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| A Woman's Directory For Travel and Life. WAVE Journey is your one stop online resource for women oriented businesses and services around the world. WAVE Journey is for every woman to enjoy. If you love to travel, cook, read or revel in outdoor activities this website is for you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are interested in finding businesses or services that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online resource. PUERTO RICO: COMMONWEALTH WITH AN INTERNATIONAL APPEAL~ article & photos by Cynthia Scarborough |
| WAVE Journey |
| Women's Adventures, Vacations & Experiences ~ Your Journey Starts Here! |
San Juan, Puerto Rico offers an international flavor to
visitors from the US mainland. US residents don't need
a passport, just a valid form of picture ID. Puerto Rico
is a commonwealth of the United States and the
United States president is their Chief of State. English
is widely spoken, but Spanish is the mother tongue
and the US dollar is the currency used.
Puerto Rico is a relatively quick flight from Florida. A
little more than 2½ hours will take the traveler from
the Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Luiz Munoz
Marin International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, Puerto.
visitors from the US mainland. US residents don't need
a passport, just a valid form of picture ID. Puerto Rico
is a commonwealth of the United States and the
United States president is their Chief of State. English
is widely spoken, but Spanish is the mother tongue
and the US dollar is the currency used.
Puerto Rico is a relatively quick flight from Florida. A
little more than 2½ hours will take the traveler from
the Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Luiz Munoz
Marin International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, Puerto.
The airport in San Juan is not very difficult to
navigate. After grabbing your bags from the baggage
carousel, you should make arrangements for either a
taxi or a rental car. Bear in mind that driving in San
Juan can be an adventure. Parking is at a premium
and traffic is generally congested. Police cars drive
with their blue lights flashing. Should they be trying
to pull you over, they will put on their sirens and flash
their lights faster.
navigate. After grabbing your bags from the baggage
carousel, you should make arrangements for either a
taxi or a rental car. Bear in mind that driving in San
Juan can be an adventure. Parking is at a premium
and traffic is generally congested. Police cars drive
with their blue lights flashing. Should they be trying
to pull you over, they will put on their sirens and flash
their lights faster.
Should you require a taxi, look for the customer service stand near the exit doors by the
baggage area. The attendants there will find out how many passengers, how much
luggage and your onward destination before they write out a form for a taxi. Prices are
based on 3 different zones in the San Juan area plus the number of bags and passengers.
Once you exit, it is a short walk to the curb where another attendant will collect your taxi
form and hail a taxi for you.
baggage area. The attendants there will find out how many passengers, how much
luggage and your onward destination before they write out a form for a taxi. Prices are
based on 3 different zones in the San Juan area plus the number of bags and passengers.
Once you exit, it is a short walk to the curb where another attendant will collect your taxi
form and hail a taxi for you.
San Juan offers a variety of sights to see. In Old
San Juan, there are several UNESCO sights
including the governor's residence, La Fortaleza.
Two National Park Historic sites, El Morro and San
Cristobal, are open to the public. Purchasing a
ticket at one site allows you entrance to the other
if you tour them the same day.
Outside San Juan is a United Nations Biosphere
Reserve at El Yunque National Forest. A number of
tour companies make trips there daily. There are
tours for both active people and for couch
potatoes. There's something for everyone.
San Juan, there are several UNESCO sights
including the governor's residence, La Fortaleza.
Two National Park Historic sites, El Morro and San
Cristobal, are open to the public. Purchasing a
ticket at one site allows you entrance to the other
if you tour them the same day.
Outside San Juan is a United Nations Biosphere
Reserve at El Yunque National Forest. A number of
tour companies make trips there daily. There are
tours for both active people and for couch
potatoes. There's something for everyone.
Should you desire to use public transportation then you're in luck. Until December 25, 2008,
the tourist buses are free. Although there is normally a charge, the fact that it's an election
year has something to do with the fares being waived. In addition, in Old San Juan, there
are free tourist trolleys that you can hop on and hop off. They don't have guides or give
spiels on them, but they do travel through all the historic area. The open air trolleys offer a
better option for photo shots, but they can be incredibly hot in the blazing sun.
the tourist buses are free. Although there is normally a charge, the fact that it's an election
year has something to do with the fares being waived. In addition, in Old San Juan, there
are free tourist trolleys that you can hop on and hop off. They don't have guides or give
spiels on them, but they do travel through all the historic area. The open air trolleys offer a
better option for photo shots, but they can be incredibly hot in the blazing sun.
Further afield are Guanica, a tropical dry forest
and Vieques with its Bioluminescent Bay. Guanica
provides habitat for many of Puerto Rico's native
bird life. The Bay has phosphorescent
dinoflagellates in the water that create blue green
trails at night when the water is disturbed by
either fish or swimmers.
With so much to see and do in Puerto Rico, it
takes more than several days to get a good feel
for it all. Plan your trip well, allow plenty of time to
relax and remember that hurricane season runs
June 1 through the end of November. During that
period, flights have more of a tendency to be
canceled or re-routed.
and Vieques with its Bioluminescent Bay. Guanica
provides habitat for many of Puerto Rico's native
bird life. The Bay has phosphorescent
dinoflagellates in the water that create blue green
trails at night when the water is disturbed by
either fish or swimmers.
With so much to see and do in Puerto Rico, it
takes more than several days to get a good feel
for it all. Plan your trip well, allow plenty of time to
relax and remember that hurricane season runs
June 1 through the end of November. During that
period, flights have more of a tendency to be
canceled or re-routed.
A number of no-frills airlines including Spirit and Air Tran offer non-stop flights from Orlando to
San Juan. Other airlines flying in from the mainland include American and Delta.
San Juan. Other airlines flying in from the mainland include American and Delta.
Should you require a taxi, look for the customer
service stand near the exit doors by the baggage
area.
service stand near the exit doors by the baggage
area.
Cynthia Scarborough's Bio: