Why Puerto Rico?

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Rum Yum: A tour through the Barcadi Rum Factory

Bacardi rum is a staple among local Puerto Ricans along with the 1,000s of visitors who travel to the island. Puerto Rico is also home to the Bacardi rum factory, which is today the world's largest premium rum distillery.

One reason why Bacardi is different from other types of rums is because the founder of Bacardi, Don Facundo Bacardí Massó, added two new steps to creating rum that had never been done before. The rum factory has been a tourist draw for Puerto Rico since 1936, when the company moved from Cuba.  More than 20 million cases of rum are produced at the Puerto Rican factory every year. In 1969, Bacardi became the world’s number one rum and has continued to be the number one rum for the past 25 years. Currently, over 6,800 employees work at the Puerto Rico plant.

If you choose to visit the rum factory you will find it is incredibly well run, since they have 1,000 of visitors that come through the factory each year. The first stop on the tour is the large covered patio outside, where each visitor gets two complementary drink tickets, and the visitors are able to pick any kind of Bacardi rum they like to taste. Then, you take an open-air tram to a large welcoming building that is set up specifically for people who want to come to visit Bacardi. A tour guide greets the tour group in the museum’s first room, and then they continue room-to-room discovering the legend that Bacardi is and how that legend came to be.

The tour guides are very knowledgeable about Bacardi, the history, and the rum that is made at the plant. One of the highlights of the tour is the last room, which is a remake reminiscent of early bars in Cuba, where the Bacardi brand started. There is a bartender, named Tommy, whose voice is as smooth as butter behind the bar making signature Bacardi drinks, and he explains how each drink is made while he is making them.

After you leave that room, you are able to shop at the gift shop packed with any kind of Bacardi item you can think of, and you can take home treasures of your time at the Bacardi factory is Puerto Rico. One recommendation would be to get there early and get tickets. The later in the afternoon you go, the longer of a wait you will have because of the cruise ships that come in later in the afternoon, so be sure and go in the morning so you can experience all that Bacardi has to offer!

Written by Kim Marshall.

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More photos from our Caguas times!

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Photos of our Caguas adventure

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Route highlights culture

A trip to Caguas, Puerto Rico, expands visitors’ knowledge of Puerto Rican cultural arts, history and religious beliefs. This peaceful town is located 30 minutes from San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the Caguas Valley near the base of the Cayey Mountains.

Visiting the Puerto Rico Tourism Office before beginning an excursion through the city is a great way to start. The tourism office, located on Santiago R. Palmer Plaza, the city’s central square, has an abundance of information about Caguas.

One famous attraction is The Route of the Creole Heart, which has twelve stops, including a tobacco museum, a fine arts center and the tourism office. This route captures present and past Puerto Rican life and cultural influences. A multi-colored mosaic made from broken tile pieces on the sidewalk marks the route. Travelers follow the colored triangles beneath their feet around the plaza. Each color directs travelers to a different cultural or historical museum highlighting an aspect of Puerto Rican life.

Betzaida Roldan, an employee of the tourism office, knows her city and freely shares about each of the 12 stops. Her favorite stops are the Popular Arts Museum and The House of the Troubador Luis Miranda, who was known as the “Pico de Oro,” or golden-mouthed one.

“All of the museums have a purpose,” Roldan said, “So you know how we live here and where we come from.”

A short walk away is the Popular Arts Museum. Typical hot-pink walls invite visitors in for a quick break from the humidity or occasional rain shower. The museum has an open floor plan with high ceilings. Voices echo off the walls while visitors take in the vibrant colors of the artwork on display.

“I’m very excited about this (the museum) because I can show different persons our land, our culture and our history,” said Popular Arts Museum employee Maribel Martinez. “I am proud to be from Caguas!”

Visitors learn about Puerto Rican history through the artwork on the walls and the various points of interest in the middle of the room. Local artist Edwin Báez Carrasquillo combines two-dimensional painting with three-dimensional clay miniature figures that passionately depict his heritage through his artwork displayed in the museum.

A quote by Carrasquillo on a museum plaque reads, “I hope that my artwork contributes to help us acknowledge the richness of our culture, to reaffirm our identity and make us feel proud of our heritage.”

After visiting the Popular Arts Museum, visitors follow the route back to Santiago R. Palmer Plaza. Across the plaza from the tourism office is the cathedral, a stop on the route.

The Sweet Name of Jesus Cathedral stands three-stories tall facing the plaza. Built during the 18th century, this active cathedral has an elementary school and the Carlos Manuel Rodríguez sanctuary. Rodríguez exemplifies the hard work, family commitment and simplicity of the Puerto Rican people. Sainthood for Rodriguez moved closer to a reality after Pope John Paul II blessed him in 2001.

“My favorite part of the church is the sanctuary of Carlos Manuel,” church manager Alva Caraballo said. “[It makes me] feel very calm and peaceful.”

