El Yunke Tropical Rain Forest: Tuesday

 

 

Tuesday morning we woke up about 10 AM. Robyn was long gone at her meetings. Rodica and I put on swimsuits, hiking shoes and headed for the lobby.  We grabbed the very expensive plain yogurt from the café at the hotel for breakfast. Our tour van picked us up and we headed for a couple other hotels to pick up a few more people. Once we were all on board we headed to El Yunke Rain Forest.

 

The ride was about an hour east of San Juan. Our first stop was the visitor center where we learned about some cool plants trees and other things in the rain forest.

 

bread fruit

beautiful view

cocoa bean

natural loofa

natural dye that the natives use to colors their food 

mini pineapple

sorrow plant in the mimosa tree family

jumbo coconut

 

Our next stop was The trail to hike to La Mina falls.  The hike in was beautiful. We saw such amazing trees and plants. Everything was so green.

We were amazed by the age of the trees the type of root system that they had that was specially designed by God for the rain forest, so that water could flow through without causing more than necessary landslides.

We also found some clay that the expensive spas use for mud masks and Rodica happily painted my face with mud. I made her pain hers too.

We continued a little further and some more interesting plants one tree that is hollow inside was amazing and another tree possibly the same tree I can't even remember now that is immune to termites.

I was extra interested in these gigantic leaves that we found and was impressed with their size.

Soon enough we found the beautiful waterfall and climb down the rocks to get closer to it.

 Rodica was like a little dear hopping from rock to rock without a problem. I am the other hand, was more cautious and careful at each step I took. I was afraid of falling I played it safe.  I was afraid of dying in the rain forest.  Rodica and I touched the water but I believe it was only 60°. We decided that was a little too cold for climbing in and swimming over to the waterfall. 

Rodica did make a deal with an older gentleman.  She said that if he went in to the waterfall, she would go in too. She did not hold up her end of the bargain. He went in and she claims that our group had to go so she couldn't go in too! Which in all fairness we did, but I still think she could have made it in.  At least for a few minutes, but she chose not to.

The hike out was much more strenuous.  It was uphill the whole way, but it was even more beautiful. There were so many of the huge  leaves!  I loved that!  I used the leaves as an umbrella because there was a constant rain.  Some of the people coming up the trail thought that I had a clever idea and some of them used them too.

As we hiked we followed a stream all the way back to the car. It was so peaceful and beautiful there really are no words to explain it. And I know the pictures do it no justice. I thought they would be flowers in the rain forest but our guide told us that it was the wrong season. In the warmer months like May, June, July & August there were tons of different kinds of orchids all throughout the rain forest, but now was not the time for them. In the summer she said it can be over 100° with 100% humidity. I told her no thank you.

Once we reached the trail head there was a large man-made pool.  It was built in the 40's, but had been closed down for swimming because there had been too many accidents.  We did get some nice pictures on the bridge that crossed it before we left.

Our next stop was a viewing tower.  Rodica climbed the 100 stairs to see the expansive valley below.  I look pictures from below.

As a side note:  Rodica will try anything and likes to eat everything.  I am a wimp and I don't try anything new.  In the forest we found a couple different berries.  She tried one type and made me try another. 

The one she made me try was one she had eaten in Romania when she was a child.  I will admit that it was good.

We made one more stop in the rain forest.  We stopped at a waterfall, better known as the fountain of youth, by locals and natives alike. The fountain of youth was quite rocky to get to.  Again Rodica ran to it and I carefully climbed with a lot of prompting and goodwill from others. I finally made it. I washed in it and prayed for some kind of miracle.  Another couple that was on the tour didn't do as well.  The man decided to jump down from the last rock, instead of sit down on the last rock and slide off.  He heard a popping noise from his knee and after that he could not walk.  We spent quite a while trying to get him back to the van and he end up having to leave the tour with his wife early.

From the forest we went to a little restaurant to have lunch. We were served authentic Puerto Rican food and fortunately I had a horrible migraine from the heat I have the hike and from the very windy roads getting out of the rain forest. I was able to drink a soda and take some medicine and take a short nap, literally laying on top of the table. Thank goodness the restaurant was closed to everyone except our small to her group.