Lost at Arecibo Observatory

Puerto Rico is famous for white sand beaches, world-class snorkeling, pro-surfing, rainforests...and a really big telescope? Arecibo Observatory features the world's largest radio telescope (featured in the films Contact and GoldenEye) a visit is an interesting break from the sun and surf sites of Puerto Rico. Areribo actually exceeded my expectations in a few unexpected ways. I expected Arecibo to be located deep in Puerto Rico's mountainous interior.  I expected the telescope to be big. It was the journey to Arecibo observatory and the beauty of the telescope that was much greater than I had expected.

What is a Radio Telescope? 
Before visiting Arecibo, I had some experience in radio telemetry. I worked several summers at PARI Observatory, an old NASA tracking station in North Carolina, that featured two giant 26 meter radio telescopes. Radio telescopes collect radio waves from the deepest corners to the universe. The bigger the dish, in theory, means more data can be collected. Astronomers analyze the data to better understand the universe. My time at PARI (which is tucked away in a remote part of the Blue Ridge Mountains) taught me that radio observatories need to built in areas far away from electromagnetic interference. In other words, Arecibo's remote location and ban on cell phone use is necessary. But enough science.

What to Expect 
I'm not going to lie to you; Arecibo Observatory is off the beaten path. Despite hosting thousands of tourists every year, there is no direct route to the site. The roads to the observatory are narrow, curvy, and might cause motion sickness. Despite dozens of signs to help direct us, my wife and I were never quite sure if we were on the right road (especially when we had to swerve to avoid hitting a horse hanging out on the road). Though we found our way to the observatory without major mishap, we did get lost on the way back.

At the front gate, we were directed to turn our cell phones to off/airplane mode and told to park in a lot below the visitor center. I've read complaints about the steep walk from the parking lot up to the visitor's center, but it's not difficult. Once we paid and were inside the visitors center, there were several exhibits on astronomy and radio telemetry that weren't all that interesting. Next we directed to the theater to watch a short video that explained the basic operation and history of Arecibo. The video was actually pretty cool.

Once the video was over, a guide took us out to the telescope viewing platform. The 305 meter dish must be seen in person to comprehend it's massive size. It's beauty took me by surprise. Much like other man-made wonders like the Empire State Building, St. Louis Arch, Golden Gate Bridge, and Hoover Dam, I left with Arecibo in awe.

Just the Basics

• Website: http://www.naic.edu/
• Directions: A somewhat confusing map is provided by Arecibo on this page. 
• Hours: 9am-4pm, closed most major holidays 
• Cost: Adults $10, Kids and Seniors $6 
• Advice: If you are prone to motion sickness, you might want to consider taking medication before the drive. 

Beat the Rush to La Mina Falls

La Mina Falls El Yunque National Forrest

A quick image search of La Mina Falls shows why it is one of Puerto Rico's most popular tourist destinations. It doesn't get much better than a waterfall in the middle of a tropical rainforest that is also safe enough to swim! However, most images also show a crowded pool full of people all waiting to get their picture taken in the falls. My wife and I were not interested in fighting crowds or taking part in the group tours of the falls. Our solution was simple; rent a car and arrive early! 

What to Expect
We left our condo in San Juan at 7am and followed Rt 3 until turning right onto PR-191 to the El Yunque National Forrest. There are signs on Rt 3 and PR-191 clearly marking El Yunque National Forest. The visitors center did not open until 9 am, cost $4, and didn't interest us so we skipped it. We instead drove straight up the steep and curvy mountain road to the La Mina Trail parking lot. The entire drive from San Juan to the La Mina parking lot took about an hour.

The 30 minute walk to La Mina Falls was not overly difficult, but I would recommend wearing sturdy shoes. The .7 mile trail has some steep up and downs and was slick with water. It rained off and on the entire time we were there (which is normal considering it is a rainforest). We arrived at La Mina Falls at 8:30am and had the entire area all to ourselves--our own little tropical hideaway! We spend 30 minutes swimming in the pool, snapping photos, and enjoying the falls without another soul in sight. On the hike back we encountered a couple of tour groups headed toward the falls. We had beat the rush!

Trail to La Mina Falls

Just the Basics 

• Location: El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico
• Website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/elyunque/home
• Cost: Free ($4 if you go to the visitor's center)
• Advice: Arrive early to avoid the crowds. Wear sturdy footwear for the falls to avoid cutting your foot on a rock in the water. 

Original Canopy Zipline Tour

Zipline Original Canopy Tour

The Original Canopy Tour is a zipline adventure through the jungle near San Juan, Puerto Rico.  I took part in the canopy tour as part of a shore excursion from a Celebrity Cruise.  Overall, I would recommend the tour, though please be aware of some of the drawbacks that I encountered before booking.  Our tour was booked through Celebrity Cruises and cost $131 per person.

What to Expect
The tour operators picked our group from the dock in San Juan.  After a thirty minute ride on a charter bus, we were dropped off at an empty lot in the hilly countryside of San Juan.  Confused, we were told that a smaller bus would pick us up in a few minutes to deliver us to the canopy tour site.  Once we boarded the second bus, it was clear that the mountain roads in Puerto Rico were too steep, narrow, and winding for a large charter bus.  In fact, the drive was almost the most thrilling/scary part of the adventure.  In Puerto Rico, everyone speeds through mountain roads while continually honking to warn motorists and pedestrians around the corner.  We had several near accidents.

Once we dropped off at the site, we signed a waiver and climbed a VERY STEEP hill to the canopy site. All participants were fitted with a harness, gloves, and helmet.  Instructions, given in English and Spanish, made it clear that the company took safety very seriously.

Unlike other tours, this tour really took you from tree-to-tree through the rain forest.  Though none of the ziplines were all that long, it was beautiful to see and hear the sounds of the forest.  My only complaint was that, with a large group, we had to wait nearly an hour to travel on our first zipline.  Once we started, however, the tour was completed in about 45 minutes.  

Tips
1. Bring a rain jacket.  It rains often on the mountain, and it rained during my tour.  On the positive side, rain will increase the speed you fly through the jungle!

2. Take motion sickness pills--not for the canopy tour, rather for the bus ride through hills of Puerto Rico.

3. If you are looking a long, fast zip line ride, book another tour.  This tour is fun because it takes you through the rain forest.  However, none of the zipline rides last longer the 15 or 20 seconds.