The Route of the Creole Heart highlights key cultural, historical and religious aspects of a Puerto Rican.

"We have a little bit of everything here, except the beach," said Betzaida Roldan, an employee of the tourism office.

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Photos of the Juana Diaz Three Kings Festival

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The Three Kings Festival of Juana Diaz

Tropical sun ignites the pavement as beads of sweat outnumber the beads on their crowns and slide down their foreheads. But they wave to the cheering crowds and keep moving across the pavement because the January heat on a clear day in Puerto Rico doesn’t stop Los Reyes Magos, or the Three Kings, from completing their annual journey.

About 25,000 people gather in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, on January 6 each year to watch the Three Kings parade down the streets, many of them joining the parade dressed as ancient Middle Eastern shepherds in robes and carrying staffs.

After the parade, the smell of Pinchos and Mofongo hang in the hot air as people shield their eyes to watch the Kings conduct a Christmas mass in the town plaza.

“The tradition is very, very strong here,” said Marcos Rivera, who has been attending the festival for about three years. “Because of this, this is like the Bethlehem of Puerto Rico.”

Dressed as a shepherd, a Three Kings Museum guide named Joshua Rivera explained how a Spanish Catholic priest brought the holiday to the island in 1883. The priest made it a Christmas tradition to honor the Wise Men, and since then that celebration has grown and permanently imprinted itself on Puerto Rican culture.

The Kings themselves have transformed into international celebrities, touring Central and South America and even visiting the Catholic pope, Rivera explained.

The church chooses the men to represent the Three Kings through a process of evaluation, looking for upstanding citizens capable of mentally and spiritually transforming themselves to act in such a sacred role, Rivera said. Once they’re chosen they can decide for themselves how long they want to keep the position, but the current Three Kings have each participated for more than 15 years.

“They’re basically veteran Wise Men,” Rivera said grinning proudly.

On the eve of January 6, children in Puerto Rico gather grass in shoeboxes for the Three Kings’ camels, who magically appear in the middle of the night to chew on the grass while the Wise Men award the well-behaved children with gifts and candy. Later in the day, 1,000s of people travel to Juana Diaz to watch the Three Kings parade through the streets.

After the parade and the mass, people linger in the plaza for the rest of the afternoon, eating fried food and fresh fruit smoothies at fair-like vendors and carousing giant tents lined with people selling everything from hand-made leather accessories to crafted crosses.

“It started as something very small and was only for us in our town, and then the other towns started to come,” said Jeann Maldonado, who has attended the Three Kings Day festival in Juana Diaz ever since she was a child.

Other cultures honor the wealthy kings who traveled across the desert to visit the baby Christian Messiah on the day of his birth, but the Three Kings Festival is a unique tradition Puerto Ricans call their own.

“It’s only here in Puerto Rico,” Maldonado said. “No other town has it.”

Written by Arianna Pickard.

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Luquillo: Rife with nature, beaches and adventure

The town of Luquillo in Puerto Rico is also known as "La Capital del Sol" (the Sun Capital) and as "La Riviera de Puerto Rico” (Puerto Rico's Riviera). Cristóbal Guzmán founded the town in 1797, and it was named after the Taino Indian cacique (chief) Luquillo. Geographically speaking, Luquillo’s land area is 26 square miles, and its water area is 20.73 square miles. Its population is around 20,000. The town is known for its beaches, including Luquillo Beach, which is a local favorite and is also one of the most popular beaches in Puerto Rico. Another popular beach, La Monserrate, is a blue-flag beach, which means it is government-run and generally cleaner than some of the other beaches. Playa Azul, La Pared and La Selva are all good for surfing. Luquillo is also home to the Mameyes River, which is the only river in Puerto Rico that is untouched by man.

Luquillo is home to multiple festivals. In April, the Festival el Tinglar (Leatherback Turtle Festival) is hosted by the Sierra Club and Luquillo. This free event promotes awareness of the environment and the Tinglar turtle, an endangered species. The festival usually starts in the morning around 10 with a parade in which children and adults alike dress up in nature-themed costumes that are all made from recycled materials. The festival also has dancing, music, food and craft tables. Yet another festival is the Los Platos Tipicos (Typical Foods Festival). This festival features many different foods and drinks made from coconuts as well as other foods. This festival also has music and dancing, and it usually takes place in November. Other festivals include a festival in March dedicated to Patron Saints (San Juan or Saint John the Baptist) and the Three Kings in January.

There are many things to do in Luquillo, including many activities in the park Hacienda Carabali. Visitors can go horseback riding in the nearby El Yunque Rainforest during the day or at night. Guests can also ride on ATVs in Carabali Rainforest Park's 600-acre ranch and into El Yunque Rainforest's foothills. Riders climb hills, splash through the river and cruise over rugged terrain. Finally, guests can ride mountain bikes, which will take riders through the Carabali Rainforest Park, the Mameyes River and into the foothills of the El Yunque Rainforest. The town even features go-kart races on a 1,000 square-foot track. Hacienda Carabali is about to start offering zip-lining and horseback riding on the beach.

