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Hola! Puerto Rico

Calle Sol, from an original watercolor by Barbara Z. Pecce Puerto Rico is indeed rico . It is an island endowed with lush landscacpe, warm climate, friendly people and flavorful cuisine. Visitors can't wait to finish unpacking so they can bask in the sun at one of many fine beaches. Or swim and snorkel in Atlantic waters or in the calm Caribbean Sea. For those who prefer hiking, the tropical rainforest of El Yunque has numerous trails to explore. One challenging path leads to Pico El Toro. At 3,523 ft., this is the highest peak in the forest. An easy walking trail allows visitors to experience the gifts of the rainforest. About 240 species of tropical trees grow here including the y agruma . Unlike other trees, the yagruma can be male or female. What distinguishes one from the other is the silver coloring of the female leaf on its underside. The male genus maintains a singular color. The forest receives some billions of gallons of rainfall a year collected into streams, natural poo

A Day in Lourdes

  Our Lady of Lourdes Bayonne is the ideal home base for explorations in the Atlantic southwest of France (Basque country). This town has distinctive architecture characterized by colorful window shutters. It also has an impressive Gothic cathedral with a medieval cloister. Bayonne reminds me of Zürich without the glitz. From Bayonne, its an easy 15-minute train ride to Biarritz, the surfing capital of France and an elegant seaside resort. Biarritz has a long promenade with breathtaking views of the Atlantic as it crashes into the rocky shores below. St. Jean de Luz is a picturesque village just south of Biarritz. It has a vibrant harbor, ornate iron balconies and a protected beach. And I love its sleepy small town feel that is suddenly transformed after siesta. But my main destination during this trip was Lourdes, the second most visited city in France. I wanted to see the grotto where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the young girl, Bernadette Soubirous (this story was popularized