Cabo Rojo Lighthouse Coolest Thing on Puerto Rico's Southwest Corner
Of all the things to do on the Southwest corner of the conspicuously small spit of land that is invariably Puerto Rico, one of the -- if not the -- greatest things to do is check out the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse. Now, I'll admit I've spoken highly in the past on the virtues of the tourist center and the saltiest flatlander areas, but the lighthouse at the tip of it really takes what little cake there is to be had.
Now, in all fairness, there ain't a whole lot cool on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico. Amongst the things that are cool, you've got basically the tree fort thingy and this and that's about it.
Still, the reason this place is cool isn't just because it's cool (though trust me when I say it is) but it's cool because the curator of the attraction is a double stud and a half.
We showed up about an hour before they opened, wandered the grounds as ones do and even teetered unto the edge of land's end to the greatest chagrin of that most pessimistic and protective Daddy-Man.
Then the place opened and we were first in a line that consisted of just us and, once we wandered in, we were freely offered the royal tour of the place. The manager of the site embraced us as only family should and took us up (without request) the very tippiest top of the lighthouse to look out upon the waters as only the Coast Guard (and manager) have done before us.
Left - There were easily a dozen or so of these taken, what with me looking back at the lighthouse, but it was this one with the back of my head that somehow made the cut.. I should talk to my editorial staff about these things, I know.
He knew there were three of us Juniors and that one of us was autistic, and he had to personally lift Patrick into place to enjoy the view; and he was happy to just to come up, join us, give us the whole historic story of the place, and then carry most of us back down to safety. Now that's great customer service!
And here's the kick in the jerky; he didn't even know who we were. At the end of our visit he asked the kiddocentric Daddy-Man to sign the guest book, but that very same Daddy-Man just handed him the business card. You should have seen the look of jackpot-gold in his eyes when he realized that he had gone so far above and beyond, as he surely must at least a few times a day, only to come up on journalistic gold as he did.
The guy was floored, but in all fairness, we were floored for him having given us the VIP treatment without any idea of who we were.
Now, I can't say that you'll enjoy the same sorts of VIP treatment, but I can tell you that the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse was in sad shape ten-years ago, and that a mix of public and private funding has since restored it far beyond its original glory and that the curator of the place wishes nothing more than that each and everybody who visits it understand and enjoy the place to its very fullest.
We haven't met a whole lot like him in Puerto Rico, but this guy goes way above and way beyond the call of duty to make darn sure everybody gets the whole experience out of this place. So if you're in the southwest corner of Puerto Rico or plan to be, be a pal and at least extend him the honor of letting you understand what's so great about his place.
Above - This is absolutely NOT the lighthouse at Cabo Rojo, but on the drive from Guanica west towards the coast, within a couple miles on Highway-2 you'll come across this odd spectacle to your left (south). Some clown who must apparently love the sea thought it wise to build his whole home to look as if it's a tugboat and lighthouse.... the tugboat I get, but nobody can live in the lighthouse, so I'm confused a bit... am I the only one who is a child here or is it just me? Hey, isn't that redunpent?
Of all the things to do on the Southwest corner of the conspicuously small spit of land that is invariably Puerto Rico, one of the -- if not the -- greatest things to do is check out the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse. Now, I'll admit I've spoken highly in the past on the virtues of the tourist center and the saltiest flatlander areas, but the lighthouse at the tip of it really takes what little cake there is to be had.
Left - There were easily a dozen or so of these taken, what with me looking back at the lighthouse, but it was this one with the back of my head that somehow made the cut.. I should talk to my editorial staff about these things, I know.