Luquillo is home to many activities for nature-lovers, adventure-lovers and beach-goers alike.

Written by Sara Bojarski.

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El Yunque National Forest. Photos taken by Taylor Mullins.

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El Yunque: A forest of diverse nature and history

The rainforest of El Yunque lies near the town of Luquillo and sits near the northeastern corner of the island of Puerto Rico. Due to its location on the island, the region frequently receives rain daily. In fact, El Yunque National Forest receives an average of 200 inches of rain every year in some regions of the forest.

El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest within the U.S. National Forest Services. It became a national forest in 1906 and until 2007 was named the Caribbean National Forest.

El Yunque is the home of 225 native trees, which is more than all other National Forests in the U.S. Forestry system combined. In addition to the trees, there are also many species of birds that live there. Perhaps most importantly is the Puerto Rican Parrot, which is critically endangered. El Yunque is one of the only places where the species can still be found.

While there are no large mammals that you have to worry about there are some smaller mammals that should be avoided. Rats, cats and mongooses roam the area, however, during different times of the day.

In 1877 Puerto Rico was having a problem with an infestation of the black rat. To combat this they imported mongooses to help with the problem. Unfortunately, the rats are nocturnal and mongooses hunt during the day. So instead of helping with the problem, Puerto Rico now had feral mongooses running wild as well.

In addition to the natural beauty of the El Yunque, it is also important for the significance it had with the native inhabitants of the island. The first inhabitants of Puerto Rico were the Taíno people.

There are remnants of when the Taíno lived in the forest by the legends they used to tell about the forest, as well as petroglyphs. These petroglyphs exist in the southern portion of the rainforest along Rio Blanco Taíno. These help one remember a time before the modern conveniences of El Yunque, such as roads.

The Civilian Conservation Corps played a role in the shaping of the modern El Yunque forest. During the 1930s through the 1940s, Franklin Roosevelt’s work force was sent out to places all across the U.S. to build up the infrastructure of the nation as well as provide men with work.

In El Yunque, the corps built roads that went through the rainforest, helped with reforestation and built recreational facilities. The laborers in the forest were made up of local workers who built with only the tools they had carried with them.

The park is a beautiful place to visit, and offers up a nice change of pace from the beaches that can be found in the nearby Luquillo.  Written by Michael Fox.

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Why Puerto Rico: Unique History Meld

If you ask any Puerto Ricans, they will proudly tell you of their Taíno, African and Spanish history. Christopher Columbus arrived to Puerto Rico in 1493 during his second voyage to the Americas, claiming the land for Spain. The explorer and his crew made contact with the indigenous people of the island, the Taínos, as well as the other tribes located on the island. 

Columbus originally named the island San Juan and later changed its name to Puerto Rico. It became clear the island would be important for the Spanish development overseas. The captains used the trade winds, a pattern of surface winds and currents, to navigate to the Americas. It was in an ideal location because it was easy to navigate there from Europe, and it was a good resting point for the Spaniards to rest and restock the ships. The Spaniards invested in building forts in strategic places and prepared to defend the island against possible threats. The French, Dutch and English all tried to take over the island, but to no avail. 

The island quickly became an essential part of the Spanish Crown’s empire. Puerto Rico quickly became a producer of coffee, sugar cane and tobacco. The Spaniards brought slaves over to work the plantations. Slowly the cultures mixed, creating the unique fabric of Puerto Rican society it is today. From the language to the food and the dance, each culture introduced something to the rich fabric that is now the Puerto Rican culture. 

As a result of the Spanish-American War, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States in 1917. During World War II, the small island was used to having many of the U.S. naval bases. Today, Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory with Commonwealth status; in Spanish the official title is “Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico.”

Now, the future of Puerto Rico is a subject of hot debate for the islanders. Some people are happy with their current status within the U.S.; some people would like to achieve full statehood. Others would like Puerto Rico to be a separate country. 

Currently, Puerto Ricans are considered U.S. citizens. However, even as American citizens, they can only vote in the presidential election primaries, not in the official election to determine the president. They also only have one representative in the House of Representatives, with limited voting privileges. They do not have a senatorial representative. 

There are some advantages to the dual citizenship between Puerto Rico and the U.S. For example, it is not necessary to have a passport to travel between the two places. People who live in Puerto Rico, or whose parents or grandparents are Puerto Rican, have the option to compete either for the U.S. Olympic team or the Puerto Rican Olympic team.

 For now, it is enough to recognize the benefits Puerto Rico has to offer to the U.S. The rich history, the unique culture and the friendly people are incomparable.

Written by Caitlin Moore.

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Here is a Sneak Peak

Here are a few photos from our time in Puerto Rico. We will begin posting about our adventures soon!

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WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT ON YOUR PLANET?

Puerto Rico, of course!