January 3, 2017. El Yunque National Park

LOCATION:  San Juan, Puerto Rico

WEATHER:  Hot and sunny, after AM showers. Highs 90

 

We left our modest hotel near the university and caught Uber to the airport rental car area and picked up a rental car.  We wanted to go to El Yunque rainforest, and there is no public transportation there.  The alternative is to go on an expensive tour.  So, we picked up our car and headed there, about 20 miles away.

El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the US National Park system.  We learned that there are more species of trees in this park than there are in all the other US National Parks combined.

We saw some pretty waterfalls.  

There were several hikes we could have taken, but I'm not a great hiker in 100% humidity and 90 degree temps.  !!

 

We stopped at a beach cafe for lunch and shared some Puertorican seafood fritters.    

Then, back to the city of San Juan where we moved into our new hotel.  It is quite swanky compared to where we were before.

We relaxed by the pool.  

There are beautiful orchids growing on the palms around the pool.

This place could be Miami or Fort Lauderdale or any beach area in the world.  The closest restaurants are Olive Garden and Western Sizzler.  We refuse to eat in something like that anywhere.  So, we just had a snack in the hotel lobby bar.  A little disappointing.