Puerto Rico, "La Isla de Encanto"

Kenneth V.

Have you ever wanted to go to on vacation but didn't know where? There is an island where you feel the summer's warmth all year round; an island where you can find an inviting beach just around any corner; an island where you can find shopping centers abundantly place[d] around Puerto Rico's cities and streets; an island where you can take in the knowledge at one of the island's historical land marks. This is "La Isla De Encanto" or the "The Island of Enchantment" because of the beauty and all around atmosphere of the island, this is Puerto Rico. I am a regular visitor to that island and have been for eighteen years, and always had a great time there. Puerto Rico may be just a small island, but "big things come in small packages."

There are some areas in Puerto Rico where shopping is similar to Texas, they have stores like Wal-mart, K-mart, shopping malls and other large retailers, but Puerto Rico has unique "stores" that are not seen much in Texas. These "stores" are really street vendors; the vendors are unique because there are hundreds of these vendors on the sides of streets and highways. What is unique about these street vendors is not that their stores are on the street, but what the vendors have to sell. There are a variety of items on sale and differentiate from vender to vender. The most common items that can be found are native fruits, and vegetables, as well as decorated beach towels, and hammocks. These shops are usually held from the trunks of the vendors vehicles . These street venders helped build Puerto Rico into what it is today, and Puerto Rico wouldn't be Puerto Rico with out one of the island's greatest landmark!

One thing I like[d] about Puerto Rico was "El Morro," when translated into English means promontory, which was a giant fort create with the sole purpose of defense. Like any other country, Puerto Rico has seen some fighting. The island was first inhabited by an indigenous tribe, before Christopher Columbus found the island for the Spaniards. Soon after, Spain took the liberty in settling the island. Then in the mid 1500's the Spanish settlers created the fort to protect both the city and San Juan Bay from any sea invaders. The fort has seen four battles. Two were from English attackers, one from Dutch invaders, and the last was by the United States Navy. The United States attacked Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American war. From within the walls of "El Morro" the Puerto Ricans, fired the first shot. The American army did win and took control of Puerto Rico, and as a condition of the 1898 Treaty of Paris, Puerto Rico became a part of the United States territory. Another part of Puerto Rico's culture is throwing a yearly festival.

This yearly celebration is called "La Fiesta Patronales" or "The Celebration of Patrons," in which the Puerto Ricans hold festivities for their local patrons. In one town in Puerto Rico, they celebrate by having many famous singers come to their town and do a live show. Also, vendors set up small tables or booths and sell different items from the street vendors, . . . like small firecrackers, guns, and glow sticks, snacks like funnel cakes, doughnuts and popcorn. In these festivities game booths for both children and adults are scattered about the fair grounds. The games are simplistic and require some skill to receive the prize; these games can usually be seen in carnivals and amusement parks throughout the United States. An example of one of the children['s] game[s] is a game of darts, the challenger must throw several darts and try to pop various balloons filled with air. The adult games are more of a type of gambling. One example is a mechanical horse race, these mechanical horses are placed on one side of the track and must race to the other side, and the various players would place bets on different horses. This festival also has carnival rides. One such ride is "The Round Up" in which people stand with their back against a wall and are buckled in; when the machine starts it begins to turn, soon it turns faster and faster until it reaches full speed, so the rider receives a high degree of gravitational force. After sobering from the week long party, it's time to relax at a beach.

There are beaches close to just about any city in Puerto Rico. The beaches all have the same characteristics in Puerto Rico. The beaches stretch on for miles and miles, the water is a crystal clear blue, and the sand is a fine golden mixture. The beaches are also populated with vendors selling ice cream or sodas out in the hot sun, which can be refreshing. One beach in Arecibo has a rock formation that sticks out from the water. People like to climb on the rocks and walk out towards the ocean to enjoy the view of the expansive blue waters. Also, on these rocks are small creatures like fish, sea urchins, crabs and starfish. Swimming isn't the only thing to do on a beach; people usually bring barbeque grills and picnic baskets so they have something to fill their stomachs. When we go to the beach with the family, we usually bring an all you can eat buffet with us; for example, we bring rice, chicken, sandwiches, fruits of all kinds, and multiple coolers filled with sodas, juices, and even alcohol. Another thing to do is just sit down on sand and let the sun shower you with its rays, sun bathing to get that nice dark complexion that Puerto Ricans' naturally have.

Puerto Rico has plenty to offer, the beauty, the enchantment, the beaches that stretch for miles, the shopping centers found around any corner, and the culture that the island has to offer. Puerto Rico is the place people find excitement, relaxation, parties, and fun in the sun, all rolled into a small island. Puerto Rico is the place to be on vacation all year round!