Puerto Rico

This was my third trip to Puerto Rico. Last year. For those of you who do not know, Mike's father was born in Puerto Rico and came to the U.S. in his twenties. We always make a point to visit as many relatives as possible when we are there. San Juan is the "touristy" city but to truly see Puerto Rico you have to get out of the city. Into the "jungle" as I call it. He has many cousins, aunts, nieces, you name it that live in a small town in mountians called, Las Marias. We stay with his Uncle Mike and Aunt Norlma at least one night when we are there. And they are THE sweetest. They both lived in the U.S. for a period of time, saved their money and moved back home. It's nice when we stay with them b/c they do speak "english". No really, we can understand each other, but sometimes the 3 of us(Uncle Mike, Norlma and myself) look at each other like, "huh?" Deer in headlights all the way. And then we laugh b/c it is what it is. I'll never forget, one morning, Norlma and I were having coffee on the porch and she shared this story with me. "When I was a little girl I had bad asthma. My mother would walk me in the middle of the night for fresh air. Every morning (like 4:00am) the fishermen would pass our house and ask why she had me out in the wee hours of the morning? She would tell them that my baby cannot breathe and need fresh air. One morning a fisherman stopped and gave her a remedy. So my mother did as she was told. She took a lizard and cut it in half. She threw the bottom half of the lizard into the living room floor. She put the top half of the lizard into a boiling pot of milk. As soon as the bottom half of the lizard stopped squirming on the floor she knew the milk was ready. And she gave it to me. And I never had asthma again. Sans to God!" That's how she says , "thank you God". They have truly embraced me as family and are so kind and welcoming whenever we are there. Mike's father has, I believe 5 sibling left. Two of the brothers live on the old family farm. Their houses consist of metal. Metal huts. What's amazing is that when I am there, and I look around I see the most beautiful land that I have ever seen. They are very poor but not like you see in a city. They live in the mountains with coconut trees and sunshine year around. Now do not think I am naive. They have had very hard lives. But when you're there it's hard not to imagine your own life, in tropical paradise. I sometimes think I would like to move there and make jewelry to sell on the street. It's amazing.

Another funny story. One of my least favorite foods is coconut. So the very first time I visited Puerto Rico we went to Mike and Norlma's. And they are always putting food in front of you. So Uncle Mike brings me a coconut pastry. And I'm thinking, "ok, one coconut pastry won't be that bad". I mean lets be respectful here people. Then he goes to the freezer and pulls out, what looks like, Italian ice. But COCONUT!!! So I dig in. But I'm hating it. And last but certainly not least he asks me to come outside. Where he proceeds to hack off a fresh coconut from a tree with his machete. Takes it inside, cuts a whole in it and literally sitcks a straw in. I look up at him with that big smile and warm eyes and I drink. And I drink and I drink. Yes people, I had 3 forms of the one of my least favorite food. But you want to talk about fresh fruit? Go to Puerto Rico.