I traveled to Puerto Rico for the first time a few years back, and I loved it. I continued to go every six months, taking more and more friends with me when I did. My best friends from Seattle have fallen in love with it also. We jokingly began talking about moving there. It is no longer a joke – they are looking for a sailboat to purchase, and we are all now on a ‘two-year moving plan’. Puerto Rico was the destination.

However . . I did some research and found I simply cannot live somewhere with such a barbaric approach to animal rights. Animal cruelty is rampant in Puerto Rico, and the government cares nothing about it. I saw the random dogs, cats and horses abandoned and wondering the streets on my visits there, but what I didn’t know is how these animals are treated by the Puerto Ricans. Teenagers torture the animals for fun. Cabbies run down dogs in the streets without care. Just last year 80 dogs and cats were THROWN FROM A BRIDGE to dispose of them, after being forcibly removed from a housing complex. What does the Puerto Rican government say about all of this? Allow me to quote from the NY Times:

“In our culture we have not addressed these issues because, probably, we did not think they were important,” said Carlos M. Carazo, director of the animal disease division of Puerto Rico’s State Office for Animal Control, in an interview in San Juan last month. “In Puerto Rico, we have so many issues to address, we haven’t had the leisure time to think about animals.”

And save your ‘who cares about animals?’ posts. I do. I like my dogs better than most people. My dad was a big, hard cop, and he gave me one piece of advice I’ve found true my whole life: ‘Never trust anyone who could hurt an animal.’

So, this leaves me with a sour taste for Puerto Rico. I would definitely never move there, nor will I ever visit there again. My question is this . . what other islands down there are friendly? Where is nature in abundance, but a major city just a bit down the road? Where is the real estate not outrageous? My friends are looking to operate sailboat snorkeling and fishing charters; I on the other hand would be looking to open a little restaurant, tavern or snack shop.

I SO appreciate any information that any of you have to offer. At the least, it will mean fun vacations while we investigate your suggestions!

Thank you again!

Technorati Tags: abundance, animal control, animal cruelty, animal disease, animal rights, best friends, carazo, cop, dogs and cats, dogs cats, leisure time, ny times, piece of advice, puerto rican government, puerto ricans, puerto rico, sailboat, san juan, sour taste, whole life

Hey. I want to go somewhere next summer. Maybe a cruise but im not sure where to go. I’ve been on 3 cruises which went to Bahamas, St. Maarten, St Thomas, Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Cayman Island, Jamaica, and Mexico. What other destinations do you recommend. I really want to go on another cruise with none of the same islands. It has to be in July or August 09 only. Any places you recommend? I really wanted to go on a cruise to Tahiti or to Aruba and Trinidad but they don’t have any ships that go there in the summer. If you can’t find a cruise, are there any nice places you recommend? And if you do find a cruise,I like Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruise line. I don’t want any Carnival cruises.

Thanks=]

Technorati Tags: aruba, bahamas, carnival, carnival cruises, cayman island, haiti, island jamaica, mexico, princess cruise line, puerto rico, royal caribbean, ships, st maarten, st thomas, tahiti, trinidad, turks and caicos

heck we keep puerto rico and some caribbean islands… could make iraq like a disney vacation or something.. with an aladan theme.. heck 50 cents per gallon oil sounds great
thank peole but my plan calls for people with SPINES lol…..
well Nina 2 Niña.. i dont see you giving your house and land back to the indians…hmmmm doesnt bother you that much now does it

Technorati Tags: 50 cents, caribbean islands, disney, disney vacation, gallon oil, indians, iraq, nina, puerto rico

I’m planning a vacation for next fall/winter. I would like to go to an island in the Caribbean. I’m thinking either Puerto Rico or Barbados. Which one is better? Or where are some other fun and interesting places and some attractions you can find there?

Thanks.

Technorati Tags: barbados, caribbean, fall winter, interesting places, puerto rico

I am a U.S. Citizen flying to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. I know I don’t need a passport to go there but I have a layover in Puerto Rico. Do I need a passport to continue flight from Puerto Rico or can I use my Birth Cert. and Driver’s license?

