That Hopkins Kid

Puerto Rico gives a winter retreat from NWMO cold

By Tom Brand 

Grandpa Alexander was a member of the National Geographic Society and, as such, regularly received issues of its flagship publication, filled with stunning photography, articles and fold-out maps. Each visit to his home, the iconic cover of the magazine, with its deep amber border, called out to me, inviting me to explore new worlds. Not only were the latest issues stacked in the magazine rack in the living room, but exploring the attic revealed a library of older editions. While my young mind soaked in the images and dreamed of faraway places, I never could have imagined that one day, I’d witness some of those wonders with my own eyes instead of through photos. 

Our latest travel adventure came from a desire to escape winter’s chill. My philosophy? If you’re going to chase warmer weather, it should be to erase the cold; not just to visit the tropics when you’re already mowing the yard back home. With temperatures below zero for the second time this winter, Puerto Rico was the perfect escape. 

Puerto Rico is surprisingly small. North to south, it’s about the same as driving from the Missouri-Iowa border to Savannah; east to west, it stretches from Rock Port to just past Princeton. Yet, with 3.3 million people, it holds nearly 1.5 times the population north of I-70 in Missouri. In that small area, though, there are multiple climates influenced by its topography, trade winds and ocean currents. There are rainforests, tropical savannas, mountains and coastal climates. 

We spent a week exploring the Caribbean Island, beginning in historic San Juan and venturing west to beautiful beaches and quaint communities. After a few days, we left San Juan behind, opting to drive the east and south coasts, where beaches were scattered, and lighthouses dotted the landscape. We used Ponce as our base camp for the second half of the trip, taking in the rest of the south and most of the west coast, all the way to Rincon. Everywhere we went, the roads were clean and well groomed, and the people were welcoming. In total, we drove over 800 miles. The most surreal portion of our trip took us to La Parguera, a small village of about 1,500 people, known for its laid-back charm and stunning natural beauty. Here, the real magic happened after dark. We boarded a small boat and drifted into the calm waters of one of Puerto Rico’s rare bioluminescent bays. As we skimmed across the surface, the water around us shimmered with an eerie blue glow, illuminating each ripple and swirl. We swam as the water shimmered beneath us, each movement triggering an otherworldly glow. Floating in the glowing water under a canopy of stars was a moment that felt both dreamlike and impossibly real; a reminder that some of the world’s most breathtaking wonders can only be truly appreciated in person. 

Winter slapped us across the face as we came in for a landing at Kansas City International Airport. The pilot made a gallant attempt, bringing us within feet of the runway before deciding that the swirling snow and 50-mile-per-hour winds weren’t worth the risk.