The Freshest Coffee in Puerto Rico!

This innocuous baggy contains the freshest coffee I will ever drink.

It came from beans collected at our friend John Lombardo’s 10-acre mountain home in Utuado, Puerto Rico. John then dried the beans in the sun, roasted them in a wok, ground them, and delivered them to us yesterday. I wish the Internet could deliver to you the incredible smell. I can’t wait to drink!

John’s Utuado coffee, Step 2

Brewed to perfection. Smells like heaven.

John’s Utuado coffee, Step 3

Add some leche (milk) and drink! 

Delicious.

We got this reward because we picked coffee with John at his hacienda last fall. And we hope to do it again, many times!

We Ziplined Through the Rainforest!

We spent a morning flying across the rainforest canopy at JungleQui Zipline Park in El Yunque National Forest. I don’t know which was more spectacular – the adrenaline rush of the ziplines as we flew from tree to tree like Tarzan, the incredible views of the lush flora and the river far below, or the sparkling personalities of our tour guides.

There was a little bit of hiking involved, some on a steep trail, so if you do this, you need to be in reasonable physical condition. Make sure to wear good shoes. We wished we had realized we could carry water bottles, because it took 2 ½ hours long to navigate 11 ziplines and one exhilarating rappel. And it got hot!

We drove to Junglequi, but they also operate a service that will pick you up at your hotel, if you don’t rent a car or prefer not to drive.

Across from the parking lot at the entrance of Junglequi, our local friend Julio, who operates Rosario Tours, took us down a trail to a locals spot by the river, where you can jump off a rock into the water or even swing out on a rope! If you’re ever looking for a personalized tour of any part of Puerto Rico from someone who has a true passion for discovery and a contagious joy, Julio Flores is your man! 

Links

JungleQui
Rosario Tours
Map

Braving Camuy Caverns, and a Special Surprise!

No trip to Puerto Rico is complete without going deep underground to explore Camuy Caverns, officially known as Rio Camuy Cave Park. It’s located in the karst mountains of northwestern Puerto Rico, where the towns of Camuy, Hatillo, and Lares come together. It was fascinating to see what nature wrought over millions of years, as well as the huge impact of Hurricane Maria.

Make sure you stay till the end: There is surprise bonus material you won’t want to miss!

Links

Info

Map

Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Twitter
Pinterest