Puerto Rico small towns and countryside look muito bonita

[gentlearts]

My DIL s family lives in Vega Baja on the ocean. It’s a small town, walkable to small bars and restaurants, yet not too far to Dorado and San Juan.

My son and their family are taking a year to travel before their oldest starts school, starting with an open ended stay in Vega Baja. My son is a Midwesterner who doesn’t speak Spanish, so I’m eager to see how long they last there, and his impressions from actually living there.

[BOS2IAD]

This thread is making me nostalgic for Puerto Rico. I remember the hotel that was in Barranquitas that had a buffet. People would flock there on the weekends. The ride there was so nice --- lots of lush vegetation...

And, yes, mountain folk are friendly. My cousin and her husband used to like to take drives up in the mountains. They always brought along a trash bag and they would pick up trash when they came across some. One day, they saw a lot of trash outside a home. While bagging it, the man who lived there demanded to know what they were doing. When they explained it to him, he invited them into his home for a cup of tea. My cousin said they had a nice visit with him.

When we were teens, one of my brothers would threaten to run away if he got punished for not behaving. My other brother and I used to tell him to go up in the mountains. People would give him a plate of rice and beans so he wouldn't starve.

I agree with those who said that living up in the mountains will help with learning Spanish. In the San Juan area, I would often speak Spanish to people when out and about and they would answer me in English. IOW, you won't get full immersion living there. Sometimes I wished that I could spend time in the mountains as it would have helped make me more fluent.

[AntonioR]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

My DIL s family lives in Vega Baja on the ocean. It’s a small town, walkable to small bars and restaurants, yet not too far to Dorado and San Juan.

My son and their family are taking a year to travel before their oldest starts school, starting with an open ended stay in Vega Baja. My son is a Midwesterner who doesn’t speak Spanish, so I’m eager to see how long they last there, and his impressions from actually living there.

Speaking of Vega Baja (for some reason I always like that name, lol), there are some interesting Google proper images in Google Maps of the inside of several buildings and some park areas in the center of town.

In Teatro América you can see a giant coat of arms of the town on the side of a wall next to the stairs and very nice paintings hanging on the walls. Very nice.



https://www.google.com/maps/place/55...24e85daed7bc2c


https://www.google.com/maps/place/55...24e85daed7bc2c

By the way, the link go directly to the upper level of the auditorium. For some reason I can't get a direct link to the coat of arms area. Simply tap the screen and the shots move inside the building. It's hard to miss the stairs and the coat of arms.

[LordHelmit]

I love the Puertorican countryside and small towns/houses dotted all over the island. My wife's family is from Manati and Camuy, so I get to experience the rural local life every time we go. It's super chill, super gorgeous and just....a nice, peaceful slower pace of life. Though it would be nice to have A/C in their house :-)

[gentlearts]

It is such a colorful place, isnt it? Colorful and musical. There is always music coming from somewhere.

[sasie123]

The Avocadoes of Puerto Rico, not only are gigantic, but simply delicious.....I go to get them at a store in Perth Amboy, New Jersey......Love them.....Puerto Rico has excellent soil......