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It all started when I arrived at Puerto Rico, I was just 18. This is going back years ago, but I can still remember it like it was yesterday. The cool island breeze, the beautiful tropical beaches, the way my feet felt the first time I stepped onto the sandy beach. I never knew water could be so blue! It was all so new, and everything I ever dreamed about coming to the Caribbean. Way back then, it was a different day and time, people were just getting used to traveling to Puerto Rico. Pan Am Airlines was still around. Michael Jordan was at the height of his basketball career (just to give you a hint). Things were pretty different, nevertheless, my excitement in seeing a new country for the first time is still the same; one of wonder and awe. All I wanted to do was emmerse my self in Puerto Rico's culture. Growing up as an American Fillipino, the culture was familiar with the language and certain foods like rice and plantains, but nothing beats actually going there and tasting the difference of cuisines. The seafood and shrimp were succulent, huge and tasty! Mangos, avocados, papaya, and lemons were all things I had tasted before, but not in the same way, they were fresh off the trees and so delicious! I stayed at a friends house in Carolinas. The family no longer lived there, just their blind Uncle who was more than happy to have the company. The house was a ranch style home, just like most of the homes in the neighborhood. From the outside it looked cozy and modest, but boy, I was mistaken. When I stepped inside it was huge! Maybe because their was barely any furniture inside, just big empty rooms. When you stepped into the bathroom is was tiled from floor to ceiling in the most beautiful green and blue tile with hints of gold, that reminded me of the ocean. I wasn't sure if it was more soothing, and calming, or more elegant. It was also the first time I stayed in a place with a budet. That was definitely different! And definitely not in the way Paul Hogan used it in Crocodile Dundee! The people were warm and inviting. Everywhere I went, people were mostly, very hospitable whether they spoke english or not. Always quick to offer food, drink or just join them in a game of dominoes on the beach. I visited mainly the tourist spots of Old San Juan. I also visited El Morro, the old fortress that hangs off the coast in town. It has the best views of the ocean. It felt like being back in time with the old cannons and cannon balls, and thick weathered concrete walls. I could only imagine what it was like when it was filled with soldiers, back then. Then you had San Cristobal, another fortress. I dont get tired of being a part of history. I get nostalgic standing in a place in time where history had it's moments there. It's an amazing feeling that never gets old. I always ask myself in my travels, "Who was standing here 200 years ago, and what were they doing?" I think, "Were they scrambling for battle? What type of person were they? Did they have a family? All these questions of wonderment fuels my desire and passion to travel more, to experience different cultures, and languages. Afterall, isn't progress the reason why we exist? I think I would die and crumble into oblivion if I stood still. Experiencing new cultures, food, and people are fascinating to me. It's what fuels my desire to travel. After this trip to PR, I think I was bitten by the wanderlust bug. Since then, I've visted several more Carribbean countries, backed pack through Europe for a month, and visited eleven countries. I've been all over the US, and on over a dozen cruises, but it never gets old. The excitement of what's next continues to grow, and it all started with my first adventure, my first trip to PR.