![yauco_001-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_001-sm.jpg?resize=300%2C450)
In November my mom and I drove to Yauco – a city about 40 min drive from Mayaguez. At first I planned on taking the kids too. Mom suggested we go alone. But it’s culture! Art!
![yauco_004-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_004-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C267)
I’m SO glad we didn’t take them haha. It was about 90 degrees out, with no wind and endless concrete radiating the heat back up to us. Sweatsville.
![yauco_014-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_014-sm.jpg?resize=300%2C450)
Yauco is a cute city on a very steep mountainside. After Hurricane Maria the city decided to revitalize itself with murals strewn around the city. They call it Yaucomatic
![yauco_018-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_018-processed-sm.jpg?resize=460%2C307)
One of the biggest murals are these famous steps. I actually think this painting was here pre-Maria but I’m not sure.
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Mom trying to look cute while sweating
![yauco_028-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_028-processed-sm.jpg?resize=300%2C450)
She took a photo of me. I can’t be behind the camera all the time!
![yauco_034-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_034-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C267)
Yauco is like any other city and has abandoned and broken down homes all around
![yauco_043-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_043-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C267)
Down the street from the steps. Yaucomatic has a Google map on their website showing where all the murals are
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My family saw this road with steps at the end the last time we drove around Yauco
![yauco_065-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_065-processed-sm.jpg?resize=300%2C450)
My main goal was to see the colorful street with all the houses painted. But Yaucomatic didn’t have that on their handy Google map…so we just guessed a street and entered it into the GPS. We saw this view as we totally went the wrong way.
![yauco_069-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_069-processed-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C267)
Google GPS tried to direct us on numerous staircases (not helpful) and the most steep and twisty roads imaginable. In fact, I actually stopped to ask a guy if we were indeed on a road and not someone’s driveway. I’d die driving here in the dark. We saw our destination waaay over there….
![yauco_072-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_072-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C267)
I should’ve taken more photos of the crazy road. But we were laughing, I was trying not to flip the car over sideways and suck it in as we squeezed by other cars. This is the road curving around a house. Is it two way? Yeah, I think so.
![yauco_076-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_076-processed-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C267)
You know a street is steep when the sidewalk is steps
![yauco_090-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_090-processed-sm.jpg?resize=300%2C450)
Eureka! The city – or someone – put out a city and a PR flag so tourists could snap their selfies. Cool!
![yauco_091-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_091-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C267)
There were several other groups of tourists walking around – and it was a Tuesday midday!
![yauco_100-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_100-processed-sm.jpg?resize=300%2C450)
The locals were talkative and said that the residents volunteered to have their houses painted and the same artist is doing a similar street in the city of Aguadilla.
![yauco_164-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_164-processed-sm.jpg?resize=300%2C450)
Me thinks Mayaguez could use some artsy lovin. It’s pretty ugly (is that an oxymoron?)
![yauco_169-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_169-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C600)
Capturing the shadows
![yauco_179-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_179-sm.jpg?resize=300%2C450)
Mom opted to stay at the bottom but I climbed up up up the steps to the top
![yauco_183-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_183-processed-sm.jpg?resize=300%2C450)
Looking down from the top
![yauco_186-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_186-processed-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C267)
The prettiest abandoned building ever
![yauco_188-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_188-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C600)
Would wouldn’t be happy seeing these steps? There was a house at the top of this very long stair-strewn trail. I assume there was a road up there for easier access to their home than the long route I took…
![yauco_191-processed-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_191-processed-sm.jpg?resize=400%2C267)
I made this photo intending to make it black and white – nice shadow!
![yauco_211-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_211-sm.jpg?resize=244%2C366)
A chatty local said we could walk up to this porch – no one lived there. Um ok…it smelled like piss 🙁
![yauco_218-sm](https://i0.wp.com/polarrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/yauco_218-sm.jpg?resize=300%2C444)
Love these!