Puerto Rico: Ocean Park

Let me tell you a bit more about our San Juan travels.

After a couple of days at the Condado Plaza Hilton (and after my conference ending), we grabbed our stuff and moved over to Ocean Park, where I booked a room in a more authentic residential neighborhood than the Miami Beach type of place Condado feels like. Just a ten minute drive from where we started, suddenly we were in the middle of some homey, colorful streets. Our little blue fenced house was literally one minute walking distance from the beautiful Ocean Park beach, which was never crowded and had the best sunlit late afternoons and coconut ice cream. Our Airbnb host, Daniel, was awesome: friendly, ready to help us with a list of suggestions, warm and super cute to boot. Let me give you an impression of the place.

This was my outfit approx 99% of the time: a bikini, and a crochet beach cover up I bought two years ago at Vero Moda.

Our Airbnb room: so cute! Loved the pineapple cupboard. We also had a little kitchenette, and a lovely bathroom. The fruit tree lined hammock terrace was the real kicker, though. Can you say HEAVEN?

Just some of the sights in Ocean park, clockwise from top left: avocado trees, coconuts, a covert lizard and bananas. All of that right there in the wild - pretty insane if your frame of reference is Belgium.

Some impressions of our sunny neighborhood - Calle General Patton and the streets surrounding it were built as housing for American soldiers in (I think) the midcentury time period, which is where it got its name. The houses were all gorgeous, showing a lot of character. The second best thing about the neighborhood was the abundance of trees and plants, really showing that tropical vivacity. The very best thing was, obviously, the ocean being at our doorstep.

Love this pic a local snapped of us on one of our evening beach walks. He had a really angry dog so we sort of got this shot at our own peril. WORTH IT.

I'd move there in a heartbeat. I fell so hard for Puerto Rico it ain't even funny, and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I got used to the humid heat. After a short while, it just felt like the island embraced you everytime you stepped outside. We can't believe how lucky we were for having had this experience together. Life can be good, man.

PS: don't be afraid to try the food from streetside vendors. I never got any type of bowel issues from them, and my digestive system is pretttttty sensitive. And that passion fruit/coconut sorbet was 100% worth it.