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Puerto Rico |
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Puerto Rico is "La Isla del Encanto" (Island of Enchantment), the most beautiful place in the world. It is the smallest of the Greater Antilles, and it is located between the Atlantic Ocean (north) and the Caribbean Sea (south). It is 100 x 35 miles. Our capital is San Juan, while among the most important cities are: Mayaguez, Ponce, Caguas, Arecibo, and Fajardo. Puerto Rico was discovered by Cristobal Colon on his second trip to the Americas, on November 19, 1493. Our heritage and culture is one of the most increadible in the world, originally populated by the indians Tainos (the true puertorricans), having been part of Spain for 500 years, with influences and roots in Africa (slaves), as well as been fought over by the dutch, french, and english. In other words, we are very special people, not one race but a mixture of everything... and this is our greatest characteristic and pride. And even with the changes in our status, we are and will always be Puertorricans, my culture... my nation... Mi Patria. |
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La Borinqueña was written by the Catalan Felix Astol Artés in 1867. The song became very popular among Puerto Ricans. A year later, the popularity of the song gave to Lola Rodriguez de Tió the idea to adapt the lyrics to a patriotic tone to motivate people to a rebellion against Spain. In 1952, "La Borinqueña" was officially adopted as Puerto Rico's Anthem. Revolutionary version Despierta, borinqueño que han dado la señal! Despierta de ese sueño que es hora de luchar! A ese llamar patriótico no arde tu corazón? Ven! Nos será simpático el ruido del cañon. Mira, ya el cubano libre será; le dará el machete su libertad... le dará el machete su libertad. Ya el tambor guerrero dice en su son, que es la manigua el sitio, el sitio de la reunión, de la reunión, de la reunión. El Grito de Lares se ha de repetir, y entonces sabremos vencer o morir. Bellísima Borinquen, a Cuba hay que seguir; tu tienes bravos hijos que quieren combatir. ya por mas tiempo impávido no podemos estar, ya no queremos, tímidos dejarnos subyugar. Nosotros queremos ser libre ya, y nuestro machete afilado esta.. y nuestro machete afilado esta. Por que entonces, nosotros hemos de estar, tan dormidos y sordos y sordos a esa señal? a esa senil, a esa senil? No hay que temer, riquenos al ruido del canon, que salvar a la patria es deber del corazón! ya no queremos déspotas, caiga el tirano ya, las mujeres indómitas también sabrán luchar. Nosotros queremos la libertad, y nuestros machetes nos la dará... y nuestro machete nos la dará. Vámonos, borinqueños, vámonos ya, que nos espera ansiosa, ansiosa la libertad. La libertad, la libertad! |
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COQUI Puertorriqueno (Eleutherodactylus) The coquí is a batrarian having two separate toes with suckers. More than 16 different species live in the island, 13 of which occur in the Caribbean National Forest. It is not web-footed and has no swimming membrane between its fingers and toes. The coquí - little frog -, as it is called in Puerto Rico, has only a minute tail when it is born, and this quickly disappears. It measures between 15mm and 80mm and its color varies considerably, sometimes having touches of different colors or two dorsolateral stripes. One of the characteristics of the "coquies" is that they do not go through the intermediate phase of being a tadpole as other frogs do. |
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