PUERTO RICO
2022
Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island and unincorporated territory of the United States, historically occupied by the Taíno indigenous people. During Spanish possession, an influx of African slaves and settlers dramatically transformed the cultural and demographic landscape of the island. By the late 19th century, a distinct Puerto Rican identity began to emerge, centered around a fusion of indigenous, African, and European elements. My brief visit to Puerto Rico revolved around the jungle and its historic district. Old San Juan is the oldest settlement within Puerto Rico and the historic colonial district of the capital city of San Juan, a place that stands out by its rugged topography with narrow cobblestone streets, defensive structures and forts, tree-shaded plazas with open air cafés, and all of its traces of Spanish colonial architecture mixed with the vibrancy and colors that Caribbean life provides. I arrived to Puerto Rico with zero expectations and due to last-minute changes I ended up living one of the most wholesome experiences with nature when visiting the Rio Camuy Cave Park, through which runs the third-largest underground river in the world, with over 10 miles of caverns, 200 caves, and many more to be discovered.