San Juan Puerto Rico

Our first stop was in San Juan, Puerto Rico, also known as Old Puerto Rico. It's one of the main tourist attractions in this so-called "walled city" which is an oxymoron because it is anything but closed off. It is set on the lip of the Atlantic Ocean. The towering forts Sac Cristobal and Del Morro are prominent on scenery as you approach the dock. Puerto is part of the Eastern Caribbean tourist attractions and a regular stop for the Millennium Cruise as well as other cruise ships.

Puerto Rico's five hundred year history is quite apparent to the casual visitor. The age is there in its architecture, the layout and the streetscape. Walking down the narrow cobblestone streets could easily make you feel you are walking through the streets of Paris or Spain or in one of those black and white movie sets of the olden days. There is a rich colonial Spanish European feel to this city that is welcoming and charming. There are lots of small balconies, pastels and wrought iron on buildings. The people in the streets are diverse and colourful as well as the clothes people wear. There are colours everywhere. The local men and women appeared fashionably dressed. Everything about San Juan appeared more heightened - the heat of the sun, the colours, the warmth, the fun-feeling - because of what I left behind in Canada, I suppose - ice and snow. The warmth of the sun was rivaled by the warm smiles of passersby. The tropical paradise felt like a little piece of heaven.

I and a few others from our reunion party chose not to go on the guided tour but to walk around the city and take in some shopping and sights close to the dock. The pedestrian traffic was heavy and some cars were parked almost in the middle of the street but no one yelled or seemed to care, they drove around these obstacles. In less than an hour we had walked the breadth of the island. The streets are poised on steep hills so if you are going to walk make sure you have good walking shoes. There are lots of side walk cafes and boutiques with reasonably priced souvenir items on which you can spend your money and give your feet a needed break.

There are many interesting art galleries as there are boutiques. One of the places of interest that captured our attention was the butterfly gallery. Unfortunately we could not take pictures in the gallery. I felt sort of surreal being among these butterflies which appeared to be alive but yet frozen in time. It is definitely freakish in a nice kind of way. You know these colorful creatures were alive and were trapped while alive and preserved to perfection. This is a must for the visitor to San Juan. I have never seen anything like it. You can find it on Calle De La Cruz within easy walking distance from the port.

We walked down one of the main streets that went past the Forts and the municipal offices. The Fort is located on the top of a hill. I felt goose bumps walking past the Fort for some reason. Like most forts, it was the look out point for the Spanish. It is a formidable robust structure of cold grey concrete. I imagined that the inside must have been dark and musty in the old days when soldiers waited there to see which enemy ship might appear on the horizon and strike before they know what is happening to them. Catholic churches dot many corners in the city which underlined the influence of the Catholic Church in this Spanish speaking American State. The city is pedestrian friendly; there are benches everywhere to give your feet a break and fountains to cool one's parched throat.

I will be delighted to return to San Juan for a longer time. A day is too short to absorb the richness of this city. I could have tried more food, more sangria and more historical sights or just mingle amidst the people and inhale the delicious aroma in the atmosphere that would have been enough.