Unfamiliar Animal Sounds: A Weekend in the Puerto Rican Mountains
I have a confession to make: I have a terrible sense of geography and direction. I know, I know, as a traveler, that’s pretty pathetic, but it’s true. Before visiting Puerto Rico I basically knew that it was a very tiny island, and that’s about it. So when Pedro, his little brother, and I went to spend a weekend at his Aunt Carmen’s house in the mountains, I had no idea what to expect. I certainly did not expect all the animals in Puerto Rico to be so in your face, and so very noisy.
Cows?
After many windy roads, we finally turned onto Aunt Carmen’s street. I saw a huge field and, without even meaning to say anything out loud, I whispered “cowwwsss.” Pedro’s little brother cracked up at my amazement. He explained we were basically in the middle of nowhere, and I’d be seeing a lot more animals.
So many chickens!
One thing I discovered about Puerto Rico is that there are chickens everywhere. It doesn’t matter if you are driving along a highway or hanging out in the mountains, chickens just seem to roam freely. The house in the mountains was no different. In fact, Aunt Carmen keeps a chicken coop in her backyard. When her husband took me out to see it, he walked up to me with a closed fist and asked me to hold out my hand. I expected him to hand me some chicken feed. Instead, I got a 4-day old baby chick!
Four-Day Old Chickens
Qui quiri qui!
Way back in the days of Spanish 2 class, I learned that animal sounds are different in each language. While I may think a rooster says “Cocka-doodle-doo,” Spanish speakers hear something more like “qui quiri qui!” I was always obsessed with this hilarious sounding interpretation, so when I finally got to hear it first hand, I was very excited. Let me tell you though, the sound is a LOT less exciting when it’s outside your window at the crack of dawn.
Wild pigs?
Of course I always knew there was such a thing as a wild pig, but I never imagined they just passed through people’s backyards. My first morning in the mountains, Aunt Carmen shouted for me to come outside and check out the pig family just chilling out back there. I have always, always wanted a pig. Seriously, ask my mom, I wrote her many pro/con lists and pleading letters as a child. So, obviously, I was pretty pumped to see the pigs. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get very close since the pigs spook easily, so the photos are not nearly as exciting as the actual experience.
Pigs in the backyard!
Unfamiliar animals sounds are terrifying
I’ve always lived in cities and suburbs where the only animal sounds one hears are dogs, cats, and perhaps a tweeting bird. Imagine the terror of being fast asleep and then hearing the incredibly loud neighing of a horse, an angry rooster, or the mournful moo of a cow. It’s weird enough to wake up in a bunk bed in a room you don’t recognize, but add all those weird animal sounds, and you’ve got yourself a pretty rude awakening.
As jarring as it was, I really enjoyed seeing all the animals in Puerto Rico. It was cool to see a laid back culture whose relaxed attitude even extended to the animals. However, you won’t catch me living in the mountains anytime soon. I’ll stick to the alarm clock on my phone, as opposed to the wildlife version, thank you very much.
