Cabo Rojo Lighthouse

Camuy es Mal y Arecibo es Bueno

We knew that part of Camuy cave was still closed (since January) but thought that at least some of it would be open. It took us two hours to get there. At least there were signs to get there from the highway. You drive in and pay $4 a car to park at the gate and each of you get a ticket with a number. Then you park and buy another ticket at the ticket booth for $12. Then you wait. It wasn't crowded at all but we still waited close to an hour to watch the 15 minute video about the cave. It was in Spanish of course. After the video we waited again for the trolley ride through the park. This time there was an English option. It's a beautiful park like setting. The ride through the park was nice. The guide was good and what we saw was nice but it was not a cave. Kris and Katrina as they start the walk down 200 steps to the "cavern".

Steps leading down...


This is it. The end of the tour. At the platform at the bottom you have a view a of a big cavern but that's it. Big disappointment. Camuy is probably one of the biggest tourist attractions in PR. It's been closed for since January's freak accident and isn't going to open til maybe next year. Its a beautiful area and I am sure the cave is really something to see. PR could make some money with this asset but I think even if it gets fully opened again it still won't come close to it full potential. The tour was nice and probably even worth $12 each but it wasn't worth the drive. Fortunately Arecibo Radio telescope was only twenty minutes away so we decided to go there as well. Getting there is part of the fun. Just another day driving in PR.

Kris and Katrina hiking up from the parking lot at Arecibo.

Look at the size of the reflector/receiver. Can you spot the people up there?

I enjoyed this more than Camuy. I didn't expect it to be that big. Again, this attraction wasn't run as nicely as it could have been but it was better than Camuy.

Showing Katrina's Sister Kris Around Ponce

We have our first guest staying with us this week. Katrina's sister Kris. Now Amparo won't know who's name to call out since she continues to call Katrina, Kris. It's nice meeting someone from Katrina's family. We are having a nice visit. Today we explored Ponce and even took a ride on a tour bus for $2 each.

Kris and Katrina in the Plaza in Ponce.


Animals just flock to Katrina.

Kris and Katrina at the top of the tower at the Ponce boardwalk.
Looking down we watched kids feed the huge tarpon and pelicans.

Nuevos Amigos? o Muy Mal

A couple times a day I take the garden tour looking for things to harvest and any other new developments. Looking at my Plumeria I noticed what I thought was new growth, but on closer examination were eating machines!

After hand picking them off I put them on this banana leaf just to see them all together.

They have some little hairs on their rear end that waggle around looking like a fake head. They also have cool little suctioning feet. I really had to pull hard to get them off my plant.

 I put my new little friends in a bucket with leaves so they can cocoon and hatch out into what I hope are mariposas? I'm just curious to see what they become.

Here's my favorite view of one of these guys. I watched them for an hour or more. In the bucket you can actually hear them chewing which is really creepy. We went out for the afternoon and the bucket filled with water and they still lived on. What will they turn into? A giant moth? A butterfly? Maybe they are always worms (but how did they get there). Where did they come from? Another Puerto Rico mystery...