's devotion, we hope it doesn't slip into the ocean. Despite the hurricanes blowing, and the population growing (and we're all in the money owing), it's still a great place to visit. Those famous lyrics (from the song "America") just don't play by us.