I may not have been to Puerto Rico in years; but there are some statements which appear to be inaccurate or incomplete in this article called WATCH: Top 5 Reasons to Go to Puerto Rico Now, which was written by Paula Froelich, who is the editor in chief of Yahoo! Travel.
Here goes…
1. It’s cheap and easy.
“Most major airlines fly there, including JetBlue, and the price of a ticket can be up to $200 cheaper than a flight to Miami.” This is what Froelich claims regarding flights from New York, to which she alluded in the video included in the article.
Just for fun, I did a cursory check of airfares for the remainder of the year; and nowhere could I find any round-trip flights between New York and San Juan which were up to $200.00 less expensive than round-trip flights between New York and Miami. In fact, my findings indicate that the reverse was true — but hey, I am only human and might have missed something.
Can you find any round-trip flights between New York and San Juan which are less expensive than round-trip flights between New York and Miami throughout the rest of the schedule on any airline? Forget New York — use any city in the continental United States as the origination where flights are less expensive to San Juan than to Miami; and please post your findings in the Comments section below.
If you are a citizen of the United States, it is nice that you do not need a passport, pay any visa fees, or exchange currency to visit Puerto Rico.
2. You can vacation like J.Lo at half the price.
“Any hotel that is good enough for J.Lo is good enough for you.” Says who?!? Even though that statement pertaining to Jennifer Lopez — a woman of Puerto Rican ancestry who was born in New York — did nothing to convince me to consider staying at the hotel property in question, I kept watching and listening to the video.
“But don’t worry — this place won’t break the bank” was what Froelich said about a hotel property “which has weekend rates starting at less than $500 a night.”
She must be getting paid rather handsomely by Yahoo! Travel.
3. History, history, history!
I do enjoy going to historical sites; but like museums, I can only take so much of them. The only criticism I have for Froelich here is that it would have been helpful if she were more specific pertaining to the historical sites which either she visited — or recommends that we visit. Neither the video nor the article imparted any useful information.
4. The food and drink on the island is to die for — seriously.
Amongst other things, Froelich discusses fish tacos and a “cocktail made with Sriracha”. I truly enjoy fish tacos — without cheese for me, please — and would certainly try them; but aren’t tacos Mexican and Sriracha sauce from Thailand? Not that there is anything wrong with consuming them in Puerto Rico — but is that not similar to traveling to China for Italian food?
Although I am no gourmet diner with a trained palette, I at least like to try some foods which are native to where I am visiting. I would have been more interested in learning about her take on Caldo Santo, Serernata de Bacalao or Bacalao a la Vizcaína — which are types of fish soup, fish salad and fish stew, respectively — or perhaps what she thought of a seafood asopao or some pegao de arroz, as I enjoy food which is cooked well done.
Piña coladas are popular in Puerto Rico. I enjoyed plenty of them when I was there — without rum added to it, as I do not consume alcoholic beverages — and they were the best that I have ever had.
5. It’s the surfing capital of the world.
I know nothing about surfing; but the statement of Puerto Rico being “the surfing capital of the world” cannot be true. “Hey — wanna catch a wave in Hawai’i?” “Nah, Hawai’i is for beginners. Let’s go instead to Puerto Rico.”
To Froelich’s credit, she said in the video that “Puerto Rico is the surfing capital of the Caribbean.” That statement sounds more accurate.
If you are a surfer, what are your thoughts?
Summary
I am sure that Paula Froelich had a great time in Puerto Rico; but according to the video — which towards the beginning shows an airplane taking off from a snowy airport — she apparently went on her trip in the winter.
It is now April. Spring is in the air in the northern hemisphere. Trees and flowers have started to bloom. The weather is getting warmer. While there is certainly nothing wrong with traveling to Puerto Rico at any time of the year, do the aforementioned five reasons really compel you to travel there now?
Photograph ©2015 by Brian Cohen.
