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August 3

Today has been an incredible day. The morning went as usual. The good stuff happened after work. We went to Cueva Yuyu. It's a cave system in Ciales. 

We started by going to the local panaderia to grab some sandwiches. While we were there, Jaime started talking to two guys sitting there. I'll have to ask Jaime what the one guy's name is, but Jaime says he was a drug kingpin but didn't go to prison on a technicality. He was a skinny old man missing a few teeth and the thumb of his left hand.

After getting food, we returned to the finca because we forgot to grab flashlights. We got our headlamps and we were off.

There was a 30-minute hike to and from the cave system. It's fairly easy but the ground gets slippery for the 5 minutes closest to the caves.

I couldn't get any pictures because I had to do some swimming(just google the name of the cave and you'll see where I was). Whatever went in the cave would get wet. To get into the caves, you have to squeeze through a hole in the ground. there is a full cave opening, but it's too steep to safely enter. The little hole in the ground has a diameter just short of 2 feet. You'd lower yourself into the cave and start walking.

I cannot describe what it was like to be in that cave system. I'd suggest you google it so you can get an idea but the pictures don't convey the feelings. The cool temperature. The occasional crab and tailless whip scorpion. The way your voice would echo differently depending on the size of the cavern and the amount of water. The sound of waterfalls is just around the corner. It's an amazing feeling to be there.

There were parts of the cave where the water would go above my shoulders and there were times where I'd have to crawl.

There was a small hole that Jaime didn't feel comfortable going down but I could fit alright. I took it on and it felt exhilarating to get to the other side. So many people have been through there but it didn't feel that way. 

On a fun note, we measured my height today and I guess I'm 5' 6". I'll have to double-check later, but if I am that tall, it means I've grown in Puerto Rico.

By the way, Jaime is making some Hibiscus wine. It's been brewing for about 18 hours and there's already alcohol. It's bubbling. It's a deep red color and it smells amazing.