I was required to writ about a place that is special to me. this essay is about Puerto Rico.

My Puerto Rico

Anyone who has ever been on vacation knows how special it can be. Spending time with family, relaxing worry-free, and just getting away from a normal schedule can be very rewarding, and make for some great memories.

The first time I traveled to Puerto Rico, I was nine months old. I don't remember much about that trip, but there were many more to come in following years. I can recall vividly my most recent trip; After hours of sitting in an airplane's cramped cabin, snacking on a miniscule serving of extremely salty pretzels, it was a relief to hear the captain's voice come over the intercom, "We have begun our landing pattern and should be touching down in just over twenty minutes," what a relief!

It was very refreshing to step off the crowded Boeing 767 and to have my personal space back. After a short stretching session, it was time to claim our baggage.

English: Orthographic projection of Puerto Rico.

Real Cédula de Gracia. 1815. found in the PD site...

Marker in Puerto Rico which traces the routes take...

It's easy to forget what the tropical Puerto Rican climate is like, especially after spending years straight in Minnesota. The first step is a shocker; the difference between the clean, cool, air conditioned airport, and the hot, heavy, and humid mass of gasses outside is monumental. The first thing to hit is sweat; it comes almost immediately, shortly followed by a feeling of weakness caused by the expansion of one's blood vessels. After no more than five minutes, these symptoms become inane, and so begins the search for our driver. Once he is located, we began our journey through the "real" Puerto Rico to our destination, Palmas Del Mar.

The "real" Puerto Rico resembles some third-world countries; however, there are no signs of a weak economy. There are some areas that are undoubtedly high-crime, dirty, and not-so-friendly. The roadways leave much...