Technorati Tags: birth cert, citizen, layover, passport, puerto rico, St. Croix, virgin islands

would these collage students still want to go to spring break in cancun??? 48 states to choose from (not counting Hawaii,Puerto Rico and the U.S.Virgin Islands) and still they are willing to risk their lives. WHY??? It’s unbelievable! Then if they get kidnapped, the kidnappers be calling mommy and daddy to pay the ransom.If they don’t pay up well,there goes the head. Aren’t the parents of these kids educating them on the dangers of traveling outside the USA? Im just saying, would you go to Afghanistan,Baghdad or Iraq for vacation now in these times???

Technorati Tags: 48 states, afghanistan, baghdad, collage, hawaii, iraq, kidnappers, mommy and daddy, parents, puerto rico, ransom, spring break, virgin islands

My fiance can’t seem to agree on where we would like to vacation for our honeymoon. We both want to stay in the caribbean though. Our total budget for airfare and lodging is about 00 for 5 nights (June 22-27). He wants to be close to a rainforest and I want to be on the beach. We don’t want to stay at a international chain hotel or resort (i.e. Hilton, etc..) We don’t need a ton of amenities, but the place should be clean and new-ish.

Help? (So far we’ve searched Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, & US Virgin Islands)
We want a relaxing vacation where we can interact with locals. It doesn’t have to be all-inclusive either.
Airfare/lodging packages would be GREAT!

Technorati Tags: airfare, amenities, amp, budget, caribbean, chain hotel, costa rica, fiance, hilton, honeymoon, international chain, jamaica, locals, lodging packages, puerto rico, rainforest, relaxing vacation, us virgin islands

I would like to take a vacation to somewhere exotic and off of the mainland. It is within my understanding that one does not need a passport to travel to u.s. territories such as guam, puerto rico, virgin islands, etc., etc. The issus is, is that I have warrants stemming from an incedent when I was younger. When I was eighteen I got into some trouble and have not resolved these issues. If I fly off of the mainland, will they somehow find my warrants? Oh yeah, they’re felony warrants. Another thing, would I have to go through customs?
OK, so I have to go through customs…But is a warrant check a standard procedure for customs? I have been told that customs is primarily for ensuring that certain possession-related offenses arent commited such as bringing something you shouldn’t be into or from a country.

Technorati Tags: customs, felony warrants, fly, guam, incedent, issus, mainland, passport, possession, puerto rico, virgin islands, warrant

I am 22 years old and will be traveling with a friend (i.e. not a lover) to the Caribbean. I will be there for about 6 days around July, so visiting 1 or 2 islands. Which two islands would you recommend? Money is not an issue, in fact I prefer luxury. I am also interested in beaches/resorts and hiking (though not a fan of fishing/scuba diving). I went on http://wikitravel.org/en/Caribbean and looked at every island.. Reduced the list to these:
British Virgin Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
Dominica
Netherlands Antilles, Specifically: Saba, Curacao
Bermuda
Bahamas

If there is anything worthy I missed in the above list please do mention however I will not be going to any Mexican island, Cuba, or Puerto Rico. In addition I do not want to go on a cruise, air travel is preferable. Also, this trip is a relaxation trip so I will not indulge in debauchery. I find it sickening that people my age go to such beautiful islands only to get drunk, make a scene, or do drugs.

Thanks and no offense intended if I did not list your island above.

Technorati Tags: 22 years, air travel, bahamas, beaches resorts, bermuda, british virgin islands, caribbean, cruise air, cuba, curacao, debauchery, drugs, fishing, money, netherlands antilles, puerto rico, relaxation, saba, two islands, wikitravel

I’m going on vacation with a friend and her family this summer, and they’re having problems planning and deciding where to go, so I told them i’d try to help out. None of us have ever been to the caribbean before. They want to stay at an all inclusive resort, somewhere that has a lot to do for adults (my friend and i are 19 and 18, then her parents…parents are okay with drinking/partying, and we love adventuring and being active) but not crazy overpopulated with tourists. we want to be around people but not be suffocated ha. Budget isn’t a super big issue but it’d be cool to save some money on the trip as well. I think the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, or Turks and Caicos might be cool, but I have no idea. any input on good resorts, good places to look online for package deals/airfare deals, things to do while there, and anything else noteworthy would be great.
thanks!

Technorati Tags: adults, airfare deals, budget, caribbean, dominican republic, jamaica, money, package deals, parents, partying, puerto rico, tourists, turks and caicos