Isle of Enchantment (8 page)
Read Isle of Enchantment Online
Authors: Precious McKenzie,Becka Moore
“Was not.”
“Uh, yeah you were. I had to make sure you weren't in trouble.”
“You're nosy,” Tomas said.
“You'd do the same to me, if I was on a date.”
“It wasn't a date.”
“Looked like one to me.”
Tomas clenched his fists. “It wasn't a date.”
“With your girlfriend,” I teased.
“We're just friends. I was just saying good-bye,” Tomas looked sad. I decided to let it go.
Home
“Wake up, sweetie,” Mom nudged my shoulder. I rubbed my eyes, squinting at the morning sunlight.
“What time is it?” I mumbled, yawning.
“Time to get up and catch an airplane,” Mom said cheerfully.
“Ugh,” I moaned. Puerto Rico was incredible, even the soggy rainforest camp. I wasn't ready to leave the island and go back to Chicago. I knew Tomas wasn't ready to leave, either. He loved the hot tropical weather, the water, and the hearty meals of beans and rice. He loved Carmen. I giggled at the thought.
“We leave in an hour. If you want to shower and eat breakfast, you better hurry,” Mom said as she rubbed my back. I rolled to the side of the bed. “Fine. I'm up,” I said as I sat up and plunked my feet on the tile floor.
Tomas woke up earlier than I did. He was helping Dad pack the rest of our bags.
“Time to load the car,” Dad said as he saw me stumbling to the bathroom. “Don't dilly-dally,” Dad sang out as I walked by him.
Despite my feet dragging, we made it to the airport on time. The flight was long so I napped. Tomas stayed awake, organizing the photos from our Puerto Rico adventure on his laptop. He had a few photos of Carmen.
Mom woke me up as the airplane touched down in Chicago.
“We're home,” she said brightly. I looked out the window. Although it was April, the sky was slate
gray. The trees were bare. After spending three months in the glow of Puerto Rico, Chicago, from the sky, looked bleak and dreary.
“Home sweet home,” Dad said as he unlocked our apartment door. He was right. It had been so long since we'd left for Puerto Rico, it was comforting to be back in a familiar place with all of our things. I curled up on the sofa, snuggling with the throw pillows. Tomas plopped down beside me. As he slid his phone in his pocket, I saw an image of Carmen on the screen.
“Still lovesick?” I asked him.
“Be quiet. Hand me that remote control,” he demanded. “It's time to watch good old American cable TV.”
“You better call her or email her, you know,” I whispered to Tomas.
“Shush,” he said, rolling his eyes. Mom came into the living room.
“I'm glad you kids have already adjusted back to life on the mainland,” she laughed, sitting down on the sofa with us.
“I have a delicious idea,” Dad said from the kitchen.
Twenty minutes later, with gooey, hot pizza cheese dripping from my mouth, I struck a Flamenco dancer pose and grinned. It was good to be home, but I knew it wouldn't be for long. That thought made me happy.
“So when is our next adventure?” I asked.
Marisol's Travel Journal
January 6
Puerto Rico Rocks!
One of my favorite Puerto Rican foodsâand Tomas's tooâ is Arroz con Dulce, or Coconut Rice Pudding. Cinnamon, creamy, yummy! You can eat it hot or cold. Great for holidays!
Ingredients
1½ cups Medium Grain Rice
6 Whole Cloves
1 inch section of fresh ginger, peeled
1 fresh Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp. salt
1 can (15.5 oz.) Cream of Coconut
½ cup raisins
Whipped cream (optional)
Ground cinnamon (optional)
Berries (optional)
Directions
1. In medium bowl, add rice and cold water so the rice is covered by about two inches of water. Soak the rice for one hour. Rinse and drain.
2. Use a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring to boil four cups of water, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Lower heat to medium low; simmer 10 minutes. Remove and discard spices. Reserve water in saucepan.
3. Stir cream of coconut into reserved water. Bring to a boil. Add reserved rice and raisins. Lower heat to medium low. Simmer, covered, until rice is soft and liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Move rice pudding
to large dish; place in the refrigerator to get cool.
4. When ready to eat, scoop pudding onto plate. You can add ground cinnamon, berries, and whipped cream on top.
Fun Facts About Puerto Rico
Capital City:
San Juan
Languages:
Spanish and English
Population:
More than three million people, plus about five million tourists each year
Climate:
Puerto Rico is tropical. The temperature is usually about 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius).
Famous People:
Rosario Ferré (writer/poet)
Tito Puente (Jazz musician)
Pedro Rodriquez (scientist)
Chi Chi Rodriquez (golfer)
Jorge Posada (baseball player)
Events and Holidays
Christmas, Epiphany (January 6)
Ash Wednesday
Easter
Festival of San Juan Bautista-Patron Saint (June)
Constitution Day (July 25)
Discovery of Puerto Rico by Christopher Columbus (November 19)
Landmarks
El Morro
Where I tricked Tomas!
The other fort, Castillo San Cristobal is close by.
Awesome swimming at La Mina Falls. Water is usually a cool 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius)!
Arecibo Observatory
Where Tomas and I got into big troubleâmajor spot for science and research.
Now and Then
San Juan was founded in 1521 by the Spanish and was an important military post in the Caribbean. Today, it is a busy, modern city. More than 400,000 people live in San Juan. Tourism is one of its biggest industries.
Discussion Questions
1. Describe the history of Puerto Rico. Who settled the island? Who controls the island now?
2. Name the natural wonders that Marisol and Tomas experienced.
3. Marisol and Tomas learned about salsa dancing and flamenco dancing. Describe, in your own words, what the dances and music were like. Would you like to learn how to dance?
4. Name some of the discoveries that were made at the Arecibo Observatory. Now, do more research. Describe these discoveries in more detail. What did those discoveries teach you?
5. Think about the precautions that the family had to take while they were camping in El Yunque. Describe what they needed to do to survive in the wilderness. Why did they have to follow these rules?
6. At the Bio Bay, what caused the water to glow?
7. Why is Puerto Rico known as the Isle of Enchantment?