This was my first trip outside the continental United States in years, and it was truly a renewing experience!! I had never been to Puerto Rico before and was curious to see how their rebuilding was going after the hurricane in 2015. We stayed at the Dreamcatcher Hotel which was a short taxi ride from the airport, but even on that short ride we were able to see the beauty around every corner! There was rubble here and there, but the high spirits of the people made it feel like the most luxurious place in the world. We only stayed a couple of days, but we were able to make a fantastic trip to the Old San Juan Farmer’s Market where they had many fruits and vegetables that aren’t available here in the continental United States. They also had soursop juice, vegan tamales, and vegan empanadas, all of which I have a special place in my heart for. After painstakingly reading up on which fruits and vegetables are able to be brought back into the continental US, we were able to bring back some manzano bananas (only $1/lb at the market), alkaline watermelon, and a few other snacks. We didn’t make it to any waterfalls this time, but those are on the list for the next visit.
