El Yunque National Forest

In the heart of Puerto Rico, on a Caribbean island, there is an extraordinary rainforest known as the El Yunque National Forest (White Land). This unique ecosystem hides many fascinating and disturbing secrets that have been attracting researchers, travelers and seekers of unusual phenomena for many years.

The history of this place dates back to 1876, when King Alfonso XII of Spain declared 10,000 hectares of forest territory in the mountains of Luquillo a forest reserve. It was an attempt to protect this unusual territory from overexploitation. However, the fate of the forest was to change when the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898. Although the conflict focused primarily on Cuba, its consequences also affected Puerto Rico, which, along with other Spanish possessions in the Caribbean, was seized by the United States.

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt created the Luquillo Forest Reserve on this territory, and in the 1930s the American government expanded the forest area by another 20,234 hectares. It seemed that El Yunke's national destiny was now under the care of the authorities and scientists. However, in 1939, the Experimental Rainforest Station of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (later the International Institute of Tropical Forestry) was founded on the island, which marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of this extraordinary place.

In 1940, the construction of the El Verde research Station was completed and long-term research projects began in the "Lucillo Experimental Forest" — a strange name that raises many questions. Was this forest really just conducting standard scientific research, or was something much more mysterious going on there?

Access to the forest is strictly controlled – special permits are required, and hiking is allowed only on foot and within established limits. The visitor center is called "Portal", which seems to be an extremely successful and symbolic name.

Because it was in this forest, in the area reserved for ordinary people, that there should have been three interdimensional portals. The few brave souls who managed to return from this zone told about encounters with unusual creatures – gargoyles. Although these mysterious creatures were frightening, they did not harm anyone. On the contrary, people claimed that gargoyles were as afraid of humans as humans were of them.

Interestingly, traces of the presence of these mythical creatures can be found in the architecture of ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, Rome and Etruria. The oldest known gargoyle is 13,000 years old, and it was discovered in modern-day Turkey. It seems that in ancient times gargoyles were not considered fictional creatures, but quite real creatures.

It is also intriguing that gargoyles began to appear as decorations on religious buildings back in the Christian era – which in itself seems very unusual. Additionally, it is worth noting that Christopher Columbus, who reached Puerto Rico in 1492, claimed that the island is the southern tip of the Bermuda Triangle. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the Americans showed such great interest in taking control of the "Portal Forest" at the beginning of the 20th century.

According to the stories of those few who managed to return from the forbidden zone, these portals are not located in one particular place, but can appear in various rock formations, tree trunks or just above the ground. In this "exclusion zone" they had to face not only gargoyles, but also fairies, giant glowing humanoids with wings resembling angelic ones, as well as creatures three meters tall, capable of changing their size, taking the form of small dwarfs.

In addition, it is said that this unusual forest is home to "shadow people", mermaids and other strange phenomena such as acoustic and geomagnetic anomalies. All this makes the El Yunque National Forest a place full of unusual and disturbing mysteries, attracting researchers, adventurers and lovers of supernatural phenomena.

Many people who decided to cross the borders of the forbidden zone never returned. It is said that this is because those who enter the portal between the worlds should not eat or drink anything in another dimension, otherwise they will not be able to return to their home world. Apparently, not everyone was aware of these ancient myths and legends and recklessly crossed borders without knowing the consequences of their actions. Some of them could also stay in this area voluntarily.

Despite the many disturbing stories and mysterious disappearances, gargoyles and other unusual creatures did not harm anyone. On the contrary, the people who managed to meet them claimed that these creatures were afraid of people as much as people were afraid of them. Once, two gargoyles were even seen stopping the fight at the sight of a group of people and quickly flew away.

The El Yunque National Forest remains a place full of fascinating and disturbing mysteries, attracting researchers, travelers and seekers of unusual phenomena. Its history spans more than 140 years, and subsequent discoveries and witness testimonies continue to open up new intriguing topics. Perhaps one day it will be possible to unravel at least some of the secrets hidden in this extraordinary tropical forest.