Puerto Rico: Bosque Nacional El Yunque

My humans’ time in Puerto Rico wasn’t all fancy malls and the hustle and bustle of San Juan. They spent much of their time farther east, in and around Fajardo. As much as my humans love a good shopping trip, what they love even more is being out in nature. Fajardo is on the beach, close to a beautiful rainforest, and was highly recommended by friends.

My humans care deeply about the environment, so spending a whole day exploring the rainforest felt like the perfect adventure. At El Yunque National Park, they immersed themselves in a beautiful place full of peace and free of litter. Given their travels happened during a government shutdown, they feared the icky politics in the States would cause the park to be closed (since Puerto Rico is a U.S. Territory). Fortunately, despite the United States government not paying the workers for their labor, the park was open, and my family got to soak in all that the rainforest had to offer (literally, they soaked it in when it rained).

Based on the pictures, my family made the right choice spending so much time in nature. That rainforest looked incredible!! There were lovely waterfalls, majestic creeks, and even plunge pools. For anybody who hasn’t explored a rainforest before, plunge pools are awesome areas where falling water erodes the rock and forms a natural swimming hole—or as I think of it, a Newfie-sized water bowl. I think if my sister Kona had been there, she would’ve stayed in the water forever.

One interesting thing my humans kept talking about was how cold the water was. I’m a pretty street-smart dude, but I’ll admit science isn’t my specialty. So, I asked them why it felt so chilly. They explained that the water is always moving. Because it never sits still, it doesn’t have time to warm up in the sun. I kind of feel sad for the water. Warming up in the sun is one of my favorite pastimes.

Oh, also, did you know Elijah and Penelope hike faster than their parents now? I heard the kids were leaving the adults behind as they made their way up the mountain. Those kids must have been channeling their inner-Zuka. I’m a pretty fast climber myself, especially when I’ve got the zoomies.

Once at the top of the mountain, there was an incredible tower with lots of stairs you could climb for the most amazing view. I’m not sure I would’ve made it all the way up that mountain, but I think it would’ve been fun to try. Plus, a walk probably would have been good for me. My humans said I gained a bit of weight while boarded, probably from all the resting and lack of roaming. Also, if I’m honest, I might have eaten other dogs’ poop in the yard when nobody was looking. Humans think it’s gross, but for us dogs, those are the best treats!

There’s a lot more to share about Puerto Rico, but for now, I’ll leave you with some more amazing photos of El Yunque National Park.