Puerto Rico is an island fit for an angel

Moving out to a self-catering apartment/house, I’d no idea what expect. But it was then I encountered ‘my Angel’.

Now, just to clarify, I wasn’t visited by a beatific presence, but by the lovely Angel Abreu – the entrepreneurial host of my villa – whose family rents it out.

Angel picked me up in his ‘Mercedes’ (eh, not! That was an on-going joke. It was a clapped-out Toyota) and whisked me straight to…eh…the house?

Eh, no, that’d be an amazing bakery to try the local cakes and specialties.

But then, as I was going to get to know, that was just Angel – one of the sweetest, most hard-working blokes you could ever meet.

I didn’t have the guts to tell him I don’t have a sweet tooth so choked down as much sugar as I’d had in the past three years in a 30-minute stretch.

And as this was a self-catering option, from there we went to the supermarket so I could stock up.

Tesco or Waitrose this was not. The booze was locked behind glass doors; there was nobody remotely foreign in the entire big supermarket, and when I asked anything in English (my Spanish is rusty), that seemed to gather a crowd of perplexed onlookers around me. Why?

Because, although it’s only 90-minute drive from the capital where everyone speaks English, this is already a totally different experience.

Thankfully Angel speaks perfect English, so we got there.

His family home is comfortable; has wi-fi, cable TV, air-con and one added attraction is that you can meet the family who live in other parts of the complex.

That’s a treat in itself as this is one of the warmest, most-embracing families imaginable.

The next morning, after seeing the stunning beaches and amazing landscapes of this part of the island, I awoke to think I must still be dreaming.

Cars were arriving, spilling out kids, families, a pug dog wearing a pink tutu – what had been in that Mojito last night!?

Then the barbecue area in the garden was being decorated with balloons: one side in pink; the other in blue. Then – and this was when I thought things were getting REALLY weird – two large plastic effigies of a baby boy and a baby girl were mounted on the barbecue house.

Hour-by-hour, more and more people arrived, filling the place with folk from nine months to 90.

I ventured out to be greeted like a long-lost cousin and found out that this was a Gender-Naming Ceremony.

Angel’s son and partner were announcing the gender of their unborn baby at this party. And then, I, as honoured guest, was invited to make a speech once it was out that it was to be a baby girl.

Hey, no pressure!

But I have not ever been made to feel more welcome, and THAT’s what it is that Puerto Rico has that makes it so special.

Fabulous scenery, but much more – the most amazingly friendly and welcoming people.

In terms of eating out in Arecibo I’d recommend trying:

Picholo: casual seafood dining, great for fried fish and a beer after work.

Salpicon: Fine dining serving fresh local seafood. Popular among tourists and well worth a visit.

Bocata: Popular bar & grill serving some of the best authentic Puerto Rican finger foods. Great grab-and-go option.

Wherever you stay and eat, you won’t regret going native in Arecibo.

10 Things to do on the island

El Yunque – the only subtropical rainforest in the US National Forest Service – is a must. Spanning 28,000 acres the forest is criss-crossed with hiking trails.

Shopping – Puerto Rico has a fantastic array of shopping malls all over the island offering popular brands such as Levi’s, GAP, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger.

Culture – a visit to Old San Juan, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will unveil a mixture of ancient forts and contemporary shops, as well as cobbled roads and some of the oldest churches in the New World.

Dancing with the locals – if you love salsa the bars in Old San Juan are a must. Try Latin Rooys, The NuyoriCan Café or Brava Nightclub.

Art – If you are into art visit Ponce – The Pearl of the south – the second largest city in Puerto Rico and only an hour away from San Juan. It’s one of the most acclaimed centres of art in the Caribbean.

Adventure –Visit the Toro Verde Nature Park and conquer The Beast, the world’s longest zip wire, measuring 1.45km and 900ft above the forest floor.

Water Sports – Puerto Rico offers 272 miles of coastline so there is plenty to keep you busy, with everything from snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing, deep-sea fishing and windsurfing. Rincon is the surfing capital of the Caribbean with waves reaching a staggering 35 feet high!

Golf – There are 23 courses on the island, 17 of which are championship level. The top courses to visit are Royal Isabela, Dorado East and West Course and Trump International Golf Club, which is home to the PGA tour.

Bio Bays – Puerto Rico is home to three of only six active bioluminescent bays (bio-bays) in the world. Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. One in the SouthWest – La Parguera, one on Vieques – Mosquito Bay, and the one in Fajardo – La Laguna Grande. The most popular and easiest to travel to is La Laguna Grande in Fajardo, which is very bright and convenient to San Juan. The best way to see and experience the magic is by kayak and there are many operators offering trips.

Talk – don’t forget, the real joy of Puerto Rico is the people – so sit in a square, have a coffee or sangria and get chatting!

Norwegian flights to Puerto Rico operate twice a week (Wed/Sat) from London Gatwick to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The flights are operated by a fleet of new Dreamliner aircraft and offer a choice of economy or premium seating.

Fares start from £159 one way at www.norwegian.com

www.seepuertorico.com is the main source of information for visitors to the island.

For accommodation, see www.holidaylettings.co.uk

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