Hiking the El Yungue Trail...and a little more...
What you see hiking to the top of El Yungue is almost as cool as what you can see at the peak!
Life is sometimes in the journey as much as in the destination...
El Yunque takes its name from an Indian spirit, Yuquiye, meaning "Forest of Clouds"
The Taino Indians believed that gods lived in the highest peaks of the mountains of the forest.
When you are here it is easy to believe that as well...
You can climb to the top of the observation tower that is almost like a church with the tempel cross on the side and the parapets. Here is another lizard as well...they were everywhere!
After a climb like that you really appreciate the view! so here's a few more...then we'll head back down

ok...enough of a rest. Time to head back down...
This is yet another observation tower we found on the way down...
looks like Rapunzel should be around here somewhere!
...and we keep walking! past waterfalls and big creepy trees like this! where is the car? enough already!
Finally we get to the car! wow was that a long walk! We stopped at a snackshop and had some treats and then headed down the road to the "PH" (my nickname for our penthouse suite). Oh no...what is dad doing now? He doesn't take direction well...
We are pulling over to check out another tower! you know what that means...more stairs! but there is always a great view once you get there! This is the Yokahu tower named after the good spirit of the Taino indians. Plans for the site were adapted from silo designs from a Mennonite church group who were building farm silos on the island. Pretty cool!
Finally...we are heading to the PH (they promised!)... what? we are stopping again! but this time it is just to cross the road and look up at Coco falls. This one is right at the road. The water drops 85 feet down a sheer rock face. Cool! Why don't they put all the cool stuff right at the road? it is a valid question!

OK...so it was all pretty cool but I am beat! We must have walked at least 7 miles today and despite the rock and gravel surface of the trails I am still bring home some "El Yungue" on my sneakers!

Tomorrow we won't be walking and climbing mountains again...they promised! I think it is back to sea...come along to Day 4!