El Merendero del Guajataca Public Park

We live in Guajataca overlooking the lake, so this is our neighborhood. My plan was to be retired two years ago. Thanks to you know who, I'll be lucky to retire ever, but we still have our house. This trip is going to be short three weeks.

This is our vacation so we're doing touristy things on a tight budget. The jaw dropping beauty of nature is what we want to see.

Due to a spinal cord injury my husband can't walk very far; he won't use a wheel chair. This greatly limits the types of places we go.

El Merendero del Guajataca is a little park on the north coast in the Porta del Sol area. It's on the ocean side at the flashing light at route 2 where 113 turns inland. From the handicapped parking space you can see the ocean!

The bathrooms are less than fifty feet away. Each time we've been here they have been clean. Do bring hand towels.

A picnic in the splendor of the vista is today's activity. Just across the street in a bright yellow building they make pastallio that melt in your mouth. Kirt loves the shrimp, my preference is the octopus.

The park is next door to a higher price restaurant, La Llave de Mar, with a killer view of the cliffs. If you get lucky there, you'll see the huge lizards with orange feet. Iam not a reptile person, but these were interesting.

It's a compact area, so I did the trail, which felt completely safe.

 People here are very friendly to each other. They do not like being snubbed by tourists, who are uptight or apprehensive. If you smile and nod, they politely nod back. If you say good afternoon in Spanish, they give you a smile and that fabulous Puerto Rican warmth.

We ran into our old friend Rasta, who needed a meal and some water. He didn't mind a bit of petting either. We've seen the sweet boy greeting visitors for about a year. The cords of hair behind his ears give his cool dog persona. Don't be hurt if he leaves you flat for the next one to come along. That's just how he is!