El Yunque

I spent last Monday in El Yunque in Puerto Rico, the only rainforest in the US park system. While the Carribean islands are known for their beaches, this is well worth a diversion.


Palm trees show reddish-orange roots. We also saw what my wife called walking trees, which shoot off roots to support the tree in a new direction, actually moving the tree over time.

Flowers grew wild, with things that I plant in my window boxes or buy at flower shops overflowing the paths.

While the summit was cloudy and most of the hike was rainy, it was worth the trip to the top. Mist rushed up and over the top; the smell was refreshing but musty.

We saw the top of the mountain the next sunny day and wished we could have seen the clear view from the top, but did not regret spending a rainy day in the park rather than missing a sunny day on the beach.