Puerto Rico - vegetation and coastal parallels with India

The very first week of Summer, we went for a week long Puerto Rico trip. Beautiful island state. Great local people.

The very first thing to hit us is how much like coastal India it was. I said it for the first few days. Morning temps were in 80s and after 10am it was 90F-100F. And every movement was lazy.

Old San Juan could totally be mistaken for Pondicherry. Colorful buildings and cobbled streets.

Fort outside San Juan was lined up with very familiar flowering bushes.

Lots of Gulmohar trees in full blazing bloom everywhere.

And fully loaded Mango trees ! Everywhere !

The East side PR-66 highways were all packed with rush traffic. Drive on the highway, showed many 4 storied colonies, which were total replicas of government colonies from everywhere in India.

The Luquillo Airbnb we stayed in was in a high-rise and society exactly like in Pune or Bangalore. And the houses around, were like in Ulsoor or any coastal village. Cement construction, bright paints, and tile floors. Almost all apartments & house-bunglows were designed individually. All entrances were covered with iron bar coverings - all fancy designs like in anywhere in India. Locked up tight for security and to save AC against humidity. Hardly any people outside during the day; which eventually made sense cause it was 90+F everyday and no one wants the home AC to escape.

Dorado city neighborhood houses were like Indian construction. No junk or garbage pile anywhere. 

Walmart shopping experience totally like in Bangalore Food World or Big Bazar.

For the first few days, we were stunned to see gas prices - 96 cents, etc. Then after first refill, we figured it was 96 cents for a litre. Math translation mode on. And then most of the road signs were in Spanish first and English secondary. 

And then again, way too much Vegetation similarities. There were Datura plants.

Drive up to Mount  El Yunque National rain forest itself was a full on dejavu of Dakshina Kannada area ghats.

 

On the road trip from Dorado to Agra Dilla saw wild cows, the same breed as Indian. 

Sunset point at El Merendero De Guajataca. The park was lined up with Almond trees. 

 

More Puerto Rico posts