Saludos Amigos ! Bienvenido a Puerto
Rico. Greetings friends. Welcome to Puerto Rico.
This sun-drenched island wears three faces: historic old San Juan…a lush,
colorful interior…and lively, opulent beach resorts. Whether you are looking
for a secluded retreat or a mecca of activity, you can find it all in sunny San
Juan.
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| WELCOME TO SAN JUAN |
San Juan, where palm-fringed beaches of
the Atlantic meet aquamarine waters of the Caribbean, is a city teeming with
vitality and culture. And much of it can be observed by boarding one of
the free trolleys that allows both locals and tourists to hop on and off around
different routes of the city. All trolleys stop at the cruise ship pier.
Old San Juan is 500-plus years of
Spanish history with a network of tunnels strategically labyrinthed under
it. The ruins of the 200-acre El Morro fortress, and the winding streets
of Old San Juan, are virtually unchanged since the days of the Spanish
Main.
Savor the ambiance in Old San
Juan. A safari into Old San Juan takes the visitor through almost five
hundred years of history in a single day's time. Through narrow streets paved
with blue adoquines (cobblestones), and dating back to 1521, you can
explore historic fortresses and browse through charming courtyards framed by
gems of colonial architecture and pastel-tinted shops. Once within the
solid limestone walls that surround the old city, major sightseeing attractions
are encompassed within a seven square block radius. Wear your walking
shoes for the uphill-downhill jaunt that is about to follow.
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EL MORRO FORTRESS, (aka San Felipe del Morro Castle) standing 150-feet above the sea is easily the Caribbean's most imposing--and perhaps most photographed--historical structure. Having climbed the steep ramps of the fortress, which dates back to the 1600s, one is rewarded with a sweeping view of the sea. El Morro consists of a vast field covering a system of mining tunnels and six levels of guns still pointing seaward.
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| EL MORRO FORTRESS OVERLOOKING THE SEA |
SAN CRISTOBAL CASTLE, El Morro's
counterpart in defending the island, was built in the 17th century to ward off
inland attacks. The mighty fortress, which became known as the
"Gibraltar of the West Indies", has a ground floor museum showing the
history, design and people involved in the construction of the fortress.
LA FORTALEZA, situated on a hill
overlooking the harbor, was constructed in 1533 by Charles I as another of San
Juan's military defenses against raids by Carib Indians. Now the official
residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico, it is the oldest executive mansion in
continuous use in the Western Hemisphere.
THE PLAZA OF THE FIFTH CENTURY (Plaza
De Quinto Centenario) commemorates the 500th
anniversary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in what is now Puerto Rico.
Constructed in 1992, the multilevel level plaza has a series of stairs leading
up to the granite Telurico Totem (El Tótem Telúrico). The 40-foot Totem
is encrusted with replicas of artifacts representing the native culture of
Puerto Rico.
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THE PLAZA OF THE FIFTH CENTURY |
The CAPITOL OF PUERTO RICO is located just outside the walls of Old San
Juan. Housing the Puerto Rico Legislature, El Capitolio de Puerto
Rico is Puerto Rico’s symbol of self government. Within the structure,
murals depict Puerto Rico’s history.
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The CAPITOL OF PUERTO RICO |
The PABLO CASALS MUSEUM, located in a
charming two-story, 18th century building features glimpses of the
life and work of Pablo Casals. The legendary Spanish cellist and composer
lived in Puerto Rico the last 17 years of his life. In 1950, he founded
the Casals Music Festival in France, but moved it to Puerto Rico in 1957 where
it has been held ever since.
Buen provecho! Good appetite! Dining in San
Juan is a gastronomic fiesta fantastica. Now that
you've acquired a taste for exotic rum drinks, you must accompany them with an
order of platanutres (slices of crisp fried green
plantains). For your main course, try arroz con pollo
(chicken with rice), Puerto Rico's national dish or asopao de pollo, a
delicate combination of chicken, rice, asparagus, peas, and
pimentos. Punto de Vista, by the port, is a hole-in-the-wall
restaurant/bar that serves up tasty, authentic Puerto Rican food.
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| A HEARTFELT WELCOME AT PUNTO DE VISTA |
For a mid-day treat, sip a
fresh-squeezed orange juice in the courtyard of the Hotel El Convento, that was originally a Carmelite convent more than 350 years ago. This landmark monument to the Conquistador Age is a loving
restoration of Spanish Colonial architecture and design.
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THE COURTYARD OF HOTEL EL CONVENTO |
"Hecho en Puerto Rico"
"Made in Puerto Rico" are four words that tap into a rich vein of
artisan creations. If shopping for crafts is your thing, San Juan offers
a plethora of Puerto Rican folk art. Jewelry and crafts, made from fruits
and vegetables are hardened and preserved by a chemical process conceived by a
local physician. No two are ever alike. Artisans also fashion mundillo,
handmade bobbin lace which is worked on a mundillo frame, into bands,
doilies, collars, tablecloths, and other dainty items. Interesting island
masks include vejigantes used in festivities and papier mache
masks popular during the carnival festivities in Ponce. Other
traditional crafts include Puerto Rican pavas (straw hats),
ceramics with Indian designs, papier mache fruits, replicas of Indian bohios
(huts), macrame wall hangings, and folk dolls.
Que pasa en Puerto Rico? (What’s happening in Puerto
Rico?) Go see for yourself.
JANET STEINBERG is the winner of 43
national Travel Writer Awards and is a Travel Consultant with The Travel
Authority in Cincinnati, Ohio
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