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PUERTO RICO |
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Geographically,
Puerto Rico is a Caribbean hub,
presiding squarely over the waters between
Hispaniola and the Virgin Islands. As a
commonwealth of the US, however, it remains
a world apart from its island neighbours,
over a distance that can be measured not
just in kilometres, but in dollars. It's
island life with infrastructure, the likes
of which the Tropic of Cancer seldom sees:
excellent interstate highways, for example,
allow travellers to zip from coral reef to
five-star restaurant, and hikers can traipse
through the spectacular El Yunque rainforest
on well-paved trails maintained by the US
National Forest Service. American influence
is strongest in San Juan , where even
the ramparts of El Morro - which staved off
European aggressors for 500 years - haven't
managed to prevent the influx of big-name
American fast-food and retail chains. But
the capital retains a distinctly Latin
character at its core, with Old San Juan
hosting a treasure-trove of pastel Spanish
colonial architecture on exquisitely
restored cobblestoned streets.
Despite the
threat of overdevelopment from US dollars,
most of the 35-by-100-mile island has
managed to elude despoilment. Even in the
crowded capital, it's hard to find a sullied
beach, and outside the major cities nature
is largely untouched - especially in the
jungly, mountainous interior; on the
relatively hidden beaches along the
southwest coast; and on the offshore
islands. In fact, the rich natural resources
and wide range of hiking, birding, diving
and caving opportunities make Puerto
Rico as much a magnet for eco-tourists as
for sun-worshippers.
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