As any parent can attest, the first 3 months with an infant are a whirlwind. It is exhilarating yet exhausting, exciting yet repetitive, satisfying yet frustrating. Once the fog started to lift, we could finally get excited about the first trip we were going to take as a family to Puerto Rico.
Why Puerto Rico you ask? We were already going to be on the East Coast for a family wedding, a big fat Indian wedding to be precise. We knew that we were going to be exhausted after a week of festivities, so relaxing somewhere on a beach with a cocktail sounded divine. There are so many wonderful islands in the Caribbean that would fit the bill, so again, why Puerto Rico? I booked this trip just before Jai was born, and I wasn’t sure how long it would take for his passport to come in. We also didn’t know how he would be on a plane, so a shorter, direct flight seemed prudent. Being a US territory, Puerto Rico seemed like a safe space to test out our travel legs.
But first, a history
Neal and I had both been to Puerto Rico separately in our twenties. We had very similar experiences, from drinking way too many mojitos, learning that brown people can indeed get sunburns, and enjoying the nightlife in San Juan. With our new travel companion, this was going to be a very different adventure. With relaxation as our priority, we decided to stay outside of San Juan. As the largest and busiest cruise port in all of the Caribbean, San Juan is vibrant and busy. El Viejo San Juan, or Old San Juan, is the walled historic district. Established by the Spaniards over 500 years ago, the narrow streets and pastel facades exude a type of old world charm that is reminiscent of port towns in Europe. The formerly working-class barrio of Santurce, which was once considered dangerous and unsafe, is now a cultural hub with giant public murals, eclectic restaurants, and a vibrant nightlife. Condado and Ocean Park offer luxury hotels and a modern vibe with access to the water. After the devastation caused by hurricanes Maria and Irma and the economic collapse pre- and post-COVID, it’s been heartening to see this community build itself back up despite the hardships. It does, however, come at a cost. Proud Puertorriqueños are being priced out and pushed out, many leaving for the mainland. San Juan itself, though bustling and vibrant, just feels different; the overwhelming number of tourists in the streets, the numerous stands of chachkis lining the streets, the number of restaurants serving burgers and fries—it just didn’t feel as authentic. Granted, authentic gems still exist; we had some of the best arroz con gandules and pernil at Deaverdura and delicious mallorica and pastries at Cafeteria Mallorica. These laid back local establishments call back to a simpler time, before gentrification and mass tourism. They’re just harder to find.
Home away from home
In that same vein, we wanted to hang out away from the hustle and bustle that is San Juan. We decided to stay in the small sleepy town of Dorado, approximately 40 minutes outside of San Juan. I love staying at resorts, and Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton reserve property, is one I would normally gravitate to. However, we chose to rent a beach house instead of staying at a hotel. I didn’t want to feel guilty about bothering other people on a romantic vacation if Jai had a bad day or night. Something about having a whole house to ourselves felt comforting, and having the space to spread out was amazing; there’s nothing wrong with a hotel room but it is just that—a room. When you’re traveling with so much extra gear, it’s nice to not feel cluttered and overwhelmed with a larger space.
Our Airbnb was located a stone’s throw away from Kikita Beach, a well-known surfer’s haunt. The views were ridiculous; the large back deck was raised above the rocky shore below, the waves crashing into the pylons below. The upstairs bedrooms had balconies overlooking the ocean below as well; Who needs a noise machine for sleep when you have the ocean in your backyard? The gourmet kitchen and adjoining family room also looked out into this view and had direct access to the back deck.
Baby it’s cold outside
We basically lived out on the back deck. Jai was 3 months old, so was taking three to four naps a day. Not only that, Jai caught his first cold, probably from all of the aunties and grandmas kissing him at the wedding. We woke up one night to hear him grunting in his sleep. He was also having a hard time feeding with his nose being so congested. We spent a few mornings creating a sauna in the shower to help loosen the snot to make it easier for him to breathe. It is for this reason I bring a Nasal Frida with me everywhere. Small enough to pack into a compact toiletry bag, it is a suction device that helps clear little noses. It works better than the traditional bulb suction in little babies just due to the size of the opening, but in my experience, it also works better in older kids as well because it uses mom or dad’s ability to suck to gain the suction needed. Sounds gross, but there is a filter to keep the grossness from getting in your mouth. Since poor Jai was so congested, we were snot sucking every few hours, so we didn’t really have the chance to make it out of the house very much until the last few nights. It would have been easy to feel trapped, but at least we had a gorgeous view, complemented by a salty breeze and the Caribbean sun.
While the Nasal Frida definitely helped with his congestion; having the Nanit camera to monitor his breathing gave us peace of mind at night. The breathing band from Nanit that we wrapped around his swaddle is unique in that it has a pattern that the camera tracks to monitor a baby’s breathing. While it is not failproof by any means, it was nice to know that there were another set of eyes on him, especially when he was sick. When Jai was a few weeks old, the camera couldn’t detect his breathing and the alarm went off; it sounded nothing short of a nuclear air raid siren. While it could have been a false alarm, Jai was so small when he was born, not to mention early, that it is also very possible that he had an apneic episode. I’ll take a false alarm over no alarm any day.
Food and drink
As Jai got better, we were slowly able to venture out of our enclave. We didn’t do the entire lechon highway due to his new hatred of the car seat, but were able to find some local lechonerias to savor some crispy pig skin. We walked to Kikita Beach House for some fun cocktails and first learned of Jai’s love of fun glassware. We also had dinner at Coa, the signature beachfront restaurant at the Ritz property. The tasting menu was well done, the wine pours were heavy, and we felt like our old selves again. Jai was just along for the ride.
Our last night, we had a private chef come to the house. Chef Ronda was fantastic; a Spaniard living in San Juan, she created a Spanish tasting menu using Puerto Rican ingredients, shopping at the local markets for the freshest fish and produce. As she cooked and told us stories, we got to hang out and watch the waves crash and the sun set behind the horizon. Jai even got to nap in his room upstairs so Neal and I could enjoy some time together. Having a whole house, where you had all the facilities, was great for this reason; Jai’s bedtime wasn’t our bedtime, and we could feel like normal humans again.
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