DAY 4 - LA CORDILLERA CENTRAL, ON THE WAY TO PONCE
There's more to Puerto Rico than ocean, sand and palm
trees. There's a mountain range in the center of the island called
"La Cordillera Central" that is high up, cool, and moist - a gorgeous
rain forest. The Ruta Panoramica, off the 52 at Cayey, crosses the
cordillera all the way to Mayaguez. We started on the Ruta
Panoramica and left it half way, switching to the 123 sur, to get to
Ponce. The view from the mountains is spectacular. The road
is lined with mango trees, just standing free with tons of mangos
hanging from the branches, and another bunch fallen on the ground.
The highest point, the area of the Bosque Toro Negro, was rainy and
foggy.
Ponce is a city on the south shore of the island.
The locals call it the Caribbean coast, versus the one up north by San
Juan which they call the Atlantic coast. It is not too large of a
city, nor did it appear to have many tourists visiting, but the
architecture in the center of town is similar to the one in Old San
Juan, only perhaps not as well maintained. The Church in the
central plaza, however, as well as banks, and the "alcaldia" (city hall)
are magnificent buildings. There is nothing much by Ponce' shore,
perhaps two or three restaurants. The houses closer to the ocean
are small, wooden, and colorful.
The "Cruzeta del Vigia" (the Guard's Cross) stands on a
hill overlooking the city. From the cross grounds we could see the
entire city and the Caribbean sea.
This was a long and busy day, but we still made it at
night time to Cocobongos, the Tuesday Salsa spot in Isla Verde.
Nice wooden floor, a good crowd, several on-2 dancers, acceptable enough
DJ music choices, and best of all, we could smoke a cigar at our table!
Niceeeee touch.
Come to think of it, we have not paid cover charge at any
Salsa place in Puerto Rico once yet! Niceeeee.
P.D.: La Sonora Poncena is from Ponce!
LAS TETAS - bad name for these peaks, but... they do look like boobs
Mangos we took down from a tree
View from the Ruta Panoramica, Cordillera Central
PONCE - Central Plaza
River joining the ocean
Salsa blared from these doors as we walked by
La Cruzeta del Vigia
Cocobongos - Tuesday Salsa place in Isla Verde
LA RUTA PANORAMICA AT TORO NEGRO RESERVE - VIEW FROM
THE CAR
A VIEW IN THE BOSQUE TORO NEGRO - CORDILLERA CENTRAL
